A long time to cover, so hang in there!

I am pretty sure it was in the high 90'sF today, but felt over 100F. One can get very tired of sitting inside in the air conditioned comfort, and the need to get out and move becomes imperative. What better thing to do than get the wax and polisher out? In THIS heat? Surely you jest!!!!NOPE!

Well, I had to do SOMETHING other than sit on the computer doing research for our upcoming adventures...more on that later!

Let's see....I am scratching my head! Today is the 13th of August, and as I count down the days (17 to go) until we lift off for parts to be later revealed, I can barely remember what has transpired in our lives since I last posted.

I'm sure the photo album will serve me well, per usual, and I will manage to jog the old memory. Here goes!
You heard how we liked to sit on the swing on the dock...well, it is always fascinating to see what comes past, and this tow was something unexpected. I learned to take my camera out there with me because there were so many times I missed the 'money' shot by having to race back down the 50ft of dock to retrieve it from my bag, and back.

 This rather nice Catamaran made it's slow way north.

 I was fascinated to watch the daily birth of these beautiful and possibly deadly Funghi in a pot with some sick Gerbers in it. Usually sour soil will produce these things. Rather beautiful, don't you think?

One of the things we have to do for our Hosts, is water their plants. This is one of my personal favorite things to do as I get to clean up fallen leaves and blossoms, tidy the plants, make sure they are in the best position for sun etc, and then I sweep, wash down and generally dust and tidy any outside space.
This lovely hibiscus is growing in a pot.

I have a favorite sun hat that I wear, and roll up and squish into all kinds of small spaces, and I sought to replicate it. I took my sewing machine down to Palm Coast and bought some interesting (being the operative) fabric on the way, from JoAnn's, and made a pattern from the favorite. This is the result, for better or worse. Worse, I think, in terms of colors, and I need to make some small changes to the pattern I made out of brown parcel paper, but generally speaking, it works! I haven't had the time or place to make another one since, but I was quite pleased with how this turned out.' I pinned a 'flower' to the side for fun, but I think I wont keep it there!

 The inside of the hat which is a 'one size fits all' kind. The drawstring works really well to keep the fit firm around the head.

Another day I came outside to find THIS funghi in another pot. Interesting! It didn't open up like the other one, preferring to stay as a bonnet.

The house across the road, which is for sale, and which I rather covet. It has an internal courtyard that looks lovely, from the outside.

 We walked later and later, each night, as the heat was still rather stifling at 7pm, just after our dinner. The light wasn't great, but that doesn't matter too much. We were rather taken by surprise by the numbers of wildlife of various sorts roaming around in the subdivision.
This is one of several 'lakes' nearby.

And this fella (or gal) was a regular on the far bank of that pond or lake, each evening. Some of the Gators were there first thing in the morning too, we found. This one is about 6-8ft long.

I have to say that we are intruding on their habitat, and that all this supposed 'progress' that is being made in these wildlife areas, is just another attempt by man to oust these creatures from their homes. No wonder they come out at night to spook us!!:)

With the heat and humidity comes the afternoon thunderstorms. We hurried inside after taking these photos from the dock. You do not want to be on or near the water when Lightning is around. Often there would be no rain, just clouds, which would be blown past us. Sometimes there was a quick and violently heavy downpour, and then bright sunshine and extreme humidity again.

 Some of the sunsets were stunning, after the rain.

One of the critters we find very curious, is the Armadillo. We disturbed a mother suckling her young, one evening, and I don't know which of us was more surprised. Everyone we have spoken to said they have never seen that before. Well, I guess we were lucky! Baby lay on it's side to suckle, and when the mother got over her shock of seeing us so close...literally no more than 5 feet away...she hot footed it into the garden leaving her poor baby very bewildered, and walking around in circles.

We didn't spend all day every day in the house, choosing to take a look around the area, often driving Hwy A1A  down the ocean road past Flagler, Ormond and Daytona Beach communities. Lots to see, and we find all kinds of funky places for a coffee on the way there or  back.

One day we went down to St Augustine for the day. We didn't have anything in mind other than to get out and find some lunch. We returned to a favorite bar where we knew we could get Fish and Chips, and we weren't disappointed.
A walk through the Historic District was inevitable, and of course a rather expensive Gelato there, for an afternoon 'snack'. This pretty scene was taken through a gate in the Historic District. It looks cool, but the heat was something awful, and we soon returned to the car, taking a tiki-tour around some nearby residential streets, just to see what the houses looked like, but their prices were beyond our budget.

