New Experiences

Two amazing things happened this weekend but I don't have any photos.

I went to St. Pete to visit my friend Sheila and her husband took us out in their boat. We chummed for sharks (just to look at, not to kill) and fished (I caught something!) but didn't see any sharks or any other really cool marine-dwelling wildlife -- ooh, except Nathan caught an ENORMOUS sting ray that must have weighed over 100 lbs. And it bled all over the boat deck before he shoved it off, line cut. Fishing is brutal business, people.

Anyway, at sunset we were headed in when I saw a -- what was it? A flipper? A fin?

We turned around and went closer. We were in really shallow grass flats and the tide was low. Nathan's boat doesn't have a propeller, and no I don't know how it works either. While we cruised along slowly trying to see what was down there we went over a bump! A group of manatees was grazing in the bay! (We didn't harm them.) We eventually counted at least seven or eight in two herds, or whatever you call a group of manatees. I'd never seen a manatee before despite being a native Floridian. I didn't realize how big they are or that their breathing makes boils that look like spring boils. Nathan said he'd never seen them in that area. We watched them for a while, then went in.

Confidential to the kayaker we passed: You're so lame for not getting excited and racing over to see the manatees! Why are you even in a kayak?!?

The other cool thing that happened is I tried some of Sheila's natural deodorant. It goes on like a lotion. It's like a miracle paste. I feel like my life has been changed forever. There is NO ODOR under my arms. Even after running around in the sun for a couple hours, sweat pouring off of me. It's a bloody miracle.