July 25

Happy Saturday! Thinking of Byron and all his volunteers at the soccer camp today. He told me yesterday was possibly the best soccer camp day ever. He has a great coaching staff, volunteers were awesome, food was a hit and the speaker shared his story from the heart keeping everyone's attention. I'm so glad it turned out so well. Hoping today is the same way. Wish I was there but so glad all of you were there to help. Sitting up on the deck again, enjoying the morning. Breakfast was at 8:30 (YIPPEE), so true to my word, Sneezy got his biscuits and gravy. He pronounced it his favorite breakfast so far...out of three.....hahaha. Anyways, they made their lunches and left, I cleaned up all the mess and started dinner. We'll be having BBQ hamburgers, macaroni salad, pork n beans, maybe jello salad and maybe something else, never know what I'll come up with between now and then. That's why a menu doesn't work real well for me, I have to be able to change my mind once in awhile. When I woke up this morning, dinner was going to be rice and stir-fry vege's. But Brad said the weather was going to be warm and I might not want to heat up the galley since it stays warm all the time anyways. That's when I changed my mind. See, flexibility people, try it, you might like it! :-) Or don't, no matter to me. Brad told me where we were but I can't remember. Will go check my map in awhile. Beautiful spot, waters are calm, anchored at the back of a large cove, facing out to the open water. Saw a sow and her cub this morning with my binoculars! That was fun. Still learning how to use them, it's not as easy as just putting your eyeball up to the lens and looking through them, that's for sure. We heard about a different survey crew yesterday that was charged by a sow and she had to be shot in order to stop her. There was also a boar in the same area and they think he got the cubs. By "got" I don't mean saved, if you get my drift. Anyways, that must have been an awful experience. Happy told me that they are so thankful to have the bear guards with them. They work in the stream with their heads down most of the time and can't be watching around them very easily. I think I like my boat job, not interested in walking down stream to catch and measure fish and then worrying about walking up on a bear. But I do want to take the skiff out one of these days, that would be a good skill for me to have. I can see Byron cringe right now, he's seen me try to row a boat and he usually just says, put your oar down and let me do it. But with this skiff, I would have a motor so I bet I could do it. On our way to the next stream survey, Whitewater Creek. We just left Chalk Bay. Weather is still nice, water is smooth and no wind. I love it when a plan comes together. Not that I had any control over the weather. Got to visit with Byron a few minutes ago, he is pleased with the soccer camp and all the volunteers that were there. So glad it went well. Well, guess I better post this before we run out of coverage. See you tomorrow....dj