The Fourth of July we almost drowned

   It is strange to think about the summer days on the lake when we are in the middle of this chilly November weather, but when it comes to family holidays, there is one Fourth of July weekend that my family will never forget.
   It was back when all of my aunts, uncles and cousins on my dad's side would actually come up to our cabin to celebrate the Fourth. (These days, everyone is too busy to make the effort, and we end up spening the holiday with friends)
   My mom had bought everyone matching Faded Glory brand t-shirts from the St. Croix falls Walmart and everyone, even my grandma, was wearing the same white t-shirt with the big American flag on the front. These were the days before we had our big ski boat. We owned a tiny red pontoon boat that didn't have build in seats; we had to bring plastic chairs on the boat with us for people to sit on. My dad decided that he would ignore the weight restrictions on the boat's fading warning label, just so we could get the entire family on the boat for the annual boat parade. At around 1:00, we all climbed aboard the recently patriotically decorated pontoon boat and joined in the train of boats circling around the lake. Due to the lack of seating, it occured to my parents that we would have all of the kids sit in the front with their legs hanging over the ledge. There I was, waving my American flag and laughing with my cousins, when all of a sudden I felt my feet go deeper into the water. I looked over at my cousin Campbell, and I saw him also start to slowly sink down. The entire front of the pontoon was sinking. The boat started to slant like the frickin Titanic. (That's an exxageration, but that was what my seven-year old mind was imagining). My mom shrieked to my dad, "Stop the boat!" and rushed to tell all of the kids to get their feet out of the water and get to the other side of the boat NOW. Needless to say, we survived the almost Titanic boat sinking that afternoon, but thanks to all the water, the red from the flags on our shirts had bled to a bright fuschia. To this day, I sometimes find that pink Faded Glory T-shirt in my laundry and I am reminded of that eventful boat parade. The glory on those t-shirts almost did fade away that day, into the depths of Half Moon Lake.