Not traveling is making me restless. And, admittedly, whiny.
Case in point: Last weekend’s conversation with Husband.
Me: “I reeally want to be in Italy right now.”
Husband: “We could bring Italy here.”
Me: “Puh-leese. You don’t really believe those ‘You don’t have to leave home to feel like you’re on vacation’ articles, do you?”
Husband smiled. “Where in Italy would you like to be?”
I didn’t even have to think about it. “Lake Garda, having an Aperol Spritz.”
I forgot about my whining episode until yesterday afternoon, when I found this on the counter:
I followed the instructions and discovered one of these sitting in the back yard:
Big enough to hold four people, it was filled with water. Husband was there, too, in a t-shirt and board shorts.
Husband: “Welcome to Lake Coleman. Aperol Spritz?”
“Yes!” I managed to say in between laughs.
I delivered the drink ingredients, then sat on the grass and watched Husband mix cocktails.
Me: “Coleman? Don’t they made stoves and lanterns?”
Husband sliced the orange. “And apparently also inflatable lakes.”
Me: “Do we own this?”
Husband poured prosecco. “Borrowed from a friend.”
Me: “You have a friend with an inflatable Coleman Lake?”
Husband handed me a Spritz. I took a sip. Perfect.
Husband: “Time to get in.”
What most of the rest of the world thinks of as water warm enough for swimming is too cold for me. Hawaii? Australia? Mexico? No wetsuit, no go. While I want to be at Lake Garda, I don’t necessarily want to be in Lake Garda.
I tentatively step over the side and lower one leg into the water.
OMG IT’S HEATED.
I slide in all the way until only my head is showing. Husband taps a control panel. A motor whirs.
OMG IT HAS SPA JETS.
I lay back and close my eyes, feeling water pulse against my lower spine. “Your friend doesn’t want this back soon, does he?”
Our yard may not be Italy and Lake Coleman may not be Lake Garda. But the water was warm and the Aperol Spritz tasted plenty Italian to me.
P.S. In case you’d like your own Lake Coleman, ours is the appropriately-named Lay-Z model. Check out the Havana and Miami if you want to go fancier.
