This past weekend was perfectly terrific!
First, an update: the previous weekend (July 7-9), we finished and installed the drawer fronts on all the cabinets AND installed the bathroom cabinet. Apart from a debate on where to place the bathroom sink (centered, off to the left, or slightly off-centered) and having to remove the backsplash in the bathroom, everything went swimmingly.
In celebration, the only work we did this past weekend was move most of the tools off the boat and into the storage unit. Andy, as promised, is going to halt the renovation until the end of summer so we can take time to relax. Jam!
A friend of ours came to stay the weekend and, Saturday, we were joined by another friend (and 3 bottles of Rose’) to grill hamburgers, swim, play games and music, and just have a blast. Our neighbor even brought over a huge, Oasis Island float Sunday afternoon – and it was beyond amazing – I, honestly, want to buy the thing from him now.
I am notoriously an introvert. It’s taken me the better part of my life to “break out of my shell” and “be social,” but being social is still something I generally have to work up to.
This is, of course, not the case for Andy. He is a highly social, highly active individual and thrives on constant human contact.
I feel I need to stress this yin and yang dynamic of our relationship so the full extent of humor can be realized when I divulge that we have somehow, by owning a houseboat on Lake Travis, found ourselves situated right in the center of a summertime hotspot.
Despite my instinctual introversion, we host get-togethers most weekends (when we aren’t working) and I find myself drawn into random conversation with perfect strangers around the marina on a nearly daily basis. Andy could not be more excited about the extra attention. He’s firing up the grill, buying extra fishing equipment, and constantly inviting people to ‘check out the boat’ while I stress over how to keep our space tidy.
Even after knowing him for over ten years, I still find it fascinating just how easily he makes friends. His awesomeness has gained him several lasting relationships and has even landed us a spontaneous invite to a crawfish boil thrown by owners of another houseboat at the marina. If I were left to my own devices, I wouldn’t have even known the crawfish boil were taking place – let alone have been invited to it – and I am so glad we were because it was fantastic!
To be fair, I cannot be held responsible when people strike up conversations with me before I’ve had my morning coffee – but I don’t have an excuse for my sassiness any other time of the day. It’s something I’m working on.
All this aside, once people are onboard, I have as much fun showing off our boat as Andy. I get a kick out of how surprised and impressed people seem when they walk through the door and witness all the work we have done. Andy is such a tech-lover that he has outfitted our boat with an exceptional speaker and entertainment system. Using our phones, we can quickly have music playing throughout the boat and can even make the smart lights pulsate to the music.
I usually have a bottle of wine or gin, and it only takes a slight twisting of my arm to have me breaking out my cocktail shaker to mix up a few drinks. If the day is a pretty one, I love to sit out on the front deck with Gigi – and friends – while Andy grills something delightful.
In fact, most of our get-togethers begin by relaxing on the front deck and lead to smoking cigars, swimming, fishing, taking the paddle boats out for a spin, playing games or music, people watching, feeding the ducks – whatever the mood calls for.
Regardless of what we do, we usually end up having such a fun evening that I forget I was ever nervous to have company in the first place.
Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? What are your favorite type of get-togethers?
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