I have to say a day on the lake is a little slice of heaven for me.  It feels as though I am getting away and on vacation.  Oh the boat may not be so nice to look at and there are tears and rips in the upholstery but the motor works fine and I'm learning to to tow the boat and put it in the water and pull it out of the water.  Backing up the trailer is difficult and then doing that without the boat on it and on an incline isn't the easiest.  It is doubly hard when the Sheriff is going through the check list for required boating items.  I think I backed in and out at least 10 times before I just gave up.  Nice that no one was waiting for me.  We've only been on the lake a handful of times this summer.  Twice with our youth group.  Loved that.  A shout out goes to the Hatcher Family for their use of their property.  And then we've gone a couple of other times.  We've gone out on the lake with a purpose this year.  I have learned to get up on ski, so much easier once I've done it a couple of times.  Lona has been working on her butter turns on the wake board, meaning she switching her forward foot from left to right and back to left again.  Job has decided to learn to water ski and is trying to drop a ski.  He gets up so easy on the skis.  And that leaves Isaac to work on jumping the wake.  John has given up water skiing and decided to just drive the boat.  When he crashes it just hurts his neck so much that it isn't worth it for him.  Ever since his car accident his neck has never been right.  I am sad for him in that respect.  He tried knee boarding and that might be what he can do just not sure at this point. 
Last Friday I decided that I could take the boat out on the lake by myself.  Lona got the boat ready meaning towels, snacks, and life jackets.  We headed out after Job left for school.  It was so easy to put the boat in the water.  I was happy.  My friend Amy and her kids arrived and out we went.  Unfortunately I forgot to pull the tie off line into the boat and it wrapped around the prop.  Then I couldn't start the boat so we paddled into shore and I called John for help.  When I realized what happened I unwrapped the line and the boat started right up.  I called John and let him know that I fixed it myself.  The rest of the day was perfect.  We headed into the dock a few times, no problem.  Lona wake boarded and did great.  She worked on her turns and jumped the wake.  So happy for her.  Lona and Maddy used the tube together.  Drew went once and then we talked Jack into it.  He wasn't sure about getting his foot wet since he hurt his toe really really bad.  But once he was in he kept saying faster.  We didn't have his go out the wake.  I think he liked it.  Maddy stayed with us when Amy and the boys left and we tubed, swam and gooffed off.  Finally it was time to go in.  I went to go into the dock but it seemed busy so I let a couple of other boats take out before us.   Finally a dock opened up and it looked as though there wasn't anyone else waiting to put in or take out.  So I slowly pulled up to the dock.  Then it all fell apart.  Lona was about to step onto the dock when the boat next to me decided not to back up but turn around and cruise out.  When they did that, they ran right into me. I quickly put the boat into reverse and then I hit the piling. I backout to try it again and the boat hit me again.  There were all guys in the boat and they were yelling at me in another language, arabic I think.  Someone else shouted for me to paddle in.  I quickly turned off my boat, got out the paddle and paddled in.  Another guy who had his boat tied up at the dock came over, grabbed my line and pulled me.  Meanwhile the boat of guys sped out of the dock area, which they weren't supposed to do. The nice guy told me that I did everything right.  Someone else then backed our pickup and trailor into the water for me.  I was shaken up and a little angry to say the least.  I had a hard time going to sleep as I was going over and over in my mind what I could have done differently.  I think that next time and there will be a next time, I will wait for two open slots and no boat next to me.  Then I'll have the tube tied to the back of the boat.  I may paddle in next time too.  The thing is I had gone to the dock without incident earlier in the day.  Alls well that ends well.  I am thankful.