OMG
Why do we/I need so much stuff to stay out on the boat for 2 weeks you would think we were never coming back.
Well the stuff is loaded coolers packed everything stowed. Well almost. We are leaving at first light. We should be in Bimini Christmas Eve. Do customs and immigration work Christmas Eve in Bimini. We'll find out.
Wish us luck and happy sailing
Talk to you soon with some great pictures. Although they will be taken by me as Waddy can not get away. I will miss him bunches.
By for now
Terrie

Yesterday I commented on my family the one's you pick and the one's you don't but today I found, or remembered a group of people who are definitely like family to sailors. Other sailors. My guys and I took a Sunday drive to the boat yard where we first found our Wahine and where this adventure truly began. We visited with old friends and made new ones in the short time we were there this afternoon. With sailors and boat people alike were all the same we like each other or you hate each other almost immediately. I made a new friend. Her and her family husband and 3 boys ((3BOYS)) oh my! on a large steel sail boat that was parked in the exact same spot ours had been for 18 months. They have been there almost a year now and are going back in next week . They hope. I wish them luck. They intend to sail around the world and home school their kids. Did we have a lot to talk about. They said that they would be in the area a bit longer before they leave. I hope we cross paths again.

My guys and I also have an extra set of surrogate parents. Wanna guess where we met? That's right in the boat yard. They are are constant encouragement to get out there and do it before we get to old to enjoy it. Not that they are to old that is so not what I meant guys. But they are always reminding us that the sooner we get out there the better it will be. We are joining them in the Bahamas next week for Christmas and it would be hard to pick better friends to spend time with during the holidays. When we come home they are heading south and we are not sure when our paths may cross again. But we will definitely stay in touch and do every thing possible to make those lines intersect down the road. You never know when you will pull into a strange port and see the welcome sight of a friends boat. It can sometimes be a very small world.

When you spend any amount of time in a boat yard you make great friends some I have had for a very long time. I hope we stay in touch with forever.

One of the first families we became friends with from our time in the yard is the wonderful family that lives ,part time, aboard the sailing vessel Oreneta. They are from Canada and are currently grounded in Spain. Don't I have worldly friends? Their girls touched my heart and their mother my mind. The men are definitely kindered spirits as well. Since I know how they miss their little floating home as she is in dry storage in the previously mentioned boat yard while I was there today I took pictures of Oreneta aground. Do you like the pun Chris?

You have to check out her blog the link is in my side bar "oreneta aground" it is awesome.

And now you know whats next

Reason #59 to go sailing

My husband said it should be Because I just want to. But it is better than that. It is so that I can make more of the same caliber, heart touching friends that we have already made during this adventure. We have not really even begun yet.

So here is to my awesome, great, and wonderfully inspirational friends that I have made and the ones to come. God bless and happy sailing!!!

I had 25 people in my house today! That's a bunch even for me. I average 15 so 25 was a lot. Add to this the fact that we have the remnants of tropical storm Olga passing over us and it makes for a beautiful day. Actually it was a great day. It stopped raining about the time my guest started arriving and if it drizzled a little no one noticed. There was an abundance of food and drink and rum. Have I mentioned my affection for rum lately? I got two bottles of rum as birthday presents and one as a Christmas gift today. All the right size and in my favorite color. Sailors no that the best presents can be eaten or drank or put in a blender and drank.

I had most of my family with me today. I missed those of you who couldn't be here. I have the family God gave me. The one I chose to marry and spend the rest of my life with and the best of all, the family that you choose. That would be my very bestest friend Sallie and her children.

I guess I had too much rum today and it is making me a bit sappy. I thought I had a big family growing up. I DIDN'T!! I do now. I sure didn't know what I was missing. I wouldn't trade ya'll for nothing. Maybe a new boat but that would be about it. HAHA!


So here are some more reasons to go sailing.


Reason 56
I can't miss you if I don't leave.

Have I mentioned rum lately?

Reason 57
My dog wants to go sailing.

Reason 58

You can't see stuff like this on land.

Well it's been over a month since I last posted. A lot of work has been happening on the boat in preparation for our upcoming trip to the Bahamas. We also participated in a Christmas boat parade last night here at home . The parade is something we look forward to every year we always get a great deal of applause , we love it, it is probably because were the biggest boat to join in. There were all sizes this year even a jet ski. We were still the best. Not that I'm prejudiced at all.

