We're home - exhausted, but happy. Don and I had a wonderful time and could easily have stayed another two days, but we're also very glad to be with our children again.

One of the highlights of our trip was crabbing this morning after checking out of the Bed and Breakfast. Yesterday we went down to the St. Simon's Island Pier and wandered around talking to the fisherman. I was amazed how many people were out crabbing. One man with his two children took us under his wing and explained the whole process to us. Three hours later, when we left the pier, we stopped at a Bait and Tackle shop and priced crab nets and coolers. A clear plan began to take shape.

This morning, we bought our nets, our chicken back, and a styrofoam cooler to transport our catch home. With my camera around my neck, we made for the pier. Our first throw into the water, we came up with 2 crabs, and so it went. Somebody gave us some leftover chicken when they stopped for the day. I tied some more into our net and then threw a piece over the side, hoping to attract a few more crab. A lady near us saw me and told me she had a weighted string with a hook that we could use. Uncertain how to get an attached crab all the way from the water surface to the pier, I played around with it for a while and, lo and behold, pulled it towards me and could see a crab hanging on, unwilling to give up her meal. I yelled to Don, who quickly maneuved our net under my string. When I pulled the string in and the crab fell off, he fell right into our net!!! I got so excited, I shrieked. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look. Several people ran over to see my prize. It was like a little community of crabbers, all helping each other and cheering for the other's victories.

We came home with 24 blue crab. I couldn't wait to get in the house and show the children. We boiled them and sat down to a crab feast, only to discover Deanna, Don, and Daelyn don't like crab, and I was too tired to eat. I cleaned 4 or so for Dane, who had his fill, and we'll have to tackle the rest another day. It was a very fun day, topping off a fun week, but Don and I are thrilled to be home and the children are very happy we are.

Maybe crabbing will be like fishing for them - they'll enjoy catching them but, not so much, eating them. I guess the the fun is in the pursuit. I know it was for me.