Speaking again of critters. This is Mating Season for all kinds...including Manatee. These 6 were very active, as much as Manatee can be active, being rather slow moving critters. The small boat gave up on the spectacle which I failed to adequately document, but these will have to do. They galolloped around in the middle of the channel and Waz and I flagged down speeding boats, so that they wouldn't all get run over. No wonder so many of them are killed by motor boats.

 Who knows what is going on under the water.

Now, this tree is of interest because there was a letter from the Home Owners Assoc. to say that the tree needed to be more than 6ft above the sidewalk. I had asked the gardener to cut the tree UP , but he failed to return on the allotted day, so Waz and I cut it:) Looks great! BUT...We decided that we wouldn't like to live in a Gated Community like this, as you have to PAY to submit a proposal to change your house color...and if you are planning to build a new home, you pay $2,000 to the 'committee' to approve your plans, including but not limited to, the shrubs you plan to plant...there is an approved list!...the house color and colors of any trim, and so much more....just too much 'stuff'. Some people really like living in places that have these kinds of restrictions, but not us.

So...We get around! :)

Having finished the five weeks house sit in Palm Coast, we loaded up our car and came home...for the night. We left again early in the morning for a weekend away in Asheville, North Carolina. We had been invited to a Birthday weekend, but  we would  be staying with someone I had be an online friend with for the past 14+ years! Yes, that long, and then we met for the first time in real life when we turned up at their front door. WONDERFUL! Susan and her husband Michael seemed like old friends by the end of the weekend.
On the way there, we stopped for the night in Columbia, the Capital of South Carolina. Cutting our trip in half was a good idea. We haven't been inland in Sth. Carolina...or North, for that matter...but...this is a 'typical of the Government-type city', with lovely restaurants, fabulous Galleries...where I managed to find something special for my sister and her husband for a house-warming gift...yay!
We enjoyed a lunch at this interesting pub, down a side road off the main drag.  I forget what we ate...maybe a burger of some description...who knows...forgettable, obviously! The décor was certainly more interesting than the food!

 I always love Public Artwork, and this told the story of the region, on the side of an otherwise boring brick wall.

 We walked for a while after our lunch, before getting into the car and finding our Hampton Inn Hotel, just out of the city center, therefore $30 less, per night! Hmmm...

On our return for dinner, we walked for a while, looking in shop windows, around the block, and discovered this restaurant which was full, by the time we walked in the door...full to overflowing, actually. We didn't want to sit and wait for 25 mins, so kept walking. The restaurant is inside the old Railway Station.

 We didn't find the building, but it's peeking over the tree-tops was rather lovely.

Waz is a Carrot Cake lover, and we saw this in a Café...and had to take a photo. We thought the cakes all looked like they may taste the same. We declined the coffee and cake in favor of more walking!

Onwards and upwards...literally....from Columbia, SC to Hendersonville, North Carolina. We had met some folks on our big Loop, in 2014, who lived then in Hendersonville, supposedly in the Piedmont, the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains, just 22 miles outside of the city of Asheville. they had told us that we just HAD to go and visit the place. Here we were!
This is a tidy town full of retired Floridians. People from other places GO to Florida to retire, but this is where Floridians retire! Out of all that heat!
The main street of the Historic District was like so many...hanging baskets, outdoor seating, plenty of Antique shops, cafes, and ice-cream shops...and an Old Fashioned Bakery (we went inside to find out what made it old fashioned!) where the cream puffs had custard in them, and some of the 'cream' was a bit suspect to us. Whipped cream is whipped cream, if you follow me! Not something with 6 ingredients!

 The Crape Myrtle up here at this elevation was something amazing! Look at the size of those blossoms! They are about 10 times larger than what we see locally in Jacksonville.

I really wanted this rocking chair...love the styling! and it was SO comfy! Oooops! Nowhere to put it on the boat:(

 There wasn't a lot of traffic, but the place was lovely and neat and tidy.

Onwards to Asheville. We had plans to meet Susan and Michael around 4pm. This meant we had time to park in Asheville and find a coffee and have a good walk around.
Asheville is very Art Deco...The buildings are really interesting. I think this is the City Hall.

 I was told what this building is, but can't remember...how typical of me! Waz has the memory, and even he can't remember, lol.

 More outdoor art...my favorite kind! kids doing typical things. This young girl is having a drink from the fountain.

