Fun Friday–What I’m Doing on My Summer Vacation
Okay, so I know it’s not officially summer yet; however, as this is really the only vacation-like trip I’m taking for the next few months, it counts.
Last week, as you may recall, I was in Baton Rouge, visiting with family and traveling around South Louisiana doing a couple of book signings and visiting bookstores to sign books and drop off marketing materials. For some reason I cannot fathom, I didn’t get my digital camera out the entire time I was there! And I should have. I really wish I’d taken new photos of the niece and nephews, especially as they were getting their Awana awards last Wednesday.
I posted pictures of the book signing at the LifeWay Christian Store in Alexandria from last Saturday. And here are some photos I managed to snap at Rachel Fernandes’s (nee Smith) wedding Saturday evening.
One thing I have done on this trip that I’ve been thinking I should make myself do in Nashville but never have (because the carry-out option is too easy) is to actually go in and sit down at a “table for one” and eat a meal in a restaurant. Though I have been taking something with me to do while waiting (writing “To learn more about Kaye and her books, visit her online at kayedacus.com” on my marketing postcards and then autographing to use to stuff in books where I can’t sign them), I’ve put it away when my food arrives and just enjoyed watching people in the restaurant. I’m going to have to do this more often when I get home.
Since I’ve been in Hot Springs, Mom and I have gotten a little silly with the cameras, so I at least have some documentation of some of the fun stuff I’ve been doing since I’ve been here (I’ve spent at least 20 hours so far working on freelance projects that are due next week—the day after I drive home!—and still have about 10 or 15 hours’ worth of work yet to complete throughout the holiday weekend). So I thought I’d do a combination of Show and Tell and a “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” project for today’s Fun Friday.
As you may have already guessed from Monday’s post, much of my time in Hot Springs is taken up by my parents’ Schnauzer, Missy, who feels it’s incumbent upon me to hold her in my lap as often as possible while I’m here:
Monday, of course, was the requisite first trip out to Lake Ouachita to take the boat out for the first time since last summer. (If you look at the full-size photo, you’ll see all the pine pollen that the boat was coated in that we spent most of this first time out cleaning up. Oh, and though my legs look sunburned here, it’s just the red reflection off the canopy, because I hadn’t gotten any sun when this photo was taken.)
There’s been so much rain in Arkansas that the lakes are all at least 10 to 15 feet above what’s usually their highest level for the season. It’s going to be an interesting holiday on the lake for everyone who thinks they’ll be camping and having picnics and playing on the beaches:
Woohoo! Putting out some wake:
My parents have this sneaky way of ordering furniture (big, heavy furniture) with “some assembly required” whenever they know I’m coming in town (at Christmas, it was the cabinet that their new, huge plasma TV is now on). This time, it was desks for their office, which we spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday assembling (I’m actually holding down the top so he could put pressure on the screws to attach it to the base):
Here’s Mom’s desk, completed (with Daddy’s feet up on his desk chair while he’s “under the hood” of his desk—see previous pic):
And here’s Daddy at his desk, once we finished assembling both the desk and the hutch:
Thursday, it was back out to the lake.
This time, Mom and Dad actually did some fishing (while I worked on a copy-editing project). Mom caught a six-pound drum-fish. Way to go, Mom!
I came back from the lake with a little bit of a sunburn on my shoulders and back (though really good color on my formerly pasty-white legs, which was the goal). Today, we’re going to go see Star Trek and then we’ll spend the rest of the day getting the house organized and cleared out as much as possible for the movers who’ll be bringing the rest of their belongings from Dallas late next week. Oh, what fun! (Um, I think I’ll still have A LOT of freelance work I need to do today. . .) Then, Saturday, I’ll be in Little Rock for most of the day, having lunch with and then teaching a workshop for the Arkansas Inspirational Writers’ group, then attending my cousin Katie’s wedding that evening. Sunday and Monday will probably be more of getting the house organized (and going through lots of stuff. . .for a former military family, my parents have WAY too much stuff!). And then Tuesday, I head back to Nashville. Though in a way it feels like I’ve barely started my “grand tour” of Arkansas and Louisiana, by the time I get home, I’ll have been gone for seventeen days!
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KayeDacus.com 
I used to live in Northwest Arkansas. We loved to have friends come visit and go out on the lakes in their boats! I learned how to water ski and knee board on Arkansas lakes.
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I know what you mean about a lot of rain. I live in Northeastern Oklahoma, and we just had 22 days of rain sraight! One of the lakes in our area is up 22 feet! It was so dreary. Luckily we’ve had sun for this whole week, and I love it.
I also know what you mean about dogs having to be in your lap. I have a Bichon Frise, and he is just as sweet as can be. But, he MUST be in your lap at all times. I woke up this morning to him jumping on my stomach, and I’m already NOT a morning person.
Those desks your parents got are beautiful! I love dark woods. Good luck with all your work today, I have to do some Algebra II.
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Is that your book cover in the background of the Missy picture? She probably just wants to look at that. 🙂
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Tell me about too much rain! It rained for more than two weeks straight in Nashville before I left, and for at least the first week that I was gone. Fortunately, since I’ve been here, the weather has been perfect—mid to upper 70s and sunny!
The lake was a few feet lower yesterday than it was Monday (they’re slowly letting water out at the dam)—instead of my dad having to wade through three or four feet of water to get from the “shore” to what used to be a floating bridge to get over to the dock where the boat is slipped (but was partially submerged) and then having to bring the boat around to where Mom and dog and I could get on without having to wade also, we were able to get to the bridge with only a large step over a little bit of mud.
And Jess, yes, that is my book cover (framed) on the table behind me. That’s my mom’s chair and I gave them the framed cover for Christmas. I don’t think it’s moved since she opened it. 🙂 One of my tasks while I’m here is to help her figure out where to hang all of their artwork/photos.
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What a great trip! I used to take myself out–to restaurants, museums, plays, tennis lessons…pretty much anything I wanted to do– because I saw no point in sitting at home just because I didn’t have anyone to go with. I wouldn’t have been my mother’s daughter if I had. Glad you’re living life to its fullest! Boy, I loved to learn something about boating. Guess that’s my next frontier.
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Hee hee – I think it’s hysterical your parents have something fun for you to help them with when you come for a visit – and that fish your mom caught looks HUGE! Well, much bigger than anything I’ve ever caught. 🙂
Jolanthe
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She had a time reeling that sucker in. . .and for a moment thought it might be a turtle!
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Your Mom is adorable ~ and that fish is HUGE!
I, too, have no problem going out to eat by myself.
WOW, girl, you have had a jam-packed seventeen days! I’m sorta tired just reading about it.
I know you will be glad to be back home in Nashville.
Safe journey.
And, you are so sweet to help your parents out.
Be blessed as you are a blessing to others.
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I can’t wait for August and my vacation. My friend from Australia is visiting and we’re going to NYC!!! unlike your relaxing vacation we have plans to do more than humanly possible 😀 WE’ll be all over! But we’ll have fun.
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How fun!!! I love vacations where you don’t have anything planned. Of course I’m assuming freelance doesn’t count. 😉 Your mom’s desk looks lovely!
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I love the pictures of Rachel’s wedding – everything from Rachel scowling (or so it looked) to her bridesmaid with a funny expression – to a beautiful pic of Rachel.
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Great wedding pics…LOVED the purple bridesmaid dresses and bouquets! Your vacation looked like fun, especially the boating! I’m headed to OBX in June with my cousins, they’re trying to get me to go deep sea fishing but I have a VERY sensitive stomach and I’ve NEVER been on a boat before, so I don’t know how that’ll go! BTW nice job on the desks!
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