Where Oh Where are you tonight?

Well this is the second time I have typed this post. Lets see if I can get it right this time!!

I know that I am a lousy blogger!

Baseball season is over. BOOHOO. I love Little League. Little man and one of his buddies are going to baseball camp next week at FGCU university. Super cool. I'll keep you posted on his Major League status.

This is a talent he is working on in case baseball doesn't pan out.

Then of course there is skateboarding at the X-games.





I love him no matter what. Aren't we cute?


I attended a convention for GFWC LaBelle Community Woman's Club in Orlando Florida. As much as my son is convinced we did not spend the weekend riding roller coasters or hanging out at the water park. We did have some fun and a lot of education.

This is me pretty in pink with Lynn and Marion from our club while at convention.




I threw my son the most awesome 8Th birthday party he ever had last weekend. I'm not sure if we have completely recovered.

These are the cupcakes Robbie and I made to take to school.

This is the super cool cake I made for the big party.

We had about 30 people show for the big day.

One of the things Robbie got for his birthday is this slip n slide type contraption that you are supposed to be able to skin board on. Supposed is the key word.

Casey shows them how.

Courtney and Miken

We told him that's not how you do it.

Emily says YUM!

Sallie and I sure love a party.

Robbie you sure had some pretty girls at your party!

So, your officially 8 years old.

Happy Birthday KID!!! We love you!!!

HEY

Well I've read 4 books recently. Two by Ken Follet who wrote Pillars of the Earth. Hammer of Eden was about a terrorist cult group that threatens to trigger an earthquake if the government doesn't cooperate with their requests and Code to Zero which was written a bit differently. A man wakes up in a public bathroom dressed like a bum and he can't remember who he is. Through his search to find out why what and when he discovers that he is a secret agent and that there is a plot to destroy the space program. Yep you guessed it he saves the day.

I liked them both but Pillars of the Earth was much better. I also finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. GREAT!!! I loved the depth of these characters. The strength of the women. The 4th eludes me just now it has been more than 24 hours and I Didn't write it down. I checked out the Secret Life of Bees. What kind of secrets could bees have? We'll find out.

Little league is going great. I like soccer but I LOVE baseball. So I am spending a lot of time at the ballpark.

It is getting really hot here and it makes you kinda lazy and your brain and body don't always want to do the same things. I want to spring clean but it's to dam hot. I need to work on the boat but it's way to hot. Maybe I'll just read a book.

a

watermellon cannons

We sure had big fun on Saturday! We launched watermelons. Watermelons you say? How do you do that you might ask? Well first you need a high tech watermelon cannon with an 8 inch barrel. Then you need a box full of watermelon and an air compressor. Which we happen to have on hand.

My father in law ,whose pictures you often see on this blog, with the help of my husband Robert built an air cannon several years ago to compete in the Punkin Chunkin World Championship. I can't make up something like that here's their web sight http://www.punkinchunkin.com/gallery2002.htm you have to check it out the cannons name is Spooky Bazooky if you look in the 2002 photo gallery that was the year I went. There are some cute pics of Robbie about age 2 in a wheel barrel. Spooky Bazooky is bright blue and there are many pictures of it.

Anyway my father in law is often invited or hired to come to events to entertain guests with the cannon. In Florida pumpkins are hard to come by so we shoot watermelons. Last Saturday Alico Ranch had it's annual company picnic with over 400 people attending and those cowboys love the cannon. I think this is the 3rd year we have launched there. I used to be the ranch chef there and I really enjoyed attending the picnic without having to do all the work it takes to feed that many people.

http://www.geocities.com/acmemelonmusketco/ This is an old home page for the cannon it is out of date but has neet pictures.

http://nfttu.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html if you go to this blog Waddy is talked about in the post labeled gambling with vegetables. This was kinda the start of his obsessions with launching melons.

