Another House-Sit.

Yes, we are now in another House Sit...our 5th for the year. We met with the owners about 3 months prior to taking this opportunity, and we are very happy we can be of service to them and allow them to go on vacation without worrying about their precious kitties. These two females are siblings.
Like most of the cats we have cared for, they have their routines, and it is our job to keep them and provide the necessary daily loves and strokes and feeds, not to mention the toys, playing and just about everything else they want to throw at us...sometimes literally. One of these two likes to play fetch:)

As with all cats, we are their servants....and we wont forget it any time soon:)

We have passed this lovely home twice now, as it sits along the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW), with a dock that goes out over the water, with a boat in a sling, ready to drop into the water. We were offered the use of the Kayak, but I doubt we will get it into the water while here. One of the reasons for that is that the water traffic here goes a gazillion miles per hour, and the wakes would simply toss us overboard.

The past two mornings we have come out here to the dock to sit on the twin swing and enjoy a cup of coffee with the breeze and the view. We sit looking south, of course, and watch the boats coming and going. Being a weekend, they are plentiful.

The water is very shallow in these parts, apart from the ICW channel, of course, but the shoreline is protected Nature Conservation area, and the mangroves and palms in this band of vegetation is carefully managed. The docks and walkways clear the undergrowth which does need some trimming a couple of times a year, or it will grow too high and obstruct the views from the homes. ahem!

 The view south, down the ICW towards Flagler and Daytona Beach.

 As I said, the ICW was busy this morning.

 Waz called me out and to bring my camera, early on. This nasty storm cloud was very pregnant and the rain was already starting. It didn't turn into a major storm, however, and for which we were most grateful. I moved a couple of things in the Florida Room, so they wouldn't get blown over, but after a quick 'blow' it was all over. The sky really didn't lose it's broodiness until middle of the afternoon, however.

 Gorgeous light!

Half way along the dock on either side, are steps down to the small beach. I'm not sure I want to go down there. Apart from the possibility of 'critters' being in the long grass and undergrowth, I rather want to leave the delicate shoreline plants to themselves.

 The rocks on the beach are typical local rocks called or made of Coquina. This is the 'shell rock' that is used for construction...or was, in days gone by. I have documented these coquina homes and buildings here on the blog. They are called Coquina in Florida, but called 'Tabby' in Georgia. Hmmm...

On our side of the jointly owned dock (with the neighbors), there is this aluminum canoe. I have a feeling I would be the one to tip us both out, if we were to try this:) Might be fun, except that there are 'critters' in the water too!....Manatee, Dolphin and ALLIGATORS!

 The landscaping here, just an hour south of Jacksonville, couldn't be more different. Here the vegetation is lower...mostly palmetto, agave, dracaena, lots of spiky things, which are now blooming! and very much zeroscaping kind of plants....those that require little water, other than rainwater.
Our host turned off their sprinklers before leaving. He informed us that the Home Owners Assoc. says they are only allowed to  sprinkle their lawns two days per week. Water is at a premium in these parts. Some homes have wells in the yard from which to drawn water for plants, but the homes closest to the ICW and ocean do not, as it would be brackish or salty.

 This is the garden in the front of the house. Where the mown strip ends is the conservation area...or where it begins. Lots of dead palm trees which are left standing for the woodpeckers, who make homes of them.

After breakfast this morning, we decided to go and find out friends from Brunswick, Rhonda and Bruce Little. They are supposed to be docked at a nearby marina. Of course we didn't have their phone numbers, as we thought, and though we found their boat, we didn't find THEM. We left our boat card in the hope that they will call, and then we have their number...you think?:)

Moving on down the road we stopped for lunch at Flagler beach at a restaurant we had eaten at before...the Funky Pelican. He had the fish, I had the Shrimp. Not the worlds best food, and the service isn't flash, but we got to sit there and watch all the whales beaching...oh, sorry...being rude!...all the folks on the beach:) naughty, naughty!!!!

 The red flags were out, and the Life Guards were blowing their whistles frantically to keep swimmers within the shore break. Interesting to watch all the goings on. That is the famous Flagler Pier in the background, below.

 The interesting foliage in the green strip before the beach.

 Love the Cactus babies!

Too bad we didn't see the flowers!

This home has a large Florida Room that I am sure is wonderful in those between seasons when it is just fine to sit outside. Right now, the very early morning is about the only time you would want to sit out there! Too hot otherwise, although the cats like to go out there and chase the lizards that come up the drainage hole. You certainly cant beat the view though:)

Our hosts have this intuitive Massage Chair. They made sure we knew how to work it, prior to them leaving, and last night I indulged myself with 15 minutes of 'Relax', which was anything but....and then 15 further minutes of 'Neck and Shoulders' which seemed to include my whole spine. With all that kneading and pounding, I was ready for sleep...and did indeed sleep like the dead! Will have to repeat it tonight, methinx! I might even get Waz enthused...maybe!

Our hosts are adventurous people. They owned this RV for 15 years, and after they sold their sailboat, which they sailed all around the Bahamas and Caribbean,  they spent 2 yrs criss-crossing the USA, as per the map below. They are on a one month journey by car, while we watch the house and cats for them. Places they have not been to yet.

There are lots of RV's and 5th Wheelers (trailer homes pulled by/attached to heavy duty domestic variety pick up trucks...about 2500/3500 cc vehicles...on the road right now. It is the School Holidays! What more can we say? Summer!!

