My Happy Place

Hooray for Friday and a long weekend at the lake!

My family bought a lake house on Lake Mitchell (about an hour south of Birmingham) three years ago, and we have used and abused that house to the fullest extent in those three years.

When my parents bought the house I was finishing up my freshman year of college and my brother was making his way through high school. As you can imagine, our little lake cottage has seen more parties, more booze, and more teenagers than any cottage should have to endure. We used any excuse we could find to party at the lake. Going away to college? Lets throw a party at the lake. Home from college for the summer? Lake party.  Breaking up with a boyfriend? Sounds like a lake party is in order. New relationship? Let’s party at the lake. It didn’t matter the occasion, we were at the lake.

And the parties are always big and loud. There are three prime spots throughout the house to set up the beer pong table. The deck over the boathouse if it’s pretty outside, the dock close to the water if it’s hot outside, and the middle of the living room if it’s raining or just too cold outside. The table on the deck over the boathouse is the best spot on the lake to play cards and flip cup is best played on the table set up by the basement. If you get too tired, just go sleep it off in the hammock or in one of the many lounge chairs around the house. Feeling adventurous? Take the boat (Mariah is her name) out for trip skiing or tubing. Or if you are anything like me you would much rather be floating in the water, cold beer in hand, radio blasting, and floating cooler (overloaded with beer) tied to me.

After one of the more infamous lake parties that my brother had I found a vacuum cleaner in the shower. You read that right. a vacuum cleaner just hanging out in the shower. I guess I should give him props for attempting to clean up after himself? That wasn't the only thing out of place after that party. We also discovered that a chair had gone missing. You know, one of those heavy decorative antique chairs. Yep. It managed to just vanish after said party. A few months later (and after a few alcoholic beverages) one of my brother's friends admitted to the chair breaking during the party. So what does one do when an antique chairs breaks in half? Well naturally you throw it in the lake to hide the evidence. We still to this day talk about that damn missing chair. 

Still, our little slice of heaven serves as more than just a party venue for drunk twenty-somethings. It is a place for family. It has become a 4^th of July tradition for my family that stretch as far as central Florida to come up and enjoy themselves. We spend an entire week laughing, grilling out, boating, and drinking together. The lake house is where my extended family met my now fiancé for the first time. It’s a special place for all of us.

I’ve endured hangovers from hell and memories that will last a lifetime all while dangling my feet in the water.

The lake is my happy place.

A little reminder of last summer on the lake...