 Interesting balustrade on the deck.

 Old time trolleys. The center of town is a mix of old and new.

 A seat in the shade. How lovely is this! Seat backs are large Ginko leaves.

We were pretty hot and sticky by the time we arrived at Susan and Michael's 5 acre parcel just 5 minutes from the center of Asheville. They arrived 6 years ago from New York, having come down for many years to sell the NC pottery they collect. Their home is a wonderful Craftsman style building with amazing features. I didn't take any photos...not kosher! but I can tell you that they have impeccable style and their choice of Mission furniture is right up my alley! I love it! They had commissioned several American Oak furniture pieces from Amish craftsmen, and the quality is superb. Their collections of Glassware (think Tiffany!), North Carolina pottery and enough other 'things' to start a curiosity shop! We were in heaven!:)

We were delighted to see their daily visitors, Ebenezer and his two lady friends...He obviously moved his head just as I took the photo! sorry! These wild turkey are everywhere at this elevation, which is about 3,500ft above sea level. The trees are DIVINE! You can see how Asheville is the center of the Fall Colors industry, and industry it sure is. The Fall colors of the largely Maple varieties all through the mountains here (Great Smokeys), are a huge draw card. This city appears to be busy year round, though. Good for businesses in the city center, but we wonder how our friends live with the huge crowds everywhere!

 The back of Susan and Michael's 'log and stone' home. That window is elliptical, which is quite something, the house having been built in 1935. Where that dark pile of sawdust is on the left, is where they had a huge English Oak removed 6 months ago, and the Rhododendrons in front of the window are showing signs of sunburn. The whole back of the house used to be lovely and cool in summer, and now they are complaining of the heat, with no shade there. We made the suggestion of a shade sail, which we had on our house in NZ. Works a treat to keep the sun and heat out. Yes, that is cloud through the trees. It is remarkable to have such a large property in the middle of suburbia, and we can absolutely see why they are so happy here.

 The cupola on top of the Garage apartment, taken from the back deck. Leaves were just starting to turn color when we were there.

 Ebenezer came running when Michael called the cats for their dinner....hoping for some of the same, I can guess! The back deck needs replacing or repairing. What doesn't on an older home.

 I would have claimed this studio at the end of the garden for my own. Lovely and light with so many windows.

On Saturday we wandered around the city center with the market there and music, of course. We found an ice-cream shop without a gazillion people lining up, thankfully, and enjoyed walking around looking at everything going on.

 We always visit art galleries and craft shops...this one caught my eye, obviously...I love bird houses.

 And I love quirky furniture. Maybe one day I will repurpose furniture in a creative way...maybe not this creative, but you get the idea! I didn't want someone to see me photographing the artwork! hence the poor quality of photo.

 I also love funky clocks! I would have bought them both, but I have nowhere to put them right now, and besides, I know where they are!

We met our friends at Chimney Rock, about an hour's drive ...um...some direction...but first, our GPS took us up a dead end mountain road. Good thing it did, because we saw some lovely views, interesting sights and met some nice folks who told us where to go in the RIGHT direction! At least the road was in first rate condition!

 We were very taken by this seemingly isolated farm house across the gully.

 Chimney Rock with the flag on top. it is a bit of a mission to get up there...but we didn't. It costs money all over the place...to park, to get the shuttle, to get onto the rock ...you get the idea. Our friends did all of the above, and we met them in town for lunch. They got held up, so we had lunch on our own, meeting them for their meal, and having a cup of coffee to keep them company.

 The view from on top, as per one of the posters we found.

 The town of Chimney Rock was jam packed. All the restaurants were overflowing and we ended up outside in the heat, albeit under cover, overlooking the river, which runs behind the shops.

After lunch we went further into the unknown to Lake Lure. Our friend used to come to these parts as a child on vacation, and wanted us all to see where she spent such happy times. Lightning forced the evacuation of the swimming area in front of the Hotel.

 The 'mountains' are lovely, rocky in parts and fully wooded in others. I can imagine this place in the fall...it must be stupendous!

 The beach is patrolled, and roped off from the rest of the lake. There are changing rooms and bathrooms off to the right of the photo. It was amazing to see the long line of folks wanting to get inside when the downpour started.

 There is a Marina on the other side of the lake, filled with pleasure craft of the smaller kind, and plenty of Pontoon boats. I joke that I will get one in my old age! lol

 THIS is a pontoon boat, if you can see it!