We pressure washed the decks and sides. Then I started painting the decks. I'm torn between Huck Finn and the Dunkin donut guy. The never ending fence that must be white washed. Time to make the donuts. It seems like It is always time to paint the boat. I actually painted a spot last week that has never been painted in the over 5 years that we have owned her. She is looking fabulous though.

We seem to have a long list of social engagements this year. Add in Soccer practice and games, work, Doctor appointments, and Planning our Christmas/birthday party. My older son and I both have a birthday next week on the same day even. He will be 19 and I will be just a little older:)

So that brings us to !!!!!

Reason #55 to go sailing

Were you invited to a party or gathering and you really don't feel like attending? OH I'm so sorry we won't be here were sailing at first light. SOOOOOO SOORRRRYYYY. NOT!!!

Here our some pics of my beautiful boat being prepped to sail and in the boat parade. Waddy takes amazing photos. Doesn't he? Check out his new photo gallery.http://gallery.mac.com/waddy1

Enjoy

T and the Boys

This is our home port at sunset.

reason #54

O.K. oddly enough twice today I have been told "whats happening with your blog"

I'm SOOOORRRRRYYYYYYY. I've just been lazy that's right ME shirking my responsibilities. My husband says to tell you that this is my way of getting my friends and fans (haha) used to irregular postings. For when we finally go abroad and internet access isn't always available I won't always be able to write you. But for now I have simply been busy.

With what you might ask. Work, I've been doing a little moon lighting at an Elks Lodge. Cooking for special events. Subbing at the local schools. I even had kinder garden one day and nobody cried, not even me! Helping at my Womans Club. My son started soccer last week and I'm an assistant coach. No screaming just encouragement. Halloween was a lot of fun. My little pirate was a ninja. My husband is finishing his pilots license. Our friends on the sail boat Dreamer have been in town getting their boat ready for their trip south for the season. The Dominican Republic I think. We love spending time with them. We our always renewed in our enthusiasm to go sailing after they have been here. In fact here is reason # 54 to go sailing off in to the sunset.

#54 Christmas in the Caribbean.

We are planning to sail to the Bahamas for Christmas and meet Dreamer for a week of fun and frolicking. I have always wanted a white Christmas and my husband is afraid of snow so I will have to settle for white sandy beaches.

Here is a pic of our really cool jack-o-lanterns.

Thanks for being patient with me and keep checking in.
By for now
T.T.

#53
When you go on vacation you always feels like you need a vacation from your vacation when you come home. Right. You have to catch up on the laundry. UGH. I hate laundry. Rush to get ready to go back to work because you stayed gone till you must go back to work. Work UGH. So here the thing about sailing off into the sunset. I HOPE, or so I'm told. You vacation on a beautiful island only to pick up anchor and leisurely sail to another exotic interesting destination. No rush no stress. Sounds great don't it.
The trip to Arkansas was good. Not great but good. We drove almost straight there about 24 hours. We were hauling a pretty big trailer. But on the way back we stopped in Alabama to see the U.S.S. Alabama in Mobile Alabama. Really cool ,big, old boat. My little guy touched, turned, moved, and or played with every switch, knob, and lever on this entire vessel. And there is a bunch. The U.S.S. Drum is also located in the same place. The Drum is a retired submarine that you can also tour. Have you ever been on a Sub? I have. We even got to look through the periscope. The park also has a large collection of planes and tanks. This is a must do if your ever in Mobile AL.
The Ozarks are really lovely. The reminded me of the mountains in West Virginia. Lots of old barns. We saw cotton fields fully loaded in Mississippi. Catfish farms in Louisiana. Cypress trees in Arkansas. I didn't know they had cypress trees in Arkansas. Did you?
My son learned to spell Mississippi and see the Mississippi and overall had a great time. Except having to do his school work on the road. I think he really thought he would get out of it. No such luck for him.
Oh yah we also visited a really cool art gallery in AR. Called Bluebird House or Terra studios that had a glass blower doing demos and lots of great pottery and sculpture. Here is there web address http://www.terrastudios.com/ check them out. Awesome stuff.

Well here are some pics I took of are trip. Cotton fields, sculptor at Terra, battleship, and my little gut checking out the boat stuff. Enjoy!

