ST Augustine to Jacksonville

There was a bit of a hiccup this morning. We had to spend another night at the Marina because the Alternator wasn't back from the Engineers. This didn't please us in particular, because each night costs money.
We got up ready to move on, this morning, and prepared the boat per usual. When we went by the Boat Store, the Alternator wasn't there...again...we had been told last night that the paint wasn't dry...so we walked the mile down the road to the Winn Dixie, to check the Lottery tickets...no luck:(

Anyway, we got our walk in, and on the way there, we got the call to say the Alternator had arrived at the Boat Shop and we could pick it up, which we did on our return.

Waz noticed that the regulator hadn't been changed out, yet they charged us exactly the same amount for the repair, as they did for the first Alternator, which was good as new! How so???

He installed the Alternator, fired the engines up...all good! Turned the engines off again, to enjoy a cup of tea, before setting sail, as it were.

On firing the engines up again, the battery voltage fell, indicating that the new alternator wasn't working! bah!
We went back to the Boat Shop and the owner (a boat mechanic) came down to the boat to see for himself. The job had a guarantee, so there was no problem fixing it if it wasn't right.
He told Waz to take the Alternator out, again, and we would be held up, possibly another night. Not happy!!!

While Waz was in the engine room, he tried something he hadn't done before (even though he knew what it did)....and it worked!!! yay!
So, we finished our tea, started the engines again, and left the dock!
So good to be on the water again, moving forward, and north.

St Augustine from the water...while waiting for the Bridge of Lions to open for us.

 Leaving the city behind...the bridge going down again, after letting us through.

We knew there might be some bad weather on the way, but we had plenty of places we could pull over if necessary. We watched the clouds gather, the sky get darker, and darker, and finally, we got a Coast Guard warning on the radio to say there were extreme conditions present. We didn't want to put ourselves in potentially a difficult situation, so we pulled into a marshy river area, and put down the anchor. We put the curtains up at the back, for weather protection, and hunkered down to have a cup of tea...as you do:)
Here it comes!!
See how wild the water looks here! The wind came up and stirred the pot!

 As you can see...it was warm..80.6F...and damp!

We got a bit of heavy rain, but nothing like we expected, and then pulled the anchor and moved on. It meant we were a bit past our agenda, but that didn't bother us too much. As long as it is light when we dock!


We motored for about 15 miles along a man made channel with houses on one side and marsh/forest on the other. One the way, we were joined by three dolphin who played for the longest time, in the wake...first up close, like this one, then the three of them moved to the larger waves at the back of the boat. I video'd them for about 5 mins, jumping and having loads of fun.:)

Some of the homes were lovely, and what a great place to have a home...with access to the ICW at your doorstep.

This was by far the largest home we saw, just before going under the Jacksonville Bridge.

  On the other side of the bridge, signs of civilization!

 As we approached the turn off to our overnight dock...the public docks..with no services tho!, this large boat crossed in front of us and went up the adjacent river. It looks a bit like it is sitting in a field!lol.

The boat above is the triangle on the right of the screen. The markers were a little confusing to begin with, then we sorted them all out...it is when there are lots of convergences and too many red and green signs!

 We had fought the currents for half the journey so it was nice to have the current with us for the last part of the trip.

Your tax dollars at work...this is a new Navy boat.

 and the Security Boat that went back and forward in front of the boat...boring!

Finally, we went under a bridge that was a bit borderline, and which we debated asking for an opening, but Waz put the antenna down, and we sailed under without a problem.
Our fellow boater on the dock, a Canadian in a Sail boat, helped us tie up, and we are happy to be settled down for the night. This place is quite remote, strangely.

The view out back of the boat...with the pink sunset just beginning.

 

We may have more bad weather tomorrow, so we are watching that on TV right now. Not a problem but we don't like the wind...rain, not a bother tho!.

 

So, we are about to put the genset on again for yet another cup of tea...and maybe some more dessert:) There is just enough left to two more servings:)

 

We may stay another night if the weather is going to be bad, other wise we will pass through Jacksonville and Fernandina, tomorrow.

 

Ciao for now :)

It's my Birthday!!

Aren't I lucky?  I get two of them! Having been born on the 29th of April, in NZ, and today is the 29th in NZ, I celebrated today. I will also celebrate tomorrow, as it is the 29th in the USA! :)

Being the day before we set sail (as it were), we had a whole list of 'things' to do...literally a list!

