Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

World’s Greatest stolen away

Monday April 30, 2010
Oscar Scherer State Park
Site 95

 

 

Sunday morning it was time to pack up and head down the road for a Vacation from Velcade. 

We were tooling down route 75 only about 67
miles (MY kind of trip) before we pulled into Site 95 at Oscar Scherer State Park.

 

Site 95 001

 

This is a series of progressive camp site shots.  It’s like one of those dinners.  Each time you get closer to dessert.

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 004

 

We had actually been camped right here when David got the news
that his blood tests had shown he had Stage 2 Multiple Myeloma.
Not a happy day by any means.

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 006

 

On that stay, we had checked out all 98 sites and written down the ones we liked even better than this one.   But somehow, some way, one day we lost the list.  So despite the bad Karma, we returned to Site 95.

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 007

 

Like this site, all of the ones we had chosen and then lost had
a view, however small

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 008

 

of South Creek

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 011

 

Here’s the view that South Creek has of us.
I know she’s going to enjoy watching us.

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 012

 

We got all set up complete with kayaks by the river entry.

 

Site 95 006

 

Time for dinner!

We grill up some all American Vegan Burgers, put them on whole grain English Muffins with spinach (lettuce is tasteless), tomato and onion. Add oven sweet potato fries, broccoli and vino and you’ve got a PARTY!

 

Moving to Oscar Scherer 016

 

DAY TWO dawns.

Monday starts with running in the upper 60’s heat which is really too hot for me.  Then Carrie and I are off to the closest beach, Nokomis, which is on Casey Key, just south and west of the park.  This is the beach where folks drum down the sun every Wednesday and Saturday.  I won’t put a link here to my previous blog about it since we’ll be back for it day after tomorrow and I’ll just post about it all over again.

 

David wants to begin his vacation with a day off.  A true day off.  The first few days of the vacation week are always difficult for him as the velcade and all its side effects hasn’t worn off, but the dexamethazone, which mitigates those, has.  Thus he has a lot of back pain and fatigue until later in the week when sometimes everything has worn off.  So he is happy to have us leave him resting and napping for the afternoon.

 

It is a gorgeous day.

The Gulf waters look tropical and Carrie can walk out for what seems like miles in the shallow water.

 

Nakomis Beach

 

 

Nakomis Beach (14)

 

We drill our sand screw umbrella anchor into the ground as far down as we can force it and set up the world’s greatest beach umbrella.
But the winds pick up so we shorten the pole.
Doesn’t it look cute??

 

Nakomis Beach (33)

 

We both think so.
And it does a great job of keeping the sun off of us.

Nakomis Beach (12)

 

Between swims in the water, we do the usual beach watching

 

 

Nakomis Beach (38)

 

There is some questionable behavior going on.

 

Nakomis Beach (21)

 

And then…….while we are relaxing, reading and enjoying the sun, the surf, the breeze…….

that very breeze gusts up to a WIND, grabs the world’s most perfect beach umbrella and tosses it out into the gulf.
We spring out of our chairs and along with a very nice
neighboring man, run out into the water to try to catch it.
but the wind is having none of that.  It is was such a
perfect umbrella and so well made that it does not collapse or turn inside out.  Thus the wind can just keep tossing it end over end further and further out to sea where none of us can possibly even swim out to it. 

 

It happens so fast we are stunned. 

There is a fisherman in a boat just beyond where the umbrella finally lands.  He must have seen what happened but he does not elect to move his boat with its motor over the small distance it would have taken him to grab the umbrella and then motor it in the slightly larger distance to bring it in close enough that we could go get it.   We are standing on the shore watching him not help us.


After the umbrella sinks, THEN he motors over to that same area and casts his line.   I know this is very ungenerous of me but I sincerely hope no fish ever in his entire life ever takes his bait ever again.

So there went the world’s most perfect beach umbrella.
Sounds funny retelling it but it really was sad.
I loved that umbrella.
It was perfect.

 

So replace it you say. 