Reason #52
Travelling and not having to watch the road

This morning at 5am.yep AM I got up and took my father inlaw to the airport. First it should be illegal to travel anywhere at this time of morning. Or at least before you/I have had coffee,tea , caffeine of some sort. Then I came straight back to the house. Total travel time 5 hours. Where I accomplished very little, no wait, none of the things on any of my lists. I did have a nice visit with my papa and listened to some rockin 80s music with the sunroof open on the way back. But was basically on hold.
I am going to Arkansas with a friend tomorrow and we have a lot to get done in one day. She is moving there and we had a lot to pack still. So when we leave tomorrow back to being on hold 25 hours, or so, of driving. Concentrating on the road. Can't read when your driving. No surfing the net. No cleaning but that's not a bad thing.
Here it comes you know it would. When your sailing underway to a new amazing place you can get an amazing number of things accomplished and still make headway to your destination. Boat maintenance, cooking, cleaning,reading, maybe some correspondence. So for all of those who think were off loafing sailing being bums maybe this is really a whole new 0f way to look at multi tasking!
Go Sailing!!!

reasons to sail off into the sunset
#51 more time to read

I love to read. If no one bothered me I would read all day. I love stormy weather when you must turn off all electronics for fear of lightning. I GET TO READ. yah I will read anything.And I do mean anything. I always finish a book when I start it. Even when its bad. I might throw it across the room when the plot doesn't go like I think it should. But I go get it and finish it. I must confess that I usually read smut as my husband refers to it. The trashier the better. But throw in a good murder or some deception and I'm in. Recently however, with not working regular hours, I am reading faster than my favorite authors (Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown)can write so I have had to venture out. I have been known to wonder around the public Library and just pick a book off the shelves. Maybe it was hanging off the edge or the cover was really cool. Recently my very well read friend and another sailor said she enjoyed the book The Kite Runner. So off to the library I went to retrieve it. I loved it. Read it in to days. I was completely engrossed in the characters. Next I will read another of the books she referred to on her blog. Prodigal Summer by Barbera Kingsolver. So far so good.
So if you want to help keep me out of the trashy paperbacks send me suggestions for good reads. I don't really want to like learn anything unless it's woven into an awesome plot with some murder ,sex and mayhem thrown in for good measure.
But honestly
I will read anything

#50

This is a big one it means I'm almost half way there with the almighty list. It seems this is the only list my husband doesn't tease me about. Go figure. 101 reasons to sail off into the sunset was the name of this list. And today my mind is a complete blurrrrrrrdfvvj . I don't feel very good my allergies have put me in a mood. My oldest son decided the other day that he was going to Alaska. Not a big deal I love an adventure. But it's with some girl he barely knows to stay with her family. He has no job. The only money he has he bought a plane ticket with. No driver license. No high school diploma. He was already tattooed and pierced so I can't add that to the list. But I don't think he made a great decision. So I am a bit stressed about that. Then my older sisters daughter, not the niece who went sailing with us this summer, but her sister who is 18. She decides to quit college after 3 weeks and run off and MARRY a boy none of her family likes who has no High school diploma (not even close). No job skills and no future. Without telling anyone. Her mother found out from the ex collage room mate I think.

So to come around to my point. MAYBE.

What the heck is wrong with our teenagers? How do these kids expect to support themselves? Where our they going in life? You ask them what do you want to do with your life they say "I don't know" Where do you want to be in 5, 10, 20 years they say "I don't Know". No matter what you ask them you get "I don't know" When I was kid I had a lot of things I wanted to do and be. Most people I talk to did. They might have been far fetched or a bit extreme. It really depended on what day it was. Cop, Fireman, Sailor, president but we had ideas and opinions. So is it that they don't want to tell us or do they really not know? What do you think? I hope that they are not as lost as they seem.

So my little guy ,he's 7 now, still has that spark. Yesterday he wanted to be a scientist in space who does experiments and goes really fast. When he's not taking over the world. It's great to be young.

I have come across many cruisers who travel with their kids. These kids seem to keep that spark longer. They seem ,to me anyway, to have goals. To be firmly grounded, face reality and the world head on with confidence. How does this happen? What are they getting living on boats, traveling around the world that they don't receive here anchored at home? You would think that kids would be less self confident with never knowing what is in store for them around the bend or in the next anchorage. However it seems to be the exact opposite. Why is that? Really I wish and hope that one of you out there reading this knows the answer and would let me know.

But in the mean time we have to get back to my list.

#50#50#50#50#50

number fifty

50

To save my little guy. To keep him from turning into a lost teenager with no goals or ambition. To instill him the confidence that he can only get from facing the world full steam ahead and successfully making it back to port.

Wish me luck. Pray for me. Make a sacrifice to the gods and whatever else might help. To keeps us heading in the right direction. Someday SOON. Sailing off into the sunset.