Our first stop was the laundry, and we filled two machines...how did we get so much laundry in just 6 days?? Rhetorical question!


We were waiting on the mail, which wasn't available to us yesterday, because the office was closed, so we checked that and found a birthday card from my lovely sister, and a gift enclosed:)

Next up was the Post Office, where we had to send our NZ tax information off to our NZ accountant...$60 thanks!!wow! but it was less expensive than sending a CD with all the digital info and paying them to print it all out!
We also had some birthday cards to mail and a couple of other things.

We then went back to the Hot Spot café, where we had enjoyed the Croissant Sandwiches, two days earlier. This was the birthday breakfast! We enjoyed a HOT latte, this time, having requested it, and the sandwich was as good as before. When we sat down, we were joined at a nearby table by a couple from Ottawa. They have invited us to get in touch with them when we get up their way, and gave us their contact information:) We biked home and stowed the bikes in their bags upstairs, and put a few other things away.

Next up was the fruit stall just around the corner...left out the gate and next to Hwy 1. but wait!!

First we have to 'walk the plank'! up the gang way that connects the floating dock with the mainland. There is a 6ft tide here, so sometimes this plank is a little steep!

and ...lo! the 'Dining Room'....well, kind of. It is where everyone hangs out when they need some shade and to bar-b-q, sit and drink/smoke/ tell lies etc.

Up close and personal...

 ok..moving right along....to the bathroom...door mid center...lots of bikes that belong either to those 20 resident liveaboards, or they have been left there by those who came and went...and forgot their bikes...or something like that.

 anyway....we are now out the gate and turning left...that is the Hwy1, straight ahead! Cars on the left are at the Fruit Stall.

Yes, here it is...and it is interesting to me that the different people who have served me have charged different prices for the same things. Hmmm....It is a 'family' business!

I love the red truck!:)

These tomatoes are SOOOO good!

I love this too...and the fruit is great..oh, and the vegetables too. Much better than buying at the supermarket and better prices too!

 

 

Next on the agenda, after the fruit stall, was the supermarket, just down the road about a mile.

 

However, before that, Waz decided to take the other alternator out and get that reconditioned, as he had the other one. Wise move, I think! We dont know where we will be if we need to do it later, so do it now.

 

Back to the supermarket....We walked there with our little red cart and bought all the essentials that we couldn't find anywhere else, and came home about 1.30pm.

It was HOT! at this stage. Waz turned the Air conditioning on, as it was just too hot inside the boat...it has been on since! Must have been 90F out there today.

 

We put things away, and then decided that we should have some lunch!

We didn't need too much to eat, so decided to have dessert, for a change..why not?:)

Last night we sampled the cheesecake, which was still warm, and we should have waited for it to be refrigerated for a couple of hours.

 

So, today we ate it cold with copious strawberries and whipped cream. Last night we ate it with fresh peaches, which was delicious. Making dessert with no sugar had it's challenges, and we definitely need the sweetness of the fruit!

 

The walnuts on the bottom are really nice:)

 

We had decided to go out to dinner at a Pizza restaurant and had picked up a coupon for it, at the café, this morning. The coupon allowed us free appetizer, and we chose fried mushrooms...not something we would normally eat, and it allowed us a 20 inch pizza. Somehow this didnt all computer at the time...a 20 inch Pizza is HUGE!!! and they bring it out on a stand which is about 8 inches off the table. The stand is made for 12-16 inch pizzas, and NOT 20 inch ones. It also has a small base, which is nuts!!

sooooo....Waz had a piece of the Meat Lovers Supreme, and gave me one...he then went back for a second piece and I was getting myself a second one when suddenly the whole thing tipped backwards over the top of the table onto the bench seat on the other side. It was hilarious! We managed to retrieve the rest of the pizza and put it into a box to take home.

We have frozen the balance and will eat it for lunch until we get sick of it!

 

A parcel arrived for us from Len...two white shirts with PierOne Yacht Sales logos on them....Thanks Len! We are very happy to promote you and the business! We had to take a 'Selfie' of the two of us, of course!

 

 

 

The air conditioner is still on, and it is very warm outside, even now, at 10.30pm. We have a couple of things to see to before we head to bed, so we had better go and do them..

