I didn't write anything while we were gone. No pen to paper. No laptop. Took lots of digital pics, to come soon. Found some on the net, better than mine even, links included.
Rented a boat. Caught fish off a pier. Fort Island Trail Park. Beautiful.
Nuclear plant visible in the distance. Steam from cement towers. huh? Who's bright idea was this nuclear plant on Florida's nature coast? Stunned. Sad. Ugly horizon spoiler.
Then overjoyed to see a baby dolphin jump and play while we fish. I think he's laughing.
Jenna caught 3 fish by herself. Me many fish. George some. He caught a crab too. Big. Odd. Mad. Left in a bucket on Grandma Sessum's step. Shrimp to feed to him. Grow big. Eat him. Something.
The cows, the hundreds of acres behind her land. Nothingness. Quiet. Buzzards landing. Cows calling. Grazing.
Five kids running: 10, 10, 7, 5, and 2 years old. Soccer, fields, rolling, digging for treasures, climbing oak trees, skinned knees, jenna with a shovel to her head, bandaid badge of courage, keeping up with the country kids.
Hard sleep.
Cold. So cold. Night fishing. So cold at dinner. Me in the ladies room four times to turn the hand dryer on my face, neck, hands. Please warm me. Still. Hot inside. From the quiet. The water. I miss the water. God, I miss the water.
Crystal River. Where salt water meets fresh water.
Nature. Birds. Fish. Creatures. Note to self: win lotto and buy winter home on Crystal River. Who are these people with these amazing houses on the water? Do they drop to their knees every day? Do they sit and stare out their bay windows every morning? Do they know?
Our pontoon boat. Idling on Crystal River. Clear blue green, look down, shells, silver fish, and the manatees. A dozen manatees resting in 72-degree water, safe, munching, playing with our boat anchor. Baby manatee nursing on mama. Coming up, fuzzy snout blowing air-water mist. swim closer. he does. tickle my hand in the water lying flat on the boat bottom. c'mere baby manatee. he does. coming closer. I reach down, George reaches down, CONTACT.
Special, warm, hard, sweet, trusting, innocent, scars show our betrayal. And they trust again. What is that? Being Pure.
Above the surface rises the sunken boat, which residents hate, but the birds don't. I didn't. Half out of the water. Crystal River Pelicans make their home there, and buzzards, and egrets. SO many birds. Part of the river now.
Our first night, a drive through the nature preserve, what's that? OH SWERVE! Ugh. Killed an oppossum. Thank goodness it wasn't a wild hog. Still. First night. First bit of nature. Nailing wildlife on the road. Sorry little creature. You know. What do you do?
Family. Georges. So tired. Thought we were done. No sleep for 30 hours and drive back. Slept for 3 hrs. George's mom decided to drive up behind us (by a few hours) because his brother forgot a box. She's here. Got up. Went to dinner. George, his mother, his brother, me, jenna. Yum. Wierd. So tired.
Thankfully, we are home safely.
Drugs, sleep, tomorrow more.
Actual pics of our trip, and more stories, coming when we're conscious.
night.
