Precation – that’s the new word I’ve coined to designation a mini-vacation prior to taking a true vacation. Hope you like it and if not – well, tough!!! It seems like we’ve been running on a treadmill for the last few weeks plus planning and getting ready for our trip so when friends Jim and Robin asked us to join them at the lake earlier this week, we jumped at the opportunity.
We arrived in time for lunch on Monday and as soon as we’d eaten, we loaded up the cooler and headed for their dock where we proceeded to hang out for the entire afternoon. Robin and I waded through a ton of magazines and then got on floaties and lazed around in the water. All of a sudden it was past beer-thirty and we were exhausted from all our time in the sun. Back at their home we got out the frozen margaritas and some snacks and sat on the deck overlooking the lake while Jim got the grill going to fix dinner.
By time we were thoroughly stuffed, the sun was dipping into the western sky and it was time for a boat ride. The lake was like a pane of glass – so clear and sparkling with very little traffic out – plus it was a perfect summer evening. 
Jim took this picture of us with our windblown look and the sun setting in the background. We had the boat out for over an hour and felt like we had the entire lake to ourselves which is a big switch from how it’s sure to be over the holiday weekend.
Tuesday morning we sat on the deck and drank coffee as a storm blew through and then when it cleared, we returned to the exhausting job of laying on the dock being lazy.
We ended our time together with a late lunch at Cantina Laredo at Branson Landing. Several friends have raved about this Mexican restaurant and now we know why – the food was great and their lunch menu was quite reasonable. Apparently we erred in not getting the guacamole that they prepare tableside but I figure you always have to have a reason to return and that’s ours. 
We were joined by daughter Cindy shown here along with Robin and me. I think the three of us could have stayed there all afternoon and switched our iced tea to margaritas but alas we needed to get home and back to work on making ourselves vacation-ready – which meant doing all the mowing before Ralph and her crew arrived for the holiday weekend.
Final analysis: I heartily recommend a precation anytime you’re getting ready for a vacation.
I totally agree!