Happy Holiday Travels

Happy Holiday Travels

Disclaimer.....

OK, I know the blog has been on an extended vacation.  There is really no excuse although I could mention the illness that plagued me during our travels or the one that caught me on my return.  I can’t even blame the work on the projects Steve has been doing on the boat….. so sorry.  

Here are the highlights of the past couple of months.

For the holidays we travelled OUT WEST!  Our first stop was Paul and Amanda’s cozy apartment on Capitol Hill.  We can testify to why their hospitality has resulted in a flood of guests.  We ate well both at home and among various Seattle eateries.  The walks and tours included urban nooks and icons as well as parks and trails. The weather – much Colder & Wetter than our normal Florida temps – did not deter us… much.

Our boating rain gear did get a work out.  The kids also treated us to a performance at the famed Paramount Theater where we enjoyed the slightly irreverent “Book of Mormon”.  A happy holiday and as always a treat to spend time with these grown up KIDS!

Our travels also included visits with many of Steve’s siblings where we also enjoyed yummy meals, cordial chats, and scenic walks.

Nancy & Craig

Kathy & Howard

Mike & Linda hosted a huge family meal - a chance to see (but not photograph) all the kids and even their grands!

Susan & Dick entertained us both on their floating home and in their new land home. Both places have fantastic – although different – views.  Our arrival at the new home could have been less dramatic. If we had managed to make it there in the daylight, we might have missed the wrong turn that GARMIN directed, dropping us down a steep muddy trail. Fortunately there was a less hilly – exit and the evening ended better than it started. The neighbor may still be wondering about those tire tracks in his yard!

Although we were not able to see all our “old” friends or even family in the area, we managed a delicious lunch and dessert with Lynette and LaVonne while in Seattle.  They spent time with us a few years ago in Marathon, FL so it was our chance to tour their homes in the charming West Seattle neighborhood.  It will be much easier to imagine them basking in retirement now that we have seen their lovely homes. As a special treat they dropped us at the water taxi for our return to downtown. Thankfully the weather permitted a walk up the hill to burn off some of the calories we had been consuming!

After Steve returned to FL and the long list of boat projects, I took a side trip to California.  Sister Mary picked me up and drove me around to visit both Sister Nora and her husband Ray, as well as Brother Steve and his wife Toni and finally Aunt Louise - to check out her new apartment at Freedom Village.  We logged some miles in a short week all at a very busy time in Mary’s life.  She is in the midst of planning a wedding and cleaning, sorting and packing for the move to Oregon.  On our travels up North, Steve and I had lunch with Mary and her BILL.  Everyone is excited for them both and I was grateful she manage to find time in her hectic schedule to spend some time with me.

Ortega Landing

Ortega Landing

Settling in at Ortega is easy – Steve loves the hot tub on a regular basis. Seriously, it does not take long to readjust to consistent power, secure docks, and nearby groceries. We arrived in time for the Halloween Party which added some fun.  Then we moved our floating home a mile up the Ortega River to Huckins for some repairs on our baby.  While the men were working we made a run to our dentist and eye doctors in Panama City and made a visit to our storage sheds.  Following our friends on Alizann we are reverting to our full-size bikes that were in storage.   Just getting them tuned up and back to the boat challenged our rental vehicle but master packer Steve managed!  With the boat still in the shed – entrance a good trick – we have not hoisted them up just yet – photos on that will be coming!

Other than a few short runs for fun we will be in Ortega until some vague date in the spring.  We have room for company and projects a plenty so head our way if you can. 

Take a peek at Julia’s Etsy shop to see what she has been up to while Steve labors on the boat! The link is on the right.

Much for which to be thankful

Much for which to be thankful

After a brief stop in GA where we enjoyed visiting looping friends on St Simmons and fueling up at Brunswick Landing, we headed off shore to the St John’s River and our winter home at Ortega Landing.  The hospitality of GA needs a mention as we visited two spectacular restaurants with EJ and Charlie – their generosity and talent as hosts are impressive. We are hoping they will find time to visit us in J’ville so we can make an attempt to reciprocate. 

One final comment – about the kindness of fellow boaters which we experience so often:  We wanted to stop at the free dock on Sister’s Creek after our off shore run from  Brunswick but knew we would arrive about sunset during this busy season.  If the dock was already full we wanted to avoid the short run up the creek and just hunt a spot on the river.  This dock has a self-appointed welcome host – Captain Browne Altman – who gave us his card on a previous visit.  So, from off shore we called him to check on the status of the dock.  He not only agreed to keep us updated on the space available but was on the dock in the early evening to catch our lines.  It is kindness of folks like Captain Altman and our friends in St Simmons that make the cruising life so special.