We are off tomorrow, heading north again to Jacksonville and beyond. You will hear from us soon!

 

Night, night!

 

 

She's baking again!!

Oh yes...sometimes I get these 'Jags' where I just have to practice my craft...cooking!

Today I had ...make that HAD to vacuum the boat. Of course, I have had lunches in the back of my mind, for a while now, and especially after our late evening trip to the Winn Dixie, down the road, last night.

I came back totally uninspired! and a little desperate feeling to be totally honest. We need a good lunch when we are on the road, otherwise we are pecking at whatever I can find in the fridge, around 3pm.

Don't ask what got me inspired...perhaps it was the package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry in the freezer, but I had a brain wave!

I mixed 3/4 of a bag of baby spinach, well chopped, with the last three slices of ham, chopped (which needed to be eaten) and some ready grated cheese (last of the package) and one egg. It didn't need seasoning, because the Ham was already seasoned.

I smooshed it all together and opened out the pastry. I didn't bother rolling it thinner..too lazy, but I did preheat the oven to 400F, and that was ready by the time I had spread the mixture over the pastry sheets (x2) and then rolled them up..a bit like making pinwheels. I did brush the end with the left over egg from the bowl, so that the ends wouldn't unroll, during cooking. I cut them a bit like sushi, in 1./2 inch rounds on some baking paper, in the micro/convection oven. They took about 20-25 mins each time (took 3 rounds to do the lot) to cook golden brown. We ate a few for lunch, today, and they are yummy! try them!

Today was supposed to be a rest day, and it has been, but we have to keep getting up to DO things. We are just like that. Waz is currently taking a radio apart, in the pilot house!

I am sitting down after making my sugarless cheesecake.

Waz had made us a cup of coffee for afternoon tea and a bowl of popcorn...his fav. afternoon snack (salted, but butterless), and I mulled over how to make a cheesecake or cake for my birthday on Tuesday. We are on the move that day, so I had to make it today! Tomorrow is out of the question because we are doing last minute things while in port. No time for such silly things then!:)

So here is the recipe I made up. It is currently in the oven and looks and smells fantastic!!

Because we are eating NO ADDED SUGAR, and low carbs (because they turn to sugar inside us), it is a wonderful challenge to come up with non-traditional ways of putting ingredients together that will no only chemically work, but also taste great. Because sugar is so integral to so many desserts, I thought this would be the ultimate challenge. This recipe uses no added sugar, other than the natural sugars you find in the raw ingredients. Cream cheese and Sour Cream both have sugars because they are milk products...naturally. They are also very low in carbs!The fats are good fats, because they are naturally occurring. You don't eat a whole lot of this at once (well, you probably shouldn't, lol), so one piece will just be part of the daily intake of fats, sugars and carbs.

here it is..
Mon's Low Sugar Cheese Cake...chocolate (which helps with the setting and flavor)

1 block regular Philly Cream Cheese(slightly warmed)
1 cup full cream Sour Cream
Whip those two together!

In a glass jug place 4 squares of Lindt 85% dark chocolate and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 35 secs. Stir together until the choc. is melted and the mix is thick. 
Add 1 tspn dried coffee wetted with 1 tspn warm water. Mix into the choc/cream mix.

Add that to the sour cream and philly mix...beat well!

Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating slowly into the mix. The mix will be quite wet by now.

Finely chop 2 cups of Walnuts or Pecans (not sweetened or salted) and spread them over a lightly greased baking pan bottom. I am using a round pan...but any other will do.
Pour the choc. cheesecake mix over the top of the nuts.

Preheat oven to 325F, and place the cheesecake in the oven. Bake for 50-60 mins. The cheesecake should not have a crack on top...should still jiggle slightly, when cooked. Take out and put on a rack to cool totally. When cold, refrigerate for several hours (longer is better), and serve with fresh berries and lightly whipped cream.
*If you want to make the presentation spectacular...place foil in the pan and lightly butter before putting the nuts in. When the cheesecake is really cold and set, invert the cake onto a serving plate and peel the foil away carefully. Chocolate curls on top, with your favorite berries and whipped cream piled on top ...yum!:)
This would serve a family of six, easily.

It was really easy to make, and I hope it will serve it's celebration purpose on Tuesday.

