Playing Hookie

It's Friday, sunny, and predicted to be in the 70s (and yes, it's still April). So what is a home schooling teacher/parent to do??? Suggest we cram as much as we can into the morning, attend Chemistry lab, and then head to the lake to play hookie!!!! The promise of hookie was a tactic to get B to help with some of the chores at our favorite place in Michigan - the cottage. So before the lab instructor could even get out of the drive, we hopped in the truck and headed for west toward the lake!!!! Next weekend is gramps birthday and we decided to the dock in for him. The lake looked pretty empty when we got there, but when we left we had remedied that!

Here's what it looked like when we got started. Yes, that is Saturn in the water. B said the water was cold, I had yet to find out. As you can see we've carted all the necessary 'supplies' to the sea wall.
Take this child to the cottage, and put him in the water - you get HAPPY CAMPER!!! (not sure Saturn shares the sentiment)

First section done, working on the 2nd section. Saturn is the ultimate supervisor.

Second section done, third section is the toughest because of the end posts - they have to be screwed into the lake bottom (vs the other ones just sit on the sandy bottom). Saturn wants to make sure B is doing it just right, 'Make sure you get it straight kid, and level. I hate to walk on the dock when it is runs downhill on one side.'

Still smiling, while working. It's because we both went to the lake with a different motive. The deal was, once the work was done, B could work on his koi pond and I would get to kayak. Did that happen???? Doesn't look much like a boy does he???

JOB DONE!!! Plus we got all the sticks in the yard picked up and burned, all the outdoor furniture hauled out of the garage, the porch swings hung (hard choice, would have loved to have time to curl up in one of them and read - but not in the cards today), and the boat lift to the water's edge.

AND - we both got to 'play' after the work was done. B uncovered his pond to find his koi had weathered the winter just fine (only lost one fish, the gin matsuba butterfly koi). He began the clean up work on the pond and I filled my kayak in the water and got a chance to paddle. About an hour on the water, bliss!!!! The water was cold, I could feel that through the boat. The sun was amazing, and the there was not a sole around - so the only sound was the paddle in and out of the water and the movement of the boat. Heavenly bliss!!! I've missed kayaking. The lake level is SO high - highest we've ever seen. The neighbors 2 houses down, their sea wall is completely underwater.

Anyway......picked a perfect day to play hookie. It was VERY HARD to get in the truck to return to Dexter. If we didn't have a family commitment tomorrow morning we probably would have stayed. We can hardly wait to finish things here in Dexter so we can make our move out there. We'll have at least 3 1/2 months of living at the lake. Motivates us to get home, get the school work and chores done here so we can return!!!!