Monday, August 27, 2007

Bruised & Battered, But Back

We made it back home in pretty good time yesterday, despite my need for a lot of pit stops. I felt the need to stop at three different drugstores in two states for pain potions and lotions, and I was hungry a lot. This time, the dog needed more pee-pee breaks than I did, so I acquitted myself pretty well there. I know, you're waiting with bated breath to hear about the boating mishap and my subsequent need for pain stuff. Here's what happened. My sister and I (and my dog) ran her johnboat over to Topsail Island and, despite a lot of traffic on the Waterway and a lot of pretty big wakes to ride out, it was a great little jaunt. It was at her own dock that all hell broke loose. Or, I should say, what's left of her dock.

See, this isn't her house. She's renting out her house and housesitting this one for a client of hers. She's been there two years already and her stay looks to be pretty much indefinite. She doesn't mind at all, because she loves this house more than her own. Anyway, the owner decided about two weeks ago to build a new dock and sent a crew in to tear out the old one. They did that, and that's where they left things. No work on a new dock has been started yet. What she's left with is a tiny little dock maybe six boards wide. It actually feels more like walking the plank. Anyway, we pulled up to her little mini-dock and she started tying up the boat. She told me to go ahead and get out once she had the rear (stern?) moored, so I picked up my dog and stepped out. With one foot on the dock and one in the boat, the darn boat started drifting back out, which had me doing an inadvertent split. She was trying hard to get the thing back up next to the dock, but no dice and ... my split kept getting wider and wider. Finally, when I couldn't have split another 1/4 inch without losing all my innards, I pretty much knew I was going into the water head-first, with the dog in my arms, and I can't swim for squat. She's well aware of my Deep-Water-Over-My-Head phobia, so at that point she grabbed me by my shorts and pulled me back into the boat, which is how I bruised the crap out of my legs and butt. Both thighs felt like they'd been dislocated (thigh bone disconnected from the hip bone), but I think I only maybe pulled muscles in them. All I know is that I'm sore as a sonofagun.

Other than that, I had a fabulous time. I ate entirely too much, but who counts calories on vacation? I can starve this week. I'd tell you all about it, but I think it might be easier to just show you.




My sister's house



Out back, on the canal



Living room




Kitchen



My bedroom



Porch off my bedroom



Breakfast nook



My dog stalking a lizard



Back yard



Heading up the canal to the Intercoastal Waterway



Meandering up the canal



Nearing the channel into the Intercoastal



On the Intercoastal




Approaching Topsail Island



Heading back to the dock



My dog, on her Excellent Adventure as a Salty Dawg



The back yard again. The gray building is a storage shed, the white one is a guest cottage.



And then I have this little video clip, taken when I accidentally hit the video button on my camera.

20 comments:

G-Man said...

WOW!!!
If it ain't Serena B. De Mille!!
Great action shot Sherry, you better look out, you may have Hollywood calling soon!!
I sure hope you are feeling better...SOON!!!!
Galen xoxoxbgxoxox

Serena said...

Yeah, I'll let you know when Hollywood calls, Galen. LOL. I feel MUCH less sore this morning. Girl's gonna live, I do believe.:)

Scary Monster said...

That looks just dreamy. Aside from the mishap it looks as if ya just cain't ask fer a better time away from home. Me figgers ya ain't gonna be doin 'the bump'(Me be talkin about a 70's dico dance here you filthy minded beasts) fer a while.

Wheeeeee, STOMP!

Charles said...

Next time you'll set the dog first, then take care of getting yourself moved. You really need to learn to swim, before I learned there wasn't much (if anything) that could scare me more than being in water where I couldn't stand with my face out of the water.

Elvis never said "thigh bone disconnected from the hip bone."

Your script writer needs some coaching. I believe the line was "Yeah."

rkfinnell said...

I notice your sister lives in a crooked house. LOL

Time heals all wounds, as they say.

Jack K. said...

Sorry to learn of your mishap. Hope you are feeling better.

It reminded me of a similar adventure I had as a teenager with a friend and his Star class sail boat. He kept the boat on its trailer. He had placed it in the water and maneuvered it around to the side of the jetty.

The jetty was stone and the bottom stuck into the water about three feet. I was on the boat at the bow trying to hold onto the sloping face of the rock jetty. The stern was slowly moving away from the jetty. As you may have guessed when he finally jumped down, his legs were in the water and his torso was on the boat.

It is poor etiquette to laugh at the skipper under any circumstances. But it sure was funny. It was one of those situations where you can see it setting up and there is not a thing you can do to prevent it. Did I mention it was funny?

Great photos.

Unknown said...

SJ,
Dogs can swim pretty well (the dog paddle) so drop the puppy next time. Assuming there is a next time I hope the boat and dock treat you better. Glad you are back, alive, and dry.

Unknown said...

PS- Roxan is right- every picture is slanted the same way. What gives?

Ed & Jeanne said...

Isn't that how the titanic went down? That iceberg thing was just a cover up. I'm sure it sank because everyone on board was trying to save a dog on one side of the ship and all hell broke loose. It's a sad common theme.

leelee said...

S'WONDERFUL...s'marvelous....

Love the house..I don't blame sis for not wanting to leave there...

How fun!!

welcome back!! HUGS!!

Anonymous said...

These pictures are great. What a cute house and I love the water, in fact I can smell the breeze comin in off the water..ummm
Hope you feel better, at least the dog is ok.lol
tc

Serena said...

I always liked dirty dancing, Scary, so I think I'm okay to bump. LOL.:)
Yeah, Charles, but Elvis probably never looked like the wishbone out of the Thanksgiving turkey.:)

Roxan, it's more a case of an off-kilter photographer than a crooked house.:)

Good heavens, Jack! That sailboat misadventure would have scared the tar out of me.

I don't know why I didn't drop the puppy, Kan. I know dogs can swim. Maybe I was thinking of using her as a flotation device if I had to.:)

I've heard that same hypothesis, VE. LOL.:)

It was fun, Leelee. It's good to be back, too, though.:)

Thanks, TC, and yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sore, but it's way better today.:)

Camille Alexa said...

WOO HOO! Loving Serena J pics!

Beautiful water, lovely cottage. Glad you and the Salty Dawg are back in (relatively) one piece.

...now I want a drink, and the sun isn't even past the yard arm. Anyone else for a Salty Dog?

Serena said...

Thanks, Camille. The sun is now far enough past the yardarm that we can all cut loose with Salty Dogs. Cheers!:)

Hale McKay said...

Was I only one (when she grabbed your shorts and pulled you to safety) who thought the shorts were going to rip into her hands while you and the dog were inadvertently 'baptized.'

Nice pics. They look as bright and clear as those old Viewmaster scenes.

Welcome back and glad, save the bruises, you arrived home safe and sound and had a good time.

Charles said...

You're right, I think it would have been Michael Jackson that looked like a wishbone (why does 'wishbone' sound like something he desired?) and I don't think he said it either.

Hale McKay said...

Oh yes, SJ, it was posted after you left for the weekend, but part 4 of "Cups" has been posted
HERE.

Serena said...

Thanks, Mike. I guess it's a good thing my britches were pretty sturdy or they might have ripped. LOL. I'll go check out your "Cups.":)

I don't really know, Charles, because it's too icky to contemplate, but I suspect Michael Jackson would just adore a wishbone pose.:-)

Corn Dog said...

What a wonderful house, boat and dock. Beautiful. I'm sorry to hear about your boat mishap. Hope the bruise is better soon.

Serena said...

Thanks, CD. I enjoyed it all, even with the bruises.:)