Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Let me first stipulate this post that I feel so blessed that we even have a boat and am not whining about the gifts we've been given. That being said, though - I'm going to embark on some wee bit of frustrations we've been experiencing this weekend.

John, having owned his own stereo store - and being one of the best audio installers in the state - never once made a stereo system for any vehicle he owned. So, after getting the boat and being assaulted on the lake with the hard rock or crude rap songs of other wakeboarders, John decided the boat would be the "vehicle" he would compile his life's knowledge of stereo ingenuity upon - and thus, one day, be able to blast everyone on the lake with what Mikayla and Brayden refer to as "God Songs". Stereos mean about as much to me as fine vehicles, so I've just shook my head, figured he needed birthday and Christmas presents of "something" and acquiesced it might as well be woofers and storage capacitors. And, he was very happy.

Ironically, John decided he really wasn't the man to do the install itself. To much tearing out and redesigning that couldn't be done easily in our garage - as well as time he didn't really have. Another one of those, "what's the point" things, but again - just do it, honey - you're the one bringing in the income and we're doing okay - so have fun. So, back in March, the boat left our garage (oh, the blessed room we have again!) and entered into the care of "Soundsational". Yes, March.

From there, it's been a joke as to when the boat would be done. By April 13th, nope.... How about Mothers' Day - that would be fun. Nope. Father's Day? Nope. The weekend prior to our trip, Huh uh. It began getting a little bit nasty at that point as we discovered they had put it off to the side to accommodate other more "in your face" clients. Well, John could play that game. But, instead came home having made friends with all of the folks there and trying to show grace as he wanted to demonstrate a life led by the Lord. I get that too. Well, the good thing about it was, the weather hadn't been too cooperative, so we hadn't really missed that many boating opportunities. Besides, to not worry about getting the boat back right before Tahoe was a relief and for sure it would be done the Sunday we pull in.

You guessed it. Nope. John didn't get the boat back until Thursday - and yes, it did look and sound very good. (Sorry neighbors for the "sound check"). The plan was then to get it de-winterized Friday, have the boys take it out for a quick run to check things out on the lake Friday night - and then Saturday would be the maiden 2007 voyage with our buddies the Quigs and Whites.

But, wouldn't you know it, as it was being de-winterized, a problem surfaced with the ignition. It wouldn't start. CRUD! It appeared that a part replacement was all that was needed so with hopes held high, Travis picked one up while he was conducting business up north on I-5. But, Friday night's efforts didn't work. Disappointed prevailed as Saturday's "voyage" was looking doomed. After some consulatation with folks that "know this stuff" John ascertained that perhaps it was still that part that was the issue, but it had been put in wrong and shorted. So, Saturday was spent with the guys driving back up to Hillsboro for another part and hoping upon hope that this time it would work. Saturday night attempt - no luck, even with my dad around to offer his mechanical/electrical expertise. So - no boating this weekend. And, hopefully some boat-mechanic expert will be able to solve the problem before John is slated to drive the boat for the High School Group on Friday, have a weekend at Loon Lake over the weekend with our family and then take Michele's Bible Study out on Monday.

When frustrations like these happen, I think we all have a tendency to want to point a finger at who we can be mad at. My fingers been wagging away since Friday at "Soundsational". Had we gotten our boat back earlier (even a few days), these problems could have been solved without losing a precious summer (excellent weather) weekend. In addition, there's even a bit of shadow now cast their direction as to having created the whole problem in the first place with how they did the wiring. I'm ticked, but even more so, very disappointed for John. I'm glad he's the one dealing with the problem and will be the one addressing "Soundsational". If it were me, all testimony would be lost.

If there's a bright side to the whole thing, I will say yesterday was tremendously therapeutic to me in terms of having a day without agenda when I felt like both my body and mind were functioning simultaneously. Since the race, the ankle and quads have made any movement "very strained" and I just have felt very "discombobalated". To get my own act and house together yesterday was a blessed thing. As for today, well, the Schillings are down, so that is fun - and perhaps we'll head to the Camp Harlow pool. The water won't be "glass" - but, we'll do the best we can with what we have........