Vaca - Day 7 - Fri, Aug 5

Florida bound, baby! Thanks to Carla Rush, we managed to get the girls tickets at Marineland to swim with the dolphins! I know, don't they do that every weekend? LOL! Well, not exactly like this ~ WHAT at experience!

And the end to end all ends.... Making out with a dolphin!

Whoa there, Megan. No tongue!

God's gracious creature ~ thanks, Cokie!

Oh, yeah. The girls are gonna kill me, but, LOL! Objects may seem larger through glass ~ LOL!



Hit the Santa Maria Restaurant (not our Santa Maria, of course) for another late lunch. The Santa Maria is actually on the water, not water front, at the Marina, old downtown St Augustine. What a beautiful area! We've already made plans for a girls trip back down there in the fall for some shopping!

Other than good food, the neat thing about Santa Maria is that the window sills are lined with "flaps", and the waiter brings you baskets of bread. Now, dummy me thought we were feeding birds... No. Catfish! By the bazillion!

While eating and enjoying the activies and view, it did bring on "wonder whose yacht's those are, and if they have sons/grandsons that are single?" LOL! My poor girls... they haven't got a chance with us! LOL!

Vaca - Day 6 - Thurs, Aug 4

Didn't even take my camera! What was I thinking? LOL! A friend of ours owns/lives on Bird Island, an 8 acre island just southeastish of Barbour. He's been asking us to come visit for a year of more so he could show us his island. So, this was the day. Steven is a dock builder by trade, and we really didn't know what to expect, but it was terrific! His description was it was about 40 docks all mangled together. And, while I can see that, it was just facinating! They collect all kinds of "stuff". Whether it washes ashore on their island or beach, or if he finds it in his piling digging, etc. with work. Everywhere you looked there was something interesting! Next time, I promise I'll take the camera!

It was only about 3900 degrees, and I got a little over heated and had to be scurried off the island back to the condo. Crappy end to a great day, but maybe Steven and Mindy will have us back out ~ LOL!

Vaca - Day 4 & 5 - Tues & Weds, Aug 2-3

Tuesday and Wednesday were full of nothing much. Just chillaxing and riding and enjoying. Hit Barbour for some ice (Thanks, Ronnie & Lynn!)

Rode 5 miles off shore. Still can't believe how much clearer the water is ~ We could see the prop on the boat and then some ~

We took our stale bread and doughnuts out (I know, crazy! Who has stale Krispy Kreams?) We usually toss them at high tide at our bluff (to encourage fish/shrimp, LOL!) But, for whatever reason, we had it in the boat, so tossed it out. Way out. LOL! The poor floating KK's didn't have a chance! The ripple hadn't passed yet before... yep, that's a black tip shark nipping him some icing! Okay. I think we've all decided that swimming out there just isn't the thing to do ~ LOL!

You know I love me a pelican. So, heading in, I had the change for a nice shot ~ We certainly live in God's beautiful world!

The girls had picked up some new polish, so had to get shots of that. Yeah, that a bee and it's trail along the other toes. Jessica is getting quite good at designs, if anyone's interested. I'm sure she could be bought. LOL!

What funky feet! LOL! Anyway, we ended up riding over Shellman way. Our old stomping grounds... Thought I'd get a shot of the end of Harris Neck. It's not likely to look like this much longer. There are developers with great plans, it seems. The design plan I've seen looks like another St Simons village. Kinda sad ~

Had some grooming to do ~ LOLOL! (Wayne's gonna KILL me)

Caught 'em a tiny blowfish at the dock ~

And a decent bonnet head in the Todd River ~

Got to witness a most beautiful sunset, also in Todd ~

And an absolutely beautiful night-ride back to the condo ~ Isn't that what vacation is for? Moving at your own pace?

Vaca - Day 3 - Mon Aug 1

I'd picked up a deal on Savannah Hot Deals and we were off to Tybee for paddleboarding lessons. Let me first say, I can't stand Tybee. It's so crowded, and you have to pay to park even at the Arby's. It's just ridiculous! Now, that out of the way, the girls had a GREAT time!

They even picked up a new friend along the way ~ It was priceless! This dolphin (obviously used to humans) followed them along, and even stopped to swin amongst some folks on the beach.

After much ado about parking, and the fact we were NOT going to eat outside, we settled on a late lunch at the Rock House. It was delish! Our vacation goal was to not eat at places we'd already been if at all possible, so this was our second eating expedition of the week, and another success.

Vaca - Day 2 - Sun, July 31

Happy 40th, Chick! Wasn't there, but gave her a call ~ hope it was a great one!

We spent the day at St Catherine's with the Pearce's. Beautiful day! The kids decided to do a little float fishing (yeah, they didn't learn anything from Jessica's earlier experience). Low and behold after a couple of whiting, etc., Megan hooks her a shark. As she's trying to get it in (without it getting her) it manages to bump Jessica on the butt through her float, and brush by JP's legs ~ LOL! You should have seen the activity that ensued! Priceless!

Vaca - Day 1 - Sat, July 30

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! 23 years I've been married to that man... wouldn't change a thing! Spent the day wandering around St Simons. Had a late lunch at Barbara Jean's ~ world's best crab cakes, must say. Didn't have room for the chocolate stuff, maybe next time ~

Wandered around some more before hitting Island Cinemas for the new (and last, sigh...) Harry Potter. It was just as great as I expected! Can't wait for it to come out on video, and our collection will be complete!

