My worst day boating, ever.

Warning: This post is one big "Laura Moment".

Last Saturday, we took our new boat out for it's first full day since we bought it. We thought it might be fun to invite kids' friends to share in our fun day. Fun for everyone. Unfortunately, more witnesses!

See, the problem is that this boat is about two feet longer than our old one. So the maneuverability is decreased and it is awkward, like driving a semi. Chad wasn't used to driving it, and the rest of us weren't used to docking it. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

First, we put in and the boat started drifting because Adam couldn't pull it close to the dock fast enough to get it tied off. But, while people were watching and laughing at us, we finally got it pulled around and tied off. I thought THAT was embarrassing...
We got out on the lake and realized that we had lost our orange flag (the one you hold up to signal that there is a person in the water, usually after a wipe-out). Kind of necessary that we have one of those, our orange towel just didn't do the trick. So we decided to dock near the snack bar and see if they would sell us an orange flag. That dock is the same dock where they rent out pontoon boats. So it was crowded with boats and people renting those boats. We pulled up but the back end of the boat started drifting back out again, so I jumped out on the dock and started pulling on the tower in hopes of pulling the boat around. It kept going. I stretched out further and further until my feet left the dock and I hit the water. THEN the boat came around and I thought I was toast. I pictured my head popping between the boat and the dock like a grape. I was yelling at Chad and the kids were yelling at me, and everybody on the dock was watching...finally one of them said to me, "you want a hand?" and pulled me onto the dock, scraping my stomach and legs in the process. I tried to play it cool and after thanking him I took off to the boat shop as fast as I could go. Finally got an orange flag.
We got the kids tubing and enjoying themselves, and my job was to stand on the back of the boat and pull the tube in when they were ready for a break. It was slick. I slipped and fell. Twice. Bruised my legs and elbows. Wanted to cry.

In spite of all the embarrassing things I did, my kids and their friends did not laugh at me once. Well, at least not in my hearing. They deserve something good for that because I suspect that it was pretty funny. Can't wait to watch that one myself, when I am watching the life (gag) reel after I die! But that is the end of my dignity - I don't think I can get that back.
At least the kids had fun!