I’m Back
You likely never noticed me missing, i’ll bet. Anyway, it was one day at the beach with another day flounder fishing.
I got skunked fishing, I caught five rays (Southern stingray, Dasyatis americana), three of them by snagging. If this keeps up, I’m going to have to learn how to cook them. I was using both minnows and squid for bait. The squid already came cut up and packaged in a zip lock bag, and smelt pretty good. Unfortunately there wasn’t any wasabi or soy sauce included (I asked). You would think I would do a bit better with the rod and reel than that considering that ?Standard Mischief? is an anagram for ?Fisherman Addicts?. After discovering that no one on the boat remembered sunblock, I found that my GI Poncho worked well as a dandy sunscreen and spray screen from the bow of the boat. When we went in at noon to drop off my niece and nephew, I got some SPF 45 out of the car. I didn’t burn.
The beach for me consists of one long swim. I like the waves, and the fact that I don’t have to irrigate my sinus with saline that day, but I’m less than happy about all that sand they put between the main attraction and the car. And all those people lying in the way, what the heck? I can sleep at home. After three hours of swimming and boogie boarding I was having a little problem standing back up and starting to exhibit the classic symptoms of hypothermia, so I had to come in. The water was pretty chilly this year.
Minimalistic beach gear for someone without kids and the associated support baggage: GI Poncho, towel, shoes, socks, sunblock, sunglasses, water bottle, and hat, all in plain sight, and a zip-lock bag with money, a credit card, key, and my Leatherman, which gets buried stealthily in the sand. Extra bonus is having friends/family willing to lie out and manufacture vitamin D, while watching your stuff. I guess they’re good for something.
The only bad part of driving home off-peak is that you miss the Bay Bridge during the daylight. I just love the view.
It’s always nicer to come home to a cat that desperately misses you rather than is totally pissed off that you left for a few days. Although he was left ample food and water, he barely touched it until I got home. This time I tried to pack in secret and I never make a a big deal when I slip out and leave, but the neurotic hairball always makes a huge deal of it whenever I return home after more than 24 hours.
Being hopelessly addicted to TV, regular viewing and productivity don’t work for me. So I haven’t seen that Burger Fling “Manthem” commercial that Kerry pointed out to me too today. I’ve probably watched the damn thing a dozen time in a row. It itself, and the moral indignation some people have over the silly thing is pretty amusing. Yea, I’m a tool for promoting buzz by blogging about this, but I’m in good company here. Kerry is a crowebar.
Having an extra Monday to lay around and unwind is very relaxing. It’s also good to reflect what Memorial Day is really all about. Check out what Xavier and Tam have to say.