Catching up... again.

Going on vacation next week, so I decided I'd better catch up, 'cause I'm anticipating some stories to tell ~

Ok. Let's start with last Thursday. Jessica and I were in the living room. She, watching NCIS. Me, reading. Wayne was at the gym, and Megan was in the back of the house. We heard this load noise, and I looked up and asked Jessica what it was. She said, "Oh, it was Megan closing the shower door." Ok. Whatever. When Wayne came in, he was all excited wanting to know what we were doing? Had we called GA Power? Jessica and I just looked at each other, and he said come with me...

We lost one of our beloved Bradford Pears! And it fell on the power line, breaking the service pole on the roof and digging a hole in the roof!  Within the hour, we had GA Power and Lim Waters assessing the damage, and by 10ish Friday morning. Lim had repaired his part, Walter Ray had sent a crew and fixed the roof area, and GA Power had been back to put power back to the house. LOVE that small town life!

Oh, yeah, you read that right. GA Power cut the power off Thursday night due to hazerdous conditions. So, we called in Mema, and she and Tonya formulated a plan ~ Tonya moved over to their house, and left us hers. LOVE our family!

Sooooo ~ got a huge mess to clean up on a Friday. If we wait to do it Saturday morning when it's cool, we'll miss a weekend at the coast. What to do....? My poor husband and girls braved the 240 degree heat (nearly), and heat stroke to get it cleaned up by 4. Now, this is what the end of that looked like ~

Megan stayed home to go canoeing and church with Jeremy. So, Jessica humored the old folks and spent the weekend with us at the condo. And God's place it truly was ~

Yeah, that's a beauty of a storm brewing. But, we got to the condo just as the big fat drops started falling. Not going to complain... Lord, we need the rain!

Sunday, the Baxter's had made their 18 hour trip to the coast (LOL) and we joined them at St Catherine's for a beauty of a day. Ran into some porpoise on the way. Must have been more than 20 in the pod, one even making several complete jumps out of the water ~ LOVE our God's creatures!

Jessica had some excitement Saturday, fishing out of the beach float tied to the back of the boat... She'd caught several whiting and a couple of croakers. And then... she hooked something that had the float pulling this way and that. She didn't think it was very funny, and her daddy had to rescue her from a rather large sting ray. LOL! I think she's re-thinking that float-fishing where your feet and butt are in the water and you can't get out real quick. LOL!

So, then Sunday we were all talking about supper and this place and that. Jessica allowed that the last time just Megan came off with us, we took her to Longhorns. Now, I don't remember that, but with just enough pressure on the old man, and some batting doe eyes... Outback on St Simons was "on our way home". LOL!

The "New" Boat

We've been on the lookout for a small paddle boat or canoe type boat. Something we can turn over and leave on the bluff for easy access when the tide is high. Well, Saturday, before the rain set in, our "new to us" boat took it's maiden voyage from Gould's Landing.

They were a little tenative to begin with, and a trip to Brunswick later for an additional paddle. But, everyone voted it a go. Thanks, Fred!

Paddling Ms Megan? LOL! Pooh Jeremy! Just as the rain started to set in, too...

Even big boy tried it out. I can see a lot of time in that thing with a fishing rod or cast net. Can't wait!

Oh, and naturally didn't have my camera handy, but I actually got to see our dolphin feeding in front of our place on Sunday. What a glorious site. The dolphin, the hawk catching fish, my new swarm of hummingbirds. God is GREAT!

Happy 15th, my Yeah-Yeah!

Masonic Kids Beach Trip 2011

Came off without a hitch. Well, the bus did break down at the beach, but no problem. Da had another one within minutes, and we were off again. Had 19 boats this year, with 29 kids from the home and staff kids. GREAT day. Just as they were leaving the hunt camp for the return trip, caught a nice thunderstorm that just made things interesting, but it had cleared up by he time they hit Doboy Sounds. Got all the buses cleaned and back in their homes. The beach pavillion and cook site cleaned up, and you'd never know we had ever been there. 'Course there's always Bitchin' Bob. This year he's taken it to a new level, and got the kids involved in switching the trip back to Blackbeard. He must not remember the last trip when he had to be pushed up the dune... and he hasn't seen it lately. That back-side dune is 25 feet straight up if it's an inch. Oh, well, we've concluded he has some kind of bus phobia, or something. But, the lodge will make the decision, I guess, next year. Sure did hurt Da's feeling, once again. And superbly ticked me off. Hope I don't see him until I have a chance to simmer down... Anyway, here's some of my favorite pix ~

Whatever he's telling you, Yeah-Yeah... take it with a grain of salt ~ LOL!

And then, this morning, we get this site... Da said this is what happens when gas prices go so high... Yep! That's Michael Sands on a bicycle ~

All jokes aside... I'm so very proud of my sister-in-law, Lisa. She has lost so much weight, and changed her diet so that she is eating so very healthy. She's an inspiration ~ not too much though, as Da had us bacon, pancakes and Grandma's famous grits for breakfast. Da says it took 65 years for that one artery to clog and he doesn't figure he has another 65, so he'll do what he pleases, thank you. LOL! Had a GREAT weekend with Da, Grandma, Michael, Lisa, Stacy, Monica, Dalton and my crew. Haven't laughed so much in a very long time. Thanks! Love you all!