Waddy was also an expert on the show Junk Yard Wars. They did an episode about air cannons.

http://jyw.tacorp.net/interviews/waddy.html This is an interview with Waddy.

I have to confess that launching watermelons is addictive and that my entire family counts themselves as Melon Musketeers.

We love you PAPA!

This is Robert and Robbie loading the cannon last Saturday.

Were at #60 reasons to go sailing!
To show my son the world before he's to old to know what he's looking at.

Were going to the boat yard today to help a friend maybe and our friends S.V.Dreamer are back stateside and coming to the yard next week to haul out and maybe they will let me help them work on their boat! yah Inspiration!

My leg still hurts.
Robbie lost his first game but won his game tonight so he is stoked!

An amazing thing happened last night. I was elected to be the next President of the LaBelle Community Womans Club. I must be the youngest president in history of our club at least. I wonder what the national youngest age is? It will be a lot of work but I love volunteering in my community. It makes me happy and it is gratifying to come together with other women and accomplish so much. Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it.
Terrie

This will be short I think. I have to run back to the ball park for Robbies first Little League Game of the season. YAH !! But the truth of the matter is I won't be running anywhere. Not for a little while. I fell last Sunday night stepping off the dock onto our boat. I think the wind must have shifted and I missed my step. I don't remember tripping or catching my foot on anything so that is my only excuse. I face planted as my son would call it. My teeth did a number on both lips. Thankfully they didn't break. Also I must have landed hard on my shin because instantly a huge lump came up about the size of a softball. We had it x-rayed and found no breaks. I have developed some lovely discoloration and the swelling has only gone down a bit. I have to admit that this really knocked me out of commission for several days. Now the mouth hurts more that the leg unless I'm up to much.

I finished Pillars of the Earth before the accident and I have to say that is was GREAT. Someone said that there might be a part 2 I'm going to look. Sometimes when you get to the end of a book the author has concluded the story and it feels finished and you say that was a good story. Then others you say "that's it" what happens next???? I want to know what happens next.
While I was down this week I finished I Take This Land by Richard Powell. Good story. I enjoy books that take place in my own back yard it helps you relate to the characters in the story.

Has anyone read the book Oprah is pushing this week? It is supposed to be life altering. It would take an awful lot to be life altering for me.

Did you know that you can't lick your own elbow. You also can not touch your ear with your elbow. Who knew!

Well gotta go!

time to play ball

OH SO Much!

First, I was over at Oreneta's blog , see link on the side bar, and she has a video posted about a man doing amazing volunteer work at his local schools. I can't even put it into words. So go to Oreneta or directly to this link http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/233 and check this stuff out. I hope it will inspire even one person to volunteer. It doesn't have to be at school either. Go to a library or daycare or help a niece or nephew who might just need a few minutes of one on one adult interaction that will let him know that he is important and what he thinks does count.

Second. Back to Oreneta her girls are amazing and have created their own blog. I think they get a lot of one on one time! Check them out to. It was very informative and creative. That Snow White who knew?

You can find the link on orenetas blog. Free Spirit your guys are really going to enjoy this sight. Girls keep up the good work. And that thing about the Easter Bunny? I really need to know!

Finally my reading. I slowed a bit this week. I read one trashy novel that the name eludes me but I did go to the Library today and check out The Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follet and I Take this Land by Richard Powell. Oreneta you are right about one thing if the Pillars book falls off the head board and hits you, you will definitely have a black eye. These two hefty reads should keep my mind bust a little while. But maybe not for long as I'm not sleeping well lately. Maybe the book will fall on my head and knock me out. I will start one of these tomorrow when I finish with my current trashy novel.

Oh ya and I made the coolest business cards for Wahine today. You know with our email and address and stuff on them, these are the pictures I used for the back grounds on my cards which one do you like the best?

This picture was off the beach in Bimini.

Don't I have perty toes? Cayo Costa FL.

Waddy took this one near Fort Myers I think.