Pictures taken in Hope Town, Bahamas

So just a reminder. Hug your kids. Take them on an adventure. And don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.

Weeds UGH

My least favorite thing about summers in Florida?

WEEDS

#49 no weeds to pull, fight with, or spray

I came home today and stood in my front yard and thought UGH what a mess. But there is beauty in everything if you look close enough, long enough, or hard enough. So here are some pictures all taken in my front yard.

The pink ones by the anchors are dessert rose.

The white ones are jasmine and I have had this bush for years and this is the first time it has ever bloomed . Probably because just 2 days ago I said " I think I will get rid of that bush" it must of heard me.

Don't know what the yellow ones are called.

The red ones are a butterfly bush.


And the red and white ones are bleeding hearts.
And most of these lovely flowers live without any help from me, happily side by side with the weeds. How cool is that.

Who Knows?

So I think schedules are way overrated however a routine is nice to have. Knowing what is coming and trying to be prepared. Knowing you never really are because what you think is on its way is usually derailed by something else. And even though I know that what I'm prepared for will not be the only thing I have to deal with it make me feel a little better having my aforementioned false since of security. Who knows maybe I'll make a list! That always makes me feel better.

I have subbed at both the High School and the Middle schools now and never get what I am expecting. Last week I had P.E. at the High School. Stood all day in the hot sun (100 degrees) with a bunch if bratty kids. Today I had P.E. at the middle school and went prepared sunscreen and all and spent the entire day in the gym with good kids shivering. Go figure!
Who can guess what tomorrow might bring?
Later
Terrie

Things that bug me!

Lets just jump right to the main point of this blog!

reasons to sail off into the sunset

#46 phones that ring when you sit down to eat with your family

#47 barking dogs , That are not mine. Heck I'm not sure who they belong to.

#48 because it's to dam hot to do anything else

So my little man went back to school yesterday. Without a fight and with some enthusiasm. Go figure! I have decided to work at the locals schools as a substitute teacher. With some enthusiasm and without a fight. I hope that this will be fun and let me be flexible with my time and be able to do the things I want and need to do without always feeling guilty about taking time off from work. I need a job where they don't depend on me. I'm not saying that I'm not dependable. I just don't want to be IT. So when we decide to go sailing I can just go. Doesn't that sound idea:) Who knows it might even work.

The phone rang twice during dinner. Neither caller was anyone I wanted to talk to. It's like they can see you cooking and wait until you sit down. Then they call.

I was upstairs folding clothes when I here what sounds like something being killed. I look out the window and there are 2 beagles running around the yard yipping and baying and generally making an extreme amount of noise. I HATE IT. You heard me Audrey! HATE IT! People who can't keep up with their pets should be put on leashes. Come to find out that the people who live behind and down a couple had people over or family or something who owned these dogs. When I had first looked out the upstairs window and saw them those people were outside and I know they heard it if I did , I was inside and I heard it. By the time I was sick of hearing it and went out to investigate they were down the other way ,even farther, from where they belonged barking. And what do they do when they finally realize their dogs are gone. They send the very small 5 year old to get them. Who I might add is not even familiar with these dogs. My son had to help him get the animals home. In the midst of this here comes the boys 2 or 3 year old sister around the corner ALONE. So I think they all might need a new leash!!!

And it was almost 100 degrees today and to hot to do much.

We should all go sailing.

This is our baby Scooby who almost never runs around annoying the neighbors.

Summer Time Blues

Well here I am. Still in the same place. Not going anywhere fast. A lot is happening around here and yet I'm not accomplishing much. As you know my niece from West Virginia has been visiting. But she has gone home now. My little guy has had his 7th Birthday and time marches on. I have to confess that I am a list maker. Precise and exact. Do item one check it off 2 check it off. Not that it ever happens that way. Well maybe up to about number 2. Then jahsdfsdfas where is the D#@$M list. I haven't a clue. You know what they say about the best laid plans. Oreneta blogged once about if you want to know where you won't be in life in 5, 10 years make a plan of where you want to be in life write it down. This is where I want to be in x amount of years and one thing for sure. You won't be there! Well I think the route of my problem is that I recently lost my job. This job was great at first. Then it started not being so perfect. And most recently it has truly sucked. So I shouldn't miss it. But I do. After the first few days of sulking I started making mental lists of all the projects around my house and at the Womens Club that I would finally have time to complete. After I get these things done then I would look for work. At the rate I'm going I will be able to collect social security first. I think I actually got more done when I was working. We are fixing up a mobile home that we have owned a long time so that we can rent it out. And were really making progress. Slowly. I need to do some serious cleaning and organizing around my house. Now that I'm here more often it's getting on my nerves. Its way to cluttered. I have curtains to make. My truck needs a really good detailing and the weeds have control of the flower boxes. Well the first step is knowing what needs to be done. So with that said I must be headed in the right direction!
Reasons to go sailing???? I'm really struggling for one today. How about
#44 Because I want to.
#45 The boys say they NEED to