NO, 'Im not going to tell you how old I am....As I said in a previous post on Ruminations, it isn't the years that are important! It is what you have done with them:)...or something like that. I forget (ha! old age???)

Anyway, I am feeling creatively satisfied and quite content....I have something in the oven:)

Waz, however, is not content. A series of SMALL things have cropped up while we have been in port, and it isn't much fun, just when you think all is well, and you only have ONE day left to sort things out. Not to worry...we will get them done, no matter if we have to stay another day, or not.

At least the boat is clean, inside and out, but I still have to get out there and do some stainless cleaning.

The plants are doing so well....here is a sneak peek...

They may even end up paying for themselves:)

The mint is trying to escape, but mint does that! usually After it has taken over the container.

Well, I will back up the boat a bit....
I woke (it is becoming a bad habit) at just before 7am, this morning. I had to get the camera out first thing, of course...even before I had put my glasses on!! I should take 5 to collect all the necessaries BEFORE getting up!:)


Stunning colors, as the sun crept over the horizon.

I love this red yacht, just down the river...it gives a wonderful colorful point of interest in an otherwise pale palette of boats.

Like these...

The color got better half an hour later...

Well, the cheesecake is out of the oven!!!

..and I did say that there shouldn't be a crack in the top...well, mine did the mushroom cloud thing, instead.

Time will tell if it kawhumps back into itself....As long as it is edible, I don't mind:)

I will report back on the taste and possible will remember to show you what it looks like when it is 'dressed'!

A quiet night tonight...our internet is junk, so we might or might not get to watch a movie!

Ciao for now

It's a Good but Early Morning!

You know it is a good morning when you are greeted by a pooch sticking it's nose against the porthole:)...from the OUTside!

I told you about the dogs next door, last night....well, make up your own mind on these two!

The new dog is on the right...and I got the breed wrong...Newfoundland...Newfie! but has a border Collie head-ish...but a gorgeous coat! That is Bear on the left! It was the Newfie that heard us stirring, this morning, and stuck it's head against the porthole. Waz said when he went out to greet the dog, the dog kept looking at him, then back at the porthole, because he knew he had heard that same voice coming from down there!!smart dog!:)

It wasn't a good night for sleep, however...overdoing he bike riding is telling on my bad left hip, but perhaps I just need a day off???maybe. I do love the exercise and we are so enjoying having the freedom and ability to go where we might not go if we were just walking...tho' we are known to walk great distances!

Of course 6am is not an ideal time to get up...by our standards (being an hour later), but it was perfect timing for the gorgeous morning sun and slight fog.

I just love sitting so close to the Marshes and listening to the birds, morning and night...such a ruckus! We cant actually see the birds, but we sure hear their chorus!:)

Sun is up and happy!

 

and there seemed to be a number of small boats on the water, first thing...

This one is leaving. Most of the boats that are leaving, seem to go by around 8am. We will have to depart on Tuesday morning, between 9 and 11am, due to the tide. We also want to get the post when it arrives, as we don't know where our next postal stop will be.

We had talked to one of our fellow boaters who recommended a little restaurant no far away (towards town) called the Hot Spot Café. They are a bakery also, and had the most amazing looking croissants on their racks. They said that the best breakfast was available from 8am, so that is where we biked to for breakfast, this morning.
Waz and both had the croissant sandwiches...his with bacon and scrambled, and mine with chorizo and scrambled...both of them excellent. We also managed to get a reasonable Latte...though they are never hot enough for Waz. He likes his scalding, and I like mine drinkable:)

After breakfast we decided to do some tiki-touring and went down the streets that make up the Historic Lincolnville. This area is famous as a Black (African American) stronghold, and Marti n Luther King Jr Blvd was named after the famous civil rights leader actually walked down that road (Formerly Orange), during the heyday of the civil rights movement, here in Florida. Of course I had left my camera on the boat....HOW did I do that??? I NEVER leave my camera!!!

The historic buildings on this street and all the other streets that make up the area, are mostly falling down, but it was great to see at least one person on the job, rebuilding. Her name is Mickey Cash!

Mickey and I got talking...she is rebuilding and restoring an historic home...she knows all about the family with 7 kids that used to inhabit it...from the bottom up, and is keeping the parts that will hold up, but the rest will just have to be facsimilied!..if that is the term?

