March 27, 2014
At the beginning of the New Year, our journal was going to reflect on all the wisdom we have gained since moving onto the boat in June of 2010. We looked back at our website hoping for inspiration. We even perused the 2007 journal, which chronicled the buying of the boat and the trip up the river system to Chicago. Those of you who shared that with us may remember it was the trip from HELL. In reviewing the journal, we realized that there are over 200 people receiving our email. (We never realized there were so many people with insomnia who need something to read to help them sleep!) Anyway - it is now late March, and we are still waiting for that insightful moment. If it ever appears, we promise to share it.
We left St. Augustine and arrived in Stuart, FL right before Christmas. Our life was somewhat different than other months that we have spent in marinas. We had a car, thanks to Tony, Francie’s brother. Since Mike’s sister lives near the marina, we spent more time with family. The car allowed Francie to join a health club temporarily and it widened our access to places and events compared to the bikes. Mike found a great bike trail to ride for his daily exercise.
As always the time has slipped by; we count our blessings especially as we watched our northern friends suffer the bitter cold and one snow storm after another. At the beginning of March, we delivered the car to Francie’s niece in Chicago, stopping briefly to tour Memphis, TN and Springfield, IL. The trip was prompted by those annual pesky doctor and dentist visits; at least we get a chance to see friends and family and Francie celebrated her mother’s 84th birthday with her in Indiana.
At the beginning of the New Year, our journal was going to reflect on all the wisdom we have gained since moving onto the boat in June of 2010. We looked back at our website hoping for inspiration. We even perused the 2007 journal, which chronicled the buying of the boat and the trip up the river system to Chicago. Those of you who shared that with us may remember it was the trip from HELL. In reviewing the journal, we realized that there are over 200 people receiving our email. (We never realized there were so many people with insomnia who need something to read to help them sleep!) Anyway - it is now late March, and we are still waiting for that insightful moment. If it ever appears, we promise to share it.
We left St. Augustine and arrived in Stuart, FL right before Christmas. Our life was somewhat different than other months that we have spent in marinas. We had a car, thanks to Tony, Francie’s brother. Since Mike’s sister lives near the marina, we spent more time with family. The car allowed Francie to join a health club temporarily and it widened our access to places and events compared to the bikes. Mike found a great bike trail to ride for his daily exercise.
As always the time has slipped by; we count our blessings especially as we watched our northern friends suffer the bitter cold and one snow storm after another. At the beginning of March, we delivered the car to Francie’s niece in Chicago, stopping briefly to tour Memphis, TN and Springfield, IL. The trip was prompted by those annual pesky doctor and dentist visits; at least we get a chance to see friends and family and Francie celebrated her mother’s 84th birthday with her in Indiana.
Winter highlights:
· St. Augustine is one of our favorite cities. We volunteered at the Senior Center; entertained and toured the city with out-of-town friends; and met new friends in St. Augustine that we hope to see again.
· We celebrated Christmas with our Florida family at Mike’s sister Patt’s house
· Enjoyed 2 months at Sunset Marina in Stuart. Mike’s mom and sister took a dinghy ride across the river.
· We attended a show of one of our favorite comedians, Paula Poundstone.
· We celebrated Christmas with our Florida family at Mike’s sister Patt’s house
· Enjoyed 2 months at Sunset Marina in Stuart. Mike’s mom and sister took a dinghy ride across the river.
· We attended a show of one of our favorite comedians, Paula Poundstone.
Dinghy ride
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Morning dew and a very busy spider!
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· Francie visited friends in Fort Lauderdale. Mike was not invited. As Francie departed, we could each be heard singing under our breath, “Celebrate, Celebrate dance to the music.”
· We allowed Anam Cara to visit a boat yard, one of her favorite activities, for another and hopefully final rudder repair!
· We allowed Anam Cara to visit a boat yard, one of her favorite activities, for another and hopefully final rudder repair!
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This mess to.........
this!
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· On our way north, Francie visited a college roommate at a hotel in Disney World while Mike visited Jim, his son.
· Enjoyed two days in Memphis with a tour of Sun Studio (walking in the shoes of musical giants) and a night on Beale Street, which included the consumption of “Beale Street’s Big Ass Beer”.
· No trip to Memphis is complete without a stop at the Peabody Hotel to see the duck parade from the lobby fountain to their home in the penthouse. Check this out: http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody-ducks/
· Enjoyed two days in Memphis with a tour of Sun Studio (walking in the shoes of musical giants) and a night on Beale Street, which included the consumption of “Beale Street’s Big Ass Beer”.
· No trip to Memphis is complete without a stop at the Peabody Hotel to see the duck parade from the lobby fountain to their home in the penthouse. Check this out: http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody-ducks/
· On the way to Chicago, we made a last minute decision to stop in Springfield, IL during record setting cold to visit a friend of Francie’s from college, the new Lincoln Museum and Lincoln’s Home. Francie, in her college days, lived in a rooming house across from Lincoln’s home. ( For those of you wondering, Lincoln had moved out of the neighborhood by then!)
Lincoln's home.
Lincoln's family + 2
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Really, Mike!
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· While in the north, we visited family and friends while familiarizing ourselves with the snow and cold. Francie is still asking Mike why he wanted to go home in March.
After a week of preparation, we are going to leave for the Bahamas. We hope to have new adventures, but none as exciting as our return trip from the Bahamas in 2012!
After a week of preparation, we are going to leave for the Bahamas. We hope to have new adventures, but none as exciting as our return trip from the Bahamas in 2012!