A Merry Island Christmas To All

Greetings from the island everyone. I hope that all of you are doing well and looking forward to Christmas next week with family and friends. Weather permitting, Corky and I will go across the bay a few days prior for some family time and stay the night, before heading back to our island home.

Christmas just somehow seems to be a bit of a magical time each and every year, regardless of your age. . even out on the island. I’ve always been a firm believer that Christmas is a holiday meant for happiness, especially for the kids, but also the grownups that are kids at heart. As long as we recognize the true meaning and significance of Christmas. . the smiles, happiness and giddiness that it brings, is a wonderful bonus! And of course a few nice accompanying gifts never hurt either, (size 3XL in nautical T-shirts), along with all of the beautiful displays of decorations and colorful lights.

Spending time with family and friends, sitting down together and sharing a nice meal, seeing the smiles on the kids faces as they tear open their presents from Santa Claus, that’s what Christmas is all about to me. Simple little gifts between close adult friends and family, and being thankful for another year on this earth, and thinking of our loved ones that are now watching us from above and smiling at our happiness. . . that’s what it’s all about.

Here recently, I’m further reminded that what this time of the year also brings is thick fog! Oh my goodness, the fog has been like a lingering wet soupy wall for days at a time out here. The mornings are like a humid-filled rain took place during the night, leaving everything soaking wet and yucky, when the fog is thick like that. If the sun comes out mid-morning, the fog has usually lifted and cleared by noon, otherwise it hangs around most of the day, and begins rolling in again by late evening. Our late Fall and early Winter foggy mornings are just part of living along the coast, and certainly part of living out on a barrier island.

This begins the time of year that very few weekend islanders make the trek across the bay, primarily because of the weather and very low tides. The strong blowing northers can be brutal, and make for a very rough Matagorda Bay. These same northers also drop the tide very low, making it difficult or impossible to navigate thru the narrow lagoon inlets and park the boat. Anchoring out on the shoreline and walking in would be the only way to gain access onto the island, and then your boat is left unprotected out in the shallow bay water.

Well, Corky and I will sign off now; he is giving me that irritated look that I’m ignoring him instead of taking him to run on the beach. Everyone take care and please have a very Merry Christmas with your family and friends!