As a beach chick, it's hard to get my kicks in the mountains where I go to school. There's something about the water that makes me feel at home. My mom has a friend who lives at Seven Lakes, and that's where my family and I went for vacation this summer.
Three days at the lake is a slice of heaven. There's Kori and Kain, siblings like my brother and I. It's creepy how similar we are to each other. For example, Kori and I are quiet and prefer peaceful boating sessions. She can ski like a pro, and she dearly misses her college friends -- that's something I can relate to. On the other hand, Kain and my brother, Tymothy, despise quiet time and prefer hectic adventures. While us girls sit barefoot in hammocks, Kain and his homies are roaring across the lake with explicit rap music at full blast. Tymothy's on the tube, and he's bouncing on the waves from the turbulence of the boat. Kain steers a mean curve and Tymothy hits some major air before crashing into the water.
Rodney, their dad, is the coolest father I know. He'll sit down and play guitar with you like he's known you all his life. He has plenty of stories to tell, and they're all worth lending my ear to. He's an opinionated man who isn't afraid to say what he thinks. Upon each visit to the Godwin house, I'm hounded by questions about college; then I receive an intuitive analysis of campus life and the current economy. It sheds some light into the dealings of grown adults that I have yet to experience. Rodney's wife is a gracious host and does all the housekeeping and keeps herself busy while enjoying the fresh air. She's independent and she runs Camp Godwin; it's hard not to appreciate what she does.
Anyways, back to the lake. The second day we're there, it rains on and off. The water pours down and the boat sways side-to-side. Rodney's ducks waddle across the yard looking for handouts. We slide around the boat as the waves crash around us, and my brother gets drenched at the front of the boat. Finally, the rain clears long enough for us to have some fun. Already wet, Tymothy and I hop onto the tube. Kori's left for work, so this ride won't be easy. Kain's at the wheel, and we're in for a rough ride. The engine roars to life and the boat shoots forward. Hands gripping the handles, the tube swings behind the boat and romps through the water, and our legs flail wildly behind us. It takes everything I have to keep my elbows pinned to the tube. Tymothy hoots and hollers, and then he's silenced when invisible hands pull his long legs under. The boat continues its mighty roar, and our mother snaps pictures for Facebook; she's unaware of the brutality we're under. The tube swings to the right, and I lift my legs into the air to avoid being sucked under. Finally, the waves catch me, and the handles burn my palms while my chest crashes beneath the surface. Spitting lake water, I bob up and down while the boat circles back, no longer roaring.
Vacationing at Seven Lakes is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. There's nothing more memorable than returning home with fresh bruises from the rough waves. Kain and Tymothy get wild on the lake, and Kori and I love to sit on the deck and feed the ducks. I don't necessarily need a five-star hotel for my summer vacation, because I've got everything I need at the lake.
