On Saturday, I drove toward Accomac, crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel, always an interesting sight. I wanted to play golf so I called Bay Creek Resort and they had room so I went there and played the front nine of the more difficult Nicklaus course and did reasonably well with a 51. Many, many sand traps and very tight fairways made it quite challenging. After that I went into Cape Charles to have dinner at Kelly’s Gingernut Pub and watch the Kentucky Derby. My horse lost but it was a close race. I drove back to Kiptopeke State Park and got a camping site and then went on a long bike ride before returning to Kelly’s to watch the Miami/Boston game.
Sunday looked menacing in the morning but I figured I’d best get up to Chincoteague so I could hike the beach before my knee gave out and the long wild beach at Assateague was stunning. I walked in about a mile, sat and meditated for about twenty minutes and then walked back. There were only a few people and none bothered me with their noise. The weather was getting better so I decided to go bike riding and found a wonderful trail that looped away from the road and offered beach access. I rode about 5 miles of it, stopping at a bench to meditate some more and to watch the herons, geese and red-winged blackbirds. I drove back to my room to watch the first half of the Dallas game (that was all I needed to watch) and then I went off to play nine holes on a tight water laced course that I shot a 48 on because I really played well at the end. Dinner was fair and then I watched Atlanta beat Chicago.



Monday brought a return to the bike trail at Assateague and I rode in and then to the beach access. It was perhaps 100 yards away and I walked to it and sat down for a few minutes. On my return I rode the trail all the way around the marsh and it was grand. I saw white egrets, snowy egrets, Louisiana herons, glossy ibis and heard common yellowthroats and prairie warblers. I saw blue-eyed grass
And when I stopped at the visitor’s center on the way out I saw that there is water oak, bayberry, sweet bay, dogwood, wax myrtle and of the birds, there were northern shovelers, green winged teal and plovers along with the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel.
After a fine lunch at Bill’s I drove out to Captain’s Cove and played that course again. I met Ken and Sandy for dinner at Ruby Tuesdays and then we drove back to the house to watch the end of the Miami/Boston game and saw the Heat win in overtime.
My breathing was bad and I had to use my spray and that caused me to wake up at 4 and I had to take half a valium to fall back asleep. I got up after 7 and had breakfast with Ken and Sandy and tried to help Sandy with her porch project but hurt my knee pretty badly. She felt bad but I should have told her I couldn’t do anything were I had to deeply bend my knee.
We then packed up and went fishing on the ocean side and caught 8 fish, the biggest being some rays and 5 flounders, all too small to keep.
Ken and Sandy prepared dinner and Ken’s perch fillets from Gilman Pond were delicious. We had Ben and Jerry’s ice cream (Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia) and blueberries for dessert then watched the yankee game. I had to use my spray but I slept till 7:30 and that was good.
Ken and I went off to fish on the bay side and after checking out Half Moon island (which had been recommended) we headed to another island which ken had fished before and after we fished the northern end (again recommended) we fished the southern end where the current was pretty strong and there as we drifted again and again in the current I landed 4 15 inch stripers and Ken landed one, mainly because he was in charge of the boat. It was a lot of fun and we stopped one more time by one of the channel markers but had no luck. The wind picked up quickly and the ride back was pretty rough.
Ken and Sandy took me out to pasta night at a local restaurant and the food was first rate.
When we returned we watched the end of the Miami/Boston game and Lebron scored the last ten points on some sensational shooting.
After breakfast and some chatting on Thursday morning, I decided to head out since my breathing was getting bad and I bid my friends goodbye, hoping to see them in October to fish for some big stripers.
I drove for an hour then took a long nap then drove on to the Royal New Kent golf course where I played the front nine with two balls and shot a 97. I was hungry so I drove back to Carrabba’s for a decent dinner and then went to the KOA for a nap and a bike ride. After the ride I went back to Carrabba’s to watch the Chicago/Atlanta game.

Friday found me driving back from Williamsburg and I decided to fish the Maury on the way back. I saw a section south of Buena Vista that looked promising on the map and when I got there I did find a spot close to the river—if I had driven a few more miles I would have found much easier spots, but perhaps that explained how productive the spot was. I struggled down and my knees really felt it and it was tough even getting into the water, but once I did, the fishing was terrific. I must have caught 20 fish, mainly small redeye bass, on the rooster tail and the dressed mepps. I didn’t even wade 100 yards downstream to catch that many fish. It was sensational and I have to get back to see if it is always as good.
I cleaned out the truck when I got home and then did some yoga and weights. I had some lettuce and snow peas from the green house, and then I drove into town to see Memphis upset the Thunder and force a seventh game.
This morning looked grim but when I looked at the weather forecast (rain for the next four days), I decided I should cut the grass. I finished everything but the cabin area when the mower stalled so I went back to the house, did twenty minutes of practicing, fixed up a few things there and went back to the lawn tractor, which started up and allowed me to get right to the shed before it stalled out. I was able to restart it and just get it in the shed. I have two trees full of apples and one cherry with a lot of fruit. I had some broccoli from the green house along with some sugar snap pea pods. Very good.
After that I drove in to see Thor and it was pretty entertaining.
I am spending a lot of time thinking about my spiritual state and I know the thing I fear is eternal damnation. This of course comes from my catholic upbringing but it is a real concern and it is why I went to confession before I had my colon resection. I would like to partake of a more gentle religion, like Unitarianism, but that wouldn’t address the eternal damnation question. I don’t want to do anything because I am fearful or lonely so I am not sure what to do. Perhaps I will call the Catholic priest to talk.