Halfmoon Lake

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When we were voting on which Airbnb to reserve, my only request was that it be on a lake. In hindsight, I probably should have inquired about whether the walls actually met the ceiling, but hindsight is 20/20!

Waking up at the crack of dawn in a house full of friends, with very little in the way of walls to keep the noise contained, I opted to quietly slip outside and sit on the dock to wait for the sunrise. It may sound idyllic, and it certainly looks beautiful in the photo, but what you don't see is how darn cold it was!

My chair was soaked with overnight dew, and my bare feet were frozen within minutes. So, back up to the house I went for shoes, a towel to sit on, and a few moments of warmth. Then back down to the dock I went, this time armed with a few smarter supplies.

And it was worth it.

The lake was peaceful and still, beauty surrounding me in every direction. It was just me, a few ducks, and the quiet promise of a new day. As the sun began sneaking out from behind the trees, I was becoming substantially colder, though, and more than ready to retreat to the warmth of our lake house, even if it meant I needed to tiptoe around and stay quiet as a mouse.

Inside, I could hear the soft, and sometimes not-so-soft, sleeping noises of my friends. But before too long, everyone began appearing in the kitchen, one by one. Coffee started flowing, stories began, and before we knew it, laughter filled the house, waking anyone who had hoped to squeeze in a little more sleep... Tim included!

As much as we all loved our grown-up sleepover, eventually we were ready to pack up and head home, hoping to beat the leaf-peeping traffic on a Sunday afternoon. We actually made great time, with one obligatory stop at the New Hampshire liquor store for some tax-free deals. Far be it from me to pass up a magnum of champagne or two at a good price! We can call it party supplies for my next Mahjong night.

And speaking of parties...

Over the weekend, my friend Nicole requested that I have another holiday party, either Christmas or New Year's. She wants to dress up and declared that I have the best parties.

Okay, twist my arm!

So, it looks like I'd better check my calendar, get a date or two in the works, and start thinking about a theme. One weekend away, one beautiful sunrise, lots of laughter, and now... apparently, another party to plan.

I guess that's the thing about good times with good friends, they have a funny way of creating even more good times to look forward to.

“Some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better.” — Unknown