OK, so it isn't officially the last weekend of summer, but most lake weekenders consider Labor Day to be the last weekend of summer. Boat traffic will drop significantly.
We went up on Friday and had a most enjoyable weekend. It rained some on Saturday, but that just meant we got to relax. :) Ron and Cindy came by yesterday for a while, and then Amy, Allen, Will, and Maggie came out. Amy got Maggie to say "Roll Tide" once, but that was it. She (Amy) had a funny Will story for us. "Roll Tide" was one of the first things we started teaching Will to say, but he idolizes his older cousin Issac. Issac is an Auburn fan, so Will converted. For a LONG time, he would say "Roll Eagle" though. I would bribe him to say "Roll Tide" (nope, I'm most certainly not above using bribery. LOL) Anyway, Amy said that he has decided he wants to be a Florida fan, too. He is in 1st grade and loves sounding out words and spelling them. He was sounding out Florida, and was making the "fuh" sound for the F. Then he said he was going to pull for FU. Amy quickly corrected him and told him Florida was FL. :)
Today, Mom, Dad, Tim, Tisha, Keith, Billie, Connie, Blain, and Zac came out. They, Danny, Linda, Will, Chris, Trish, Jessica, and Samantha, and John and I fried fish, hush puppies, and fries. De-LISH!
Now we're home and gearing up for a short (long) week. Weeks that are short on the front-end always seem longer to me. :)
Gotta run...'bout time for bed.
Keep dreamin'!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
No lake posts lately :(
It has been a busy few weeks in the Vest household. We haven't been to the lake in a almost a month, and for us, that is highly unusual, especially during the summer! We've stayed with John's mom a couple of those weekends, and this weekend was supposed to be John's yard sale. He decided against having it because he thought there was a chance of rain. It has been a really nice day, though. Now, if he had gone ahead with it, it probably would have poured buckets of rain. LOL
I've spent almost all morning cleaning. The den is the only thing I've gotten done, BUT I moved every piece of furniture (except the entertainment center and all the bajillion pounds of stuff on it.) It's bit a while since I did this, so it was needed. Desperately! I think the bedroom will be next.
Next weekend WILL be a lake weekend. It is sort of the official "last" weekend of summer for most lake visitors, but this is the time of year that we really enjoy because all of the boat/jet ski traffic drops significantly. We'll pull the TV out onto the porch (hopefully it won't be too hot and humid to do that) and watch the TIDE kick some Hokie hiney!
OK--gotta go finish up. Or at least finish what I can today.
Keep Dreaming!
I've spent almost all morning cleaning. The den is the only thing I've gotten done, BUT I moved every piece of furniture (except the entertainment center and all the bajillion pounds of stuff on it.) It's bit a while since I did this, so it was needed. Desperately! I think the bedroom will be next.
Next weekend WILL be a lake weekend. It is sort of the official "last" weekend of summer for most lake visitors, but this is the time of year that we really enjoy because all of the boat/jet ski traffic drops significantly. We'll pull the TV out onto the porch (hopefully it won't be too hot and humid to do that) and watch the TIDE kick some Hokie hiney!
OK--gotta go finish up. Or at least finish what I can today.
Keep Dreaming!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Financing was a headache!
So, John and I decided we'd go for it. We (correction--I) started looking into financing. We decided to shop around to see where we could get the best deal. Easy peasy, huh? NOT! One company wouldn't finance it because the lot had a trailer on it. If we would remove the trailer, then they would see what they could do for us. Ummm...one of the reasons we decided to try to buy this lot was because it DID have a trailer on it, and we knew we didn't have intentions of trying to build right away. Another wouldn't finance it because the trailer is only 12 feet wide. They would finance a trailer only if it was a minimum of 14 feet wide. I called the local number for Wachovia, the bank we have used since they were SouthTrust, and I ended up talking to Jennifer in VIRGINIA. (Funny how I can remember her name.) I don't remember what the deal was with them. We had just about given up when we decided to try one more place--the locally owned and operated Farmers and Traders Bank in Addison, AL. Yep, the small-town bank was more than willing to work with us. Says something about all these large corporations who don't give a rip about the average Joe (or Josephine.)
There were a lot of phone calls and faxing back and forth, but we finally were able to receive the financing. We made the offer to the Wards, and by the end of September 2007, we were owners of lake property. :)
The "McMansion" as I like to call it. :)
It isn't much, but it is ours, and we love it. (Although I will love it a whole lot more when there is a nice little rustic cabin sitting there instead of an old red trailer. LOL) For the age of the trailer, it is in really good shape, but we've done quite a bit of work. We had rip rap put on the shoreline last year, and that made a huge difference from the water. If you've read my other blog, you know all of the stuff we've done--plumbing, electrical--just to keep it in good shape.
