Just Like Heaven

The Hosts

Saturday night I went to my favorite getaway - the Lakehouse. Abbie and Benji's dad has a little lakehouse somewhere between here and Memphis. The drive is just long enough to feel like you're far away, but just short enough to go away for a night. Abbie and I have been spending weekends there since I turned 16, sometimes with her brother (a.k.a. my "otha-brotha"), sometimes with friends, and sometimes just to get away for a girl's weekend.

The Next Generation

There are certain Lakehouse rules. Some came from tradition, others from necessity, and some from, well, we might have been drinking when we made those up. It can't be a Lakehouse weekend without wine coolers (don't ask why - just drink your darn wine cooler and get on with it). We also have to play certain games - Connect Four, Uno, and gin. There's really nothing else to do there after dark but drink and play cards on the screen porch.

The Neighbors

Guests must have a smile on their face within 10 minutes of arrival, and if you're not having a good time, go home. You'd better be easily amused, because you're on your own for entertainment. You're not allowed to know what time it is. There are about 15 clocks in the 4 room cabin, and none of them work. It's either time to eat, time to go to bed, time to get up, or time to go fishing. Everyone must pitch in equally when it comes to groceries, cooking, cleaning, etc. We all go there to get away, so no one person should have to take care of everyone else. The most important rule is that you have to go home stinky. You can't go to the Lakehouse and drive home clean. That would be just silly.

Little Tay and Auntie Em

This past weekend was fairly typical. Abbie, her daughter, Benji, and a couple other friends arrived earlier, so I showed up just in time for dinner (working Saturdays isn't always fun, but at least I got out of dinner duty). Afterwards we put little Tater to bed and sat on the porch for a quiet, but fun night with friends. We went to bed at about dark-thirty, every little bed and couch full.

The Fish Whisperers

The next morning, Benji and his niece collected sticks to give to Mommy. It's funny how we all revert back to high school at the Lakehouse. It's like we're playing house. When we all lived with our parents, the Lakehouse was just that. It was our own special place to get away and feel like adults, but now we feel like teenagers there.

Baby Turtle

After a great day, we cleaned up, packed our gear and headed home. I was about an hour away from Nashville when my legs started to hurt a little. Abbie and I were so concerned with not letting Tater get too much sun that we might have forgotten to re-apply sunblock. My legs are fried. It hurts to bend them, touch them, or even wear pants. It looks like I'll be wearing long skirts all week.

Other than the burn, I came home rested, happy, and most importantly, stinky. And it's not even summer yet. There are many Lakehouse weekends to come.