Those Lazy, Crazy, Hazy Days of Summer

Fry up the chicken, cut up the carrot sticks and wash the grapes, make up a batch or two of toffee bars, clean the boat and pack the beach towels ~ it's off to Pineview for a day (or two or three!) of waterskiing. Just don't forget the toffee bars, whatever you do! We had a pretty good routine and no one minded pitching in, especially if we could be ready to pull out before dawn and get the really good water before other boats started making waves. Mom would always get the first run - and then she would spend the rest of the day helping the newbies learn how to sit on the skis and balance, pulling them with a short rope close to the shore. Dad just about always drove the boat, and had such patience and was always so encouraging. I believe they had a 100% success rate with all the kids who wanted to learn how to ski over the years. Oh, those lovely days at Pineview! Who cared if there was sand in the chicken? If we weren't skiing or on the boat we were swimming in the cove or reading/sleeping on a blanket or eating. If the Thornblads were with us we would sail on their little red two-man sail boat in the late afternoons when the wind came up. Once in a while we would venture to other lakes: Bear Lake, where my dad taught me how to shore jump when I was 14; Coeur d'Alene, where we caravanned with Grandma Davis, aunts, uncles & cousins to visit Uncle Art and Aunt Ruth, pulling trailers and boats; Lake Mead, which I vaguely remember; and Lake Powell, which is way over-due for another visit!
The requisite treat for any trip to a lake always was and always will be toffee bars, but we will eat them on other occasions as well! I kinda think Keven fell in love with me right after I made them for him the first time.

Toffee Bars

Cream together:
1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add:

3 cups flour

Mix well; stir in:

6 ounces chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts

(more if you are making them for Keven)

Pat into an ungreased 9x13-inch pan.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Cut into bars while warm.