“This was not exactly the chilled afternoon I had envisioned,” Himself said as we sat down again in our beach chairs.

“That was waaaay more drama then I had expected, that’s for sure,” I agreed.

Himself shifted our son in his arms and got situated in his chair. He leaned back, stretched out his long legs and closed his eyes.

“You comfy?”

“Ya actually,” Himself said without opening his eyes.

“You gonna nap for a bit?”

“Ya. I think the little guy has the right idea. Napping on the beach in the afternoon sun. It’s perfect.”

“OK. See you guys later. I’m gonna swim out to the raft.”

“Knock yourself out,” Himself said drowsily.

I pulled off my shorts and staff shirt, rolled them up, and then put them in my backpack. I layered on the sunblock and headed towards the dock. I had to zigzag through the crowd of campers sprawled sunbathing all over the beach. Seemed as though swimming was not on the agenda for the majority of campers that afternoon. I could see why. Most of them had dried out in the sun while we waited during the missing camp call. There were eight kids on the raft, including my girls. I greeted the lifeguards who were supervising the raft antics and the two Deer Hut campers who were floating in the shallow end.

I walked to the end of the dock facing the deep end and, with my hands on my hips, I just looked into the clear water of lake. Pure and clean. The waves lapped up against the side of the dock making it gently bob. On the raft the kids were shouting, laughing and jumping into the lake. I looked out past the raft and watched small dark waves ripple across the lake. A speed boat with a water skier passed by in the distance. I felt the sun warming me as I took it all in. It’s so beauti…

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the feel of two sets of hands on my back. My body was pushed forward as my head whip-lashed back and I emitted a startled squeal. I was confused but only briefly. I realized, as my warm body hit the cool refreshing water, that I had been savagely attacked!

When I surfaced, I looked up to see Will and Caroline bent over and cackling at me.

“It looked like you were having such a tranquil moment!” Will laughed.

“Uh. Ya. I was!” I laughed back.

“Well get a move on. General swim will be over soon!” Caroline said with a mischievous smile.

“Some lifeguards you are!” I teased. I splashed water at them and then swam out to the raft.

I climbed up the steps of the ladder onto the raft. My daughters ran over to me immediately.

“Mum! Do you want to play this diving game?” Daughter One asked me.

“You should Mum. It’s super fun!” Daughter Two said jumping up and down.

“OK,” I shrugged.

“Yeah! OK guys! My Mum wants to play too,” Daughter One tapped the shoulder of Ethan who was running the show.

“Sure,” Ethan responded with a grin.

“How do I play?”

“I will show you, Mum,” Daughter Two responded and the group made room for her. She lined up with her little toes wrapped around the edge of the raft and swung her arms back and forth, ready for take off. She looked to her right at Ethan and said, “I’m ready!” Ethan nodded. Daughter Two jumped up off the raft into the air.

“Who is your favorite Disney princess?” Ethan yelled at her in mid-flight. Daughter Two’s face scrunched up in thought and began to answer just as her face submerged into the water. All we heard was “Ari…” as she was cut off. Everyone on the raft burst into laughter.

It. Was. Hilarious.

Daughter One lined up next. She didn’t even get her answer out before she hit the water. We all busted a gut.

“Your turn Nurse Anne!” Ethan waved to me so I stepped up to the edge of the raft.

“I’m ready. Let’s do this,” I nodded at Ethan. I pushed off the raft and lunged out over the water.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Bl…” I started to answer but my mouth filled with lake water. I surfaced spitting and laughing. All the kids on the raft were in hysterics.

We lined up and jumped off that raft for the next twenty minutes.We were all thoroughly entertained with this simple little game. Who’da thunk it?