Today was errand day. Not really. There is no “day”. I wake up each morning and decide what I want to do. So every day is what I deem it for that particular time. But I did have to drop my bike off at the shop in Chiefland. It seems as if my back tire is nearing baldness. Funny thing there because the tire never had any hair. But Ryan comes down in two weeks to do Daytona Bike Week with me and I don’t want my ass end fishtailing all over Route 40. Robin and I spent the next three hours twisting and churning seldom used back muscles on the links at Chiefland Country Club and Golf Course. Now don’t go getting any ideas when you read that name. I’m the champion of the proletariat. Country clubbing is not my bag, but at $26 a round with cart, this wasn’t the coup de grace or a facsimile of Augusta National. We played just like we should have. Being that months have gone by since a club was choked by our collective paws, we vacillated between ‘not too bad’ and horrendous. But it felt good to smack that Titlest, soak up the sun, and watch Robin empty the cups with her new ball- retrieving putter. Upon our return home, back spasms that go hand in hand with the coming of spring put Robin in a lounge chair by the dock. I, in turn, decided to take a run down to the Dixie Mainline Road to see what the late afternoon sun was doing to the birding sanctuary. I wasn’t on that dock but a mere ten minutes when I decided this to be a bad idea. The bugs were biting as if I were their last meal. It wan’t the ‘no see-ums’ this time. I saw these bugs. They were big enough to carry table scraps. I thought about Otis Redding for a moment. Even he couldn’t have sat on the dock of this bay.
Sittin’ On A Dock of a Bay
Grills and Torches
For some unknown reason, every person that passes by our site, stops to look at our camping grill setup. I don’t find it unusual at but it has taken me some time to finally settle on this cook station. You see, I am what’s called a grill junky. I’ve had charcoal grills, electric, grills but always settling on propane. There was a time when I carted around four grills of a different nature. Now I have everything I need in one setup. One of the better places to look for your next purchase may be at “become.com“. They helped me considerably. 
I settled on a two burner stove from Camp Chef. These can be used independently and max out at 30,000 BTUs. However, when not used as open burners I added a grill box to one side, and utilize a cast iron grill top on the other. With this setup there is nothing I want for and any type of item can be accomodated from raw meat on the grill, veggies, eggs, and potatoes on the grill top or pots and pans on the burners. The station is almost perfect and I will get to that point this week as I’ve ordered some tiki torches to border the edges of my station. These can also be found at “become.com“. Check this out for yourself. Their array of products is awesome.
As Slow As Humidity
It’s been a relatively slow week with not much excitement of which to speak. The rains came incessantly on Monday and allowed us to gather most all of our documentation for this year’s tax return. A few last minute items will remain but we’ll take care of those the first week in March, when we return for a short trip north to do some private banking. On Tuesday, the rain clouds closed, the sun made it’s debut and we received a call from Cheryl and Jerry. They are fellow workampers we befriended this past summer at Lake In Wood. We have remained in contact and on Tuesday they journeyed the three hours from Umatilla to spend most of the day.
By late morning, they arrived and we exchanged the usual pleasantries. We sauntered through the campground here, showing them our digs and catching up on the lives and wherabouts of our friends and connections. 
After lunch, we all jumped in Robin’s boat and she treated us to an afternoon voyage up the Suwanee to Manatee Springs where we were able to view a couple of the globbules. Prior to their return home, we drove the highway to Suwannee, giving Cheryl and Jerry a glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico. We had intended on treating them to dinner but found the Salt Creek Resturant closed for the day. We did find a good eatery in Fanning Springs before they bid us adieu.
The rest of the week has been spent bicycling, taking long walks and reorganizing fishing equipment. I spent much of one afternoon on stage for this sand crane as he watched me move tackle from one plastic box to another. The in-between times have been filled by commiserating with fellow campers, and exchanging stories and lies that make life interesting.
Friday evening came quickly and the weekly “rivertales” seem to be well represented as the numbers of attendees keeps growing. This engagement gives us all us chance to know each other much better and account for new friends every week. Robin’s strawberry fluff proved to be a big hit. I love taking back empty dinnerware and not worrying where to store leftovers.
The weekend weather has changed drastically with days now back into the 70’s. Fishing and ferrying our way up and down the Suwanee has consumed much of the day, spattered with walks and campfires, chatting with neighbors, and watching my lettuce grow. I often wonder how I had time to work and get everything in prior to retiring. However, today I awoke with the same pressing problem that haunts me each morning. I have so much trouble remembering what day it is. Ah, yes. SNL last night after the news. It must be Sunday.as always.
GypsyLarry
