Exhausting weekend

I am sooo tired y'all!  It was a busy weekend from beginning to end.

Friday we finally finished cleaning so we wouldn't have anything to do Saturday.  Our extra paddleboard arrived that day so the Mr blew it up to make sure it held air and such.  Yes, we bought an extra paddleboard.  We said we'd love to take people with us but NO ONE we know does any water sports stuff unless they rent something on vacation but they're not going to pay to do it at home.  The Mr offered to give people paddleboard lessons if they wanted them and two cousins piped up.  When we thought about it it was like someone was going to get left out if I was in my kayak.  So we said we'd think about getting one.  I was looking at packages last Friday night and I could find some for $500 but they weren't getting the best reviews.  I thought it would be nice if Tower had some because we own one and trust the quality of their boards.  Saturday morning, the Mr gets an email from Woot that they are selling the Tower Paddle Boards Adventurer Inflatable 9'10" SUP Package (affiliate link) for $499 with a paddle and pump.  It was like God was saying "I'll give you this one."  So we counted the rolled change we had ($300) and each kicked in $100 of birthday money from last year that we had sitting around and covered the cost.  Last week we got some accessories people would need like a small dry bag, gloves, a whistle and life jacket.  We probably put $50 into that stuff.  So now we've got everything we need to take someone with us.

Saturday we tried to go to the DMV but the line was of course ridiculous so we decided to hit up the fish and chip craving we had since it was rare something like that sounded good to both of us.  We did a little driving around, picked up stuff for cookie sundaes (it was a belated birthday celebration) and got back to the house.  We met them at a restaurant and had a good dinner.  (Though my burger was overcooked for the second time but I don't really want to order it medium in case they get it right.  Grrr.)  Then it was back to the house for gabbing and sundaes.  I showed her the board and invited her along sometime.  Just so happens she has a half day Thursday so if the weather holds out, we'll have our first plus one on a paddle!  Woot indeed.

We slept in Sunday and lazed around.  I had small corn tortillas I needed to use so I made some chicken enchiladas and fruit salad.  The Mr was quite happy and with all that protein and feeling so full, I asked if he wanted to get a paddle in before rain was supposed to come in.  He leaped off the loveseat so I guess that was a yes.  He wanted to take the new board out and try out the kayak seat too.  It was stinkin' hot and I was hoping being on the water would be a little cooler.  It felt 90 instead of 94.  Yay?

We paddled a pretty good clip and I was starting to feel lunch's energy boost wearing off.  I brought some sea salt caramel peanuts we bought in Savannah with us in baggies and as we pulled off into a cove to enjoy them, I swore I heard it...

Thunder.

Mother hell.  The Mr chipmunked his snack in his cheeks and said "let's get the hell out of here!"  He said he'd have to kayak back so I scarfed mah nuts and paddled over to him to help him get the seat attached to the D rings.  Like a shot, he was off...

"Bye Felicia!"

We stuck to the shoreline as the thunder rolled in case we'd need to make a hasty retreat to the woods instead of being lightning rods in the middle of the water.  It would let up and we'd think we were in the clear but the closer we came to the boat launch a mile and a half away, it would get loud out of nowhere.  There was no visible lightning but that doesn't matter.  My kayak is pretty fast so I would take short breaks while he caught up to me.  I would encourage him because this was his first time kayaking on the board and wasn't quite how he envisioned it, I'm sure.  We made a goal to get to the bridge where we would take cover if needed.  We made it and sat for a second and we could see the storm rolling in up ahead.  We dug in and made that last quarter mile to the boat ramp.  Deflated, folded, wiped off the vessels as Mother Nature gave her deep, thunderous bellow as a warning shot to other boaters all vying for the ramp.  I was quite the pruney paddler when we got to the car.

We high fived and I checked my HRM for the damage.

As we made our way outta there, the sky looked more ominous.

A few minutes later we were in a downpour with lightning all around us and a freeway brought to a standstill a few times.

It was a close one but as the Mr noted a few days ago, each paddle is different.  That's for sure!  It was nice to get back without a drop of water on us but dang man, we had to paddle fast and furious and we're feeling it today fo' sho.

Is it nap time yet?

What did you guys do this weekend?

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