I definitely would, IF
A) I could find a store that sells it and
B) I hadn’t paid more than I’ve ever paid for any piece of beach equipment even though it was on sale at the end of the season.  
This really was a top of the line and cost umbrella.
Finances no longer permit such wonders.

 

Since we family of a myeloma patient are seriously afraid of skin cancer, we will have to replace it with something very much less costly and less perfect.   And we will have to do it tomorrow or our week at the beach
will be ending very early.
Nothing but mostly sunny and high 80’s predicted for the entire week.
This should be a happy thought.

 

We were mighty UNhappy when we went home, had dinner, and with David, drowned our sorrows at Bentley’s.

 

Nakomis Beach (44)

 

Nakomis Beach (46)

It really was THE world’s greatest beach umbrella
and I will greatly miss it.  What good will it do the fishes?

31 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry you lost your beloved umbrella. I could tell you a story about an ugly old shower bag that made me shed tears when I ran it over, but even I don't believe I am so crazy. Put hats on and plenty of good sun lotion.

    So glad Carrie is with you, Sherry. She is adorable. Rich and I could find any excuse to have ice cream, too. I'm also glad that you are on vacation, and that the rest will perform miracles for you and David. I hope he has some time completely free of side effects, and pain.

    Have a wonderful time on the beach you so love. The water looks great. So glad to read your post.

    Mother's Day is coming so maybe there will be ANOTHER world's greatest beach umbrella! Never know. Hinting never hurts. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not crazy IMO. If you love something then you love it, even if it's an old shower bag. :-)

      Delete
  2. Oh, how frustrating that you lost your umbrella and that the fisherman would not help. Hope you can find a suitable replacement.

    ReplyDelete
  3. See I wouldn't make a good fisherman, or even a good boat owner, since I'd want to be helping everybody. I'd never get any fishing done.
    I'm having evil thoughts about the condition of the tires on his vehicle right about now. But I won't say...
    At least there was ice cream.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love you Evil Thoughts Bob. I have some of those myself.

      Delete
    2. make it your evil thought although I love you for having them too.
      Makes me feel less "uncharitable"

      Delete
  4. We lost a very nice beach umbrella a few years ago too. It's hard to find one that can hold up to that kind of wind. I wish you luck on your quest to replace it.
    Syl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Syl. Keep your eye out and let me know if you see anything seriously sturdy.

      Delete
  5. Sorry you lost (wink, wink) your umbrella. We kinda think you tossed it to the wind so you needed to get 'consulation' ice cream;o)) That ice cream really looks good and we hope you can find a replacement umbrella. What made the "Perfect" umbrella perfect???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was PERFECT because it was beautiful bright strong colors.
      The fabric was heavy duty
      The spokes were heavy duty and would not turn inside out.
      The fabric was attached to the spokes with sleeves and ties not just little whimpy thread.
      The bottom pole was wooden and heavy to keep it from blowing away.
      And if I'd had that bottom pole on it, perhaps it would not have.
      Those are just the first things that come to mind.

      Delete
  6. And here I was hoping you were going to be reunited with the umbrella at the end. I'm sorry the 'perfect' umbrella is gone ... perhaps something better is in your future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was hoping too when I saw the fisherman. I thought surely he will come to our rescue. Hope you are right that something "better" is in our future although this was really perfect. Maybe I'll meet up with its twin somewhere or better yet, win it in a contest or something. :-)

      Delete
  7. What a jerk that fisherman was not to have helped you. He'll get his someday! We just bought a beach umbrella yesterday at Sam's club. It was $38. It's just like Jeanne got a few months ago (Where's Eldo).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup he was a jerk. Thanks for your suggestion. We'll check it out.

      Delete
  8. I'm hoping you find a new umbrella so wonderful it makes you realize you just THOUGHT the original was the most perfect one! I can't believe the guy in the boat didn't help you...may he catch only under-sized fish!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now wouldn't that be great!! Thanks for the idea. I hope he catches NO fish. Save the poor fishes so they can play around with my umbrella under the water.

