Katie and Dean had arranged to dinghy over to us around 11am, this morning.
When Waz and I got up this morning, the humidity had gone with the thunder and lightning storm, and the morning air was cool and lovely. We took our fruit salad breakfast upstairs to the Flydeck and reveled in the sun as it warmed us up to the point of needing to open a window or two.
Dean phoned us when they were already in sight of our boat, so it was a very few minutes before they arrived and tied up to the stern and stepped onto the duck board at the back of the boat. It was good to see them. Katie had gotten pretty cold on the short trip across the harbor, and knew she and Dean could get a warming cup of tea at our place. We all sat upstairs, Katie with a rug over her legs, to warm up. We needed to go to Ace Hardware for Dean to replace an eye-bolt on their boat, so we did that about 11.50, arriving back at the boat just as their friends Marny and Steve pulled onto the property. Good timing!
Marny and Steve and Katie and Dean had met up in the latter's home town in Michigan, some years previously, so this was a reunion for the two couples.
We had all agreed to go together to a 'Swamp Shack' by the name of Nav-A-Gator Bar and Grill.
Making our way down the driveway, past the Bar and Grill, towards the Chiki Hut.
You can see the roof of the Chiki Hut in the middle. Dean is wearing his Dayglo orange shirt!
Steve kindly drove all of us in a Suburban, which easily accommodated all of us, with room to spare.
We took our sun hats and sunscreen in preparation for the afternoon of Music, food and drink.
Steve and Marny follow the Trop Rock (Tropical Rock) music circuit somewhat, and they thought we would all enjoy the music of this particular couple, Tom and Michelle Becker who form 'Lattitudes'.
They are an award winning duo in this genre, which is easy listening covers from a wide range of artists, plus some very entertaining original music. They are greatly enjoyed by the senior audience, many of whom sported their T-shirts, and purchased their Cd's on sale at the venue.
It was great dancing, sing-a-long music, and they were entertaining and had excellent voices. All up, a class act, and very much enjoyed by our gang.
We had been warned that this was no 5-star restaurant, and indeed, told that we might be lucky to get food at all! Hmm...I was starving by the time we arrived, around 1.30pm.
The Chiki Hut, as they call what others might call a Tiki Hut, was separate to the Bar and Grill, but there was a bar and some....that is ONE dish available for purchase.... Pulled Pork on a hamburger bun, called Pulled Pork Sandwich!
Beer
One couple played the washboards (seen here as Neckties) along with Michelle and Tom. Very effective, and lots of fun.
On the boat ramp side of the property were these Airboats. Airboat tours are available from the Restaurant, and run by the same company that owns the property.
The crowd gathered towards 3pm when the music started, and were a mostly 'senior' crowd. A few kids, dogs and younger folks, but for the most part, old bikers and retired folks (hand going up here!).
As Katie and Dean are recently retired, and have yet to 'get off the treadmill', this was a great introduction for them into the kind of activities we 'retired' folks do!:) What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the sun?
Waz, on the left, with Katie (taking a photo) and Dean, sitting in the half shade of the Chiki Hut with the remnants of some of the food and drink.
The Chiki Hut is right on the banks of the Peace River, where there was plenty of boating activity all afternoon long.
What everyone should have in their home!
All kinds of 'stuff' hanging off the ceiling inside the Chiki Hut.
The clear floor before the dancing, conga lines, hand dances and the fun began. I tell you...these Retired Folks sure know how to have a great time!:)
I LOVE this bike...It really was a work of art:)
Another Pontoon boat arrives.
The only European Bike there.
...and so, as the sun went down, it was time to leave....
only we didn't leave like this group.
Steve and Marny took us all back to the boat where Dean and Katie stayed and chatted for a while, as it got darker and darker, and then left, after putting their Navigation lights on, on the dinghy.
I know they made it back to their sailboat safely, coz they have been busy posting photos of our day, on Facebook:)
Waz and I opted for Al Fresco dining in the cool on the flydeck, for our dinner. We didn't feel like cooking the sausages we were going to cook, and instead ate a variety of things out of the bag, as it were. Lettuce, grape tomatoes, some corn chips with hummus, pears with blue cheese, a cup of our favorite coffee and some nuts. Nice and easy!
So, it is now time to go to bed ....again!
We thoroughly enjoyed the outing, so a big thanks to Dean and Katie for their introduction to Steve and Marny (also boating people), who in turn provided the opportunity we had today. This was something we might never have known about. So there you go!:)
I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend!
Time for bed...again! Monday tomorrow!!
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