As a flatlander, after a long drive back to the 'dacks and our lake house from down south, there's nothing more rewarding than checking in with Mother Nature and looking at the lake, we love so much.

So, as is the usual practice here at Treetops, I wandered down to the dock with a glass of red wine, to marvel at the stillness of the calm waters and the moon's reflection into the lake. 

So, imagine my surprise when the dogs and I discovered a hastily deserted speed boat, tied up to our very own dock. The boat -- above -- does not look like a neighbors, so who could it belong to?

We hope there wasn't an emergency involved, and the sailors were forced to decamp the scene in a hurry, leaving all of those Coronas,  a beer of some Canadian extraction, and a couple of Buds, on fresh ice. And there's all of those bags of beach towels  -- and that key in the ignition!

Come day break, we'll be calling the fuzz -- or Craig or Captain Jack at the Marina... that is, unless those boaters happened to sneak over to Witherbee's Carriage House  tonight, and chose the closet dock near the famed roadhouse. 

As we are generous souls, a couple of those cold beers (or the whole cooler) should cover the "docking fee". 

Stay tuned for the outcome.