Feeling Thankful and Blessed on the Island
Abundant and thankful greetings from the island this nice Fall morning. I hope that everyone is doing well, and not waiting until the last minute to stock up on your Thanksgiving meal-preparing necessities.
As I sit outside on the porch enjoying the sunrise and drinking coffee, and steadily typing away with my right index finger on my IPhone, I’ll occasionally glance up and look out over Matagorda Bay. This particular morning, Nov. 11 and Veterans Day (a very big THANK YOU!!), the bay is an unusually slick calm, with just a hint of sea fog haze hovering above the warm water. But I know from the weather forecast, which I keep track of like nobody’s business, in 12 hours that bay and the weather will be entirely different.
A hard blowing 25-35 mph norther will descend upon us, dropping temps and turning the bay into solid whitecaps and easily 3-4’ seas. Thank goodness my island cabin is situated on a somewhat protected inlet, and not on the direct shoreline, which offers no protection from the incoming waves and subsequent erosion from northers. My front downstairs kitchen door is exactly 38’ from the Matagorda Bay lagoon inlet, so even though it’s not much, I do have some level of protection on this barrier island.
I made the trip across the bay yesterday for supplies, knowing that this norther, and another lingering one on the way in a few days, would prohibit me from going in for awhile. So now it will be 15 days before I make another trek across the water, putting me on the mainland the day after Thanksgiving. I’ll join the family in having a late turkey day get together, and we will also celebrate my dad, Henry, on his 90th birthday on Nov 26. Corky and I are hoping for an assortment of leftovers to bring back to the island. And while I was in town last week, I gathered up and brought Dad’s three chickens back to the island, as it was getting difficult for him to look after them. They will join the other chickens, ducks and guineas that make up the Bennetsen Island Compound. I got the funniest looks at the dock loading those three chickens into my boat and pulling away!
Not only am I constantly dealing with mechanical issues and breakdowns on the island, which is a never ending saga with this harsh corrosive island environment, but recently my little truck, that sits 24/7 at the dock, has had problems. Last month I had a major issue when the lower swing arm connected to the left front tire, basically rusted completely apart and broke. Luckily it happened in POC and not while driving on the highway, so I limped it to the dock, and the best mechanic in POC, Randy Smart, was able to do at least a temporary fix for me. Once again, our coastal salty air environment, especially at and around the docks, takes no prisoners. And then again last week, before I could start my supply run day, the 6-year-old battery went kaput, and I had to deal with getting a new one. Oh well, such is island life and all that comes with it.
I want to wish a speedy recovery to my island friend, Louisiana Joe. Joe comes to the island twice a year, every Spring and Fall, and stays a few months at his island place. During his visit last month, Joe had only been here a week when his appendix unexpectedly burst, creating a very serious medical condition. The Coast Guard was contacted and responded by boat and transported Joe to a waiting ambulance in town, where he subsequently underwent surgery. After a three week hospital and rehab stay, he is back in Louisiana and doing very well. Take care of yourself old timer; your island family wants you back soon!
That’s it from the island for now. Everyone take care and have a most wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.
