emmae: Miss. Behavin'

Last year Blake and I bought his step mom and dads boat (they named it Miss. Behavin'). They didn’t take it out as much as they would have liked, so when they decided to sell it we jumped at the opportunity. Since then I’ve been so ready to get it out on the lake. Blake is still gone but I was determined that my friend Hailey and I could handle everything. I look back now and laugh hysterically at this statement. This story is long, but I promise you the end is so worth the read. Hold on to your seats because this story is about to get interesting.

This whole process started Thursday. I got our insurance for the boat, went and got the boat assessed, thought I had everything I needed and headed to the revenue office. Of course, I soon found out that I did not have everything and would have to make a trip back. Anyone else have these problems at the revenue office or is it just me? Friday came around and I gathered everything that the lady at the revenue office said she needed. She was so nice and gave me a list. Hailey and I walked into the revenue office to find out that everyone and their brother was there. We didn’t feel like waiting so we turned around and decided to try the revenue office in my home town. It is smaller and would not be as busy. Once there we had to still wait but not as long as we would’ve waited at the other place. It was finally our turn. We got in there and this lady ripped me a new one. She basically told me that nothing I had was correct and I was pretty sure we were going to make it out of that office without any registration. Jesus stepped in though and we left with our boat registration. How to go to the revenue office should really be something they teach you in high school. But anyways, we left and headed to Shreveport.

To get on Cross Lake, you have to get a boat permit. We got to the office and felt so bad for the lady there. I’m pretty sure we were her only customers for the entire week because we woke her from a nap when we barged in the door. She was so nice though and gave us the permit with no problem.

We finally had all of our paper work and were ready to hit the water. We put on our swimsuits, lathered up with sunscreen, hooked the boat to the truck and headed to the lake. Everything was going so good. So it seemed. When we got to the ramp I jumped out of the truck to unhook the straps. I got to the very last strap and looked down at the bottom of the motor to find that the prop was gone. Yall, we almost put that big ole boat in the water without a prop. We weren’t going to get anywhere. Luckily, where we keep the boat is only about a mile from the boat ramp, so we loaded back and went to look for the prop. We looked everywhere for this prop. We could not find it. We searched for two straight hours. Blake and his roommate had replaced a part on the motor and had taken the prop off and were not sure where they put it. Like typical men, their answer continued to be it’s just somewhere in the shop. People this shop is huge and has all the things in it. But we did find it “somewhere in the shop” after two hours of looking. We then had to figure out how to put the prop on the boat motor. If you’ve ever seen two girls trying to put a prop on a boat by watching a YouTube video I can promise you were laughing. 15 minutes later we were ready to try again.

We hopped in the truck, got back down to the ramp, go to crank the motor real quick just to make sure it will start and guess what….. it didn’t. So I call Blake, trying to figure out what is wrong. Dead battery. No problem we have another one at the house and can trade them out. So back we go. Another YouTube video, a little help from Blake’s roommates and we are ready to go try…again. Except that it is now dark. We decide that we will try again tomorrow.

Saturday. We wake up and it’s raining. Cool. So much for our lake day. We decide to wait out the rain by cooking breakfast. Perfect idea because around 12 it cleared up. We loaded everything up and headed back to the lake. For the 3^rd time. We get down there and I realized I had forgotten my phone. At first, I was not concerned but if you keep reading it was an act of God that we went back and got it.

So now we’re back at the ramp for the 4^th time. I back the boat in the water. Go to crank it and it won’t turn over. I try and try, and nothing will happen. The lights will come on, but the motor won’t turn over. By this point I was pretty upset but still determined to get the boat in the water. We pull it out and start calling people. My dad gives us some advice and our bosses husband, Kyle, throws in some valuable information over a good facetime chat. If it wasn’t for him, we would have never made it to the water. Turns out our battery knobs were not tight enough, so we weren’t getting a good spark. But no problem because we tightened them up and were ready to go. When the motor finally turned over, Hailey and I both screamed with joy. It was probably a good thing not many people were at the ramp. We looked pretty desperate.

So again, we back the boat into the water. Crank it up and head out on the lake. I’m pretty sure we spent the first ten minutes doing happy dances and screaming that we were officially lake people. I mean we had worked really hard for that moment. We were so excited. We had finally made it. I mean what else could go wrong. Ha.

We had been swimming for about 30 minutes when I decided to move the boat. We were floating towards some docks and I wanted to get us away. We get in. The boat cranks fine. I go to move us forward and we don’t move. Everything is working right. It’s making the sound like we are moving, but we are not going anywhere. Not forward or backwards. So I’m like, well maybe we are just stuck on something. No idea how but just maybe. I jump in the water to feel around the motor. Reach my hand down and scream HAILEY. She goes what? I scream again… THE PROP IS GONE. Yall…. We are stuck in the middle of the lake because THE PROP IS GONE. Like sunk to the bottom of the lake gone. Like how does this stuff happen to me. I get back in the boat. Have a tiny panic attack. Jump back in the water to feel the motor again to make sure this is real life. It is. Get back in the boat. Have another small panic attack. I mean we are literally in the middle of the lake and cannot go anywhere. We are so stuck. In the middle of the lake. With nothing but an oar. Like how are we supposed to get this party barge back across the lake.

Luckily, Blake’s roommate said that if we needed anything that we could call him. I’m pretty sure he didn’t think we would actually call him but we did. I asked him to come get us and out of the kindness of his heart he said he was on his way. Thank you, Jesus. Also, thank you Jesus, because if you remember earlier I almost did not go back and get my phone. Hailey’s phone had died. We would have really been stranded. The only problem with us being in the water now is we were still floating close to the docks. So, Hailey and I jump in the water and start to push. We get back out and start to paddle. Yes, paddle a giant party barge with one oar. Not a good idea. So we get back in the water and push this party barge for 200 yards. Yall. I have never laughed so hard in my life. I am still soar from pushing that party barge. At that point we knew we were going to be OK. All we could do was laugh. Panicking was going to do nothing, so we sat in the boat and ate our lunchables and had the best time until they came and rescued us.

People had to be laughing at us because it was three guys in a camouflage john-boat pulling two girls in a giant pink party barge. I thought it was hilarious. I am so thankful that they dropped their plans and came and got us. There truly are good people in the world.

Moral of the story. If you ever need good entertainment, just spend about an hour with Hailey and I and I promise you will find it. Also, the prop is the one thing Blake told me was most important. He stressed to make sure that it was put on correctly. He was right. And I have not told him this story yet. He may never let me take the boat out again. But who can blame him.

I hope this made you laugh. I’m still laughing about it. I can’t wait to try all of this again in a few weeks!

Happy Monday friends.