August 3-4, 2024 - Lake Granby, CO
Just the three of us: Me, Talon, and Joe went to the lake Saturday night, and camped at our usual spot. Joe took Talon and his stepbrother wakeboarding, and I was on the beach solo, enjoying a sunset, setting up camp, and making dinner for the boys when they got back. They dropped off Archer at his camp, and the three of us sat in our chairs, eating dinner, and once that was done, Talon and Joe played washers until the sun went down and headlamps were on! It was one of those simple moments where we didn't need TV, music, social media, or anyone else but us. I sat and watched them and didn't realize how big the smile on my face was.
I woke up Sunday to see Talon outside my tent, fishing by himself. I knew it was going to be a good day. Talon went around on his paddle board to spend the first part of the day with Archer and those boys, while Joe and I paddled around to different campsites to scope for when his mom, sister, nephew, and cousin are in town this week. We even stopped to be kids again and jump off jump rock!
I paddled back around to see one of our friends and took the E-Foil out for a spin. This has become one of my new favorite hobbies on the lake. Since not being on the ocean anymore, I found sports similar to get my fix from and this is one of them. I can't afford my own, so I borrow friends' instead :) I don't have a recent photo of me but here is one a couple years ago when I first learned how to ride one.
A few years ago, we were in Lake Powell. Talon was saying "this is the worst day ever..." Strayer, same friend who was on the beach with his E-Foils was there that year, and laughed because who can have a bad day in Powell? Since then, me, him, and Joe all say that when we're having a great time. As I was laying there in the sun, after I took the foil for a spin and was drinking a cold beer, I looked up at Strayer and said, "worst day ever." He said it back and I just laid there smiling because damn it was a good day!
Joe and I decided to pack the boat and pick up the boy, and go cruise back into Columbine before the storm rolled through. As we did, we pulled over and drug a tree out that had been sticking out all summer waiting to ruin someone's day. Talon and I worked together to drag it over to shore and the thing must have been 30 feet long.
We floated back into Columbine for an hour, then had a diving competition off the boat before heading back to camp to button up and leave for the day. I was sitting on the back of the boat, leaning up against the paddle board as my headrest and was smiling, watching an osprey overhead gliding through the trees. I was grinning ear to ear and I told my boys, "these are the best days of our lives."
We got back to camp, and I jumped on the paddle board because I wasn't ready to end the perfect day. I paddled over to Harvey Island, which is a protected osprey nesting area. Before I got there, I looked back to find both Joe and Talon in competition to see who could get to me fastest. They were laughing, and it made me feel really content in those simple moments.
We left, got home and ate the always requested favorite, pasta. After that, I rounded the boys up to go on a family walk. It was getting dark, and I could see storm clouds coming in, but we went for it anyway. There was a beautiful sunset, we walked the trail by our house, Joe jumped out from behind a tree and scared Talon so badly, I swear if he hadn't just peed on a rock two minutes before, he would have peed his pants.
When we got back, it was full on raining and we all scrambled to cover the boat, laughing and working together. When lightning struck, Joe told Talon and I to go inside. Talon, like always was worried about "Joye" out there alone, so we stood under the porch and watched. He looked up at me and said "I had a really good day today mom." I laughed and said, "you mean the worst day ever?" He smiled and agreed.
When I thought it couldn't get any better, I went in to the bathroom, came out to a pitch black house only to find Talon and Joe laying on the carpet, watching the lightning and listening to the storm outside. When they saw me come in, we all snuggled up on the couch and watched it together, counting down lightning strikes to thunder, while Joe fed T and I bites of his ice cream.
Terrible quality but incredible memories being made.
I hope you have the worst day ever, and can feel as light as this boy makes me feel.
