A Week On A Houseboat

We’re having quite the lazy Sunday in our house after spending the past week down south on Lake Ouachita. We make the trip every summer and spend a few days on a DreamChaser Houseboat with my parents, sister, niece and nephew. My in-laws also came along this year and it was so much fun to have everyone together! My aunt and uncle own DreamChasers and always make sure we have an amazing time.

The week starts with my uncle driving us out to one of the islands, where we dock the houseboat for the next five days. It’s the ultimate relaxing vacation because we spend most of our time swimming off the back of the boat, reading in hammocks we tie up to trees or exploring the island. I think I’m always happiest when I’m close to the water.

My father-in-law brought along his fishing poles and tackle box and my niece quickly became enamored with fishing this year. She caught several bluegills —one that we ended up filleting and grilling — and even a catfish! We went through three boxes of night crawlers during the trip because she got so excited about fishing each night. Of course I didn’t catch a single fish when I decided to pick up a pole.

We also got a chance to explore other areas of the lake when a few of us took some jet skis out one afternoon. It was the perfect time to be on the water because after Labor Day there was hardly any boat traffic. We cruised around the islands and had fun seeing just how fast we could go in open water. It was the first time jet skiing for several of us, but our nerves quickly faded away once we took our first lap around the lake. It felt freeing to be speeding across the water with hardly anyone else around.

James brought his drone along and got some amazing footage of the lake and my aunt and uncle’s boats. It’s making me miss being on the water so much already!

For me the most enjoyable part of the trip, aside from spending time with family, was being able to knock a couple of books off my reading list. It can be so hard to get through more than a few pages a night during the work week, so I loved being able to plow through All The Stars In the Heavens and The Woman In Cabin 10. They were both quick, easy reads that were perfect for a vacation. Next on my list is Kiss Carlo, the latest book from my favorite author Adriana Trigiani.

It’s always hard to get back to reality after vacation, but I’m glad we have the weekend to recover and get ready for the work week ahead. I hope you’re having a relaxing Sunday!