One beautiful spring day we put on our leathers and headed out on the motorcycle.  It was a scenic ride from our home in Cabot, to Freeport, PA, a small town on the Allegheny River about 30 minutes away.  I guess you could say "over the river and through the woods". We were told about a yacht club at the end of the road that winds through the golf course. When we pulled into the marina, there was a 34' Chris Craft, 1973 houseboat for sale. It looked huge sitting on the trailer and, since our last boat was a 16' ski boat, we were both thinking it was too big for us.  Well, we couldn't leave without taking a walk out onto the dock. We met another couple who asked if we needed help. It's a small club so everybody knows everybody. They informed us that Joe and Jan were "going the other way".  We looked puzzled so they went on to explain that they were selling their boat to spend more time riding motorcycles. The light bulb went on-it was fate. We said "It can't hurt to ask", and before we knew it, we had traded our Suzuki for a houseboat!  Once we installed an A/C unit, a TV and a queen sized mattress, the "Sick Day Resort" had all the comforts of home. That was two years ago and we are having way too much fun to miss the bike.

Coming up with a name was more difficult than we expected. Everything we thought of was too long, too complicated, too hard to spell. We finally got tired of bouncing names off each other and said "Lets just call her BOB-a guy with no arms and no legs floating in the water!" We laughed and said we could get the decal guy to make the `O' look like a bobber. The next day we learned that Jeff needed foot surgery and suddenly "Sick Day Resort" sounded more appropriate. 

We stay on our boat all summer long because it's not much further for either of us to drive to work from River Forest Yacht Club. Even with the price of gas, it's worth a few extra miles to go to sleep and wake up on the river. We have weathered some storms only to come about and see the most picturesque skies.  It really is God's ever changing etch-a- sketch.

Although we spend much of our time at the dock, we enjoy inviting friends and family to be "captain for a day". There is nothing like a relaxing dinner cruise to wash away your tension. We have some unique recipes like crawfish etouffee and pineapple burgers.  Ultimately we end up concocting a drink of the day, such as margaritas or purple hooters, or our own 4^th of July invention that we call Red, White, and Blue.  Which is blue raspberry martini mix, a splash of vodka, maraschino cherries and mini marshmallows. We absolutely love sharing our creations with everyone at the dock. Good friends.good food.good times!

Luckily it's a pet-friendly place because we don't go anywhere without our German Shepherd, Max. He loves chilling under the bimini, or bikini top as we call it; which, by the way, is the best place to catch some rays, catch some zzzzz's, or catch some fish. After dark we turn on the tunes and dance like no one is watching (because no one is watching).

Houseboating is more than a sport or a hobby; it's a lifestyle, and it's our passion. We are water lovers but never knew this houseboating life existed so close to home. The only sad part here in Pennsylvania is putting her away for the winter. Our dream is to someday move south and live on a houseboat year round. Until then, we are making the most of our summers at the Sick Day Resort.