Life On The Lake

It's been almost 7 years since we bought this house on the lake. We hadn't really thought we would ever be able to afford a "lake house" because typically property on the lake is really expensive. So when we happened on this one that was a moderate price we were thrilled. It's not a new house...it was built in 1975 and added on to in 1992 and while it was "move in ready" it needed a lot of care. Some of it we've done and some of it we haven't. Time and money are definitely factors with money being the key. It is smaller than I really wanted and has little storage space. Over time it's done what all houses do in this part of the country - it has settled. That means that there are small gaps in windows and doors; they're too small to see but in the winter you can feel them. The carpet needs to be replaced and minor flaws need to be "beautified." Now after saying all that I want to add that we love this house. :) It has a large open living space, it's on the back side of a square so there's not a lot of traffic, there are lots and lots of big old trees that shade the whole yard, and it's on the lake.

One of my favorite features of the house is the fact that the kitchen has a very large window that looks out on the lake, and two of the bedrooms have three very tall windows that also face the lake. There's a sense of peace here that makes you take a deep breath and relax. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is to open the blinds so I can see the water, watch the sun come up and hear the birds. It's an incredible way to start the day. I get my drink, settle back in bed and do my morning devotions as I drink in the peace.

However, there is a downside to living on a lake too. It's a small one but definitely annoying. Thankfully we have a deep back yard so it's a good way down to the water and to our dock. I say thankfully because fishermen/women believe that any part of a lake is free for them to fish...and my husband tells me this is true. That includes all down our sea wall as well as under and around our dock. Frequently I look out to see these folks looking back in! It's pretty far out and I'm fairly certain that they can't really see me, or at least not the details. Which is a good thing because if I'm getting dressed or exiting the bathroom after a shower I can tell you they don't really want to see the details. When it happens I stomp around and fuss out loud because I think it's rude to go right up to someone's dock and fish under it. I suppose it's human nature to be curious so I'm not surprised that sometimes they aren't watching their fishing pole but are perusing the house. But it makes me uncomfortable.

I'm very careful to have the blinds closed when night approaches because I know you can see into a home that's lit. But in the daytime, how would you feel if you looked up to see someone on the sidewalk outside looking in? Short of keeping my blinds closed all the time I don't see a solution and I sure don't plan to leave the lake any time soon. What do you think?