Tuesday, May 12, 2009

FLORIDA BOUND…EGADS!

Today is sunny and warm, a welcome change from yesterday’s chilly offering. The river is down a few additional inches and noticeably clearer—the perfect clarity and volume to practically guarantee a great day’s fishing. Alas! I still have to go rummaging in the attic for my venerable canvas suitcase. This entails moving and placing the stepladder below the access hatch in the hall, clambering up into what’s bound to already be an overheated space that’s, dusty, low-ceilinged, and poorly lit—then crawling around opening various flap-lidded plastic tubs until I luck upon the one holding duffle bags and the desired suitcase. On the whole, I’d rather go fishing. But, tomorrow morning I must flee with the dawn, southward, pick up my daughter and son-in-law at their place 20 miles from here on the other side of town. We’ll load their stuff and then drive a few more miles south to the son-in-law’s father’s place. There we’ll unload from the truck and reload our stuff in his car—whereupon the four of us will hastily decamp down the Interstate for a 14-hour, 900-mile drive to St. Augustine, Florida. Oh, what unmitigated joy doth await! Perhaps you wonder why I might choose to abandoned my beloved river, this lovely spring-greening acre, replete with newly arriving and loud-singing birds, chattering squirrels, catchable fish, multicolored and ephemeral wildflowers, and countless similar vernal treasures too numerous to list—riches almost beyond measure!—for a land whose best notion of seasons is apparently serving up one warm and sunny day after another? Not that such a monostrophic cycle constitutes seasons…just season, in the singular. The same old same old. Yawn! But I digress… We travel southward to this land of flip-flops and sunblock because my daughter and her husband have decided to renew their marriage vows. The first version took well enough; but the spirit of marital bliss has apparently moved anew upon them and they now feel the need to do the ceremonial gig again, except this time with sand between their toes and the blue Atlantic lapping nearby. Naturally, such things are best accomplished among family and friends, kith and kin. Even if you have to stuff one or the larger of them in the car with you and haul his sorry carcass all the way to Florida. Family comes first. Always. Especially those whom you love more than your own life’s breath. It will therefore likely be a bit quieter here on Riverdaze until after the first of next week—though I might be compelled to post something. To reiterate the verse from the Book of Proverbs which appears at the top of this blog, "…thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Amen to that! I’m willingly going to Florida. Miracles really do happen. Just don’t allow too much spring to pass without me.

28 comments:

Rowan said...

That's a really good reason to go to Florida - have a great trip and I hope your daughter and son-in-law have a very special, happy day when they renew their vows.

giggles said...

How wonderful for your daughter and son-in-law!!

Safe travels!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Safe travels, happy, sunny days and then safe home.

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

WAIT! Did you say 14 hours? In a car?

Uhhhhg...

Gail said...

Grizz-

Have a wonderful, wonderful time. This is a beautiful sentiment, renewing vows, renewing anything. :-) Despite the 14 hour drive, ugh.....

It will be so lovely for you, for her, in ways unimaginable .
Your Spring on the river? It will provide you with many new visions upon your return. a magical bliss to behold.

Travel safe my friend - God speed.

Love Gail
peace.....

Wanda..... said...

Would be willing to try to put Spring on hold for you...like the cool damp weather last week did to my garden...but can't promise anything...:) Enjoy your trip.

Sydney said...

Have a wonderful trip. I'm sure it means the world to them that you are not only going, but helping them all the way through. And you're right, it's the most important way to spend your time, as time goes so fast... Those are the kind of unmitigated Joy trips that in the end, you'll feel best about, methinks.

Selfishly, I hope you check in from FLA. At a hotel, on a relatives computer, at a cyber cafe...

Grizz………… said...

Rowan…

It is a good to go…even to Florida.

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

Thank you. I'll do my best.

Grizz………… said...

Lynne…

Wish it were four days instead of six—but safe and fun work.

P.S. Like my buzzard shot?

Grizz………… said...

Lynne…

I did! More like 16 with stops I'd imagine. But I don't mid long drives. I'm a lifelong roadie.

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Yes, it is a really special thing. And I'm glad for them and glad to have a part by being there.

But I'll also be ready to get back home.

Grizz………… said...

Wanda…

Do your best. I'm counting on you!

Jain said...

Ay yi yi! What a time to leave your river! Family is the only reasonable excuse to miss a bit of Spring, though. Congratulations to the not-so-newlyweds.