By for now

Terrie

So I have read 3 books this week. Jimmy Buffet's "A Salty Piece Of Land" Fern Michaels "Hide and Seek" and another James Patterson"1st To Die" The last one is the first book in the series called Womens Murder Club that has become a t.v. series but I haven't watched any. The book felt like I had read it before. Mostly because the plot was basic and like so many others.

Jimmy's book surprisingly was the best of the 3. Have you ever finished a book and wondered then what. What happens next. You get to know your characters and want them to drop you an email so that you can find out what is going on in their life. "A Salty Piece of Land" is like that. I was impressed by his writing and the depth of his characters. I am going to go get another of his books.

"Hide and Seek" was about a group of women getting even with those who have done an injustice to them or a loved one. Was an OK book. I might read another as it is a series but mostly it was bubblegum.

But still needing to exercise my brain I am going to the library tomorrow to look for some of the books that my friend from Oreneta suggested.

Soccer season has ended for my little guy just a couple of weeks ago and baseball started this week. So we will move from one ball field to the next. If you are looking for me that is where I will be for the next 2 months. But I'm not helping coach so I will have plenty of time to sit in the stands and heckle the umpires and cheer on the best player ever. When I'm not reading!

This is the first experience I have had with soccer and I must admit, I'M HOOKED!!! The kids all play and they run A LOT. This is great because they come home really tired. Here are some pictures of Robbie in action taken by Waddy on the sidelines. Thanks PAPA!

Robbie playing goalie and mom coaching from the sidelines.

Robbie has an awesome kick.

Robbie gets bored really easy.

Robbie and his buddy Leeland.

Robbie playing defender.

Robbie and Terrie after a great game.

My sister Amie and niece Emily watching Robbie play.

Look at Robbie's tongue.

Go Robbie Go!!

Finished James Patterson's "I warned you" or something like that. I didn't see the end coming.It was a fast read. Not much to digest. I usually really like him but the characters of this one were not very deep. I'm going to read a book by Jimmy Buffet next. This should be interesting.

Robert and I are trying to pick a departure date to shoot for, for our around the world cruising adventure. This is tougher than picking are wedding date. And more details. There is still much to do to Wahine and a lot of land locked problems to be dealt with. Wish us luck.

Here are some inspiring cruising pictures.

This is my father in law Waddy at Fort Jefferson, Tortuga. He takes a lot of the cool pics you see on my blog.

Robbie hamming it up in the keys.

Abandoned light house at the Cay Sal Bank. Cooool. Great pic by Waddy.

Me and my honey at the Restaurant near Cayo Costa FL. where every inch of every wall is covered in 1 dollar bills. You sign your name to it and tape it to the wall any where you want. Jimmy Buffets was on the wall near the bar. They said that they sweep up thousands of dollars a year off the floor. It all gets donated to charity. How cool is that? Robbie took this picture.

Well I finished yet another trashy book today. Daniel Steel, "Sisters" it was a good story but completely void of any meaning or depth. I really feel like I need to read something of substance. Don't take that to mean like educational or anything but maybe a step up from trash to brain bubblegum. So send me your latest good reads that you think I would enjoy. The last time I put out this request one of the books that was suggested was "The Kite Runner" and I really enjoyed that one. Thanks Chris.

There was an awesome front page story in our little local paper this week about the sailing vessel Free Spirit. I have mentioned them before. It talked about their planning an around the world voyage and everything that they have been doing to get ready to leave. Some day it will be my family's picture on the front page telling about us leaving. God knows the locals here already think that were crazy. Reading this made me think about how the little town of LaBelle isn't just a great hurricane hole when the weather gets bad but also a fabulous spot to plan a great adventure. We have met quite a few sailors here that are passing through or getting ready for a major cruise. LaBelle is close to everything you need for refitting a boat. We give hospitality a new meaning. Free water and electric on our free dock. Walking distance to stores, post office, laundry, etc... The haul out facilities at Glades Boat Storage are just what the real cruiser needs. You can still work on your own boat and stay aboard at the same time. This is getting pretty rare. Most places will haul your boat but won't let you do any of the work let alone stay on them during your stay.

