Memorial Day Weekend 2007

Although Lucy was there to add the girlie touch, this was a grandson weekend. Paul and Edward had been wanting an overnight camping trip for some time now and this seemed to be the perfect time. School is out and Pop did not have much work to do during the summer months and it was a holiday.

The family went to Powell's Circle on Sunday for a get together and have some play time. With the afternoon temperature approaching 90 degrees it was a perfect time to take a swim in the lake. I inflated two inner tubes and Paul had never heard of such thing as an inner tube. But he quickly caught on to how to use them. Sorry I don't have my picture in the floating chair but that was cool.

I have to say something about boiled peanuts. It is a family thing for us. Kay had just returned from Gulf Shores and stocked up on green peanuts. I figured out why we like them and some people don't. If you are from South Alabama you probably do like boiled peanuts. If you are from north of Montgomery you may or may not like boiled peanuts. South Alabama people grew up in peanut country. But I have come to realize it is not so much the taste as the memories associated with cooking and eating boiled peanuts. Let talk about the cooking part. You have got to have a big boiler for cooking. And you have got to have free time....... a few hours or so. The water amount is not critical but the amount of salt is important. And since they have to be slow boiled the aroma lingers or slaps you in the face when you walk in the house. Now think about it. Free time is often a holiday or a beach trip and it is family time for kids growing up in peanut country. Naturally that captures pleasant memories that can be brough back everytime you smell peanuts boiling. For me it is beach memories. Peanuts starting to boil early in the morning; sneaking a few green peanuts from the boiler as if they may be ready in ten minutes; coming back in from the hot beach to a cold condo and smelling those peanuts; having another test taste knowing they still have an hour to cook; sitting at poolside and watching the waves over a stack of peanut hulls; downing a cold drink to go with the salty taste; and of course sharing with the family cause you know you have eaten too many anyway. On this particular Sunday, boiled peanuts was our appetizer.

Supper was grilled chicken with tangy bar-b-que sauce, boiled corn, slaw with John's dressing, baked Italian bread... and for dessert... somores. We roasted marshmellow and squooshed them between two graham crackers with a pat of Hershey's chocolate layed between. Good stuff?

In the cool of the evening I took the kids exploring on what we are calling Goat Island. There are two goat and 45,000 birds living on that island. Rumor is that is owned by some mysterious old man and you are not suppose to set foot on it. Well that right there makes it tempting. We had found a floating glass bottle with no message inside so it became our container for live creatures that were captured on the beach if the island. Lots of shells, a huge feather, a small fluffy white feather, and some unkown chained leash and we were on our way again.

We got back to the trailer right at dark and built a campfire. Boys love that you know. The light. The wamth. The experimenting to see what will burn the best. I was glad that Lucy stayed long enough for the campfire but then she was on her way with her mom and Kay to leave us boys there to fish and camp.

Fishing off of the peir was good with redworms as bait. Oh but first the fireworks story. I had drilled holes at an angle into a 3 feet long 4X4 to be used as a bottle rocket launcher. Why angled? To have the bottle rockets go out over the lake rather that back into the lawns that had dry grass and pinestraw. Well we launched all 144 bottled rockets over an hour period. Did you know that they continue to burn and run like a torpedo and explode under water? Hilarious.

Paul and I fished till around 11pm and caught bream and catfish. He was really proud of himself. He really got into baiting his own hook and taking caught fish off of his hook. Of course he wanted to instruct his older brother on how to do it.

Paul, Edward, and Pop slept outside in a tent. I retired to the back bedroom of the trailer. I sleep well at the lake but try to crowd too much fun time into a day and wind up without enough sleep. I was up at 4:45 making coffee and at 5:45 was on the lake to troll.

At seven the boys were up and we had breakfast. Soon afterward as I was cleaning up, I heard Paul yell to Pop that he had caught a catfish. I was proud of his dedication and success at fishing.

I got back home at 11 and had work to do in preparation for this week. When you have your own business it is "Relish today. Ketchup tomorrow." The work does not stop for a holiday.