My mom lives in St. Augustine! A pretty town--as Floridian towns go. Safe travels and enjoy the foreign birds and landscapes.

Grizz………… said...

Jain…

I hate like the dickens to miss even a minute of spring as it's my favorite season. But family calls…

Haven't been to St. Augustine in several years. It is a pretty town…for a town…in Florida.

Grizz………… said...

Sydney…

I may indeed try and log on—but who knows.

Bernie said...

Sounds wonderful, enjoy your trip and you are right, family first always. I like a vacation but fine the best part is returning home. Stay safe....:-) Bernie

The Solitary Walker said...

On the other hand, you might like Florida so much you can't bear to come back. Just think! Those captive, theme-parked manatees! Those sun-crinkled, surgically enhanced retirees! ;)

Have a good trip - and a quick, safe return to your riverbank haven.

Over here, Spring gave such a spurt of growth last week that it's practically Summer already.

Grizz………… said...

Bernie…

Spring is my favorite season—especially the latter half. Here, now, is where I'd like to be, but…

There's always homecoming.

Grizz………… said...

Solitary…

I keep asking myself: Florida…root canal? Florida…root canal?

Of course I'm looking forward to a prune juice latte.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Enjoy the experience and come back with new eyes to view your little stretch of riverbank.
I though of you last week, when I visited the Smithsonian in Washington and went to a display of birds of the US - there standing proud (although stuffed) was a blue heron - I immediately thought of you. Have a good trip.

Floral Still Life said...

Well, enjoy yourself. And best wishes for all your family!

Jayne said...

How special! Have a wonderful trip and be safe!

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

Wondered when you would return home. Glad to have you back! I hope you had a nice visit.

I will do my best to return to the riverbank rested and renewed. I've already called home and found out it rained all day yesterday and that the river is on the rise…and it's still raining there this morning. But spring's green wall is closing in, blocking the long view—and sure to be denser by the time I get back home.

I miss it already.

Grizz………… said...

Floral…

It is quite beautiful here—sun and heat and all the tropical vegetation. I'm looking forward to a beach walk this afternoon. And to the family time.

Thank you for writing.

Grizz………… said...

Jayne…

This will be a nice family event—though "my" side of the family is just my daughter and myself.

It will be fun, and I'll have another nice long drive home—which I really do enjoy. And word is that Moon-the-Dog misses me…

Anonymous said...

Hi Jim,
Found your blog, as you can see. We had a great time with you in our home here in the "one season" land of Florida. Hope it was a much better experience for you than you had anticipated!
Come again!!
Lois

Grizz………… said...

Anonymous…

Between talking you to death, disturbing your peace and quiet with my piano playing (love that piano of yours!) talking you to death, eating you out of house and home, talking you to death, drinking gallons of coffee, and talking you to death…I had a great Florida visit.

It was a joy to meet everyone. You have the most awesome family! And what I say to you I really mean for each and every one. I felt comfortable, at home, accepted. I've never been treated better or had a better visit anywhere.

I expect you know me well enough by now to realize that much of my Florida ragging should be attributed to literary license, a way of having fun with my daughter and son-in-law. You have a marvelous home, in a lovely setting, amid a truly beautiful state which has a mind-boggling array of splendid fishing. All sorts of birds and critters and gorgeous flowers about. How could an outdoorsman not like THAT!

(Okay, Florida does lack something in the way of sledding opportunities…but should it arise, that minor shortcoming can doubtless be ameliorated by ingesting several helpings of fresh key lime pie.)

I do enjoy the four seasons and my days here in this modest stone cottage on the river. Yet above all, I love the sharing of family and friends. Good people beat material goods every time. There is no greater blessing than being around people who love and care about one another.

I am so glad, so grateful, and simply pleased beyond measure that my beloved daughter has found and has become a part of such a wonderful, warm, and welcoming family. As a responsible father who has raised and loved her all these years, who, alas, now constitutes her only blood kin, and who well understands the ephemeral nature of life and his own shaky position for planning too far ahead, I've worried about her future in this respect more than you might imagine. I now have peace; my worries have been laid to rest. I'm okay with whatever tomorrow has in store.

So from the bottom of my heart…thank you for taking me in and making me feel at home this past week. I indeed had an absolutely delightful time. In Florida!