Saturday, August 21, 2010

Library Ladies @ the Lake



I forgot to download these pictures backwards...oops. And I'm not going to change them. But they are all about the same. The narration goes something like this:

Some ladies at the Sherratt Library thought it would be a great idea to spend some quality time together at the local lake (Sand Hollow Reservoir) before school started and the business began. We hurried and scheduled it...it was so exciting! Julie (our Network Services person) has a great boat and was willing. And the idea was going, going, going. Almost gone! By the time the day finally arrive, only a handful were still committed. So we went anyway. Summer's wasting away, folks! We had our departmental meetings, then left around lunch time and headed out. just the four of us. The weather was perfect--hot, and no wind. Friday, August 20, 2010
Julie is an experience boater. They LOVE Lake Powell, especially. I think Sand Hollow is like a baby Lake Powell in some ways. She has never done all the boat launching stuff all alone, though, so that was a new adventure for her. I was willing to back the boat (if she got it started, of course). I was willing to drive the boat so she could ski or wake board. And she was willing to coach me. So we were ready! And her sweet husband was willing to let us. He did leave her lots of notes and coached her the night before we left. She didn't sleep very well, worrying about it all. I had great confidence in her abilities, however.
Me, Julie, Sheri and Susan C were the only ones who ended up going that day. We had so much fun! I wondered why it felt so comfortable swimming with Julie there in the lake, and it dawned on me--we've paddled cardboard and duct tape boats across the pool together on more than one occasion! ha. And Susan C and I are ol' water aerobic buddies for the past year or so.
Julie demonstrated wake boarding to us. I drove the boat and didn't crash into rocks or other boats, so I considered that a success. ha. I think she did, too. But Susan and I thought we'd better try tubing. I've never done that before. I didn't want to ski. I remembered the last time I skiied and it was just too fast for my tastes and made me nervous. I was afraid to fall because I just knew it was going to hurt! And I (for some strange inaccurate reason) was thinking she said that tubing was done at about 8 mph. Silly me! More than DOUBLE that, thank you. I think Susan and I were being towed at around 20 mph and we were having the time of our lives. Of course, there are no action shots of that, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
We really didn't know what to expect. So we got ready. And we got set. And we WENT! We went flying all over the water. We bounced and we spun and we splashed and we bounced and splashed some more. We never fell off, though it got pretty close a time or two. I think my description would be like a roller coaster, thrill-wise. Times ten. I love roller coasters. They go too fast, though. Meaning, the ride is short and it's over too soon! Tubing was not the same. As Susan and I were speeding over the water at much slower speeds than most roller coasters, we FELT like we were on the ride of our lives and that it would never end! I finally let go of one hand to motion to our driver that we'd had enough, please cut the engine. Honestly, we thought we must have been going 80 mph, it was so speedy and we had NO CONTROL! That was the surprising part. It didn't matter what we did, the tubes just went wherever, and we laughed and screamed and shouted
AHHHHHH....OOOOoooooOOOOO....AAACK.....OOOOOHHHHH NOOOOoooooo.....EEEEEeeee. All interspersed with belly laughs that hadn't racked my body in decades. Maybe EVER. I cannot believe how hard we laughed, and for so long. I think everybody on the lake heard us loud and clear. The funny part was, when they finally cut the engine and we could see and hear Julie and Sheri, THEY were laughing just as hard as we were (with us, not at us, Julie assured me) and could barely stand up straight for laughing so hard. Oh, it was a hoot. Not bad for a bunch of 50 year old Plus old ladies (not Julie, she's much younger).
We hope to make this an annual tradition, the Library Ladies Day at the Lake. I know I'll certainly plan on it! The more the merrier! We've considered inviting some of the wives of the library GUYS, to let them in on the fun. In the meantime, I think I'll practice backing up trailers. :-) and keep doing my water aerobics. And I'm going to tone my neck and arms. I am so sore today!
Me and Julie in the water. It was glassy. "Golden," as Julie called it. It's usually choppy in the afternoon, and since we were there NOT on a Saturday, it wasn't crowded. So that made it even more golden! What a treat. Clear water, sunny skies. It was about 100 degrees, so we stayed in the water a LOT! It was great just to bob around and visit and play. Susan and I demonstrated our Water Aerobics for the others.
Julie at the helm. She is in her element here at the lake.

Julie, Susan, Sheri, at the beginning. Julie was feeling the need for some speed!

3 comments:

Donna said...

Looks like SO much fun!

Katie and Casey said...

Looks like you ladies had a great day! Julie has always reminded me of Helen Hunt.

Suzanne said...

You ladies are FUN! And brave for going it alone when you've never done it before. Someday I'd like to take the trailer with my friend and her kids without men, but I think I'm too chicken. I still do all the inside stuff and he does all the hooking up and stuff outside. I need to learn that. :-)