~The Pontoon~

Ive talked a lot about the St.Joe River and that is where my ex

mother and father in law live..they have a gorgeous house..and

the deck over looks the river..the view..is wonderful.. At sunset,

my favorite time of day..the river is like glass and we would

get on the pontoon, David and I and take a slow ride down to

the dam and back..took 4 hours going slow..we had the radio

on..sometimes David would troll if he remembered to check

his minnow bucket for bait lol..many times hes gotten bites

most fish here are catfish..and we didn't eat them..But it was

a good fun fishing river.. THere was a special route you had

to travel down and up it..or you would hit bottom it was so

shallow at some places.., we kept the depth finder on just in

case..This was looking down the river..to the west ..

We were lucky one day to see this balloon come down.. and almost

seem to touch the water.it didn't but seemed close..The people inside

lived a few houses down from my ex's..and they hired this and it was

so neat that they could see their gorgeous house like this.. The houses

all along this river are very expensive..and this river runs a long way..

starts up on Michigan and goes down through and across Indiana..Its

a good fishing river..almost the whole length of it.. I saw a balloon like

that inflate once outside the apartments where I used to live..I think I

have written about that after noon..That was a great site..

Jim & Karalee lived up on a high embankment that was on this

part of the river..there was a long flight of stairs..that led to

this level area where the kids played and the pontoon was

kept and they fished from shore here..This was an active river.

you can see the neighbors paddle boat there in blue..Jim's

pontoon is tied up there..I am the one in red..and my ex sister

in law Sheila., brothers wife.are fishing off of it.. its a great

spot down there..sometimes when there is a lot of rain the

ground there is soggy and your shoes get all wet when you

walk around there..Davids nephew is first there, then Danni,

then Cassie & Josh..Mark..brother is in green ..David is

in the black.. We all liked it down here by the water..but the

deck was great too a good view..

You can see me in red..on this side is Sheila..my ex sis in law.

She and I got along real good..we were the 'outsiders' but they

all treated us very good.. That is the pontoon.. Its very big..has

2 huge inboard motors..and seats all around and there is even

a potty on it..You cant see all of it..there is more farther past

the 2 cans on that back table..It was nice to fish on this..It was

so big. but David maneuvered it around like it was a row boat.

He was the only one Jim would let drive it..or take it out.. He

knew David knew what he was doing..

We had gone down to fish one sunday..David, Mark & Sheila

and I .. well you had to have 1 on the boat to start the engine..

and one at the lines to untie it..if you did it the wrong way the

pontoon was so touchy it would stall out and then not start for

awhile and then it could float off.. They didn't follow the start

up routine ..the guys were in a hurry , Jim and Karalee are up

on the deck..see the pontoon floating.Jim yells down"you

better NOT damage that pontoon ,,START the ENGINE". well

it still didn't.. Jim yells again "THAT BOAT GETS STUCK YOUR
IN TROUBLE" and hes getting upset..We all look at each other

and Mark jumps in the river..then David and they try to pull the

pontoon back up by the shore..we had started to drift.. Jim

yells again."GET THAT BOAT STARTED" and then Sheila

jumps in the river and tries to pull the pontoon..With all 3 of

them in the water.. I just stayed in my seat.. I wasn't jumping

in that nasty water.it was awful.. not a clean river..trust me..

So all 3 of them are soaked..drag that pontoon back up by

the edge.and David climbs back on ..and goes over to it

and the motors start up..just nice as you please. Out climbs

Mark and Sheila..get on the pontoon..and Jim yells again..

" YOU BETTER NOT BE GETTIN MY BOAT WET".. We

all look at each other like.. WHAT? lol. Jim yells at me..

"Lois..why didn't YOU jump in and try to save that boat?"

I yelled back up.." I aint jumpin in this nasty water to save any

ones boat, no way not even yours" he laughed and we took a

nice 4 hour boat ride finally..Jim was so picky about that boat

and he NEVER went in it. I knew him..12 yrs he never went but

once..only time I saw them go on it..shame too ..I loved it..ITs

a great way to spend a day on a lake or river..just cruise and

anchor and fish ..allll day :-)

I got my own mail today..can you believe it? I was sitting here.

heard a clunk..and knew it was my mail..and opened the door,

well after I backed into the bedroom doorway..and opened the

lid..and there was my mail.. was so nice..and I had a lovely

birthday card in it too..That made it even MORE special.. was a

nice gift inside that sure will help on this 5 week month.. I plan

to get a file cabinet for here next to my desk. I would like like a

nice one be just enough room and the 3 in 1 would fit nicely on

top..the storage will come in handy.. I didn't get a chance to see

today on line what is out there..I plan to look though.. Im going

to go and look for some dinner..Im hungry and tired.. I was up at

5 or so..and lunch was..well ok..bbq and theirs is ..well.. ok.. lol

So seek and I shall find food, I know lol..Nitey Nite.. :-)

Y'all have a good one now Y'hear? love ya..and thanks.. :-)

Always, Lois****

God Bless you is my prayer today,

I'm so honored to call you "friend";

I pray the Lord will keep you safe

until I write again..