We spend every possible weekend there, and that is our vacation spot (even though I do try to sneak in a beach trip every so often.) I can't wait to live there and to be able to enjoy the beauty and serenity of God's world.
Keep dreaming!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Dreams do come true
John and I began dating in January of 1992. As we got to know each other, we learned that we both enjoyed being at the lake. Growing up, I spent many summer afternoons at Duncan Bridge swimming and picnicking. To me, the lake represented fun.
John also spent many days at the lake, just on the other end of it. There were a few of his friends who had places up in the Rock Creek area near Swayback Bridge, so that's where they hung out. (To hear some of the stories, you have to wonder how they didn't all end up dead or at the least, seriously injured!) Needless to say, they had their fun, too, but he also saw the lake as a place to get away from the rat race.
While John was waiting on his divorce to be finalized, he moved to the lake and lived at Ron's for about 6 months or so--from September of '90 until about March of '91. He loved being up there because it was so quiet and relaxing.
So many people see the lake only on summer weekends when it is crowded with boats and jet skis. Like I said, growing up I went to the lake to play--swimming, boating, lying out in the sun. I never saw the lake as anything except a place of recreation. Until I met John. John showed me the lake on those early mornings and those late afternoons when the water looks like glass. He helped me see the lake as a place of relaxation and reflection, as well as a place to have a great time. Once I began to see that, his dream became my dream.
When we both still lived in Jasper, he decided to buy a boat. It was a beauty, too. We started spending many weekends on the water (weekday afternoons, too.) But...the boat was a headache. I think in the 3 or 4 years we had it, it was in the shop at least 6 times. After we married and moved to Dadeville, we kept it at Blue Creek, but after a while (and a couple more repairs) we decided to sell it and get a Harley. (That was another dream come true.)
Over the years, we dreamed of being able to buy a place on the lake, preferably Smith, but we just couldn't afford it. Still, we'd look at the real estate guides and dream. "Someday" became our manta, I guess you could say, but we never really saw "someday" as ever getting here. The more financially able we became, the higher the price of lake property went. But our "someday" did finally arrive.
In July of 2007, we spent our week of vacation at Danny and Linda's place. Mr. Ward, their lake neighbor, had had his place on the market for about a year. The week we were at the lake, we walked around and looked at the property--almost every day. We started talking about how we could swing it. We looked at what we currently owed, what was about to be paid off (the house!), and what we could live without. And we decided to see if we could get the financing. And that was a chore, but more about THAT in my next post!
Happy dreaming!
John also spent many days at the lake, just on the other end of it. There were a few of his friends who had places up in the Rock Creek area near Swayback Bridge, so that's where they hung out. (To hear some of the stories, you have to wonder how they didn't all end up dead or at the least, seriously injured!) Needless to say, they had their fun, too, but he also saw the lake as a place to get away from the rat race.
While John was waiting on his divorce to be finalized, he moved to the lake and lived at Ron's for about 6 months or so--from September of '90 until about March of '91. He loved being up there because it was so quiet and relaxing.
So many people see the lake only on summer weekends when it is crowded with boats and jet skis. Like I said, growing up I went to the lake to play--swimming, boating, lying out in the sun. I never saw the lake as anything except a place of recreation. Until I met John. John showed me the lake on those early mornings and those late afternoons when the water looks like glass. He helped me see the lake as a place of relaxation and reflection, as well as a place to have a great time. Once I began to see that, his dream became my dream.
When we both still lived in Jasper, he decided to buy a boat. It was a beauty, too. We started spending many weekends on the water (weekday afternoons, too.) But...the boat was a headache. I think in the 3 or 4 years we had it, it was in the shop at least 6 times. After we married and moved to Dadeville, we kept it at Blue Creek, but after a while (and a couple more repairs) we decided to sell it and get a Harley. (That was another dream come true.)
Over the years, we dreamed of being able to buy a place on the lake, preferably Smith, but we just couldn't afford it. Still, we'd look at the real estate guides and dream. "Someday" became our manta, I guess you could say, but we never really saw "someday" as ever getting here. The more financially able we became, the higher the price of lake property went. But our "someday" did finally arrive.
In July of 2007, we spent our week of vacation at Danny and Linda's place. Mr. Ward, their lake neighbor, had had his place on the market for about a year. The week we were at the lake, we walked around and looked at the property--almost every day. We started talking about how we could swing it. We looked at what we currently owed, what was about to be paid off (the house!), and what we could live without. And we decided to see if we could get the financing. And that was a chore, but more about THAT in my next post!
Happy dreaming!
Monday, July 20, 2009
I promise...I'll get started. Soon!
I want to make this blog a "memory lane" kind of thing. I have plans. I just haven't gotten started yet. Maybe later this afternoon, once I get the over-the-top mound of laundry done...
Love and kisses!
T~
Love and kisses!
T~
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