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A Houseboat Weekend With Fonner And Friends
Anita’s niece and her husband, Angela and David Fonner, along with Dan and Anita, planned and helped execute a very fun weekend that included we four along with 4 other couples (Scott Lynam and Lisa Calliott, Rebecca Obermiller and Kevin Obermiller, Chris Roth and Stacey Lynn, and Mary Agan and Chad Agan). We had a terrific 3 days aboard a 68′ Dream Chaser houseboat on Lake Ouachita, leaving the Mountain Harbor/Dream Chaser Marina on Sept. 4, and turning the boat back in on the morning of Sept. 7.
I know there are many other photos of our adventure. Feel free to send me photos you’d like to see added. For example, I have no photos of the skiing adventures or the dam.
Here are photos from the Watson’s cameras.
Day 1: September 4, 2020
Goal: Load the houseboat with food and drink and go find a place on Lake Ouachita to park it!
An amazing sunset on our first night on the houseboat. (Click on the image to view photos from Sept. 4)
Day 2: September 5, 2020
Wake up late, good breakfast, swimming, and a trip to Mountain Harbor Marina to rent skis.
Social distancing off the back of the houseboat! The crew spent a lot of time in the Lake Ouachita water! (Click on the image to view photos from Sept. 5)
Day 3: September 6, 2020
The big adventure of the day was a party barge ride to Blakely Dam, followed by some swimming and skiing near the dam at an old hangout of Dan’s called “The Rock”, and an amazing dinner prepared by David, Angela, and many helpers.
The Rock near Blakely Mountain Dam on Lake Ouachita (Click on the image to view photos from Sept. 6)
Last day: September 7 – Turn the boat in, and all but David and Angela return to St. Louis.
Nothing much to do in the morning except for packing up and getting underway to return the houseboat to Dream Chaser by 9 am. Once there, the Dream Chaser staff helped reverse the loading process of 3 days ago, and 4 couples got underway for their return trip to St. Louis. However, Anita and Dan enjoyed the company of David and Angela for another couple of days. Our visits with them are always too few and far between.
This 68′ wonder was a more-than-adequate home for all 6 couples of us for the past 3 nights.
Last day: September 7
Despite having had to say goodbye to 4 couples, the Fonners and Watsons joined up with a couple of friends from Mountain Harbor and enjoyed a last evening on Lake Ouachita via the party barge and a good stopping place on the south end of Hot Dog Island.
A good party barge evening … (Click on the image to view photos from Sept. 7 on Hot Dog Island)
A terrific visit with Nathan and Kelly Graham …
Back just before Labor Day, we enjoyed a visit from Nathan Graham and his new bride, Kelly. It was terrific getting to spend a bunch of time with them and to show them some of our favorite spots around Lake Ouachita and around Hot Springs.
We’ll certainly look forward to a return visit.
Nathan and Kelly at the Lake Ouachita Vista. (Click on this image to view more photos from their visit.)
Happy Birthday to Great Nephew Nick Purdy!
Nick Purdy, son of nephew Rob Purdy and his bride Amy, reached his 15th birthday today, so I put together a gallery of photos from across the years for his amusement (and, hopefully not, embarrassment!). He’s a good kid who will no doubt make his parents and others of his relatives proud over the years.
Click on the image below of Nick piloting the party barge three years ago to see a bunch of photos of Nick and Family.
Nick just having turned 12 piloting the barge. Click on this image to view more photos.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nick!
A Day At The Races – April 15, 2017
We enjoyed a terrific day at The Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park as the guests of our friends Paul and Barbara Harvel, along with Mary Ann Shaw and Al Koch, Paul and Barbara’s friend from Pennsylvania.
Classic Empire’s jockey, Julien Leparoux, is looking cool and planning his move to win the Arkansas Derby.
(Click on this image to see a LOT more of Arkansas Derby Day at Oaklawn Park)
We didn’t win any money, but I took a boatload of photos. Some are better than others.
Thanks again, Paul and Barbara!
Rob Purdy’s Army Aviation Retirement Ceremony – November 10, 2016
I have never been so proud of anything or anybody in my life as I was on November 10, 2016, when I attended a ceremony celebrating my nephew, Rob Purdy, and his retirement from the U.S. Army after a 26-year career as an attack helicopter pilot and trainer. The ceremony was held at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
[Also, have a look at this article for more about Rob’s career.]
The U.S. Army Aviation Museum
I arrived at the Museum early, as I wanted to spend some time in the Museum itself prior to Rob’s retirement ceremony. This is a tremendously interesting place, especially for aviation and history buffs. The photos I took are not really great, but I hope they give you a sense of the facility.
Rob Purdy’s Retirement Ceremony
As the 1:00 pm time for the ceremony approached, Rob’s many friends and fellow service men and women began to gather. Rob noted that the attendees at this celebration represented those with whom he served at each duty station to which he was deployed during his career. This next set of photos was taken prior to, during, and following the retirement ceremony.
The Retirement Party
What’s a retirement celebration without a good party to cap it all off? Rob and Amy did this with style and in style, gathering friends and relatives at The Red Barn in Dothan for good food, good drink, and great company! One could seriously feel the love and respect all those who attended had for both Rob and Amy.
[Note that this is a bit of a work-in-progress, as I did not stay for the entire party, nor was I in the best position to capture Rob and Amy’s receiving awards during the formal ceremony. I hope to collect some of the official photographs taken at the ceremony to add to that gallery. Also, if anyone reading this also has additional photos to add, please contact Dan via the email link on the right side of this page. I’d love to include those and any captions you may have for any of the photos.]
It was indeed a pleasure and an honor to meet you all and to participate in this day.
THANK YOU!
I was talking with some at the party about Rob’s “attitude” and its being no surprise that a career in the Army spoke to him. I promised I’d include my favorite photo of Rob and me when I published my photos from his retirement. Here it is. Too bad it wasn’t some bad-looking Harley …
Dan with Rob in ’72 or so.