Winding Down
So their first day in Cedar Key was coming to a close but the Paddle Festival weekend was just beginning. Since leaving Citrus and Marion Counties earlier in the morning, the women had packed in quite a number of activities. Their spirits were high but they were tired and hungry, too. They would need to feed their little tummys if they planned on attending the rest of the evening's functions: the official Reception at The Island Hotel and a guest speaker at the Community Center. It was a toss up to see who was going to make it to the end without crying "Uncle!".
Dinner options were debated as they drove back to condo and it was eventually agreed upon that they'd feast at a local hot-spot called Tony's. http://tonyschowder.com/ Dot and Liz (Speck & Malibu) had arrived in Cedar Key much earlier than the other and were eager to stroll around town and get a feel for the place. They remembered seeing the restaurant during their morning walk and knew exactly how to get there from the condo. It was within walking distance.
Now was the time to relax and chill-out. Drinks and meals were ordered and the girls spent the early evening getting a taste of Tony's world famous clam chowder (which is awesome, by the way), peeking at one another's menu selection and generally reflecting on the events of the day up to that point, but there were still two other events on their agenda before the night could be officially called "done".
At 7:00 p.m. they walked from Tony's to the historic Island Hotel for the official Reception. Lots of people and lots of food. Hors D'oeuvres were spread out on scattered tables on the hotel's beautiful outside patio, and a cash bar to those who wanted to indulge. It was an affair done up in typical Cedar Key style and the NCLA ladies were thoroughly enjoying themselves until the no-see-ums just could no longer be ignored. Although they hadn't been invited, and measures were taken to bar them from the festivities, they crashed the party and sent some folks on their way. The ladies followed suite and headed back to the condo to prep for a good nights sleep.
Now was the time to relax and chill-out. Drinks and meals were ordered and the girls spent the early evening getting a taste of Tony's world famous clam chowder (which is awesome, by the way), peeking at one another's menu selection and generally reflecting on the events of the day up to that point, but there were still two other events on their agenda before the night could be officially called "done".
At 7:00 p.m. they walked from Tony's to the historic Island Hotel for the official Reception. Lots of people and lots of food. Hors D'oeuvres were spread out on scattered tables on the hotel's beautiful outside patio, and a cash bar to those who wanted to indulge. It was an affair done up in typical Cedar Key style and the NCLA ladies were thoroughly enjoying themselves until the no-see-ums just could no longer be ignored. Although they hadn't been invited, and measures were taken to bar them from the festivities, they crashed the party and sent some folks on their way. The ladies followed suite and headed back to the condo to prep for a good nights sleep.
By the time they reached the condo, they were exhausted. They still had one more presentation to go to at 9:30 p.m. but just didn't seem to have the energy to attend one more function that day. At the same time, though, they had paid good money to register for this event and didn't want to waste one single opportunity they were given, so the question was: Could they muster up enough reserved energy to walk the short distance to the Community Center and listen to the Keynote Speaker, Russell Farrow, and his paddling adventures in the Arctic? They would have to mull that decision over while they turned down their bedding for the snooze fest to come.
Dot and Liz had been car-pool buddies all day and kept with the theme by agreeing to share the queen sized sleeper-sofa. The problem was that they, nor anyone else for that matter, couldn't pull the darn mattress frame out from the couch frame. Tried as they might - that thing was stuck! At 8:30 p.m. Dot picked up the phone and called the front office to complain about the situation. Within fifteen minutes Dan, the handyman was knocking on the door, toolbox at his side. No doubt he expected to be in and out within five minutes, back to his frosted beer mug that he left on the bar at the local watering hole down the street. Little did he know how wrong he would be.
Seemed that the entire mattress / sofa-bed frame was bent on the inside preventing it from being pulled out. After thirty minutes of turning that couch upside down and right side out, Dan forced that mattress frame out with the help of his handy-dandy crowbar! Apologies were expressed to the guests who where staying in the condo directly below. It's a sure bet that they weren't 'happy campers' at that time.
By the time Handyman Dan left, no one, with the exception of Alice (Legs), was wanting to go anywhere so they missed out on Russell Farrow's presentation that night, a decision they all came to regret. It was time now, to get some sleep. They had to be at Airport Beach the next morning for a day of kayak fishing in Cedar Key.
Dot and Liz had been car-pool buddies all day and kept with the theme by agreeing to share the queen sized sleeper-sofa. The problem was that they, nor anyone else for that matter, couldn't pull the darn mattress frame out from the couch frame. Tried as they might - that thing was stuck! At 8:30 p.m. Dot picked up the phone and called the front office to complain about the situation. Within fifteen minutes Dan, the handyman was knocking on the door, toolbox at his side. No doubt he expected to be in and out within five minutes, back to his frosted beer mug that he left on the bar at the local watering hole down the street. Little did he know how wrong he would be.
Seemed that the entire mattress / sofa-bed frame was bent on the inside preventing it from being pulled out. After thirty minutes of turning that couch upside down and right side out, Dan forced that mattress frame out with the help of his handy-dandy crowbar! Apologies were expressed to the guests who where staying in the condo directly below. It's a sure bet that they weren't 'happy campers' at that time.
By the time Handyman Dan left, no one, with the exception of Alice (Legs), was wanting to go anywhere so they missed out on Russell Farrow's presentation that night, a decision they all came to regret. It was time now, to get some sleep. They had to be at Airport Beach the next morning for a day of kayak fishing in Cedar Key.
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