Traditions
by Vicki Frank  The alarm clock didn’t have a chance to awaken me.I was ready!I had spent hours examining the pictures on the website where we found our first houseboat.I wasn’t new to boating.My love affair with boats started when I was 2 weeks old.That’s when I attended my first boating event!My dad raced boats.My grandfather was an outboard mechanic.We belonged to a boat club in Ohio all of my childhood.I passed the Power Squadron Piloting Course when I was 12.Boy was I ready!
 My family had been renting houseboats for family reunions each summer for about 6 years.My grandmother, my dad, his girlfriend, my brother, his wife and my niece would join us. Three generations of family were brought together and we thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company.My brother hauled his ski boat from Georgia, my dad towed his jet ski from Ohio.My grandmother probably enjoyed the trips more than anyone.She loved the houseboat trips even when she had to spend the time in a wheelchair! One year, after a stroke, we rightfully convinced her doctor that it would be good for her if we kidnapped her from her nursing home to come along.We’re all sure it kept her going from year to year to plan those houseboat trips.  My husband, a landlubber all his life, joined in our tradition when he joined our family.Our “Brady Bunch” family included 6 children between us, ranging in age between 15 and 22.

The houseboat adventures kept teenagers occupied and the adults had as much fun as the kids. The kids brought friends, helped with the chores, skied, enjoyed swimming, fishing, watching videos and eating.Grandma told stories and came with homemade cookies to share.Everyone played cards.The competition was fierce!There were challenges between the kids and their grandparents, their great grandparent and siblings.At the age of 46, I wanted this type of interaction to happen more often than annual excursions.We needed a push to make the jump to houseboat ownership.  We had been thinking about retirement and what to do when that time came.Our focus was on the future.“When we retire…” seemed to start a lot of our sentences.One of my employees stopped me one day when she heard me comment about retirement.She shared with me that her parents had big dreams of retirement.When the day finally came, her mother and father launched their long awaited plan.Her mom died within months and her

The construction was completed quickly.It was time to move our boat to her new slip.  Although sooner than expected, moving the boat to Beavercreek from Lee’s Ford was a trip that I looked forward to making!Dad was going to make the trip with me and Lynn would travel on land and check in with us at the mid-point on the trip, at Conley BottomDock.We had cell phones, a marine radio, and confidence!An early start would get us to the lake Sat. morning.We could take our time and be ready to come home on Sunday afternoon.I was so anxious to make it mine! When the alarm blared on that Saturday morning in January, it was time to take action. 

Our garage had been full of “boat stuff” since November.Since my grandparents had retired from boating, my grandmother’s basement was full of useful things I remembered as a child.There was my Grandfather’s captain’s hat, melamine dishes with nautical themes, paddles, life jackets, boat hooks, pots, pans and tupperware.Grandma was happy that we would be putting those cherished items to good use.She smiled when I came upstairs loaded with “previously loved” items to transfer to our boat.We were thrilled.The night before the trip, we loaded most of the items into our vehicle so that we could get an early start. The day had finally come.Coffee perking, I looked outside.Still under cover of darkness there it was:SNOW!There was about an inch on the ground and there were thousands of flakes falling.The Ohio cold was bitter and the wind was howling--not the weather I had imagined for our trip down the lake.My husband and I debated making the trip.It had to be done.The new boat would be ready for the old slip in just a few more days.  We were to meet my dad at the rest area just over the state line into Kentucky.By the time we got there, I was stressed.There was only one lane plowed on the freeway, and the road conditions were poor.We witnessed a car on it’s top after an accident, held our breath as several cars lost and regained control, and endured the snow continuing to accumulate.When we met dad, there were about 3 to 4 inches on the ground and it was still snowing.We weren’t sure we should continue.Dad was sure.  We got to Lee’s Ford about noon.All of the “boat stuff” from our garage was in our SUV.Since I couldn’t wait to make it mine, I was intent on loading it with our things before it left for Beavercreek.(And for those of you who have been to Beavercreek, I was worried about making it down that hill!)

