If it was fun and not work we would being paying them instead of them paying us!!

Did anyone notice that work is a four letter word. Capt Robert!

Hey All

I have a new job and do not have 8 hours a night to spend surfing the net. Darn real jobs kinda suck. But at least I see the sun now and am trying to readjust to working normal hours again. I have some great pics from Halloween I will try to post! Talk to you all again soon.

Terrie

This is so cool Waddy took this pic of my pumpkins and Robbie with a special exposure on . There is of course only one Robbie Thank God!!

I am utterly appalled by the story in the news about the women who was told that she could not keep her neighbors kids at her house in the mornings because she was not a licenced daycare. I am amazed at the pettiness of the person, who it was stated, was one of her neighbors that complained. Obviously not one of the neighbors whose kid she was watching. It was just for an hour while they waited for the bus and it was out of the goodness of her heart that she was doing this. She was not being paid.

I guess that is what trying to do a good deed will get you in this world.

Stress and aggravation.

I hope she does not give up. Women need to stick together. Without women like her a lot of us would not be able to work.

So please go out and volunteer in your community. It might give some poor soul something to complain about.

This is a picture of my house from the air taken by Waddy. While he and Robert buzzed our house last weekend. The hooligans!! Cool huh!

It's been a long yet rewarding weekend. I just got back from a state Woman's Club meeting in Orlando. Anytime you attend one of these events you always come back ready to jump back into service work feet first and full speed ahead. They are very motivational.

While there I saw many of the women that I traveled with to Peru so I thought I would share some more of my pictures from the trip.

These doors were in Cusco. A great many of the doors were painted blue. Chris I thought of you when taking pictures of doors. I hope I get to see the wonderful ones in Spain someday!
The rest of the pictures below were taken at the Machu Picchu ruins. One of the Great wonders of the world.

Hi All!

Just surfing at work. And thought I might post some more on my trip.

I received an email from our Federation Chairman about speaking at our upcoming state board meeting.About the trip. Now I always have lots to say and yet for some reason I still get nervous when I have to speak in front of a crowd. My words always sound rushed to me. Am I forgetting something? Did they get my point? We will only have 3-5 minutes to speak. That's not long. I am going to have a hard time deciding on what to talk about. There was SOOOOO much.

This is a fountain in the Main Square. Surrounded by government buildings. Such as their Presidents House. They told us that one day a year that Pisco flows from this fountain for the entire day. What is Pisco you ask? Pisco is the equivalent to corn whiskey that is the national drink in Peru. It was very potent stuff. Could you imagine a fountain in front of our White House that flowed whiskey?? HMMM I'm not sure about that one. But for sure things couldn't get a great deal worse in Washington. Might be an improvement.

The architecture was such a lovely mix of many different countries. Spain, Germany, and Europe just to name a few. The weather in Lima is Gray and dreary all year due to it's location on the coast. So the Government ordered the buildings to be painted bright colors because of the suicide rate. Nice!

More Later.

Reason # 70

to go sailing

Discovering new worlds, communities, and people.

Peru was an amazing place. Not much room to sail where we were but beautiful is not a word that does it justice. However it has a very dirty side as most countries do. The cities are over populated and the government only seemed to be concerned with the area that the tourist visited. Once you left that space the ugly truth showed through. The thing that bugged me the most were the kids. There was someone in every parking lot and intersection trying to sell you something. And often they were children. Early in the morning and late at night it made no difference. Where are their parents? Why are you not at school? No one new or they didn't care. There is compulsory school for the small children but no law to enforce it. Go figure.

Here are some pictures from the trip. There will be many more to follow.

Day one off to Lima. Right before we left we found out that due to health reasons our fearless leader would not be with us. We were very sad. Not to fear second in command quickly copied her in to a packable size and she went with us in spirit. She had a great time and never a hair out of place. We really did miss her since of humor. Her jokes were a little flat! LOL

Flat Stanley and one of my sons small blue ninjas, That mysteriously appeared in my suit case, also made the trip. They all really enjoyed Machupicchu!