We all departed in the rain, with our friends going back to their Airbnb booked vacation rental, and us to Asheville.
We went out for dinner with Susan and Michael to a lovely Indian restaurant, where we had the most incredible meal. Waz was in heaven! This was our first Indian food in 3 yrs!  It was so much fun to get to know Susan and Michael better, and we got along famously. They took us on a tiki tour of some nice real estate and then to Grove Park Inn. This amazing building is built of local granite. It just happened that there was a Rolls Royce get-together there for the weekend and we learned that there were in excess of 200 Rolls in the garage! They had come from all over the country...even California!

 The original Hotel is on the left...the main building, obviously. There are two new wings. The one we are standing in and the one opposite.
The stairs lead down to the Spa (think glass pyramid over the top) with outdoor swimming pool, overlooking the Golf Course.

 We missed the lovely colors of sunset, but you can see the Great Smokey Mountains in the background. Downtown Asheveille is on the far left, background.

Bored yet??
Sorry, this blog has a lot of catching up to do!! and No, I cant put it into another  blog post...I'm on a roll!

This gorgeous Grandfather Clock is the original made especially for Mr Grove, the Pharmaceutical Magnate who started life as a Pharmacist making Quinine palatable. He made it so palatable that he amassed a large fortune and decided to build this stunning edifice now owned and managed by Wyndam Hotels. The place is filled with Mission style furniture. Fabulous!

 Oh Look! A Birdhouse.!

 These rocks weigh literally tons. These are the Fireplace surrounds.

 Some of the lovely baskets on display.

 And...of course there is a coffee shop/ice-cream shop where you can also get CAKES!

We just looked!

 Some of the pretties in the garages...ROLLERS!

..Oops...just a few more pics of this lovely place. That is the Spa and pool down there, and beyond, the Golf Course.

 All the furniture was custom made in NC for the Hotel. This is all Mission Furniture built by Roycroft. The Grove Park Inn opened in 1913 at the height of the American Arts and Crafts movement. It was called the Finest Resort Hotel in the World, when first built. Today the Inn has the largest collection of Arts and Crafts furniture in the country.

 We didn't eat in the dining room, but I did invade the space to take the photo:)

 We went back on Monday morning to take some daytime photos!

Every year there is a Gingerbread House Competition of some magnitude. This lovely 'house' won 2nd place last year.

 Yep..it is all Gingerbread ...well, and frosting!

The bespoke carpets (wool, of course) in the Hotel were things of true beauty. All the patterns are Art Deco.

As you can see, we were totally enamoured of the Grove Park Inn, and all it contained. I have a gazillion other photos, but I wont bore you with the rest:)

So, Monday noon we made a lovely salad lunch for Susan and Michael and decided to hit the road. We had a good 8 hr trip ahead of us and Waz was not doing well in the Allergy dept.
Our hosts were fabulous, and we so enjoyed meeting them after so many years of internet correspondence. Our children are all adults now, but we had that in common for all those years.
Upon leaving their beautiful property, I looked up and saw this lovely scene. Two of these trees are Maples, and the one on the left is turning color already. Not long before Fall colors will be everywhere.

We decided to drive down the middle of the state of Georgia. We hadn't realized what a large State it is!
We spent the night in Athens, Ga, at a Hampton Inn (of course), arriving at rush hour...good idea that!! NOT!, and in a downpour!
Up at our usual time, we partook of the Free breakfast, with Waz making his usual Waffles. I had the scrambled eggs and something resembling a sausage. Back on the road we enjoyed the almost car free and certainly truck free roads on these secondary highways. Long stretches of highway where we couldn't see another car. Delightful to be driving in these conditions, seriously, after our busy highway experience getting there.
Driving through small town Georgia was an education, and we vow to return to some of the Antique shops (or what passed for them) on the roadside in the middle of nowhere, to see what delights we could find therein.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig! Back on the boat and other things to think about. We have a boat to prepare for us to leave it, our boat caretakers to get in touch with and bags to pack, even though we have a couple of weeks to go before take-off....I will leave that for the next blog, because I have sunburned eyelids from waxing the boat, this weekend, and I need to go and put something cool on them. Sun glasses and a hat were no match for the reflection of the heat and sun on the white boat. it was BRUTAL out there today...and yesterday, because I was doing the same thing then!
Night night.

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!

We are again Post-Operative

This wont be a long post....just to say, for those who need to know...that Waz is walking around as if he didn't have surgery, this morning. Tomorrow might be another story, but for now...he's rocking it!

