Power in the Paddle

Merry Meet My Crew,

As we draw closer to Yule, life has become hectic…none of the children will be home for the holiday… the start of the week found me staring at my guitar……9 months ago I quit smoking cigarettes…I had  purchased the guitar to keep my hands busy while I quit...I can not play a song, but can run scales really well...lol…I read a book about being a good sea captain…they always brought the spiritually back to shore…with this in mind I called the Lutheran Church (no I am not Lutheran, but they do the most for the community in my area- food bank, welfare sign up, etc….and I thought they could use the help)…I spoke to Preacher Scott and offered the guitar as donation as long as it was used at the church…he agreed and I offered to bring it by later in the week…he also spoke to me about the special tree covered in special angels and he was worried for the older children as no one was worried over them and they were boys…NONE of the young men I raised have ever hit a woman…if a young man in my community needs a hand to grow strong in mind and heart…I will be here

After checking for gator content, I found a few big retention ponds and Yum Yum and I snuck in a few workouts …I felt like a teen going cow tipping, sneaking around trying not to get caught- I am not sure if I am using an area I am allowed to be in…Massage has picked up, holiday shopping and I had Midterm Test in Naturopathy with a paper due…all of this left me pressed for workout time…(passed my exam, turned in my paper, shopped and handled all clients…still able to workout…YEA!!!)

I called Economy Tackle to get an ETA on the Blue Horizon…George said he had been swamped and I told him that I would be there on Saturday…I called Siesta Key Bike and Kayak….Lance was off, but Scotty was a big help…he booked my weekend rental and referred me to Gayle at Siesta Key Bungalows…

        Time again had come to head back to the doctor…all is well…he has been amazed at my tenacity on improving my health…being my doctor (since I have battered women’s syndrome) is not an easy task…Dr. Robert Casanas has helped me a great deal and it is through his wisdom that I now have the ability to pull the Sunshine Paddle off…

The 8^th Annual Peace Breakfast for the SunriseShelter was a rather nice fund raiser held at the Tampabay Golf and Country Club….it was a chilly morning and it was a beautiful spread…the food was tasted good…the speakers were very powerful…it strengthened my resolve for my journey

On Saturday Walt and I headed for Sarasota….did you know it was named for Sara De Soto…interesting story/ worth the Google…I got to EconomyTackle to find George swamped due to a current sale…he said he has to call perception- currently they own the Dagger Brand, and see what they recommend…I was disappointed that after 2 weeks she was not ready…safety comes first…even young Lee was swamped so I will not complain…I am happy they are busy

             After checking in with Lance and setting up for the rental yak to be delivered, we went to the hotel…I was expecting some shlumpy room as I had booked last minute and due to the paddle Gayle (she owns the place) was letting me have it for free…we got there and got given keys to the dolphin suite…OMG…it was so beautiful…an intimate courtyard led to the most lushly appointed room…the open living space layout gave it a homey feel…the bed was so amazing…felt like I was climbing back in the womb…all I can say is AWESOME…the landscaping around this property was fantastic...Gayle at Siesta Key Bungalows has set a new standard in guest room:)

We headed down to Turtle beach Launch…The Neville WildlifeReserve is an amazing place at sunset…we had a wilderness 12 foot Yak…since it was windy, tracking was a challenge…Walter is feeling better about the water…I think for most people, the more you Yak the better you get…we were out for hours and the sun seemed suspended in the sky…we got back and ran over to Turtle Beach (over a sand dune) to catch the finishing of the sunset…we parked our behinds in the sand to watch, when suddenly appeared many birds….this was quite funny as one little guy tried to go home with Walter

We got supper at Captain Curt’s Crab and Oyster Bar upon Lance's recommendation…the staff was sweet and gave good service…they offered a nice variety on the menu, it was very clean and the food was really good…it was here I really noticed how green people here were…if a room was empty lights were shut off, nothing on unless in use, recycling here was normal...as we wandered around we noted most of the island is this way…I have to admit, it made me feel better to spend my money in an area that is attempting to be eco friendly

Walt and I got up to take pics of the sunrise and found a crew of seniors cleaning the public beach- please note the public beach at Siesta Key is kept spotless…not suprising at all that this is the #1 beach

We worked our way back to Siesta Key Bike and Kayak and it was still early…we noticed the Orange Octopus had someone working at the early hour and she offered exquisite pastries…she was also sweet enough to watch the gear until Lance arrived so Walt and I could get on the road…how cool is that?

Though I am missing the Blue Horizon, I am glad she will give me a chance to go back to that area and visit with my new friends…in the meantime; Yum Yum will continue to build me up…All hands on deck…this trip is being done solely on donations…if you have any boating or camping equipment in the garage or attic that you might could donate please call (813)907-6279 …every penny helps, please feel free to donate through our website…we are always open to accepting positive thoughts too:)...we are thankful for all help

Captain D

  "May the Lord fill your sails with fair wind, support your hulls in inviting seas, guide your hands upon the tiller toward pleasant places and bring us home, O Lord, to a safe and loving harbor."