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Yesterday, May 30th, marked the end of an awesome journey. A journey that, because of all of you, I will never forget. And an organization The Marine Discovery Center, that was for me, an honor to represent. At 10AM, local members of The Mosquito Lagoon Paddlers Club met me at Menard-May Park to join me in the last 3 miles of the paddle. The wind was at our backs the whole way, and indeed we were asked by Diane Yeaton (in her and Paul’s support boat) to please SLOW down! I was so excited, I could hardly stand it! (Secretly, I’ve always wanted my own parade!!) When we reached the Yacht Club, there was Bobbi Thomas (one of my PEO sisters, waiting on the dock to hand me an Ice Cold COKE! (As if taking me out to lunch at Dixie Crossroads on a Titusville stop-over with her and Joan Barrett  were not enough!) On the final leg into the MDC, here comes the Water Taxi, filled with friends, whistles blowing, and ready to escort me to the finish! When I landed my little SS Minnow for the last time, on the beach at the MDC, I  was overwhelmed by so many who had come to welcome me home. A champagne toast from our dear director Dr Cooling, and then an endless number of hugs & kisses, plus the news of raising over $4,000 on my journey humbled me and literally filled my heart with pure joy. Without the help and loving kindness from my River Angels along the way, this trip would have been a lot more difficult. To Kathy and Gregory Fredricks in Ft Pierce,Will & Nancy Brown in Hobe Sound, a great gal Marylin Mazzoil and her dear husband Byron on Orchid Island, and David & Beverly Conley in Melbourne for taking a “stray” into your homes, and Hiedi Cambata for treating me to 3 nights of rest at Capt Hiram’s in Sebastion, and Kim Long for a night at the Dixie Motel in Cocoa, I thank you, my back thanks you, and most of allmy Father thanks you. (Dad called me every single night of my trip!) To my neighbor, Alice, who helped me out in the very beginning (by lving her home at 0330 and driving the 160 miles to Jupiter to hand me an Egg McMuffin that first morming, AND the 2 bottles of my favorite Bourbon Maker’s Mark!) To Diane Yeaton and Brenda Litt for their constant support, concern for my safety, and encouragement. To Chad Truxell,our Educator at the MDC, (and now my ”little brother”) who became my “lifeline” to you all through this blog. To each and every one of you River Angels, who opened up your hearts to a complete stranger and blessed me with your kindness….I thank you and I’ll never, ever forget you. My Paddle up the Indian River filled my days and my nights with  one magic moment after another;  and I will forever cherish the opportunies I was given to experience her wildlife up close, her many contrary moods (whether they were breath-taking sunsets or deadly winds on the water!), and I shall always remember this: that, in spite of what we see on that Evening News every night, our world really is FILLED to over-flowing with good,and decent, and loving human beings. All we have to do is to get out there and open our eyes and our hearts and reach out to each other. It was only 8 months ago that I had surgery for a broken back. Today, I am tickled PINK that I was able to paddle the SS Minnow on this unforgetable Journey. To ALL of you , who were there when I needed you, BLESS YOUR HEARTS!