This story started almost exactly a year ago, when he had emergency surgery for a Peri-rectal Abscess. In last year since, he has experienced complications from that surgery in the form of more abscesses and also Fistula and Fissures in the tissue surrounding the anus. I know this isn't a fun thing to talk about, or it might not even seem decent to discuss it, but these things happen. There is no knowledge about how or why people get these things, so it is rather a matter of  what I call 'Band Aid' medicine. He was apparently in the hands of the best surgeon for these matters.

The surgery took only half an hour, and the debrief I had with the surgeon was text-book...Wound care post-op, food, and what to expect and who to call if all doesn't go according to plan.

Doesn't he look 'spiffing' in his hat and gown?? These gowns are made of indestructible Tyvek kind of fabric with an attachment for what looks like a vacuum, but is in fact a hot air machine. they plug in the hose and voila! warm air:) Fantastic. He was hot, but the lady in the bed opposite was almost floating off the bed, so much hot air was filling out the gown:)
He is all ready to go, here, and I was departing for my morning Coffee...thank goodness for in-house Lattes.

It was an early rise for us this morning. The alarm went off at 4am. Waz had done his 'clean-out' last night, so he only had to do his sterile shower this morning. I had to go down and feed the cats at this house sit, and get myself an omelet made to insert into the croissants we purchased for this very breakfast. We were out on the road by 4.45am. Little traffic, and it was an easy run in to St Vincents South Side, in Jax.

We signed in, and waited. 5.30am was check in time, and we were marginally early. Waz was taken in for prep and I followed half an hour later. We are used to these pre-ops now...pity! but good for us ultimately. Less anxiety!
There is always the unknown, in any operation, but for the most part, we had faith in the ability of the surgeon, and just hoped he would do what was necessary without finding anything untoward.
Nothing WAS found, so it was good news. Phew!

I only had time to eat my croissants and drink my coffee before being ushered back in to the recovery room, where this groggy person was sitting in a chair.

His blood pressure was fantastic, at  105/56. Cant remember it being better, frankly! Had to record it of course:)

We gave him plenty to drink because he needed to pee before being allowed to go home. Having done the deed successfully, we was wheeled out to meet me with the car.

Armed with two prescriptions, we made our way over to our regular Pharmacy on Riverside, near the boat. I bought was some Chicken and Wild Rice soup along with a cereal bread roll, to feed the hungry beast. We went on to the Marina to pick up our mail and get a couple of things from the boat.

The boat smelled like it had been shut up for a week or more....well, it has...so it was good to at least introduce a little fresh air.

We are in our second House sit, for the month, and enjoying being so close to the Atlantic Beach, where we go for sometimes twice daily walks. We are averaging 12,000 steps, according to Waz's counter. Not bad!
The weather has been cooler, so the swimming pool in the back yard has also been cool, and definitely not warm enough for me to swim in.

It isn't a large pool, but great for cooling off in, and plenty big enough for two people to do some calisthenics together. We have sat at the table a couple of evenings, prior to our walk, and enjoyed a cup of coffee out there.

We enjoyed a lovely meal with our former house sit hosts nearby, on Mother's Day (sunday last) and have been calendar'd to sit again for a week while the go north to visit a new grandchild. Their old blind cat is doing great:) Lovely to have loves with her again.

We have also met and calendar'd another house sit, further down the coast, for a month, and that is where we will be in the near future. We look forward to all these different situations because we get to meet delightful home owners and their cats (at this stage), and take care of their lovely homes in such pleasant surroundings.

We will be home on the boat in between, to take good care of her.

Just a reminder...she is for sale...so if you are looking for a lovely Trawler, take a look at her website, and pass it on if you know someone who is looking, please.
www.besttrawlerforsale.com

Well, after such an early start, and even though we have both had a nap, this afternoon, it is time to go to bed. I don't think we will set the alarm tonight..a sleep in might be in order. The cats, of course, don't adhere to the same schedule, and they will be here waiting for their food at around 7am, our usually rising time.

Good night, and sleep well.

Waz the Toddler Whisperer

Waz has a way with kids and animals, no doubt about it. They all seem to find him warm and cuddly...well, I don't blame them, frankly :) I have been told that I, on the other hand, exude lots of energy, and they are a little more wary of me. That's fine...I delight in watching Waz with the kids and animals.

