I have been at this computer, off and on for the better part of the last two hours. Simply getting caught up with some work, and I still have some emails I want to get around to and answer.
One can wonder, what can take so much time here at Lazy Lakes, in a campground, for Pete's Sake. Well, I often find myself wondering that myself, and coming up with no really good answer.
Jim and I started this morning by having our leisure coffee. About 8:30, I suggested we cook our breakfast outside, and have bacon and eggs. Jim was game and so I got the electric fry pan, set it up on the picnic table and we're in business. Jim took care of the inside cooking, which was a pot of grits and some toast, and I stood guard over first the bacon and then the eggs.
As we often smell good things from other campsites, I was wondering if the aroma of our bacon was wafting through the camp. And, sure enough, Dale walked by and said 'smells good!"
While having our breakfast, Terry walked over from her visit across the way with Char. When she saw we were having grits, she almost backed away! Jim told me he and Terry have had conversations about grits, and she is not a fan! Grits are, for sure, a southern thing!
While cleaning up, John and Sandy stopped by on their walk. Jim has purchased, at Home Depot, wiring and tie straps to make a bait trap. John has promised to help Jim with this construction a little later. Marty showed John how to make the trap, John, in turn, has helped Larry with his, and now, he is going to help Jim.
We have some new neighbors, across from us, Larry and Sally from Maryland. Sally and I have had a couple of opportunities to talk a while. They will be here for two weeks, have stayed here once before, in the winter of 2009. Sally and Larry are like many of the campers here, continuously on the move, and travelling all over the U.S.A.
Jim and I have found ourselves, numerous times, in conversations where campers ask if we have been to the northwest, Midwest, west coast and Jim and I have to admit we have not.
Our story, and we are sticking to it, is that we enjoy getting out of the winter weather in Norwood and this is a great place to do just that. Additionally, Walt, Hillary, Gabby and Lily are here, so, of course, this would be our destination.
For the other seven or eight months out of the year, we love being home and, of course, back and forth to Cherry Grove Beach. So, our plate is blessedly full.
Tuesday, February 1, Jim went out to the fishing bridge where John, Sandy, Larry and Floyd were fishing. They had offered for him to come out and use some of their bait, pin fish, which they are catching in their bait traps, and Jim was anxious to watch, try and learn. He only stayed a short while for two reasons, one, he didn't want to use much of their hard to obtain pin fish (as I have mentioned earlier, I think) they drive out to take these bait traps to some undisclosed location - undisclosed because they want to keep it a secret!! - then they drive back to get there bait, put their bait in the live well - which is a 5 gallon bucket - and then go out to the bridge. Lot of work, it seems to me!
Jim did not catch anything on this short trip. Larry did stop by later Tuesday Afternoon and said that Jim left too soon. They all had caught fish, and keepers too, after Jim left.
We had scheduled ourselves to go back down to the Lee's for a few more projects, yesterday, Wednesday February 2. Seems we gave out pretty quickly, after about 3 or 4 hours and came back to the camp about 2:30.
Jim grilled the remainder of the mangrove snapper that Marty had given us a couple of weeks ago. He also grilled some zucchini and squash and I was hankering for a tomato and cucumber salad. We had a grand meal.
We have not gone to the Free Wednesday Night Movies yet. Greg, the movie man, stopped by on Wednesday Morning while walking his dog and reminded me about the movie night. Last night's first movie was "The Social Network" the story of the face book fellow, Mark Sucherberg (spelling.) Movie started and 7:00 and Jim and I both went up to watch. I really enjoyed the movie. As we got up to leave and thanked Greg, he said "the second show is about to start!" Again, thanking Greg, I had to tell him it was my bedtime.
Saving the best for last here on this Thursday Blog.
Hillary called on Monday Evening, January 1 and wanted us to know they were hoping to get Tim's boat (a friend and colleague of Walts) and go out to Snipes Point. Snipes Point, we found, is a pristine beach area, long, long sand bar that connects to a rugged and interesting island.
I assured Hillary that I wanted to go and most likely, Jim would like to go as well.
After loading into the boat, going to the marina for gas, we headed out. I think I heard Walt tell Jim that it takes about 25 minutes to get out to Snipes Point.
Walt got the boat anchored near the sandbar and Gabby could not wait to get out. Hillary and Lily followed. Gabby asked, "amme, are you coming in?" I told her I wasn't certain. Then Hillary said "suck it up" and Jim said "you can't come all the way out here to this beautiful spot and stay in the boat" - I agreed with both comments.
