The Good News II

Mom’s birthday is today. Last week she decided she wanted to go on the boat over to Conrad’s Upper Deck for dinner. We were all supposed to meet at the boat at 5:00. Chucky was running late, then the battery in my van died because I left the door open all afternoon. So we didn’t get there until 5:30. Joseph didn’t get there until 6:00. Okay so finally we’re off!

Emma didn’t like wearing her life jacket so I told her we could go in the cabin and she could take it off. So we are riding along and we start to slow. Good, I’m thinking, we’re almost there! Then, bump bump, bump grind, BUMP, GRIND GRIND. Uh-oh. Either the propellers are stuck in the mud or we are stuck on the bottom. Probably both. OK! Dad even called ahead to the restaurant to see if the channel was okay and the tide was right, so he is just slightly irritated. Someone comes along in a skiff and tries to pull us but that doesn’t work.

Then Dad gets on the phone and calls the restaurant. I don’t know what that conversation is about but it gets us nowhere. Mom says we will just sit there until the tide goes up. That will probably be 3 or 4 hours and Emma is cranky already. Is she serious? I am not looking forward to the rest of the evening. But things like this happen and I’m sure people have been through worse so I’m not upset. Then Dad calls the Sea-Tow. They have to come from Gwynn’s Island and will be another hour or so. Then another boat comes along and tries to pull us out but that doesn’t work either. They offer to take some of us to the restaurant. Dad wants us to go but we don’t want to leave him. He and mom decide to stay on the boat and the rest of us go the restaurant. We watch the boat and eat our dinner (which is not good). Chucky keeps saying “I think he should have . . “, and if this and that had happened and blah blah we are all irritated at this point. We get mom and dad some food to go and by the time we finish the sea tow is there. After pulling the Good News into deeper water, it comes to the dock at the Upper Deck to pick us up. Chas and Emma put the life jackets on and we all make it safely back into the boat with mom and dad, $890 later. Maybe we should have waited for the cheaper tide. I declare I wish I had my camera. Geez. Joseph drives us home while mom and dad eat their mediocre dinner. Happy Birthday Mom!!! I officially welcome Chucky to the Gaskins family. We have been married almost 5 years and this is the first time he has experienced one of our trips with a disaster in it. [Can’t believe we got through the Homestead with no incidents.]