Here is another of Linda enjoying the scenery!

This young man was juggling these sticks in a very busy intersection for money.

This is the view out the hotel window in Lima.

Maybe more tomorrow.

I'm HOME!!!!!!!
Just got home yesterday. It will yake a day or so dig out from under the pile of SH*&%&%
You know ,, stuff!
Will post lots of pics soon. Peru was great and Machupicchu was amazing.

Reason # 69

To Go Sailing

NO car wrecks

My father in law, and me and Robbie were coming back from a visit to the next town over this evening and were first on scene to a vehicle rolled over on it's top in a ditch. Waddy jumped in and help cut the woman loose and get her out of the truck. She almost died. With gods help and good karma we were in the right spot at the right time. I pray she will be OK.

If you are ever on a boat that is moving fast enough to flip over and land on its top you have screwed up. AND your not cruising.

Slow down and go sailing. And until them buckle up and drive safe.

I saw on another blog a challenge/ suggestion that you should post a photo. Not just any photo but the photo that is the 10Th photo in the 1st folder. I couldn't make this up. Guess what mine was! Yep a picture of our boat the SV Wahine in all her glory and here it is.

And this is the next one it was taken in Hope Town Bahamas. Just wanted to share this one cause it's pretty.

Well I am getting ready for my big trip to Peru. I think my friends and family will be glad to see me leave. It is all I think about and they are probably getting sick of me.

22 more days. YAH

I got the greatest water bottle that has a built in filter that will filter out the nastiest of cooties. And I can use it on the boat later. Double cool.

Interesting fact. You can pack a meat cleaver in your checked luggage on international flight but not your extra camera batteries. I am learning so much getting ready for this trip. I have never flown over seas.

On a side note my honey has finally obtained his pilots licence. Look out BIRDS!!

Well Guess what?

I am going to Peru!

YAH ME!

Several months ago I bought a raffle ticket for a chance to go on an all expenses paid, study tour, to Peru with Heifer International. It was a fund raiser for The Florida GFWC. That's the woman's club that I am always talking about. I was second runner up/ alternate.

Then I became 1st alternate about a month ago. Then yesterday I got the news that I was going.

OMG I was soooooo excited. I'm still excited. I went right out and bought books about Peru and have spent all my time researching Peru. And all I think about is Peru.

One of the highlights will be a visit to MachuPicchu.

We will be spending time with those who have benefitted from Heifers ongoing projects in Cusco and Puno.

You should expect to hear lots about my upcoming trip and see lots of pictures when I return.

The trip is August 2ND thru the 13Th.

I wish we could be sailing to Peru but this will be nice too.

Still here at this dam hotel.
Bored
Still raining almost every day. The yard is full of weeds and everything is icky.
Yuck
Still broke. We will get cot up eventually.
Bummer


Have you ever been Geo Cashing?
Robbie got a cool Geo Cashing GPS for his birthday. It's like treasure hunting with a GPS but no shovels were needed. Go to http://www.geocaching.com/ for more info.
I'll keep you posted on our finds.

Reason # 68 to go sailing
real treasure to find

I think I need to spend the day at the beach. DAYCATION!!

It seems I was just here yesterday.

Here on my blog, but no it has been 14 days.

Here at this Hotel bored out of my mind. AAHHH yes that was just yesterday.

So I'm still working at the hotel and still way bored. Nothing strange or exciting ever happens here although the wind does blow the front doors around quite a bit and you think someone is coming in but no one is there.

The summer storms have started here and it rains every afternoon. This is great for my garden which is really growing fast. I am excited about my tomatoes. It doesn't take much to make me happy. Still haven't had much success with corn. Something is eating it. Maybe I will get pics posted soon of my veges.

The SV Free Spirit is heading into the Turks and Cacios steadily moving south. I wish them fair winds.

I wonder how much it is to fly to where they are? The rain has me in a rut and I need to see some blue water!!!