This is the pancake that my big 7 year old had for breakfast on his birthday. Yep those are chocolate chips.

This is his birthday cake I made him. Always a pirate at heart.

And this is a water lilly in my little fish pond.

Sorry I have not been here as often as I should be. Now that I'm a lady of leisure you would think I would try harder. Well, I will put it at the top of the list.

By for now

T and the boys

Awesome pictures

Well were home. Again.


The wedding was nice. I saw people that I miss bunches. And we had a great visit. But a 6 hour ride after jumping off the boat was a bit much. We got home Sunday at about 10ish pm. Fell into bed and worked the next morning. The first day back at work after vacation always sucks. And it did. SUCKED. A bunch. I think I need a vacation. Day 2 wasn't to bad. Day 3 was bearable. But I can't wait for the weekend to get here.


My house is a wreck and my laundry isn't done. I finally bought a few groceries we were out of everything. I mowed the lawn today as it was knee deep. I didn't want to loose the dog in it. It will probably take me a few weeks to get back in a routine. I don't think I had this much trouble after I had been gone a month last year. 2 weeks and I'm A mess. So this is proof that a vacation doesn't work unless it is at least a month long.


So here we go. Reasons to go sailing.


#41 no messy house to come home to

#42 laundry can't pile up there's simply no room for it

#43 My honey says " because work sucks"


now for the pics










This is actually a sunrise. No I wasn't up but Waddy was.






The water was so calm that it looked like glass. The people on the beach our 21 cuban refugees that came ashore over night. They were found the same morning we landed. The next night there was 25 on Garden Key. 141 in 30 days were found in the Dry Tortugas. I can't even start to imagine a life so bad that you would give up everything and cross the gulf stream in an open raft that has so many people in it that it is just barely floating. I also think that if all the Cubans that have come to America bound together and went home that they could take their country over.

Fort Jefferson is an awesome sight.
This is the light house on top of Fort Jefferson.

The shark is at Loggerhead Reef. The water is amazingly clear you can see EVERTHING.

More pictures next time. They get better. Thanks Waddy.

Were Home

Reason # 38 Sunrises
Chris I did see some great ones I haven't sorted out pics yet
#39 You appreciate pizza more when you get home\

Well this is just a quick check in to let everyone know that we made it home all heads accounted for even my niece who I was tempted to leave on a deserted island at least once.
Now were off to a wedding upstate we will be home Sunday and I will post the most amazing pics you have ever seen

# 40 Awesome pics of awesome places

Where are we ? or Who cares!

Well we have made it as far as Little Torch Key. I think they call this spot New Found Harbor. It is beautiful here. We leave early in the morning for the big crossing to Fort Jefferson. We will be able to spend a couple of days there before heading home. We are all looking forward to fireworks at the fort. My little guy has a stash of his own. He can hardly wait to set them off. Little boys love to blow things up. Well I guess that's all boys love to blow thing up. The big boys also have a stash of fireworks that little guy does not know about. He will be so stoked.Waddy has been taking a ton of pictures. I have read a bunch of useless trash. And enjoyed every minute of it. We had some so so sailing today. Hoping for better tomorrow. The niece is probably bored but i think she knows its better than being home. Sailing is a good lesson in patients and amusing your self.
Reason # 37 to go sailing Sunsets and as soon as I'm where the internet is cooperating I will post some awesome pictures.
T and the boys

schedules

reason number 35# no work

We only made it as far as Ft Myers when my father in law got a phone call from a customer with a problem only he could fix. So he had to jump ship for the day and go fix it. When he gets back we will head out. So here we sit. Waiting. But he's worth it.

#36 no schedules

schedules suck

these pictures were taken at the Ft Myers Yacht Basin a few minutes ago.

My niece caught her first fish but it got off the hook so no picture.

We just finished dinner and were watching an awesome sun set.

