Sunday, April 18, 2010

Florida

Took a long weekend to Florida recently. We went down to Ocala to visit Deb's Mom Carol, and John.


We had a great time, and it was perfect weather for a few days. Sunday we got some rain, but we took in a movie, and had a nice dinner. We saw Jeff Bridges movie Crazy Heart.
I think he deserved the award for this movie, but something about alcoholic movies make me queezy. You know they always show the person waking up in a total sweat, hugging a bottle, hair sticking to the face, and always in the clothes from the day before. Eventually they puke. Are all country singers alcoholics? Every movie about them usually has 'em tossing their cookies, and destroying their marriage. I guess rock and roll does the drugs, country does the booze. Found it hard to have a beer after this movie, but I managed.

  I know this annoys Deb, but I like to sit all the way in the back of a theater. Can't stand the cluster in the middle. Carol and John picked seats right smack in the middle of the theater, and I was cringing, for I knew what was going to happen. True to form, everyone else that came in, got as close to us as they could. We were the first there, but one by one, they all plopped down in front, and back, but all in one little cluster in the middle. Why? Spread out people! There has to be some social science theory to explain this.
Once, at a movie, we sat all the way in the last row. We were the only people in there, and this guy came in and sat right in front of us. The whole friggin theater, and he plops his fat ass in front of me. He smelled like a wet dog too. I got ready to say something, but Deb was squeezing the hell out of my arm. I grumbled some derogatory stuff, and we just quietly moved.  If there was a six foot eight guy in a cowboy hat, he would find his way to sit right in front of me, and if I was in the front row, he would kick my seat with his boots from behind, the  whole time humming "All my ex's live in Texas". I must be a tool magnet.

We took a ride to Dunnelon, and had ourselves a ride on the Singing River Tour. This pontoon boat, driven by Captain, Musician, and lawn fertilizer hating Jon Semmes. This was a fun and educating ride, and he is right about the fertilizer, as it is killing the habitat of all our rivers and streams. The ride was on the Rainbow, and Withlacoochee rivers, and we got a nice informative lecture on the local wildlife and habitat. We parked the boat in the reeds, just far enough from the gator, and were entertained by some pretty good singing. The guy had a great sense of humor and a good voice. Amazing how the two rivers, one fresh, one brackish, can form such a distinct separation. There was an actual visible line where the two rivers met. The colder spring fed rainbow slid underneath the Withlacoochee, but from above it looked like a straight line.
Yes I did say gator. Looked like a rubber toy, but we were assured it's real

Chomp Chomp

The singing Captain
One of these days, I would like to Kayak a few places in Florida. Some of these rivers are pretty nice, and I would like to get to them before they are all developed.


More later, on our trip.

We are getting closer to wrapping up the house for a quick sale (fingers crossed). Been really busy, both on the house and at work. If I survive all this, it will be sweet to have it behind us, and to be able to relax on the water for the summer.