Lake Tarpon after Debby

Oh my goodness,

last evening I'm listening to the News and hear that 2 Manatee were found in Lake Tarpon after Tropical Storm Debby!

So of course I had to text Laura quickly to inform her and let her know we would be right there;

get the boat ready for us to go and see if we could render aide to the poor creatures of the gulf,

and also take a boat ride to see the once again calm waters!

The "crew" once again to the waters, just what my dear friend needed after a day of work and trip to USF for a follow-up appointment for MS I was sure; along with Mitch who had worked all night and had to return to work at 330AM

yep just the thing that was needed.

 So off we go in DLB's hot little clean car, to the canal of Lake Tarpon, hoping against hope the waters have left the road!

It was only yesterday that Laura had told me she saw a fish swimming like mad in that very road to her home (I forgot to tell DLB that) as she commented on her fresh car wash when we jumped in thinking of seeing Manatee in the lake!

 It may be that all this rain, sogginess and wind had gotten to all of us; that we just needed an excuse to get on the water; that made this so very exciting.

Now that I think on it, it was quite funny and rather silly to jump spontaneously from the comfort of the couch after all had worked all day long and drag our family of choice out on the waters in search of two Manatee that by now may have been rescued without really knowing where in the world they were or how to help in waters at sunset would surely have the gators crossing the lake!

Laura had already let me know,

"well if you don't come and make us go, can't see it happening"!

So really it was an act of great kindness to get them out on the water don't you think?

LOL

And we did just that, like crazed people on a mission

we went, we did just that,

and oh it was so worth it!

To be on the water is about the best thing I can think of, and oh that water was so calm and beautiful!

And the effects of the storm were visible as well as we were on our search.

Boats that now are up on hills with props down. I sure wouldn't want to be the one trying to get them back into the waters there.

And as we went through the lake that was smooth as glass we saw a gator that was HUGE

just laying there.

Tried to get a photo from my phone but it sure does not do it justice!

  Look to the left of the drain pipe

and you will see the head and beginning of the body of what was about a 9' gator!

 Yep it was sure a big one!

So we did our search, we looked for those big ole circles in the waters, for a rescue team, for other boaters doing the same,

but we saw nuthin!

We hoped that the Manatee are safe, that the rescue went well without us;

and we sure did enjoy a beautiful sunset, we found our local place open from the water to have a burger and steak fries and catch up.

We returned in the dark and did an admirable job of Laura and I tying the boat up as we slid right to our dock, and laughed at ourselves and the fast gathering after what Laura and Mitch described as the worst of the worst storm they have been through here in Florida even more so than Hurricanes.

Oh yes, we did get the update on our beloved Laura who you all know as our warrior here and her follow-up appt at USF with the Neurologist and all those testings they do in order to see how you are doing.

After asking her over and again,

"well what did they say, how are you doing?"

I received a long and thoughtful pause; to the point of it being painful in the waiting for the reply.

And then she looked directly at me and said these words:

"Damn the bad luck, they told me...

I have MS"!!!

I almost fell out of my chair laughing; right before I threw something at her.

That's our warrior; she may have MS

but MS will never ever Have HER.

...

I may have to watch the news and text her again today telling her that a dolphin has been seen in the lake

just so we can get out in that boat again, just to get out in that boat again!

 This was our view

as we ended our Manatee search,

and went to dinner by water,

but ohhh was it dark on the way home!

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all as Helen Keller once said.

And life is fragile, beautiful and waiting for you

to leap, lark, love, laugh

through the storm and into the moment of NOW.

This is your moment.

Walk in Beauty

DRSES

www.sherryeshowalter.com