We left Tarpon Springs after making sure we had all our bits and pieces, around 10.30 this morning. Saying goodbye to Richard and Hound Dog and kitty, we made our way south to our old stomping ground, Port Charlotte.  We arrived at our former Hosts home in Pt Charlotte (we spent a total of 10 months on their home dock, over two Christmases) to a lovely warm welcome. The BEST welcome of all, was when Miss Muffin saw and recognized Waz, her face lit up like a Christmas Tree, she leapt out of her chair and ran to him with a huge grin on her little 2 yr old face, and when he scooped her up, gave him the hug of his life!  It sure brought a tear to his eyes. Who would have thought, after a year's absence, that a 2 yr old would remember someone from her one year old life? Well, we have proof positive, now:)

Not only that....she proceeded to include Waz in pretty much everything thereafter. They sat snuggling in this chair, for ages.

 

We left them to check into our Hotel, and then met them again at Wally's, our Ribs Joint of choice ANYWHERE! Mia sat between Waz and me for most of the meal, and she hung off him and flirted with him aplenty. Too funny.:)

 

We thoroughly enjoyed the ribs, AND the flirting, and being with special friends. Too bad we have to drive back to Jacksonville tomorrow morning.

 

Before I turn in for the night, I need to give you an idea of the size of this animal, which belongs to our Tarpon Springs friends.

There was no other way to show you, than to compare him with a paperback book...normal size. I am 5ft 9" and he comes mid-thigh, on me. He is a typical Hound, in that he 'bays'...at most things. We all would go for a walk in the middle of the morning, and he made sure to keep us all in line, being his 'pack', and as long as he was leading, all was well. If we stepped out of line, we got 'hounded'! He is a funny fellow but ever so loving and, like most dogs, very particular about most things.

 

As usual, we miss having animals around, and truly appreciate other people's.

 

Well, we are holed up in a small hotel room...who needs a big room to sleep in??...and will hit the road tomorrow morning, across the state. We look forward to opening the boat up, again, and airing her out. We will need to give her a bath and then set to work giving her a wax and polish. Fun! There is a 'weather thing' developing out in the Atlantic, so we are hopeful of at least 4 days of sunshine/overcast, before it hits our neck of the woods.

 

We had our last Ice-cream....handmade, of course...tonight in Punta Gorda, post Ribs meal, and took a walk around the old town for good measure and to exercise some of the calories away. Maybe!

 

I am going to tell you what is going to happen next....just because it is important that we 'stick to the rules', as it were.

We are going to join a gym. We need to get some muscle mass back, having lost so much of it, living on the boat, and I need to lose another 20lbs! Waz needs to get totally well, after the past 6 months of this upper respiratory issue he has been carrying around, and we need to both concentrate on eating healthy food, sans sugar and processed carbohydrates. It has served us well in the past three years, and we need to become purists again. Too much travel with sweet treats to tempt us...well, we DO like them, after all.

 

This is all prior to further travel, later in the year. I like being able to have some spare room in an airline seat, so I have an incentive. Waz says he has another 10lbs to lose, so the two of us will enjoy the challenge. A little friendly competition is good for us:)

 

I'm leaving you here, and bon nuit!

Home Again, Jiggety Jig

Well, almost!

We arrived back in Tampa, our departure point, two weeks ago, yesterday afternoon. Bless Richard for his unofficial Taxi service and both delivering and retrieving us at the appropriate times.

I would like to say that it is good to be back in Florida, but there is always a part of me that wishes we were somewhere else. I almost don't like airports for the possibilities they present: I'm tempted to suddenly change my plans and catch a flight to Russia, or Turkey, or some other exotic destination, totally on a whim.

Jetlag has been a real issue for us this time out. Going over to Maui, we believe it was the fact that we took a daytime flight, that screwed things up internally for us. Normally we would opt for a night flight, so that we wake to our destination with some semblance of normalcy.
Even though we took a night flight from Maui to Denver, it was only 6 hours, and despite me taking a Tylenol PM to aid with relaxation and sleep, I think I only managed about 2 hrs. Waz thinks he got a similar amount. We arrived in Denver, after flying over snowy landscapes, around 8.40am, with a quick change to the Tampa flight departing at 9.40am. We just had time enough to purchase two single lattes (doubles are NOT good for us!) and eat one of the prepared cheese croissants, I put together before leaving the house on Maui, the previous day. We had each eaten a nut bar on the night journey, but it barely registered on the hunger screen.

