At the end of the last blog, laundry was mentioned... well, that was a load of fun (pun intended.) We inquired at the Charleston City Marina Dock Office and were told, "We have an extensive laundry room but our facilities are for paying customers only. You can go to the restaurant and ask them." Fine, I don't need your snooty attitude anyway. So we went to the restaurant to inquire...turns out they have a wonderful industrial-type facility. Cheaper than the marina (and most other places) AND they said "Come and sit in the restaurant, tea or coke is on the house when you do laundry here." Really? You're serious? So we went and sat and enjoyed a waterfront view, an iced tea and a coke, and did laundry.
CAUTION: This next clip is a bit disturbing, so if you are easily upset, please skip to the next paragraph, you will thank me.
We took a trip upriver on Sunday in the dinghy...there is a series of bridges blocking our access up the Ashley River and we wanted to see what we were being kept from seeing...I now wish we hadn't. We saw 2 dolphin at the surface, staying at the surface, very abnormal behaviour. As a Marine Biologist, I'm quite familiar with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, I right away I knew something was amiss. First thought was tangled in a net so we made a wide circle to see in case we needed to call authorities. Well, much to our chagrin one dolphin was tending to her dead baby. It was very small, newborn that had died. It had decomposed to the point that the entrails were now extrails, we could clearly see internal anatomy. She was pushing the ex-dolphin and the other female was keeping her company. She dove for a second, taking the carcass underwater with her and surfacing with it again. It was intensely sad to watch this mother mourn the loss of her baby; that is exactly what intelligent mammals like that do, mourn. As a biologist it was fascinating behaviour but detaching myself from it was very hard, I have a lump in my chest writing about it. Heather saw it and was quite saddened as well, we got away from them as quickly as possible, shed a tear or two in her behalf, and left her and her companion on their way.
Tomorrow, we do our community service. Before my father died of brain cancer, he was in an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge so he could be close to the treatment center. They were a wonderful group of people. While walking in Charleston we saw a Hope Lodge. We try to give back when we can...we don't have money to give so we give of our time. We rang the bell, the director answered, and we told her the story and asked "Is there anything we can do for you for half a day or so to make a difference?" I thought her eyes were going to opo (hmm, I meant pop, but the typeo looked interesting) out of her head. She gave us a tour, turns out this was the original facility, the first Hope Lodge, the founder is turning 100 this year!. We're going back tomorrow to plant and water flowers, do some maintenance and cleaning, and whatever else she comes up with. Think one person can make a difference? So do we.
We splurged tonight and walked into town for dinner. On our second date (9 years ago) I took Heather to her first Indian restaurant (dot not feather) and she fell in love with it as much as I had. We've not had Indian in 1 1/2 to 2 years now so when we saw Chinar Indian Restaurant we had to go. I am so full right now I am almost sick...and for anyone that knows me, I am thin because I quit eating the second I feel full, I never gorge. Well, screw that. Heather was so happy with dinner I thought she was going to purr.
My ribs are still quite painful and lifting anything over 5lbs makes my face scrunch up. Heather is still recovering from her surgery. We're like the 2 Stooges.
We saw the first magnolia trees bloom today, such a wonderful sight and smell. The honeysuckle is in full bloom and the air is just tantalizingly sweet with their perfume. What a sensory experience, houses hundreds of years old with their stately porches and pillars, flowers and trees in bloom, birds singing at the top of their lungs...it's almost overload.
I'm not about to proof this, Heather's out of the shower & its my turn now. The Nine Inch Nails/Beatles playlist (yes, a twisted selection and I'm sure John and George are turning in their graves) done and so am I.
Cheers |