Lots of kids at the pool last night when we went for our swim and exercise routine. Not much fun with all the kids in there, so we will time our visit better next time. Early morning perhaps?

Nobody observes the rules of no running, no eating in the pool, no jumping or horseplay, despite there being plenty of 'responsible' adults around to 'supervise',  and I don't want to be the Grinch that reminds kids that if they are going to jump, they need to jump OUT from the wall, as we observed so many of them barely skimming the wall on entry to the water. These are the folks who will cry fowl when their kid comes bleeding to the surface, and will sue the Home Owners Association...aieeee!

Waz just came back into the house to tell me he had seen a Manatee surfacing near the dock. He is looking for something to do, until  the heat leaves, and then we will go walking. The dock is a draw card, to be sure, and it is so easy to spend time out there watching the world go by. We love that the Dolphin and Manatee fee in the shallows out there, for us to watch:)

Time to go for that walk, despite the sun still heating the place up. Plenty of new places to explore, for us.

 Be careful out there...tis the Summer Holidays! or  downunder...tis winter! Stay warm!

Hotter Than Hades!

Yes it is, and it isn't going to get any cooler this side of Thursday/Friday. We may get some more rain, but it really doesn't cool the place down much...much!

Today we had three initially energetic young men come and wash and wax the boat. The 95F temps were probably more like 98-100F frankly, and they worked like demons until about 2.30pm, with a half hour off for lunch. Our baby is clean and shiny from the waterline to the top. Lovely to have that done. I just have to get up at Sparrow fart to condition the Eisenglas on the Fly Deck. I don't let anyone touch that stuff...At least if I scratch it, it is my fault, but anyone else leaving marks...well...their lives wouldn't be worth living. All these things are very expensive, and the Eisinglas is well...plastic, basically, and therefore it scratches. The less scratches, the better we can see through the glas.

SO..long time since I last posted, and some things don't change. We are still visiting Doctors to try and find out what is going on with Waz's sinus. We have dumped the Rheumatologist...he was NOT someone to have confidence in, as I may have said before. We were dismissed by the ENT man, unless Waz wants a Biopsy. The GP has been working overtime to get him the specialists she thinks will help, and we are now going to yet another for their opinion. We almost want to make a CD of the WHOLE of the story about how this came to be, but that might appear rude:)

At least we get this week off...kind of.

In this heat, any amount of activity serves to wipe you out. Being old folks that happens with or without the heat, but you catch my drift!

We have been busy packing our belongings up and taking them down the road to the storage unit for safe keeping. The boat is 80% clear of our 'stuff', which is amazing, when you consider that the Unit is now almost full!  Where is the last 20% going to go???

We have crates with 'stuff' to take house sitting with us, and crates with 'other stuff' to take to Europe with us, later in the year, and crates that we need  NOW. It is all so easily taken off the boat in these containers, should someone want to visit the boat with a view to buying her.

So...while we had the curtains off, today, I took some photos...and yesterday, while it was 94F, I was sitting out on the cockpit sewing new red covers for the fenders that sit decoratively on the bow.

Don't they look lovely??  We had the option of making them the same Marine Blue as the 'working fenders, but they wouldn't have looked as nice sitting up forward in their holders.

So, in the process of cleaning our girl up, I took these photos of the salon while it was free of 'stuff' ( I seem to like that word, lol)

 Yes, that is a sheet we have on the floor to preserve the carpet, now that it has been cleaned.

Oops..I almost forgot about the Immunology tests that Waz had done last week. That was exciting. Trying to figure out what he is allergic to...well, basically most things!

Mostly dogs, cats, dust mites and a gazillion different tree pollens and grasses, all in the Jacksonville area.
We knew about the dog and cat ones, but unless he puts his hands near his eyes after stroking either, it doesn't affect him noticeably.
We do house sit cats, you see, but nothing to worry about to date.

Weekend before last we spent the Sunday with and English woman and her daughter, who is here for Proton Therapy Cancer treatment. I had become a kind of penpal with her mother in France, after chatting with her over a house sitting arrangement near Toulouse. We couldn't help them out there, but we could play host to the daughter and granddaughter in Jax, which was lots of fun. We went out to Biscotti for brunch, took them on a drive to Brunswick Georgia and showed them where we spent last summer, and the lovely Victorian houses in the Historic District before going across to St Simon's Island for ice-cream and a tour around there. They never thought they would get to spend time in Georgia, so we were glad to show them around. They loved the Marshes too.

We found the daughter inspirational. Because of a brain tumor, her eyesight, balance and right hand are severely challenged, but she insisted on walking everywhere and taking in all the sights. She was engaging, intelligent, though her words were hard to come by some times, but most enjoyable as a guest. Just 18 yrs old, we hope this is good for her, and it appears to be doing something, because she arrived in the USA four weeks ago in a wheelchair. That she can walk now, is fantastic!

We just went for a walk along A dock and met another kiwi and he UK husband on their 47ft Nordhaven, which they bought in NZ about the time we bought our boat in the USA, 2013. They have been around the world on this motor yacht built specifically for ocean travel, and she will be for sale. They are planning to go back to Australia where they have 7 children and numerous Grandbabies between them. Looks like we are all in similar boats...in that regard:)

Time for me to shut the computer down and head for bed. Waz is in the shower already, and I need to go and have a cool one. I think I will swim again tomorrow morning, first thing. Good to be in the pool before all the kids get there!

Night night!