The calming sound of the Brazos river waves. The static buzz of motors propelling boats. Late-night golf cart rides with the wind flowing through my tangled hair along with the familiar rewind of classic country music on a humid, wooden patio. These memories and thoughts flood my mind when I think of my river house. For as long as I can remember, my family and I have made the hour-long trip down to Rio Vista, Texas almost every Friday evening to get away. Leaving behind all the hustle and bustle of the suburbs and overbearing stress from either dance or school provides relief, like a heavy weight lifted off of me. Having the river in mind all day, I would anxiously wait in my seat at school and watch the clock tick on the wall. Every time the hand made a rotation, I knew I was a minute closer to jumping in the truck and driving to my river house.
We first bought our happy place in 2013, a time I can barely remember. My dad always had a love for the water and grew up going on boat trips to Lake Whitney with his family. He always tells me about how my grandmother would smear a bright white zinc stripe on his nose to protect him from the blazing Texas sun. He recalls the frustrating process of learning how to water ski and how much gross water he would inhale every time he fell, determined to continue this heartfelt tradition with his own family. He and my mom began the search for the perfect getaway home for our family. Ever since the first day I stepped foot into that house, I couldn’t thank them enough for following through with their traditions.
Summertime is always the best time at the river. Waking up late and eating warm Pillsbury cinnamon rolls on the patio is the best way to begin a long day of being out on the water. After we finish packing all of the towels, lunch supplies and get our swimsuits on, I’d situate myself in the plush leather seats of the boat as we make our cascade down the winding hill towards the ramp. As my dad drives and I see him hang his hand out of the window, the cool wind blows through my already messy hair and the carefree feeling I crave overwhelms me. After we finally make it out on the river, I feel the warm sun on my freckled shoulders which lets me know that my mom is probably standing right behind me with multiple bottles of Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen in her hands. As we make our way through a long but extravagant day of wakeboarding, wakesurfing and completely wiping out on the tube, the boat’s speakers blast our favorite songs for everyone else to hear. After a long day, we take one last lap across the river and soak in the remainder of the sun. Coming back to the house, we all take much-needed showers to clean off the feeling of river water while my dad perfects the flip of hamburgers on the grill. I look down at my plate containing premade but crispy french fries, fresh fruit, perfect burger and the comfort of Nestle Tollhouse cookies for dessert. After becoming absolutely stuffed from dinner, we gather to go on a late-night golf cart ride throughout our quiet neighborhood, with our fun possibly disrupting our neighbors’ paradise. In the cart, we sing karaoke to all types of music as rocks kick up from the spin of the tires and the electric whine of the golf cart continues. Stopping to look at the constellations in the Rio Vista sky is always fascinating compared to the city, where we don’t have the time to stop and think about the stars in the sky. Luckily, at the river, we always have time to do what we love.
Although summers at the river remain to be my favorite time of year, winter is just as memorable. Always stopping at the local Tex-Mex restaurant remains as my favorite way to start the weekend at the river house. There’s nothing like a greasy chicken and cheese quesadilla along with a crispy Diet Coke to end a stressful school week. At the house, we toast (and maybe burn a couple) Jet-Puffed marshmallows along the firepit to make late night s’mores, a staple for wintertime at the river. Friends and family gather around the flames with s’mores in hand and spare blankets wrapped around them, cracking jokes and reliving past memories while sharing new ones. Even an occasional chilly golf cart ride happens for a chance to gaze at the stars once again. Although the river’s water is too cold to even put a toe in, a joyride out on the boat does the job to satisfy the need for the river.
Whatever season of life I’m in, I will always love escaping to my river house. It will forever be the place that stole my heart at the age of 3, and the first place I go to when I need to get away from the stressors of life. Memories of boat days during the summer, roasting marshmallows during the winter, hosting the annual family Thanksgiving in the fall or even just watching bluebonnets bloom in our yard in the spring will forever stick with me. No matter what, memories made at the river house will always last a lifetime.
