Lake Sweet Home

Deep Creek Lake April 2011

When I was growing up, my parents owned a small condo 3 hours away at Deep Creek Lake that we would go visit year round.  We went skiing every weekend in some winters and we went boating all summer long.  I had "the" life.  Our house in Deep Creek was my real home as far as I was concerned.  It was the only place where my little brother didn't annoy me and we actually played together.  We had a grocery mart attached to it and could be completely autonomous.  I barely saw my parents.  I survived on Rainblo gum and deli sandwiches.  Occasionally, I went to town on a 5 dollar bag of candy from Candyland.  It was a true vacation home - no appointments, school, homework, housework, etc.

We lived right next door to the Honi Honi bar and even though we were separated by a thick set of trees, I would wake up on Saturday mornings with the sounds of the same live country rock band.  I got my introduction to 60s or 70s country rock music in Deep Creek.  And when I hear Creedence Clearwater Revival today, I still picture that house.

Leo and I in Deep Creek August 2008

The bar was a popular docking spot for many boaters.  It was even packed on Sunday mornings when the priest from the city 20 minutes away would come and say an outdoor Mass for all the vacationers.  But on Saturdays, my little brother and I used to love running through the woods to the park behind the bar to play with all the kids whose parents were enjoying their vacations to the fullest.

Credit

We came through the thick trees on the left of that photo.

One day, we were playing with a group of about 6 kids and one of them saw us come through the woods and asked where we lived.  My little brother is a smart-ass and loves to get into trouble...

and so, in all of his 8-year-old wisdom, he told our new friend that we were homeless.

...typical...


An 8-year-old girl overheard us and turned to ask me if that was true.  


What happens in Deep Creek stays in Deep Creek, right?  In all my 12-year-old wisdom, I told her: Yes.

Suddenly, a large group of kids swarmed around us asking all sorts of questions.  Did we have parents?  What did we eat?  Where did we sleep?  We made it up as we went along.  You could practically hear the world's tiniest orchestra playing the saddest song just for us.

Then, the 8-year-old girl returned.  But she wasn't alone.

Jason and a 2-month old Leo in front of the park at Honi Honi

Her mother started screaming at us: WHERE DO YOU LIVE?  WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?  You tell me the TRUTH right NOW!  ARE YOU REALLY HOMELESS???   She was aaaaaan-GRY!

So we did what any normal kids would do.  We stared her right in the eye, then looked at each other, and we got the hell outta there.  We ran as fast as we could back through the woods to our condo.  I think it took us a few months before we dared to go back to the bar to play...

Jason and I at the Honi Honi Bar (Leo is under the blanket passed out)

My entire family misses our old Deep Creek house.  It is always a sore subject since none of us can really afford to take our children on vacations very often.  We would have loved to share it with our kids and each other now as adults.  I'm not going to lie - not having that house anymore really sucks.  But we did manage get one last hurrah in Deep Creek with our extended family last year.  Was it enough for us?  Not at all.  We still jabber on-and-on about pooling our resources to pick up some land up there.  

But - Look what I found!!!  Jason and I have been trying to explore our new area for the last month.  We took a drive left this time instead of right and found Lake Palestine.

A whopping 25 minute drive away.

I am beyond ecstatic.

I am one of those "Just add water" kind of people.

But not just any water.  I'm a lake girl.  Not so much a beach girl.  I'm trying to watch my ghost-like complexion. 

Now I just need to find some wealthy friends with a lake house.

I'll be their baked goods slave for life.

The lake is huge too.  This is just a small cove for gassing up.

AND - most importantly - Lake Palestine is in a wet county!!!

I foresee many trips to the lake for our little family.  Maybe some day we will be able to own property up there.

For now, I'll settle for a cheap cabin rental on the water.

But one day, I want the whole dang lake all to myself.

Hey - A girl can dream can't she??