Ok, so contrary to the title of the thread, I took no pictures yesterday. But I have a valid excuse. Hear me out.
Yesterday, I took my MIL out for a 'cruise'. She is here for 3 weeks due to confirmations/graduations. However after about 3 days... (anyone remember the Benjamin Franklin quote?) Anyway, she drives my wife crazy. She drives me crazy, too, but I am a male and she (the feminist) completely defers to me, so I think I have it much less worse. So, when my wife was fed up, I took mom for a cruise yesterday out on Lake Conroe. Completely with lunch at Wolfies (which is a whole different story).
Now I will readily admit that I have no pics. I ran the coast of Conroe. We did stop at one point to install the battery watering kits (I believe these are your fault,
@Murf'n'surf , and they are awesome). But basically we just cruised at 20 mph around the lake. Not the normal lake experience with my (male) kids and their friends. Despite the MIL, it was actually very relaxing. No issues with the boat (of course). Didn't see many people. Stopped for lunch uneventfully.
And when we stopped for the day (I do have to say, because we so berate idiots at the launch), I was in the cove with 3 other boats. Our storage facility valets and so you pull into a cove and they come get your trailer and put it in for you. So there are three other boats there. One goes in to drop off crew. One is just sitting in the middle of the cove. So I tell mom I will drop her off. I pull up to the dock (while pulling out her shoes, getting her set, etc.), and as I approach a horde of people appear on the dock. Quick communication with the other boat in the cove (who was ahead of me), and they tell me that they are just there to pick up the horde on the dock. So, essentially, I have cut in line. I, of course, offer to go back, but other boater insists I go ahead and drop mom off.
Now, that would be enough to cite for courtesy of boating, etc. But here is the thing. So I get close to the dock. Wind kicks up. Difficult to hold up against the dock (I am on the lee side). Kids that the other boat were going to pick up offer to help (accepted, of course). One grabs my fore and tells his friend (specifically) to grab my tower. Friend is a little slow, but by that time I have the gaffer pole out and over to him. He pulls on that and we pull the boat to the dock. Mom works her way off with the help of the lady friends on the dock. I thank them all. Mom goes up to the gazebo and wait; they let me go and I jet aft out of the way so their boat can come to pick them up.
Mom and I had an ok day out on the water. Never about 25 mph, but very relaxing. But really it is was the courtesy of fellow boaters that made the day for me. I only hope that I can be such a fellow boater to others on the water. Yes, there are idiots out there. Let us not give them the power to detract from those of us who want to be good neighbors, and let us not stop them from appreciating good neighbors. I don't know the folks who helped, but I will certainly pay it forward to say thank you.
Mother's Day weekend in the muddy waters of Cheney Lake, KS!
"R.e.l.a.x." - Aaron Rodgers