Not only is she a restorer, but also a Country Singer, and very kindly gave us her CD! Thanks Mickey:)...It was great to talk to another passionate person!  She purchased the old building and lot for a pittance, and now that the area is seeing a resurgence in renovations, the prices for property there have trebled.
Riding the back blocks on our bikes is fascinating. It is great to have the mobility, but it also means we get to see more than if we were walking...I think I said that already!

I have identified why I like this place so much...well, WE like this place so much. It is so European, and the history is what I call Living History. People actually live, work, learn and play in these buildings and this town...it isn't for tourists, though they come in droves, but it is a real living, vibrant town. It had a good 'feel' to it.
There are many at the Marina who came for a day or two, maybe a month or two, and stayed one or two or sometimes three years. There are 20 live aboard boats at this Marina.

I spoke to one man, who today handed over the keys of his boat to the new owner. He and I sat and talked in the Computer room at the Marina, and tried to sort out where he should go next. It might sound funny, but it is actually a much harder decision than just putting a pin in the map.

He thought it might be a good idea to buy another yacht and go live in Hawaii, on a mooring ball. I didn't think that life would be much fun for him, doing that.
Many of the people who live on their boats are single men, and they are non conformists, as you might guess. If people are not 'joiners' of clubs and other organizations, during their lifetime, they can get awfully lonely. This person has had an exceptional career that was cut short 4 yrs ago, during the global recession, like so many others. He also lost a lot of money in a Real Estate investment that went down the tubes one month before his job was cut. Not a good time in life, for him or many others like him. Living on a boat has proven to be the least expensive way for him to live, and he sees that as still his only option in life. How sad!

Waz came and rescued me from the computer room just before lunch time...I had gone up there to write this blog, which might have been quite different had I not had the exchange with this man! lol.

After we ate our lunch of one meatball each (dinner leftovers) and cole slaw with a cup of tea, we decided to walk up the road to the Sailor's Exchange, hoping they would still be open.
We didn't find what we went for, but we managed to find a new way to walk back to the boat, around a pretty lake, and came out opposite the street where we started out. Fortunate!:)

As we were crossing the road, the person I had talked to in the computer room was coming out of the Marina entrance in a nice Porche. He had portrayed himself to me as being VERY hard-up and on his last financial legs. He waved (that's how I recognized him!) at us both, and I had a big laugh over how I had been taken in...lesson learned! I don't know that I will ever believe anyone's sob story again!  No harm done, but my soft heart has been hardened just a little bit!:) At least it gave us both a good chuckle!!

The wind is blowing down the river this afternoon, so we are getting the music from Hurricane Patty's Bar and Grill, for free...not that I think we would pay for it...this guy's voice is getting VERY boring. That is one thing we have to deal with when in a Marina. No wonder we like to anchor out in the wilderness. The other is that our neighbors sat outside their yacht on chairs, last night, but it just happened to be outside our bedroom portholes. That forced us to close the windows and turn the aircon on, to go to sleep. Hearing what is going on in the next boat, isn't always pleasant.

Well, I will stop complaining and go and enjoy the rest of the lovely day...I will have to take some more photos of the 'garden' for you...the tomatoes are huge now and the herbs are threatening to grow outside of the box!   Ciao for now....

More bike touring in St Augustine, FL.

We finished off the few chores we had left over from yesterday, this morning, and left for town just before lunch.

We had eaten  a good breakfast, so we weren't too hungry at 11.30am...intending to have a small meal in town. We usually have a $20 max. for the two of us, for lunch, and knew we could find food for well under that.

 

All the 'glas' upstairs is now pristine:) Such a good feeling, having that done!

 

We hopped on our bikes and went back into the Historic District the same way as we had gone on Wednesday. There was a small difference, today. We went left, at the Flagler College, instead of right.

This took us back along the road to the Historic Village (Tourist route).  We wanted to see the Cathedral (Catholic) and other Historic buildings....

 

...like the Government Building, below...

 

This building was a US Post Office

 lovely park opposite the former Post Office

We love the skyline!

There are numerous cannon and balls, scattered around the town.

See the white sign above the 3rd parked car, on the left? That is the sign for Kookaburra Café...and Aussie Café and eatery. We rejoiced! YAY! We might even get a decent Flat White!!

