Our next-door-neighbors took us out on their pontoon boat yesterday afternoon for three-plus hours of drifting along the shoreline of Lake Balboa, exploring little bays and coves, and looking at some spectacular lake-shore homes.
During the cruise, we talked about everything from the local newspaper to architecture to art. And we expressed appreciation that we shared the habit of doing something other than attending church on Sunday mornings. And we talked a little about politics, a subject I tend to avoid around here, for fear of meeting Tea Party sympathizers who hold concealed-carry handgun licenses. It was a delight to learn our neighbors are Democrats. I don’t necessarily identify as a Democrat (more independent), but certainly identify with most of the principles ostensibly supported by the Democratic Party. That commonality caused expressions of joy all the way around, as all of us tend to avoid revealing our political leanings hereabouts. We are equally wary of being labeled targets by gun-toting cretins who loudly proclaim their loathing of Obama to the extent that they suggest they would happily exercise their Second Amendment rights in his presence and hope for a reason to test them.
I wasn’t intending to follow that rabbit hole. I intended to wax poetic about how the time on the lake yesterday washed away what little stress I was feeling. I am a proponent of slow-speed boat rides. Especially on pontoon boats, on large lakes with next-to-no-boat-traffic. I was amazed at how few boats there were on the water…yesterday was an ideal day to be out. The temperatures were in the upper sixties, the sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the breezes were light. The lake was almost like glass. What a truly glorious day!