By for now

T and M the Boys

Woo Hooooo

Were going sailing!!!!!
We leave at first light according to captain Rob. The locks that we must go through to get out of the river only open at noon. Then off we go.
1. Shark River
2. Marathon
3. Bahia Honda
4. Key west maybe
5 The Dry Tortugas
6. Home by the 6th
captain has a wedding to be at on the 7th. So there is our sail plan. Sounds great doesn't it. We will be taking my teenage niece for her first boat ride and first trip out of sight of land. And she is flying in on her first plane ride. How coool.
Wish us fun. I meant luck. Really.
Talk to you all when we get back. Sooner if I can get on line. I'll have some great pictures.
Oh yah reasons to go sailing
#32 no traffic
#33 no cell phones Hell no phones I do miss the internet though
#34 because we can :)
by for now
Terrie

Parenting and Stuff

Parenting is no fun!! I repeat not fun. I had this whole philosophical vent planned about parenting but let me just simplify the issue. Its hard and it doesn't get easier as they get older. The next kid does not teach you how to deal with the younger kid. The younger kid and older kid our as different as night and day. You may be a little less shocked by said younger child but you our never completely prepared for the things they do. Monday afternoon I am in the pediatricians office with the younger child, he's seven now and was there for a check up. I was told he is practically perfect in every way. A little tall. A little distractable. But that was it. As I was leaving the doctors office I get a voice mail from my older son that says "hey mom its me Ronnie I wrecked a motorcycle but don't worry the ambulance is on it's way. By." WTF kind of message is that. He is taken on A body board to the emergency room and x-rayed from head to toe. Five hours later. Verifying that there is still little brain activity, just like before the accident, and other than having a lot of road rash and being very sore he is going to be fine.

My oldest child has been trying to drive me slap insane for the majority of his life. I think he may have finally succeeded. My husband says it is not a very far drive. He doesn't go to school, he doesn't have a job, no driver license, lousy friends and a sorry outlook on life. He thinks he has it so bad. I have always thought that we should take him to a small third world country "on the boat of course" and show him how bad some people really do have it and yet they still seem to be quite content and happy for the most part. I am trying hard to keep my youngest child from getting wrapped up in material possessions and keep in mind what is important. But it's hard. Actually it's almost impossible. We better move onto the boat soon and get out of here:)

The picture is of course the lovely Wahine taken by my amazing father in-law Waddy.

So here comes the best part more reasons to go sailing...

#29 no flat tires

#30 no seasonal allergy attacks

#31 unexpected house guests

#32 naked days (thats for you honey)

Insanity or my trip to West Virginia

So West Virginia is approximately 16 hours from my house. That is an awful long time to talk. But that is what my mother attempted. And I think she came real close. At one point I timed her talking 45 minutes without me speaking one word. Just when I didn't think I could take any more she would dose off. And low and behold she talked in her sleep. I am not joking.

Luckily on the way home she was mad at me and she didn't talk near as much.

I really do love to drive. Radio blaring. Singing along. Great scenery. But this was the trip from HELL! Did I mention the nice Deputy in Virginia. I'm still not sure how much that ticket is going to cost.

But my niece graduated. And I saw my sister who I haven't seen in almost 2 years. Since I last saw her she has lost like 165 pounds. It was so weird I just kept staring at her. She had her tummy done bypassed I think they call it. She is doing great and I am proud of her. She is amazing and never gives up. The top picture is she and I.

We went to the "Barn Rocks" which is a swimming hole near my sisters house that is part of a river that flows out of the mountains. The water is a little cold but it was beautiful. These are some pictures from my trip. Of course one of my shoe. And my little guy trying to climb the Barn Rocks. Wild flowers . The hill in my sisters backyard. Pretty Huh.

We went to the boat yesterday and hauled are little sail boat and the dingy back to the house to repair and paint. It wont be long now before we will be going sailing. Just for 2 weeks this summer not nearly enough but better than not at all. The boat is a mess. Covered in dead love bugs and bird poop. So I will need to spend a bunch of time cleaning and stocking the boat for our trip. We will just be off shore in the Tortugas. But there are no stores or marinas so you must take everything you need with you. Two weeks isn't hard to plan for and it's amazing how quick you get over not having something you forgot when you know that there is nothing you can do about it. Can't run to the Wal-mart. There's not one. You remember how to be self sufficient.

Here we go......

#26 No speeding tickets

#27 Always new scenery to take in.

#28 Not having to drive my mother ANYWHERE/ Priceless