ANOTHER FIRST ... SURF FISHING

 It had been a long time since I had been fishing, but last weekend changed all that. Spending time at the beach lately, I saw many people fishing in the surf. On Saturday, my friend took me to Surfside, TX, and we fished.

I have a new hat. It kept the sun off my face and neck. It came from LUCKY DAY HATS. Visit her website and find your perfect hat: www.LuckyDayHats.com

"Next time, let's take the boat!"

I VISITED THE DARK SIDE....

...AND I LIKED IT!!!!

My friend has a flats boat, and we took it out this weekend. We put in at Matagorda, TX, and ran down the Colorado River. We saw alligators and lots of driftwood. My friend stopped the boat and asked me to come back behind the wheel because he needed my help. He put the kill switch cord on my wrist. With a shocked expression, I grabbed the throttle and wheel... and we started up the river. This boat does not travel on the water like any boat I have ever driven.... it slides around like an airboat. But, I got to be captain for a while! 

Texas might not have the prettiest water, but it does have a lot of beaches. We went on down to the beach, looked for shells and I got my feet wet. I can't be that close to the water and not at least get my ankles wet.

Sunset on Matagorda beach.

The perfect end to a wonderful day.

I HATE MOVING!

Not feeling well this morning, I decided I must stay at home and rest. (cough, sniff) The maintenance man working in the apartment above me, thought otherwise. That has to be the squeakiest floor I have ever lived under. And the building shakes when anyone walks up the stairs.

Laying in bed trying to go back to sleep, I thought about all the places I have lived, and how many times I have moved.

I have moved 32 times in my 58 years, anywhere from 5 blocks to 1400 miles. The reasons for moving have varied, but mainly because of job. Luckily, I have never had to live in a cardboard box, or my car.

Here is the count:

House - 17
Mobile home - 4
Apartment - 5
Rented room - 2
Travel trailer - 1
Boat - 2

Aiden's first day fishing, and he
got to drive the boat home! 

In the last few years, I have discovered that I am a nester, and I have to live in a place that feels like it is MINE. My space. And if I put something on a wall or shelf, it has to have meaning to me. I have two paintings from my son, and one from my daughter. Everything in my apartment, has a memory that goes with it, and that's what makes it HOME.

SAILING WITH MARK

My friend Mark, from Austin, had not been sailing in many, many years. He drove down and we took Idris out on Galveston Bay. We got her in the water and off the dock about 2:30. The wind was light, but good enough to fill our sail and scoot us on across the bay.



I got Mark on the tiller briefly. Long enough to put my feet up for a few minutes, and long enough for him to get the feel of the tiller.

My outboard is still not broken in completely. After a while, I thought we should drop the sail and motor for a while. We motored at half throttle toward the Kemah Boardwalk. The gas tank was full when we started out, and got us from Bacliff almost to the channel in front of the boardwalk. So, now I know how long .26 gallons will take me. I refilled the tank, and we continued past the Boardwalk, under the bridge and into Clear Lake. While heading back to the bay, we took a side tour of one of the canals. My outboard doesn't have a reverse, but it does swivel 360 degrees. Using this feature will take some practice. I turned around and didn't hit any boats that were in my way. But it was touch and go for a moment. I may have scared Mark a little. Sorry Mark.






Just as we got back to the dock, we witnessed a beautiful sunset. I didn't plan to stay out that long, but we were having a great time. I never stop smiling when I'm on the water.

FIRST SOLO SAIL

This weekend, I took Idris out by myself. I prefer to have company, it's just more fun. But, I wanted out on the water, so I went. This was also the first time I had used a proper ramp and unloaded and loaded without help. In Key West, we had a place literally around the corner that was used for putting boats in the water. It was simply a clearing in the mangroves next to a canal with the perfect slope.

I got Idris off the trailer without problems. Sailed away from the dock without problems. The wind was behind me, and very light. Not making any speed at all, I thought I would start my new outboard, it needs to be broken in anyway. I pulled, and pulled, and pulled.... couldn't get it started. Frustrating. 

I sailed for a little while, catching a few good gusts that made it worth making the trip out there. When I turned around back toward the dock, I could see a rain cloud in the distance. Moving very slow, I was hoping to catch some wind from the cloud. The wind shifted and increased, filling my sail and we took off. This made me smile. I felt a few sprinkles on my face, but I didn't care. My sail was full, I could hear the water lapping against the hull. I was happy. Looking south, I saw rain and it was close. I was making good time and thought I could make it to the dock before it got to me, and I did.

As soon as I started packing her up, it started pouring. I was immediately drenched, so I just kept at it. It was a good day. I proved to myself that I am capable of taking my boat out without help. Today, I will figure out why I couldn't get the motor started. Hopefully, it is the motor and can be corrected.... and the problem is not ME.

RECYCLED SAILS

This time of year tends to slow down at the shop. In order to keep busy, I decided to design and make a bag from recycled sails. It is the perfect size, I love it!

This is my first design. No two are alike. They are lined, with pockets on the inside, and a zippered pocket on the outside. The lining is made from either sunbrella or the sail cloth.

Size: 14" x 14" x 5"

I am currently working on a couple more designs. For more information, feel free to contact me.

lezliehenson@gmail.com

SHE WILL BE KNOWN AS....

IDRIS

If you are a diehard Dr. Who fan, you might know who Idris is. If not, I will explain. In one episode, the TARDIS landed on a far planet, and the "soul" of TARDIS left the ship. Needing a vessel to occupy, TARDIS  took over the body of a peasant woman... named Idris.

I think Idris is the perfect name for this boat. It has the "soul" of my Paradox I named TARDIS. In her, I will have fun adventures and make special memories.

My 2.5 hp Tohatsu outboard is my mode of propulsion when the wind is not favorable. I have no experience repairing outboards, so I thought I should get a new motor. I got the motor a couple days before my last trip, so I just put it in the living room floor. A friend came over, walked past it and stated, "Well, that's not something you see everyday."

Drink holder, very handy!

And the seats needed cushions. DONE!