A memoir of our summer pastime: Lake Gatliff

If it's May through September, and we have nothing else going on, you can usually find us about an hour and a half away from home, at Barb and Dan's lake house.


It's set on Lake Gatliff, a 60 acre, quiet, private late. Big boats aren't allowed, but that's okay. There's a paddle boat, and a few fishing boats to choose from if you need to get out. The cabin has beds for 10, and is often the place to reunite with Dan's side of the family, who are also frequent visitors.

Early, early in the morning, the men will go and check the jug lines that they set out the night before. Some days they find that their efforts were in vain, but on others, they come back with a 45 pound catfish, which has happened a couple of times, to my knowledge. Later in the morning, Dan is likely to make a delish breakfast of biscuit and gravy. We sit in the sunroom off the back of the house, and enjoy the meal and the view. The rest of the day, we are inside or outside, lazy or active. What time is it? Who cares?



The boys aren't allowed to leave the house unless they have their life jacket on. They look goofy playing with sticks in the front yard with it strapped on, but they run around so much it just makes sense. They have a little pool they splash in, which is what Cash prefers. And Jagger is always begging to fish off the dock. He also always begs to go to "Treasure Island," which is a spillway at one end of the lake. He and Grandma, or Grant, or I will paddle out there, and "search for treasures." Jagger also loves to jump in the lake, but he only can with an adult, other than me. I am not cut out for swimming in ponds or small lakes. I used to, but I grew outta that. I prefer a lawn chair, a magazine, and some sun on my legs. Grant is usually running around doing something productive. Burning stuff or killing snakes and the like. Often, a game of croquet is set up, which we all have fun cheating at.

When the men are in the mood for some hard core fishing, they drive about a mile down the road and take the big boat out on Truman Lake. The same things goes for when we feel like a long boat ride, or water sports. Grant prefers wakeboarding, and he is pretty good. I am good at nothing, and have given up trying. I just like the boat rides and the sun.

Last week just Grant, Jagger and I went down there and met some old friends for the weekend. We knew we would be out in the sun quite a bit, and that Cash wouldn't be able to handle it, so he got to stay home with Grandma and Papa C. Jagger had such a great time being the center of our attention again.

At the end of this last trip there , Jagger told me, and this is verbatim "Mom, when I die and go to heaven, I am going to tell God I had the best day today at the cabin." It melted my heart.