Waz and I bought a couple of racks of ribs, a Greek salad and a Quinoa salad to take to the family (kids) for our final meal together. My son was late home from work, so the rest of us chowed down, enjoying the Costco ribs in particular. We watched our grandson's meal hour with much delight...he ate in his seat just long enough for the hunger pains to leave, then he was up and out and onto more important things, like playing....returning just long enough to down a few more mouthfuls, and off he went again. Normal, apparently. I seem to remember my two boys were rather of the same ilk...at least one of them was, anyway!
We managed a family photo or two before departing, but I wont be sharing it, sorry....I am however, allowed to share the kids photos...This is little monster at dinner time...both sitting and standing!

Straight from the shower to the dinner seat...

 Hunger...well, SOME has been satisfied, so now time to MOVEEEEE!

 HIs mom tells us that he is by-passing the rest of his front teeth, in this phase of producing teeth, to go straight to the molars! yay! No wonder he is losing sleep...and in turn, they are too:) Oh the joys of parenting young children! and how glad we are that we aren't!

 

Of course, I put the latest information first...mainly because my memory works back to front...ha! you would never have guessed, would you?

Frankly, I don't remember which day we went down to look at the surf at Kanaha...perhaps you do?..oh riiight.....it was Tuesday, because we were on our way to pick up our host from the airport.

Well, the wind was blowing a gale and the kite and wind surfers were out in great numbers. The colorful kites are always fun to watch.

Kanaha Beach Park looking back towards Kahului and Wailuku. The waters here are turquoise, due to their white sand bottom.

The water was rough, but the kite surfers were having a ball.

 as were the windsurfers!

We took Karen home, sat and chatted for a while, and finally, at 3pm, we decided to go walking on Thompson road again to allow her to have a nap, having just returned from Japan with 8 hrs of jet lag to deal with. We needed the exercise, but the rain was threatening, and we cut our walk a bit short, and decided to enjoy a coffee and sweet treat (we have had a few, this trip) at Grandma's Coffee House in Keokea (Kay oh kay a), sitting on the side deck, enjoying the breeze. The deck is surrounded by Coffee trees and Banana Palms...bearing fruit!

Mother nature knows how to combine colors, doesn't she! Love the bright green and purple.

We entertained Karen (host) to dinner at Kula Bistro that evening where we talked our heads off, and wouldn't you know it? People from my long ago past arrived for dinner with friends. I have loved these serendipitous meetings that have peppered this year's visit to Maui.

This was our second dinner, consecutively, at Kula Bistro. We had dinner with another special friend the night before. Waz ate the Rack of Lamb that night....declared it excellent, but at $38, a bit pricey! The two of us really enjoyed the large Lobster Ravioli with three good sized shrimp in a remoulade sauce.

Wednesday came around, and with our bags packed already, we were free to enjoy lunch with yet another friend at La Provence, in Kula. A short nap followed, for Waz and Karen at least, but I did some work on the computer, knowing full well that if I napped in the afternoon, I would not sleep on the plane.
Fuel top up at Costco in Kahului....where the line of cars waiting for their MUCH less expensive fuel at about $2.36 per gallon are long, and where the price beats out anything else Island-wide, where the most we found/saw was $3.39 per gallon...outrageous!...before braving the crowds to purchase dinner. This has to be THE most busy Costco in the Nation.

On our way past the Kahului Airport we were farewelled  by a stunning rainbow, for which we had to stop off-road and photograph!

Maui No Ka Oi.......Maui The Best!

We left the kids house around 7.30pm after those family photos and returned the Nissan Rogue vehicle, which I cannot say we enjoyed. Our flight left at 10pm on the dot, Denver  bound.

We aren't home yet....just back in Florida. We have some business to take care of, friends to connect with and THEN we return to the boat. Fortunately the weather is cooler...nice, in fact, at 75F... and though it is threatening to rain, we aren't bothered.

We are drawn to the South West Coast of Florida....The Sarasota area in particular. Lots of culture, boating, lovely beaches, a botanical garden worth visiting and not too far from Tampa Airport. Major airport connections will be in our future for a good number of years!

Well, that's it for now, folks. I need to go and prepare the Scalloped Potatoes for dinner. I have the steak in the oven...cold, of course, but at room temperature...because the dog is ever vigilant and I don't trust it if I leave the steak on the counter! You wouldn't either, after hearing the stories about food left and consumed by said large hound dog:)

TTFN...(tatafornow!)