Just another day or so in Paradox

Yesterday turned into one of *those* days that happen here once in awhile in the afternoon. As I was closing the cart yesterday, I was invited for lunch at Dinghy Dock by two friends. One I see often and talk to pretty regularly, the other is always a drive by hi...so this looked like a good chance to have some real time talk. We all see each other often, but usually it's a passing hello cart/PO/market moment, not sit and chat time;

I wasn't hungry, but I did agree to a glass of wine (you know where this is going, don't you?). Which turned into a few glasses of wine. The non-drinking friend left first. Then, after a couple or three glasses more of vino, the other one. Not quite ready to head home, I ambled (or so I was told, with the charming word "shuffling" used by an astute observer) across the bridge to a friend's shop thinking, hey, I'm in town already, might as well hang out and do our Friday night girl gab. But it wasn't to be. Suddenly I realized if I didn't eat something very soon, it was going to be a bad thing. Because trust me, no move goes unnoticed here, and as we say, this was 'my turn'.

Heather's (the pizza place) was open, with their 2 slices for 1 deal and soon I had two very large slices of jalapeno and anchovy pizza slices, very delicious and I hope I paid for the two largest slices I've ever had there...must have looked like I needed them?...but if not, someone will tell me eventually. And then I went BACK to the shop Paradise, where yet another friend drove me home. It was all quite clear at the time, but not at 1:30 this morning when I woke up remembering I'd agreed to go with a fishing guide friend of mine to look for bait. I tell him about the pelicans, he rounds up bait for his clients' fishing trips. I was thinking or hoping, maybe it will rain...maybe I'll go back to sleep and wake up and feel just fine. And, that is just what happened!

So at 6:30, I jumped off my dock not quite like a gazelle but without falling, and onto his boat to quietly tool around looking for sardines as the sunrise turned the world rosy. Nothing like a trip out of my bay, out through the channel markers and into the sea to remind me of how lucky I am. St. Thomas and Sail Rock were glowing with light. I couldn't take a photo because it was, while very comfortable to me, a bit too bouncy and with too much spray going on. But I did manage to get some great shots of Chris throwing his cast net...and coming up sardines! I was reminded to let people know they can click on photos for close ups (or sometimes info)...so click away.

(Chris' legs aren't really that hairy or muddy, I just sharpened it a lot for the water droplets!)

(and the sardines)