New Home

[gprsh924]

My parents bought a boat a few years ago and this summer finally bit the bullet and bought a place up in Burlington, WI on Brown's Lake. Nice little place, about 1hr 45 mins from home, had a lot of fun up there this summer and hopefully will every summer for the rest of my life. There was a lot of work to be done, and there still is, but we made pretty good progress.

View from the lake


From the street


The house was 40 years old so it had to be thoroughly cleaned and all the carpet needed to be ripped up. We used it all summer with just the baseboard flooring until we decide exactly what we are going to renovate in the near future.
Living room before


After


View from living room out to the lake

[gprsh924]

Trimming trees and cutting some out of the backyard so we have better views


first spin in the boat at the new house (with dad watching over me carefully)


My friends helping us move the boat lift


My friend that caught a catfish using a a piece of string tied to a stick and a safety pin as a hook


My sister raking the seaweed


Sunset


My friend and I (I'm in front) taking the new toy out for a spin. It's a 2003 Yamaha GP1300R with only 26 hours on it that we picked up in July. It now has well over 50 hours, I was busy on it this summer.


Me skiing

[stomachmonkey]

Nice,

Enjoy.

Spend some winter time there as well.

[stomachmonkey]

Nice,

Enjoy.

Spend some winter time there as well.

[gprsh924]

We should get up there a few times this winter. The downside is that the house has electric heat rather than gas so it is really expensive to keep it up and running during the winters. Sometime in the near future we are going to put in central air and get a gas line. But until then, it will probably be limited use during the winter. I think this year we are going to close the upstairs and keep the downstairs just warm enough to keep the pipes from freezing.

Oh, btw its a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home. The first floor consists of living room, kitchen, 2 bdrs, and a bathroom/laundry room and the upstairs has a bathroom and 2 more bedrooms. Its the perfect size for my family of four and so far it has seen 13 people stay overnight relatively comfortably.

[LakeCleElum]

Enjoy. A place on the lake is one of the best investments you can make. It one of the few smart investments you can enjoy while making money also......I've had a Lake Cabin for over 20 yrs.....

[stomachmonkey]

Put in a wood burning stove. They are cheap and heat like a m'fer.

If you bank em right they'll burn all night.

Scott

[john70t]

Nice pics, my parents used to have a similar place which made a lot of good memories.

I'd recommend a thick layer of non-toxic, fire-resistant, soy-based spray foam for the insulation. Even at a 50-60deg thermostat setting, the gas heat bills used to be $200-400/mo for ~2200sq. The savings will add up quickly.
A smaller furnace continously running with a return is also more efficient, so while it's still a mess do it right.

It was fun to do some snorkling in the spring, before the algae sets in. Amazing where the fish hide.

[Mo_Gearhead]

Nice looking place.

We love the water also. Although we do not live right on the water, we are only 10 minutes from a launch ramp. Summers (when still working) off at five, drive home, hook up boat, be in the water by 6:00.

Nothing more relaxing than a secluded cove, swimming, a beer, good book, etc. to let the work day fade. Water surface like glass just before sundown, a few ski runs with no other boats in sight.

Priceless.

[gassy]

Great view! I haven't gone water skiing in 15 yrs but man did I have fun...I gotta go again.

[gprsh924]

I can't wait til next summer when I can really start focusing on slalom skiing. I can currently do it, but I'm just not that good. I am getting a ski for Christmas though, so that should motivate me to get better.

My dad bought a wakeboard last summer too, and my sister can get up on it, so now I have to learn how to do that too because I can't have her being better at anything than I am.

[Zef]

HO-LY nice...simply beautiful...!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Very nice.

[Mo_Gearhead]

Garrett,

You do understand that you are using twice as many skis as is necessary?

One you get the hang of a slalom, you will never put on two again.

[gprsh924]

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

Garrett,

You do understand that you are using twice as many skis as is necessary?

One you get the hang of a slalom, you will never put on two again.

I know I know...when I first started slalom a few years ago, it was behind our friends Ski Nautique with a true slalom ski. I didn't get to practice too much so my skills slipped. Then this summer when I went back to try and get up on one ski, I had a hard time between the combo ski and the fact that my boat does not have that much low end grunt. When there are 6 people in the boat, it can just barely pull me up. Then it would get rough usually so I would just stick to two skis, or drop one after half a lap or so. but next summer I am starting training as early in the season as possible so that I can get some good runs in by the time summer comes.

[911Rob]

Thanks for sharing Buddy!
That's a gorgeous place........ memories for a lifetime and beyond (kids & grandkids) YOU are one lucky SOB, that's for sure!

I was raised on the lake every summer, best life you could ever give a kid.

Me, last summer at age 47:

[KaptKaos]

Garrett,

Nice place. Invest your time and build some sweat equity in the place. That will give you more than you will know.

Our place is a little further north of yours up on the U.P., but almost due north. There is nothing like a lake house. You are fortunate.

[livi]

Ah, the good life!

What a lovely place. A property on the lake/ocean is very attractive and here in Sweden usually ridiculously expensive.

[speedracing944]

The real way to catch catfish is by noodling.

Nice summer retreat.

Speedy

[Tobra]

Sweet