my daughter saved my life today. for real.

ok.  that may be a "tad" dramatic --- but if she didn't save my life she sure was the leader of my rescue team.

so....today's activity was kayaking.  but when we got to the state park i learned that the kayaking was in the ocean (next to a large bridge were dive boats go).    but the canoes were in a lagoon that had a canoe trail through the mangroves.   we chose the canoe.

off we went with our map in our hand.   we paddled around for about two hours.   took lots of pictures of the natural setting, saw hermit crabs, a hard shell ray, lots of birds and even more fish -- some jumping out of the water.

i did most of the paddling but she was more than willing to paddle and help me out.   after a couple dead-ends in the mangroves we made our way back to the canoe dock.   this is an un-attended dock.   i knew when we left i would have to climb up to get out.     we get back and i jump out of the canoe and hoist the Princess onto the dock with all our gear.   after two hours of paddling i was exhausted.  

so i thought i would be *smart* and wade through the water and up to the "beach" next to the dock.   one step. ok.  two steps. a little gunky around my feet.   third step.  i'm stuck.   it is not a beach.  it is mud quicksand!.   if you ever have done pottery (or dated more than one clay artist as i have) ...it is like the mud found in the bottom of the scraps bucket.  sticky.  heavy.  clinging to my legs.  

my leg after being rescued.

i was stuck.  no joke.  up to my mid-thigh.  both legs.   so i told the princess to start running up the dock and to yell for help (so i would still hear her).    the mud quicksand beach was separated by the park main road with mangroves.  so we weren't far from the main road at the dock, just hidden.     my amazing five year old daughter followed my commands and took the dock to the main road and went directly to the ranger station.  

i will be honest... i was scared.   and of course the need to stay calm for the princess' sake made me more scared.    but in no time my little hero was leading the pack of park rangers back to me.   one ranger took the princess back to the main office.   then another stayed with me.   while waiting for them i was able to pull one leg out (and kept my shoes on!).  this left me standing there like a flamingo.    my leg that was still in the mud was starting to shake.  the park ranger stayed on the dock and dragged a canoe over to me.   i put my free leg in there and pulled through the suction cup quicksand my other leg until i fell back into the canoe.   (you may laugh, btw).   then i stood up in the canoe and climbed onto the dock --- which is what i should have done in the first place!  lol.  the ranger told me i was not the only person this has happened to.   when we made it back to the ranger station the princess walked off being called a hero (and she is) and a Junior Park Ranger badge and a beanie baby.

of course the whole time i was going through this ordeal.  i thought about my weight. at one point I scolded my thoughts and reminded myself that i was not 373 pounds anymore and that i was 150+ pounds lighter.   i even had this strange urge to tell this to the ranger who helped me out -- but i stopped myself.

what a day, i tell you!  when i told my parents my dad was freaked out (he *is* a drama queen).   my mom, always bringing that sunshine to my life --lol, pointed out it was a good thing i lost weight. 

now we are off to Key West.  there is a Midsummer Nights Dream event at the botanical gardens i want to take advantage of.... 

until tomorrow....