SILVER LAKE WASHINGTON

Here is where I will be in about eight days. I am so looking forward to being on this lake with it's views of Mt. St. Helen's(our very own northwest famous volcano) and Mt. Rainier who we hope does not blow it's top also.
There is such serenity being out on a lake. I truly know we miss boating and what I miss most is our cabin cruiser boat. To be on the water all day and then snuggle in for the night on the boat has always been so appealing to me. I loved making meals on the boat and sitting top deck in the morning sun having breakfast. You are surrounded by nature listening to bird chatter and the slapping sound of water against the boat. Talk about serenity.
Hubby and I would be on the water for a week at times only beaching or docking to dump garbage or get fresh supplies or do some beach combing if we felt inclined. Boating was so much fun but I will say it was work too. Not work like a sailboat, but still the loading and unloading, the maneuvering a large boat, docking, anchoring just does not happen it is work and you must always keep your mind on what you are doing. 
We have been in some precarious situations when we were boat owners.  Thunder storms that would build slowly but all at once it seems be upon you. We would race to a cove or beach and leave the boat if possible. One time at a high Cascades lake we frequented a storm came upon us quite quickly. Thunder and lightening was right over the top of us and large hail  pelted us as we pulled into a cove. We anchored the boat and waded thigh high to the bank. We were in a treed area which is not the safest.  Lightening can strike a tree and whiz toward you in a an instant or the tree can fall on you if hit, so not the best situation but better than being out on the water. I was very nervous this was bad angry storm. We waited it out for almost two hours. We were sitting huddled together on a downed tree and biding our time. As we waited an amazing thing happened. Two deer wandered down the trail to where we where. They walked right up to us a few feet away at most. They stared us right in the eye. Believe me seeing those black alien shaped eyes staring intently at you from two feet away was a creepy experience. Deer kicks can be lethal and deer are unpredictable so we sat as still and quiet as mice. They nosed right up to us so close we could feel their warm breath on our faces. They just stood there staring at us for several minutes. It was one of the strangest experiences I have ever had. Then they just flicked their little tails and sauntered back down the path from which they came. I am telling you we were freaked out! The storm was over and we waded back to our boat chilled but thrilled. We sat topside and watched the steam roll off the lake like smoke and the sky turn from angry gray to blue once more. This is just one memory I have from our boating experiences. But I have two journals of boating adventures. 
I long for a big boat like that again but unless we had it moored at a lake it would be more than I would want to deal with at this point in my life. When you have it moored it just makes everything so easy. You jump aboard with your boat bag of clothing and sack of food and ice chests full of drinks and you are off!  If I every became wealthy I suppose I would have to have another cabin cruiser. But in the meantime the memories are so welcomed.
So I am going to leave you now and try to post a picture of the boat from a photo. Lets see how this works.
Back in a flash.