We asked, and yes, they do Flat Whites! and lo! They also had Aussie Pies! WOW! Even more impressed. We asked the owner what his Aussie ties are, and he has dual citizenship, like myself. His mother is Aussie and Dad is an American. He says his mother periodically comes down from Alaska, where she now resides, to do quality control! Ok...that sounded good...though the pies looked small, we went ahead and ordered the beef pie..vs the vege curry one.
To begin with, the pie was not very hot. The pastry was obviously home made, but didn't taste like anything I have ever tasted. There was also too much of it. He told us it was made to an old family recipe...with tomato sauce in the meat mix. That didn't ring any bells until I opened the pie up...I think the meat had been cooked only with Ketchup!...no onion, no peas, no carrots!!!

I did tell him that the flat white was good...well, ok...but the pie was nothing like anything we had ever eaten before..truly!!
He then made all kinds of excuses, saying that it was a regional thing, in Australia. Well, I have lived in NSW and Victoria...in different places, and have NEVER eaten a pie like this one. He said it was a Queensland recipe...well, we have been in Queensland, and eated pies, but Nothing like this!. I have an idea this might be his mother's recipe, but certainly nothing like what you might find anywhere outside his family home. NOT GOOD!
The bummer was...he charged $5.50 for it...EACH!

Waz and I both agreed that the market was primed for a REAL KIWI MEAT PIE! :) if that was what he was offering. He said he gets lots of Aussie people come in for the pies...he said he sold about 6-12 each day...hmmm that's not many!

So...two flat whites and two aussie 'meat' pies $18! ack!!!

We had to indulge in a cup of Gelato, after that..but wow!! $4.95 each! wow...we wont be eating too many of those, at that price. Don't you hate it when the tourists get gouged??
So, we had overindulged our budget today....stay home tomorrow!!

 Cathedral of St Augustine

 This sign cracked us up...read it carefully!...this is on LAND!....Vessels? on land??

Poor pooch looks a bit overburdened.

We love that the old paving has been left, so that you can see what it used to be...under the tarseal.

The town gate, on the right, looking out to the Castillo de San Marcos.

...and across the road, the Protestant Cemetery

 If you can read this sign...it was very tilted, so difficult to photograph.

 The sing below is on the ball...but we think it used to be on the stone on the left.

 

 

The lovely courtyard outside the cemetery...

and the fountain in the same place...

 ...with this explanation...

 I had to go and pat the horses, of course, and enquire after them...the one in front is very slight and pretty, and didn't feel as hot as it looked. It was about 85F today, and I was assured that they get lots of water and shade! hmmm....where?

We found the Fountain of Youth!...it didn't look like anything we thought it should!

The Oldest Store, Museum. We didn't feel inclined to go into any of these places, being a bit allergic to horribly touristy things....Beside that, they are expensive!

 HQ for the train tourist transport/tours

Not sure what these ladies were trying to do, but they seemed very taken by the convicts! lol.

...and across the road was this lovely Carousel...

Time to go back to the boat, after this...and we rode down the main Hwy...on the sidewalk, of course...and on the way...

I fell in love with this Can-am...yes, that's Waz waiting for me to get over myself! lol

and...then I had to stop and take a photo of this cutie...love the yellow!!:)

ok..when we live in Florida, on our large acreage, we can have one of these!!! and a Can-am :)  nothing like dreaming...and we haven't won Lotto, yet!:(

Well, Waz has just gone up the gangway to the showers, and I need to go out back and close everything up. It is almost 11pm...how time flies, when you are having fun.

just as an aside...


we have new neighbors...well, we are the new neighbors, truth be told, but their lovely 47ft Benetau is just across the dock from us...like on the other side of us. They are here for the weekend, and brought their lovely dog with them.  We had to have puppy loves with Bear, a black rescue pooche...14 yrs old, and probably a Border Collie/Cross, and then the wife appears with a brand new rescue dog...HUGE 1 yr old. This one has an incredible coat  which is fascinating colors. This dog looks like a Blue Collie /St Bernard Cross. You should see it's tail!! a real flag:)
They rescued the dog, literally today...on the way to the boat. Such a mellow youngster! So...of course we had to have MORE puppy loves and thoroughly enjoyed them both. Gosh I miss my girl, who would be 8 yrs old now. 
On that somewhat sad note, I will leave you. One day, when we are established somewhere, we will have another dog!!