So come find your new to you boat , we found ours at Glades Boat Yard, or work on the one you already have, and make plans to sail off into the sunset with the rest of us in beautiful LaBelle, Florida.

The crew of Wahine is always on the look out for our next adventure.

Wahine and others at the local city dock, the free one, in LaBelle Fl.

Wahine in her slip at the port LaBelle Marina.

http://www.labellechamber.com/ Since this sounded like a sales pitch for LaBelle here is the web sight for our Chamber of Commerce.

Hello All

Deep Breath in long exhale out.

OK

Just got home from school. As most of you know I am subbing at the local high school. Today I had American Government. It was just as boring today as it was then. I really thought I would fall asleep. So I would walk around the class to stay awake. Note to teachers every so often have your entire class get up and move around to stay awake. It might help.

Holidays, boat trips, back to school, pet fest, and swamp cabbage festival all done and wrapped up. Some of those things are self explanatory but what is a Pet Fest or Swamp Cabbage Festival you ask.

Pet Fest was an event planned and carried out by the Local Woman's Club that I belong to. It was a community event for pet lovers to help us raise money for a pet park here in LaBelle. We also donated funds to the animals shelters and different rescue groups that participated. We had a blessing of the animals, a pet parade, and lots of fun and goodies. Robbie and his turtle, Telly, won an award for the best behaved pet. How fun is that?

http://www.gfwc.org/ This is the link to the national web sight for the club I belong to. Were awesome!

The Swamp Cabbage Festival is a little more complex. Swamp cabbage by definition is the heart of a cabbage palm cut out and cooked with bacon and onions. Yummy. This goes way back to the Indians and settlers of south Florida surviving in what has often been referred to as The Devils Garden. For who but the devil would have planted such chaos?

So 42 years ago the local Jaycee's , a civic organization, set out to plan an event to promote LaBelle and local business's and the Swamp Cabbage Festival was born. People come from near and far to "eat a tree". We had over 100 vendors selling everything from swamp cabbage fritters to Indian Jewelry. The Woman's club had a booth selling pulled pork sandwiches. This money we use to give scholarships to local students. It is a long and tiring weekend but gratifying to be able to help our community.

http://www.swampcabbagefestivhttp/:

check out the link

Well I'm just full of info today. I also added a new cool link to my side bar. It is the blog for S.V. Free Spirit who is about to set out on a voyage of a lifetime. Check them out.

This is Wahine in her home port LaBelle Florida.

By for now

Terrie

Where have I been?

That's a good question. I think sometimes I get in a rut and just don't want to except that it may be a while before we actually move aboard and cruise full time. When I post to this blog it is with anticipation for the adventures to come and to tell of ones we have had. With that in mind as I sit here typing it is a little depressing at times. The list of things that must be accomplished before we can go grows longer everyday. We will never get to the bottom of the LIST. As there is no bottom. So at what point do you say lets go. We can do those things underway at anchor in some foreign port. There are certain things that for safety reasons must be done before hand and others that you know will never get done if you live aboard. So where do you draw the line? WHERE?

I guess this rant is being brought on by my spending time with my new friends on board Free Spirit a beautiful steel sail boat with an amazing family from Alaska. They number 7 in crew. Yep Seven. Husband and wife, 3 sons, and 1 nephew. They have been here for sometime readying their vessel for cruising around the world. We met in the boat yard here. They were in the exact same spot that our Wahine had sat in for so long and we really, I think, bonded right away. Are boys have become great friends and comrads at arms joining in the battle to take over the world. I really think that they will win. We both have awesome kids.

