Boating with Dan

Dan Passmore invited us to go with him on his boat. We were going to go last week, but the weather was cold and being on a boat sounded fairly miserable. Today, however, was hot and perfect for boating, so we joined him at Deer Creek. Dan is headed to Lake Powell at the end of the week, and he wanted to make sure there wasn't any issue with the boat. We were the test run accompaniers, and were delighted with the invitation.

Kent packed a picnic dinner and we left as soon as I got home. Dan backed the boat in the water and asked Kent to wait to make sure the boat would start. It didn't. Dan had to fiddle around under the "hood" a bit, then fidget with the key. We were a bit worried that the farthest into the lake we were going to get was the loading ramp. But he eventually got it going, and we were able to speed away from the dock. 

We drove over to an area near the shore and floated while we ate dinner. Dan, Brandt, and I all went for a brief swim, then we got Dan up and skiing. He gave me the five minute "How to Drive a Boat" lesson, then hopped in the water with ski and rope, and I drove him around. I will admit, I love being at the helm of a boat. I love the speed, the wind in my hair, the slight mist of water coming off the front of the boat. So fun! We did a bit of fishing, then a bit more speeding around, then called it an evening as the sun was ducking behind the mountain. It was a terrific outing that felt like summer. We are so pleased that Dan invited us. In fact, on the way home, Blythe said, "I want to do this again!" 

Indeed.

Dan, on the floor of the boat, making adjustments.

I thought this might be as far as got.

A Good Neighbor

Just a man and his dog hanging out with the neighborhood kids.

That Dan. He's terrific.

Good Neighbor

Here it is, my friends.  This is what ministering looks like.  Dan has been our home teacher/ministering brother for thirteen years, almost as long as Brandt has been alive.  He's been faithful and diligent and loves our family.  He is always willing to serve, enjoys being in our home, and wants to do for us.  This evening, he sat out on the curb, talking to our boy.  Isn't that sweet?  I know he didn't do this out of a sense of obligation, but just because he likes Brandt.  I am grateful for Dan's interest in Brandt, and in all of us.  He's a good neighbor, a good friend, our faithful brother.

Boating

Kent and Brandt left this morning for scout camp.  They are calling it Deacon Low Adventure.  I'll report on that in another post.  We spent some quality time this morning getting them ready to go, and then rested in the yard under the shady tree after they'd gone.  Mikayla and company, as well as Grandma Sue, came over, and we talked together.  Dan Passmore came over to chat with us, too, and then the kids wanted to get into his boat.  It's an attractive nuisance, made more attractive by the fact that Dan is terribly permissive and lets the kids get in the boat pretty much whenever they want.  Well, they wanted today, especially Cora, so in they climbed.  Well, we practically all climbed in.  The kids AND Grandma Sue, after Cora sweetly invited her to join them.  Too bad the boat wasn't actually afloat, because that would have been really nice.