Today's guest blog is written by Sarah Ballance, the author of Tide of LiesI spend most of our relatively mild winters freezing and dreaming of summer. (Because, really, it doesn't get *that* hot, does it? HAH!) Then summer arrives with the bugs, the local 110 heat index, and so much humidity a fish can survive out of water and … MEH. Yep, welcome to the south where it's HOT, y'all!
But I don't just live in the South. I live at the BEACH! Or a just a few miles from it—it takes fifteen minutes to go from the sofa to the sand, so I call that convenient. I also call it somewhat rare, because even though the beach is right there, actually going seems to be a bit of an issue for us. Maybe it's having to drag ourselves, six kids, and all of the "beach gear" required across miles of hot sand. Maybe it's parking or swarms tourists (a beach resort has its downside … uh, no offense) or the constant freak-outs every time one of my kids ducks under a wave. Maybe it's the sheer effort in all of this heat, but whatever it is, we don't get there often.
At least not the "sand" side of it.
A few years ago my husband brought home a boat. I didn't love the idea at first, but it was free, and the first time we went out, I was hooked. One boat turned into two, and now our "fleet" numbers four. That first one he brought home is a little speed boat—perfect for water skiing or dragging the kids behind us on tubes or floats—and it doesn't require much water to float, which means we can pull right up to sandy beaches on the local waterways (not so much the ocean because of the wave action) and have our drinks, towels, clothes, and snacks right there with us. The kids jump overboard into knee deep water, run back and forth from the boat to the sand, or head out into deeper water to swim. It's insanely perfect!
Only … it gets better. Last winter we happened upon a great deal for a cabin cruiser with the whole nine yards—two decks for lounging, a swim platform, full living quarters including (in layman's terms) a kitchen, refrigerator and stove, bathroom and shower, and … wait for it … air conditioning! So now we can go to the beach, play in the water, go deep sea fishing, take a nap, watch TV, and relax in the air-conditioning, all in one shot. You sure can't beat that for summer fun, and in a family of eight, having something for everyone is absolutely priceless. (Well, priceless plus the cost of the marina slip).
But having a spot to sneak off to with my husband … even better. And when it comes to a fun summer activity, you definitely can't beat *that*!
Tide of Lies is avaiable here: Noble Romance / Amazon / B&N
Big thanks to Sarah for taking the time to share!
