Lake Josephine

The morning was cool and foggy but, as I predicted, the afternoon was sunny and warm.  A sibling and I loaded our kayaks into the water of lake Josephine.  I have swum in this lake many times but never been able to boat on it before.  As with most urban lakes, kayaking is a way of snooping on the yards of lake shore property owners.  This lake has some very nice homes.  I see a big house with lots of windows with a burn pit in the yard by the lake surrounded by lawn chairs and I think I want to go there.  I want to cultivate a friendship with a landowner on Lake Josephine so I can go to a dinner party at their house.  I want to have a "Great Gatsby" type evening.  We paddle along and I see a white pelican.  Turns out it is a statue and not real. I see what I think is a very realistic statue of a great blue heron but that turns out to be real. Behind that a white egret flies off the same dock.  Our kayaks scare up fish swimming in the weeds and some of them leave the water in their fright.  A man throws a tennis ball into the lake for his golden retriever and I miss my old dog, Ruby, so much it hurts.  It's October now,  Will this be the last kayak ride of the year?  Rivers around here are running so high lakes seem to be the safer option.