Clear Lake Duck Hunt and Surprise Visitors

Today we awoke and Marcia suggested that we just stay close to the motor home today.  I suggested that for church we would go to the Palm Harbor Calvary Chapel website (our home congregation) and listen to the Pastor's Father's Day message.  That is one thing I love about Calvary Chapel congregations....all that we have encountered have websites and stream their Sunday, and many their weekday, messages over the Internet.  Pastor Brett gives one heck of a message, it was nice to listen to him from afar.

After the morning message, I took the dogs over to the lake for a stroll.  Now Skruffy does not like water, and I was not sure about how Bubba would do...after all, he is a Cocker Spaniel.  It was another outstanding day at the Lake....clear, mild wind, few people.

I thought I was going to get a good laugh as this SUV (below) nearly went into the water while launching this guy's boat...but I did hear him say, "Back up some more....", so she could have claimed that it was his fault and not hers had she taken it more....and I would have been on her side, while selling the pictures to the local newspaper.  :)

We got closer to the water, and....

 ...Skruffy loved it, Bubba was afraid of the waves.  He would not get any closer than 5 feet to the water, and jumped at the sounds of the small waves hitting the shoreline.  She was memorized by the water, and the birds.

Above she just had to check out the water a bit closer....hmm, a good lap and she knew that it was water.  As you can see, no Bubba around at all.

Then she looks out and sees some birds.  Around the corner from that tree....hey dad, let's go over there....

 Hmm....I never smelled anything like this....so this is what ducks smell like.

Here ducky ducky ducky....come here and play.....and that is when my batteries went out on the camera.  She did go out to the point that her belly got a bit wet...which means, for those short legs, about 4 to 5 steps out there.  I think she almost took off swiming...but a slight tug on the leash and she gave up on that idea.  The ducks never did get any closer.  I think both Skruffy and Bubba are more into Squirrels than Ducks, that's for sure.

For brunch, we went over to the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino for our 2 for 1 dinner.  The had a brunch for $9.99 each, so with the 2 for 1, it only cost us $13 after tip and my raspberry tea.  We had to register at the casino, and with that, they gave me $10 to play with, which I did after lunch, and promptly lost, and we promptly left.  As for breakfast, we would have enjoyed it more eating with the family at Cornerstone in Citrus Heights....better food, and very good company there.

As we were leaving the brunch, my phone went off...I had a message.  I could not call right away to hear the message because my AT&T reception was not strong enough...but by the time we got to the motor home, I found out it was dad, and quick call to them found out that mom and dad were on their way up to Clear Lake to see us!

Mom was sick the day we left, and I think she just wanted to come and have one last, quick visit, dinner, and a good farewell with Marcia and me.  It was nice to see them, and Skruffy sat there between them for most of their visit.  We had a good dinner at the Marina Grill along the highway in the center of Nice.  Good food, reasonable price (especially for us since mom insisted on buying), and the service was fine.  They don't have a website, but if you are in the area, and you are hungry, give it a try.

Mom called as they got close to home, so we know they made it home safely.  Just a nice, peaceful drive in the country for them...just like we had now and then when I was younger....and something I still enjoy to this day. 

Tomorrow we will be off, and will most likely stop near Fortuna and stay a couple of days so that we can enjoy the coastal Redwoods in the area.