My wife and I bought a little house on the waterfront, near Matagorda Bay. We have been going just about every weekend, and I never get tired of the view. I always get up at the crack of dawn, because there's something about drinking a hot cup of coffee while the sun comes up over the bay. It always starts my day off right.
We have recently done some minor remodeling of the house, to improve the view and the sea breeze that blows through the house. We have a big, comfortable chair with a great view of the bay, that my wife and I take turns occupying. Our dog has even gotten in on the action; so much so that she has her own side of the cushion (we flip it over for her to keep the fuzz down to a minimum).
Of course, the sunsets are beautiful too. After the sun goes down, the stars are spectacular. You can see dock-lights from houses like ours way off in the distance, but its not enough to block out the stars. I have seen more shooting stars during the past few months, than I have seen in my entire life.
I haven't even begun to talk about the fishing. We have been eating well, and I have had to come up with creative recipes for flounder, red-fish, and sea trout. Last weekend I cooked a large sheepshead I caught off of the pier. It was surprisingly exceptional table fare.
I think this house has been a very good investment in the quality of our life. When people find out about the three hour drive to get to the bay house, they often question our sanity. My reply is that instead of watching t.v. for three hours, I listen to the radio. After three hours, I get to enjoy the bay for three days. You can't get that from HBO!