The dock was covered with snow and very slippery.The ducks and geese came to gawk at us awkwardly. I smiled warmly at the surprising number of dock neighbors who were crazy enough to be onboard their own vessels in this weather as I walked the mile from the parking lot to the slip.They laughed at me.I’m sure I was a sight! .Dressed in winter ski bibs, hat, gloves, etc., I happily trudged along pulling one of those plastic carts full of my grandparent’s treasures.  We loaded her and began our journey.The ropes were cotton and frozen.We had to work them for awhile to thaw the ropes and loosen the boat from her slip.Although worked free from the cleats on the dock, the ropes maintained a curled, frozen appearance.Icicles hung from the lights mounted on the top of the boat and from the fenders hanging over the water.We gassed up at the dock and began our long awaited trip. Our plan was set.Lynn was going to pick up some things at the hardware store and meet us at Conley Bottom.We figured the trip would last a few hours.We would top off the tank at Conley and continue on to Beavercreek.  It was crisp, the air was clean, the water was glassy.It was awesome!The sky was blue, the clouds reflected in the water, and unlike all of my summertime trips, we didn’t see another boat underway!We saw waterfalls, houses that are normally hidden by the foliage of summer, snowy shale beaches.  Snow began falling about 30 minutes into our trip. The wind picked up.Accelerating into a squall with flakes driving parallel to the water, our estimated time of arrival stretched on and on.We were headed into the wind and the whitecaps.Dad and I took turns navigating the water.We had a space heater in the main cabin, but the boat was cold.I won’t even comment on how quickly those ski bibs made their way back onto my torso when I made a quick trip to the head!  Lynn arrived at Conley and roused an employee of the dock before we arrived. Their gas pumps were shut down.They were not expecting a travelling houseboat in this weather!The dock graciously reopened the pumps.  We made it to Conley late in the afternoon.

We gassed up and checked the weather.It wasn’t going to get better.We decided to stay at Conley for the night.It was a great decision!We docked, plugged into the electric and started up the heat pump!I cooked on my grandparents pans, served on their dinnerware.I made the beds with freshly laundered linens.I covered the bedroom windows with blankets to keep out the cold. .We had dinner and our first night’s rest on our new boat!We were houseboat owners!I slept with satisfaction.  The next morning, the storm had passed.The cold continued, but the storms of the previous day were long gone.We started early for Beavercreek.We arrived in the late morning and our slip was ready.Intimidated by the idea of docking our boat in the slip, we let Dad park it.The dock was covered with snow, so when we pulled into the slip, we nearly slid off the dock trying to catch the boat and attach the ropes which would anchor her into her new home.  Finally relaxing, we worked at putting away all of the cargo.We stowed the life jackets, the dishes, the ropes.We sat on the sofa and looked around at our boat.Same look as the internet, but the feeling was different.It was OURS.I couldn’t quit grinning. .I cleaned the bathroom, added new placemats, dishtowels, throw rugs. Now it looked like OURS.All we had to do now was wait until the weather cooperated and the family could join us on the first of our more frequent houseboat adventures.  My grandfather nor my grandmother ever saw the boat while they were alive.Grandpa died long before we made the decision to become houseboat owners, although I know he would have been proud of that decision.Grandma missed our first family houseboat trip by one week.She was hospitalized and took a turn for the worst.It was very hard on us to enjoy the trip without her, but we know she was with us in spirit.

The traditions that she and Grandpa started many years ago when we took cruises with the Troy Boat Club on the Ohio River and spent our vacations on Lake Cumberland would continue.The magic of boating would continue to entice the younger generation.The boat holds many items that trigger memories of their love of boating each time we use it.Grandpa’s captain’s hat, grandma’s dishes, the laughter of their great grandchildren and the fierce card game competitions.  I’m sure that the spirits of my grandparents are happy that we aren’t waiting until retirement to enjoy our boat.I know that our family is enjoying it.We encourage them to make trips to the lake with us for weekend excursions often.We’re planning our second weeklong trip with the entire family.The traditions continue.  My husband has had such a great time learning to appreciate boating over the past couple of years that he recently surprised me with a new idea.“Let’s look for a newer houseboat!”Why?He wants to start traditions for our future grandchildren.They’ll enjoy a slide and a party top—neither of which are current features on our current houseboat.  Maybe we can repeat the trip next January!After all, it could become a tradition!Hmmm…Where are those ski bibs…

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