Best Friends

I wanted to acknowledge another birthday of my best friend, although belated, Max Carlisle. We've had fun, fun, fun, and a few bumps along the way. As best as I can remember, we met in 1980. I think we were introduced at the Ford dealership where I was working as the service manager. He came in to buy parts for his wife's car. He had worked part-time in college as a mechanic, so repairing his own vehicles was nothing new to him. I'm not sure how it came about, but shortly thereafter he came to the Blackledge City Auditorium to play basketball. We soon found out that we had many interests in common, waterskiing, motorcycles, and pretty much anything that would trigger a surge of adrenaline. There were a few years in the 80s when we both had Mondays off. A lot of times we would go to the Lake, just the two of us, and ski. Back then, we did a lot of slalom skiing and trick skiing. We learned how to deepwater start bare-footing, start backwards on trick skis, and ski around the boat. The last one was the hardest because we had never seen it done, but we had heard others talk about it. Our families have always shared a lot of time together, and I consider his kids as part of my family and I'm sure he feels the same. Last year at Grand Lake Max taught his boys how to ski around the boat. Even watching it is an adrenaline rush.

The one thing that we never really did much together was flying. Max is a pilot, and so is his youngest boy, Blake. I've been up in the air with Max on several occasions and those produce adrenaline. I know for certain that Max's wife, Debbie and my wife, Cheri even get a dose of adrenaline during a flight, but I don't think they consider it a good thing :-)

As you know, and I like a lighthearted ending to my posts. Here's something that's been around a long time, but it still makes me laugh.

Much love, Dennis

Grand Lake- now and then

Grand Lake vacation was awesome this year. This is Tyler, with his child. I think Tyler was 5 yrs. old the first time we met him. He is Max Tillman's (the owner) oldest son.

This time next year there will be two more grandchildren on the Carlisle side. Grant and his wife Dianna are expecting as well as Blake and Haley Wedel.

Starting at the left Jami McAdoo --Cheri Boyer--Charlotte Webb--Kourtney Childers--Debbie Carlisle--Haley Wedel--Dianna Carlisle. It's kind of fun to think back to the first few years at Grand Lake. Whitney, Grant, Blake C. were all preteens and I think that Haley was 13 or 14. Blake, the youngest of these 4 is now 25 and has a daughter of his own, Ava.

One of the things that I remember from the early years at Honey Creek is Haley marching up to the cabins and with a very stern look on her face. She exclaimed: "I'm going to ring the necks of two little boys on the dock! They have been calling Blakey FOUR EYES." Back then Blake wore glasses. From the look on her face, I think she was serious.

I was a little sad that Whitney couldn't make it this year as well as Dan and Gwen Willits, but there's always next year.

Much love, Dennis

Wednesday

I am so thankful for the wonderful weather and good health that I'm experiencing this year. It brings to mind Romans 8:28. It is God who causes all things to work together for good to those of us who love him and who are called according to his purpose. Wednesday was a typical morning, relaxing around the cabins and picnic table for a while and then heading down to the dock. I don't know exactly why it is, but the dock is my "HAPPY PLACE". Maybe it's because it is close to part of the 23rd Psalm where it talks about green pastures, still waters, restoring my soul, no fear and a banquet table.

Blake Wedel arrived in the afternoon. I think that brought the total of our group to 17. This was not the first time for Haley's husband Blake to join us at Grand Lake. Many years ago, I'm not exactly sure how many, Haley and Blake were dating and Blake spent a couple days at Honey Creek.

There is always a lot of joking around, trash talking and an occasional practical joke at the lake. It has become a tradition. For several years Cheri and Grant Carlisle had a running joke. Grant would tell Cheri that he needed a sandwich or something to drink and Cheri would reply "Do I have MAID tattooed on my forhead?" Occasionally somebody still brings that up and it gave me an idea. Here's a picture Of Grant and Diana Carlisle at the Lazy Parrot Restaurant.

HEY CHERI, CAN I GET YOU A SANDWICH? Since Grant has been known to occasionally misspell a word or two I thought that maybe two versions might be good.

You know I love you, Grant I also had something else in mind when we were at the Lazy Parrot restaurant.

Much Love, Dennis

The Feast

The picnic table is to the right of the Philips 66 sign.

Tuesday afternoon our group numbered, 16. We weren't sure just yet about our new chef - Blake Carlisle. He brought his outdoor wok and began preparing what turned out to be the best meal "in my opinion" of the whole vacation. We gathered at the picnic table and watched, listened, and smelled the preliminary steps to a feast. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I definitely pigged out!

Before anyone was allowed to dig in, Kaiser led us in prayer.

We also had a member of the group celebrate a sixth birthday. I'll let you guess which one.

If you guessed Kaiser, try again.

Preston Webb celebrating 6.  He also became a member of the Honey Creek Wakeboard Team. Way to go Preston!

I am so thankful to GOD for the pleasant weather and my continued healing. I know that  sometime soon I will be enjoying life from an upright position.

Much love, Dennis

Honey Creek Resort Vacation day #1

This was also posted on the Care Pages website.

Grand Lake vacation: Day one

Cheri and I were the first to arrive at Honey Creek. We picked up the key from the front desk and right away I saw Tyler and Marcus, two of the owner's sons.

We pulled up to the cabin and within a couple of minutes our friend and owner of Honey Creek, Max Tillman II, showed up asking if he could help Cheri to unload. I'm a firm believer that God puts people in our path to ease some of our burdens. Max T. on many occasions has donned wings and a halo.

The Carlisles and the Webbs were just a short time behind us. We settled in, and I headed down to the picnic table next to cabin five. This is the place where we make all of the decisions about what we're going to do each and every minute of the next day-NOT!!  We do make some plans, but for the most part we play it by ear every day. It's kind of like when we allow God to light the path that we're on, and being comfortable only able to see one step ahead.

Around seven o'clock the rumblings of thunder became apparent and we were soon chased indoors because of the lightning. The electricity flickered a few times and then quit completely. Fortunately it was only off for about 30 min. The cabins that we stay in are made of cinderblock and tend to warm up pretty fast without the air-conditioner running.

Cheri and I turned off the lights at about 10:30 PM and I'm not sure how well she slept, because I fell asleep at approximately 10:32 PM. And that was day one.

Much love, Dennis

Vacation 2012

Sunday, July 8:

Cheri and I, along with Max and Debbie Carlisle, and Haley Wedel left Fairview headed to Honey Creek resort in Grove, Oklahoma. We were meeting the Webb’s at Grove, but this year our daughter Whitney didn’t get to go and the Willits’s did not get to go.  The skies were overcast and occasionally leaking a few scattered raindrops. We had perfect weather for a leisurely drive. For most of the many years that Cheri and I made this trip, I was driving my pickup and pulling our pontoon boat. Sometimes there were even a couple of stand up jet skis strapped on. The boat was loaded with wake boards, trick skis, air chair, fishing poles, air mattresses and lawn chairs. We used to play hard and then go to the dock and rest before moving on to a different activity. I'll have those memories forever.

Last year we made the trip to Grand Lake, but my health was not good. I was miserable 90% the time and I'm sure that affected everyone else in our group. I'm in much better health this year and I am determined to enjoy every possible minute of this vacation.

Unlike the past, Cheri is the driver and I ride shotgun. I've seen things today that I never saw when my attention was focused on the road. It was a much more leisurely drive. I will elaborate some other time about each day of the vacation, but today I want everyone to know that I enjoyed each and every minute of my 2012 vacation at Honey Creek resort. Honey Creek is a very special place with some very special people, but for the most part what makes for good times are the people that you are with.

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

Much love, Dennis