      Delete
  9. Life isn't fair. Bad news and the beach umbrella in the same day. Only hope that a bit of good ice cream helped..

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh... you were having such a nice day until..... shame on that fisherman... It really did look like a great umbrella.

    So nice that Carrie can spend some time with guys.

    Kelly

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can see why that was the perfect umbrella...so colorful and BIG! That was crummy that the guy wouldn't help you. We've got the Sportbrella now and just love it. We weren't Sam's Club members so it cost us about 59.00...had a hard time finding it. Be sure to check your email today!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I dunno, maybe it was good the umbrella got away. I can just picture you trying to hang on to it with that wind and disappearing somewhere over the rainbow...

    Actually, it's quite a bummer and I don't think any amount of ice cream can make up for it, but you can keep on trying. :c)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Let's get a voodoo doll of that fisherman and stick pins in it! What an *ss.

    Just a thought, but possibly Goodwill or yard sales might produce something at a reasonable cost.

    ReplyDelete
  14. So last fall an evil man killed six of his wife's cats, four of them kittens. Just recently, this same man was bitten by a kitten and developed an infection so severe that he is now hospitalized and in a lot of pain. He got just a taste of what he deserves. Your fisherman may someday wish he'd been a nicer person.

    And I hope you find another great umbrella.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I hope that guy NEVER gets any fish either!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your umbrella story reminds me of something that happened to a friend at Nags Head. Trying to be impressive, he hooked his daughter's kite to the line on his new expensive fishing rod. All of the kids were ooohing and aaahing about how high her kite had gone. Suddenly, one of those planes that pulls a sign behind it flew up the beach, caught the line on its wing (or on something) and started pulling his fishing rod down the beach. He started running after it and was in a panic because it was headed towards two sunbathers who were lying on the beach. He shouted, "Ladies, ladies!" They both turned their heads back to him just in time to see the rod go flying by between them and out to the ocean. There was no getting it back because even a fisherman in a boat would have had a hard time catching that flying rod! He told the story with such seriousness and we were practically rolling on the floor laughing. I wouldn't have believed it had not his wife been there to witness the event. He said that it was bad enough to lose a rod, but it was even worse that he was stupid enough to use his best, newest, and most expensive rod for a trick like that. At least you were sensibly sitting on the beach when your umbrella flew away! I hope that you find one just like it on sale!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. OK, friend, here's $25 toward your beach umbrella. Seriously. I'll let you find it cause you know what you want. How best to get the $ to you so you don't have to wait till you come back to the hood?

    Stop it. I'm serious. I'm mailing it to your house if you don't tell me otherwise.

    Yes, I mean it.

    Shut up.

    Just tell me.

    (smiling cause I like you, even tho I'm ticked at the fisherman too.)

    And hey, neighborhood news: Maggie/Burt had to move out of Ginny's corner house because of health problems related to MOLD! But they want to stay on the street. Ginny's other tenants (red house) are moving. My neighbors (yellow house) are moving (as you know), so that's those 3 new rentals, plus next door to you. What's the world coming to? We miss you!

    Di

    ReplyDelete
  18. Perfect telling of the story - it was a shock to see it tumbling end over end and then sink and all in the course of a few moments it seemed. The story is better than the experience - oh well, I agree with Paul and Marti - at least we didn't end up somewhere over the rainbow trying to hold onto it... :) And, we can hope that the fishes that the fisherman is doomed not to catch will enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh no!!! So sorry you lost such a nice umbrella and that fisherman dashed your last hope of getting it back. Hope you find an even nicer one at a real basement bargain price!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Talk about your bad karma! That fisherman has some serious karma work-outs to do if he doesn't want to be a fish next time.

    Speaking of working out karma, Lot #95 has some 'splaining to do, too, so maybe coming back there is good.

    And, I don't know what to say about those gulls. Ducks really are much classier birds.

    ReplyDelete

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