So, plop, down into the water from the boat I go. I am sure glad I did. Gabby was already finding treasures and Lily was finding treasures as well. Lots of shells, some empty conch shells, some conch shells that still had a conch in residence, lots of crabs in their shells scurrying along in the shallow, clear water, horseshoe crab shoes. So many treasures, that Gabby needed a bucket to store them in.... And, she had an idea. The shoreline was full of sponges. These sponges are shaped like a cone and made a great bucket for Gabby.
We scavenged the beaches, pools of water and sand bar for anything that looked interesting. Hillary had brought snacks and each of us would grab something from the canvas snack cooler as we walked by.
I will admit - Walt had stopped by Dion's to get some fried chicken for our boat trip, and both the girls and myself got into the chicken box on the way out to the point. So, our appetites were pretty well sated by the time we reach the beach.
While walking around the beaches and sandbars, I had noticed Lily was saying she wanted to go back to the boat. I didn't act on this right away, then, just decided I would go back to the boat with her.
I carried Lily out to the boat, sat her on the side, and she swung herself over. Now, getting myself in the boat. There is no ladder on the side of this boat. I guess, to get back in, you would need to grab the side of the boat and hoist yourself inside. I'm not that strong!
The water is only about knee deep for me. The transom of the boat, where I need to hoist, is about three feet. So, that's easy enough! I am able to get my left leg over the transom, all the while trying to avoid all the gas lines, etc. that trail from the motor, and try to pull up, using my left leg and arms for leverage. My right foot does not move. My right foot is stuck in the soft sand. The harder I pull up, the deeper my right foot goes in the sand. Also, as I pull up, I am pulling the boat over my right leg. I am slowly folding myself under the boat and my left leg is hanging inside the boat. I finally get my foot out of my shoe, kick the sand a little and get the boat pushed off of me. Lily, is standing, inside the boat watching me and saying "here, amme, take my hand." I do take her hand because it is so sweetly extended to me.
Lily and I just look at each other for a minute. Lily then says "let's call Dad'n Dad'n." I really did not want to bother the rest of the group, so I try again, not getting myself into as much of a predicament as before, but, still not able to get aboard. So, Lily and I both call "Dad'n Dad'n" and "Jim" respectively.
Jims wades out to assess the situation. He first of all tells me to try going in backward with my hinny on the transom, my legs still in the water. That doesn't work - not enough room for me to 'swing over' into the boat.
Finally, I stand facing the boat, and Jim gives me an extra push with my left leg in the boat and I am in after a little scrabble.
Since Jim is out at the boat, he gets aboard as well. So, looks like I have been instrumental in cutting this trip a little short, and I didn't want to do that!
Walt comes aboard and says he is going to pull the anchor, and start the engine to get around to where Hillary and Gabby have walked. He doesn't need to because Hillary and Gabby start our way, with Gabby running as fast as she can through the water. Seems while I was struggling to get on the boat, Gabby was continuing with her treasure hunt and she had found a dead sand dollar that she was allowed to bring back to the boat.
All in all, a great fun afternoon in the beautiful aqua waters of the keys.
Especially nice, Jim and I commented, was that Walt was able to pull right up to the seawall at the Lee House for us all to disembark before returning the boat. In the past, we would all lot up in the car, with snacks, life jackets, etc. to drive out to Tim's to get a boat.
On the end of this boating trip, Walt pulled right up to their house, we got out with all our supplies, right there at home, and Walt was able to return the boat, empty, dock it and then just drive the short distance back home. Much easier for the Lee's I would think.
Hillary, Lily and Gabby as we head out for our Snipes Point Adventure. Maybe you can see, barely, that Gabby has just lost her second front tooth! Her teacher had pulled it for her the day before.
This is the canal that runs behind the Lee Home. We are heading out to the end of the canal.
On the way to the marina for gas, there was a slew of boats anchored out.
Don't you know - you can only see the sailboat in the foreground. There are lots and lots of boats behind the sailboat.
Jim checking water depth as we head to the marina. The power poles and scrub you see on the right are along US 1.
Hillary, Lily and Gabby at the marina. Not sure why they were still at this moment. I do know Lily was getting tired and I did ask Gabby to let me get a picture.
Hillary enjoying the ride.
Arriving at Snipes Point
Walt getting us anchored.
While Walt is getting us anchored, I walked to the back of the boat and found this sweet surprise.
Gabby running to the sandbar.
Lily driving the boat. She told me to get close to take this picture.
You may note, the back of the boat. That is the area I was trying to 'climb over' and got stuck!
Although you can barely see Hillary and a dot of Gabby, I wanted to capture as much of the scenery as I could. Hillary and Gabby are continuing this treasure hunt and Walt is about to break anchor on the boat.
All the blogging for this day! I have been, here at the computer, for about a total of four hours (two hours at the blog) - and, I wonder where the day goes! :)
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