We lived on Lake Norman for about 8 years. Started on the West side (Mooresville) and then moved to the east (Cornelius). Kids were in middle and high school so we always had a lot of activity at the house and on the boat. Lakes are fun for families but no less than what we enjoy together with them now as adults. San Diego area, Catalina, Dana Point and Long Beach. Whether in a dinghy or a yacht and on a lake or ocean this lifestyle is great for many families!
Wifey B: Hubby grew up boating on Lake Norman. He had a boat in a marina slip from the time he was 13. He knew everyone at all the dealerships and marinas it seemed. My first time on the lake was a visit in 2001, then we married in 2001 and boating was a huge part of my life. I celebrated my 22nd birthday with a wedding. He was 30.
I was amazed at all surrounding boating as he had both a dry storage slip and a wet slip. Dry for protecting the boat, but wet gave us a "home port" for weekends and afternoons, a place if we wanted to take a break, and a place to leave it overnight and not have to get it picked up and relaunched. We often boated later than dry storage retrieved.
When we met, he was renting a house in the country. He had first rented it after his mother died about a year before we met as a place to hold his and her belongings. We loved that house. It was a very inexpensive rental and was 5 bedrooms, 3500 square feet, 8 acres and only a few neighbors near. The owner had built it and apparently loved paneling of all types. Good solid home though. Master bedroom had initially been two bedrooms but owner had removed the wall and made into one.
Off and on we searched for a waterfront home with a dock. Newer ones only had community docks and were very expensive. Finally, after a few years, we ran across a home in the Huntersville area, east of the dam, east of the Nuclear station. It was an older home, more like a vacation or weekend retreat. However, it was waterfront, nice lot, and had a great covered dock. Oh, and did I say, cheap? Or at least inexpensive. It was sold as a 1200 sq ft home as the lower level was not finished, just storage and walk out to the yard and dock. Today, the lot would sell for more than we sold the house in 2012 which was far more than we paid in 2005. The 1200 sq ft upstairs which was 3 BR, 2 BA, living and kitchen became bedrooms and baths only so very spacious. The downstairs became the living area with a huge great room. So, we bought a 3 BR 2 BA 1200 sq ft home and sold it as a 2350 sq ft home.
We didn't go away for vacations as our home was our vacation spot. All summer we'd get home and hop in the boat for an hour or so. Every weekend. Every vacation. People regularly tried to tell us we should buy in one of the country clubs or resort new developments, but we had the perfect home for us. We both worked and outside of work spent most of our time alone or, at most, with one or two friends. Nothing like 30 or 40 on a Sunday we might have over now. Looking back a bit of a lonely existence but we had each other and that was all we needed. That, and a boat. He had a 24' Cobalt when we married and we traded later for a 30' Cobalt. Prior to those he'd had Sea Ray's.
Hubby's boss (Omaha, no thanks) and others always tried to entice us to move. I remember once his boss was teasing me asking what was it about our little house on the lake. I got him back though by reminding him that his house was the one he bought in 1958. He just shook his head and laughed.
Our life on Lake Norman was simple but wonderful. We'll always treasure those years. UNCC is where we both went to college, although 16 years apart. The only company he ever worked for was near and once I graduated, I taught in the district.
We had many reasons for being very private people during those years, but there's one thing in business and jobs I've come to question. We never fraternized with our co-workers. It was discouraged behavior. He was always firmly against it. Now, in FLL, our business was started as a hobby, now a very out of control one, but our key employees are our best friends and over at our house constantly and on our boats regularly and we love them so. We've built the most incredible extended family. Now, our methods today wouldn't be right for a public company or for most companies, but I think back to olden days. Businesses were started and friends hired and more friends. Everyone knew everyone else. Yes, sometimes led to fights, but mostly led to love and respect and caring. Sure is a lot more fun the way we do it today. I think back to some of those we both worked with that would have been great to have had as friends outside of work. Those who worked for hubby really liked him and he cared so much for them. I think we missed out and they missed out by not being closer, by not having them over for a Saturday or Sunday of boating and a cook out, by not going to concerts or sporting events together. Hubby was friends with them, but it was always limited and perhaps way too much artificially so. Now, our business is truly a family business, not just because he and I are the owners, but because we're so close to others and then they, in turn, have such caring relationships for those who work for them. I just think in the NC days we took separating business and pleasure too far, at least after the first few years when we would have been allowed to do more. And, I guess the business practices were really around preventing hookups and fights and all sorts of things but you still have employees getting together and you still have cheating, just now it's all cloaked in secrecy until all heck breaks loose. Just my reflection back for the afternoon.
I will say this, had we never gotten beyond Lake Norman, had we stayed with lake boating, we'd still be incredibly lucky and happy people.