Reason # 67 to go sailing

If you don't like the weather. Wait a while and it's sure to change.

Here is a couple of pics of Robbie because they make me smile and I know you'll smile too.

Waddy titled this one Robbie's first wreck. I don't think he was quite 3 here and he loved to drive his little car.

This is Christmas morning and a new scooter. Again Waddy took this one. He looks like he going really, really fast. He is always going somewhere fast.

Hey honey your always saying that I'm going to have a hard time when we move onto the boat about slowing down. You better start worrying about your little man here.

I have discovered an all new level of boredom!

Having said that let me tell you about my new job.

This is the most boring job I have EVER HAD in all my life. I am working at a local Inn as the desk clerk. You check people in you check people out. If they could teach monkeys some personal hygiene they could take care of this. You answer the phone and any number of idiotic questions from the clientele in person and over the never ending ringing telephone. EXCEPT when I have the pleasure ,as I do tonight, of working the overnight shift. 12 am to 6 am. Then you do nothing. You sweep and vacuum generally tidy up. Did I mention the monkeys. About 5am I get to put out the continental breakfast. OOH AAAH. Why is it called that I wonder. Is it because they don't know what continent to blame it on? But I get to surf and blog and read my email. YAH You guys might get some interesting blogs at 3am. I'll have to remember to put my camera in my computer bag. I can only imagine what I might see around here at night. When I came to work yesterday morning at 5am there was a very drunk women out front of the hotel sitting on the curb, singing. You just never know.

I hope I don't have to work this shift often!

Do you ever feel like jumping?

Up or down? Here are some great jumping pictures. How old is to old to jump?

Maybe if I jump up and down a few times it will help keep me awake.

Well good night or maybe it's morning hell I don't know.

Robbie jumping a dirt hill.

My niece jumping on our trampoline.

The neighbor and a friend jumping on the trampoline.

I know ,I know I am a terrible blogger.

Where have I been? Around

What have I been doing? Stuff

Where are you going? UH Idontknow

Well, that's me lately, but as I was just typing it reminded me of my 20 year old son.

That's the kind of answers you get from kids. So maybe I'm just feeling young this spring!

I have actually been doing lots and not much at the same time.

My husbands 94 year old Grandmother who independently lives alone through her back out. So I've spent some time with her.

It's little league season which means I am either at baseball practice or at a baseball game.

I love baseball!

Went to the Marine Flea Market in Dania. FUN FUN FUN
Check out the pic of my little man in his new wet suit he had to try it out in the pool.

Wet suit 15$ Hours of entertainment priceless.

I got my taxes done last month! YAH but time consuming you don't get much else done.

Planted a garden with my son. And then watched it over the last 2 weeks sprout and THEN
this morning when I went out something had eaten my corn.
I AM NOT HAPPY!

Went out on my father inlaws little boat Easter Sunday and Robbie fished a bit. This is the little boat we drug to the Bahamas last summer. It gets around.

Went to a Women's Club Convention in Orlando last weekend. Very motivational! You always come back wanting to jump back into your community service projects.

The LaBelle Community Woman's club is an organization that I am involved with locally but is State and Nation wide. Check out this link if you interested in what we do.

WERE AWESOME LADIES!

http://www.gfwc.org/gfwc/Default.asp

http://www.gfwcflorida.org/

OK here are 2 more reasons to go sailing

# 65

No taxes to file. No income either but no taxes.

#66

Shoes

I know your dying to here this one.

The convention I went to last weekend was business casual and a formal dinner. I had to take 3 pairs of shoes. None of which were tennis shoes. UGH! I like to dress up as most girls do. But I have terrible foot problems and I hate wearing dress shoes.

When you are out on a boat shoes are definitely optional and most cases ashore flip flops and sandals are more than enough. Squeaking when you walk in wet sandals or blisters are a much bigger concern than if they match your dress. I can't wait.

LET'S GO SAILING!

