Seahoose Friends

Linder and P. T. (Bob) Turner, friends of my sister, Liz, sent this wonderful letter after Ike.


Where to start - We have so many memories of Crystal Beach etched into our hearts and memories! Even after all these years, I can't think about them without smiling, almost laughing….and now….crying! The first time we were invited to Crystal Beach was the summer of 1967. Our dearest friends Jim and Liz Osten Sanders said "come on down, doesn't matter what time you get in on Friday night, just come". We arrived after midnight to be greeted by the “Where You Sleep Map” taped to the front door and lighted by the porch light left on just for us! Little did this city girl know that you don't arrive at the beach with matched luggage and your "wiglet" case! Earl (BOP) Osten's favorite joke use to be - I love it Linder (my name is Linda, but the Osten's always called me LINDER) first time you came, you came with Luggage and your wig case ---next time you came - you came with two paper bags!"


How we laughed at Bop - always so full of life and always ready to cook whatever P. T. (Bob) might bring him from his hunts. Maybe a dozen quail, maybe a rabbit, perhaps a squirrel or a mess of fish - Bop would always say - "Bob, you bring it - I'll cook it" and many, many meals around the table filled with laughter and full tummies did we spend with that delightful family and their myriad friends and kin! Always, we were made to feel a part of that special group.


I don’t think I will ever forget the morning that the entire house (scattered over every inch of the floor, every sofa, every bed and anyplace else a person could possible sleep) was jolted awake by a blood curdling scream! As I opened my eyes, I saw a large, black cat flying across the room. Seems Bop had gone to the kitchen to make the first of many pots of coffee to be drunk while watching the sun rise from the balcony, only to have the cat jump from the chair to his shirtless back!…..poor poor kitty! We laughed until we hurt at this hulking 6’9” man with bleeding cat scratches on his back trying to explain why he had hurled the beloved family pet across the room.


We would all be sitting on the balcony, drinking coffee or tea, watching the sun rise, when the booming voice of Bop would yell “IT’S TIME, BOYS”. Out would come the 400’ seining net and every male in the household - tall ones (Bop was 6’8” and P.T. was 6’5”) walked straight out as far as they could go - past the sand bars- medium heights in the middle to keep net from flipping up and shorter guys on the shore - little guys searching for wood to build the fire for the fish fry! Then the tall guys started curving back into the shore hoping their catch was enough for lunch. As they net started coming in, the crowd started gathering and by the time the guys had it on the beach, almost everyone on the beach had crowded in to see the “haul”. Immediately, the culling, sorting and separating began - and the big tripod and pot were set up over the wood while the fire was quickly beginning to burn hot - the women brought down the cornmeal and the brown paper sacks (used as plates for the feast) and when the hot oil was just rightthe fun began. Fry a pot full and distribute to closest or biggest for the best fish you could find anywhere. We would cook and eat and drink beer and talk and laugh untilwe were so full we couldn’t walk, look at each other and say “What could be better than this”