Well there's a hole in the boat. And not a good one. There's never a good one. We have removed all of the galley and settee area. Down to the hull. Robert was scraping at some rust and I was saying be careful when IT happened. It was a small little drip that didn't stop. Robert didn't even get excited he just went to the hardware store for some putty as I stood there trying to will it to stop and imagining the boat sinking before he got back. It didn't. The leak is patched but now were afraid to do anything down there until we have the money to get her hauled out. There lots else to do but HOHUM you know how it goes.

Tomorrow is boat day I wonder if he will poke any more holes in the hull?

My son got his wheels fixed today and I was thinking about how mobile he has always been. I am very nervous about turning him loose in a dingy. Free Spirit lets their boys take the dingy but there is power in the numbers. They have 3 and I just 1. Will he even want to go off by himself? Not anytime soon I hope.

Here are his current wheels.

The date on my camera is wrong go figure. I took this pic today. Note the HELMET he always wears it.

So I am surfing at school this morning I know I'm here to work, but it is so boring and I was reading Oreneta's blog. When I come across her opinion on trash she finds on her walks in the hills where she lives in Spain. She mentions a project that she is participating in where you pick up trash and take pictures of it and post it on your blog.
WEELLLL just the other day my friends from S.V. Free Spirit were visiting and commented on the amount of trash on the side of the road leading into my neighborhood. Then I read about blog green and I am thinking it must be kismet or something that I should go pick up the trash.
I'll let you know how it goes and I will post some pics. I hope you will not be to shocked it is a lot of trash. Maybe there should be an award for the blogger that picks up the most!!
This is the link to the blog green sight. Go check it out.
http://nicoleb.org/b2/index.php/blog-green

S.V.Free Spirit at the dock on LaBelle.

I'm sad and excited!

My new friends and inspirations left today.

Laura I miss you already. The S.V. Free Spirit pulled off the dock today for the last time. Out into the big blue yonder. They are living the dream and exploring the world. It is hard to make friends knowing that they will by nature of the bond be leaving. Yet we are drawn together just the same. Cruisers , are amazing people. They take on the everyday challenges of life while living in an extreme environment and over come them just the same. I am excited that the next time I see them they will be out there doing IT!!!! And hopefully so will we.

See ya out there , Laura, Tamer and all of the boys my prayers will always be with you followed closely by jealousy and envy.

If you see this boat anywhere in the world know that it is full of awesome people!

Sundays around here are supposed to be boat day and My Honey was working so I didn't go to the boat to work. However I did take on a project long overdue. My side of the barn was full of junk that had not been touched in years. So Ronnie and I emptied and cleaned and now that building is officially the boat barn. A project that will definitely come in handy for the next year or so of refitting.

My new favorite saying is "It's not a mess- It's progress"

Well I made it through one more season of holidays!!!!!


Didn't kill anyone. Didn't even want to.


I think I have instilled in my family and finally in myself that we are leaving. So theoretically one more set of holidays and we will be gone.


We went sailing for Christmas 2 years ago. Just me and the boys and it was blissfully relaxing. We were sailing in the Bahamas near Spanish Wells when a front moved through and we were stuck in the same anchorage for 4 days. We read and watched movies and snuggled under the covers it was the best vacation so far. We couldn't go anywhere or do anything off the boat.





I admit that I get a bit wrapped up in the planning and execution of an event or trip or hell just about anything. When that was taken away and I had no choice but to just be and let nature take it's course it was very freeing. I hope that when we move aboard and get on our way that there is more of just, being.


This a link to a cool web sight where I have a couple of pics located as does my awesome father inlaw whose pictures are often here on my blog. If you search for a photo called forgotten at the beach, you will find me. I think if you search Waddy Thompson you will find my PAPA!





http://www.jpgmag.com/themes/8

Robert and I started the removal of my galley and salon. WHOOOOPEEEEE!

I wanted to set fire to the table but he wouldn't let me. He said he could recycle the wood. More on this project soon.