But back to the point. I'M JEALOUS. There I admit it. Every time I go visit them on the boat they have made some new progress and checked one more item off their list. They live on board and they make progress. They are very determined. So what does that say for me? I don't know. We have some land locked issues that must be taken care of as well. Property and houses and a load of other baggage to deal with. I am very excited for them I know their going. I know we will see them in some very far off place someday and sit with a cold one and say whoooo. We made it.

So in the mean time our little trips abroad will have to sustain us through the rough times on land.

These are some pics from Christmas in the Bahamas.

The pic with buildings is Spanish Wells.

Scooby on old dock was Royal Harbor where we spent 4 days while the wind was ripping.

The pirate flag was a group effort from all of us on an extremely cold and windy day. We are easily entertained. We proudly flew it all the way home.

Next up :crossing the gulf steam and checking in with customs in Bimini

Well I guess the gods and powers that be had had a good laugh and were still busy rolling around on the floor in hysterics because when we crossed the gulf stream the next day it went wonderfully. No man overboard drills or significant events that I can recall.

We anchored just out of the channel in Bimini on a beautiful morning and captain Rob went to shore and cleared us in without any fuss. I often wonder how many boats don't check in and out and pay the fees. Both trips we have made so far I never saw one Bahamian official on the water. Ever! No one ever asked us about whether we had checked in or out. It's not really in me to temp fate to much. I'm already married to a man who does it often enough for all of us. Anyone for a swim?

We spent a great day in Bimini. This little city is really growing on me. My favorite place is a little beach bar called Sherry's on the Beach. It is a little hut down on the beach, Gulf side. The owner, Sherry Pinder, carries everything she needs down to her little shack everyday and home every night. She makes frozen concoctions that make it difficult to remember where you anchored and the best fresh conch salad I have ever eaten. But my little guy likes to say "so far". We will always be looking for better and should probably check in with Sherry on a regular basis to compare.

After eating my share of conch and picking up our Bimini bread, another must try when there, we straightened up the boat, did some laundry and took out the trash. It must have been the cabin boys day off. We were headed to Chub Key next and then to Spanish Wells/ Port Royal.

We headed out after lunch and made it out all the way to North Rock on the Far North end of Bimini when we made the decision not to try going across that night the wind was blowing straight at us and it didn't look good. So we turned around and went back to Sherry's. We dropped anchor right off the beach instead of going around and going all the way to the anchorage. The way the wind was blowing out of the east it was a very pleasant night. Robbie played on the beach until it was so dark we couldn't see and I hung out at Sherry's.

On the way down the beach to go back to the boat I tripped on something and hurt my little toe. I would have swore I broke it. It turned black and purple and hurt like hell. That will teach me not to leave my shoes in the dingy. Or maybe it will teach me not to drink to much and then stumble around on the beach. Naaa. Well in hind sight I don't guess it was broke it did hurt for a couple of weeks. But it's better now.

Here's some pics!!

This is Bimini Beach.

The Dolphin House, Bimini.

Wahine and Pooty the Pickle pirate.

Hotel ruins, Bimini

Wreck on Bimini beach locals say it's been there for ever.

Baptist Church

Wahine and Downtown Bimini

Whats left of the Complete angler where Hemingway hung out.

Well I haven't been very diligent in keeping up with this blog. Sorry! Thanks to all of you who continue to check back anyway. I would like to here a few more comments. Good ones anyway.



It is almost back to normal around here. Little man is back at school and the grown up people are back to work. Kinda. The boat is tucked in to her cozy slip at the marina. Linens washed and stored , decks cleaned and tons of things we just can't live without all moved back to the house. What a lot of work it all is. Sometimes I wonder why we do it. Why?



I know that most of my friends and family see these trips of ours as vacations. "Oh Terrie and the boys are off on vacation again" I can here them saying this. Well let me tell you these trips are not ARE NOT a vacation. However, definitely an adventure! Cruising and sailing should be on the list for extreme sports or lifestyles or something. It is definitely not for the faint of heart or week minded. You just can't take your toys and go home when you don't want to play anymore. Your in your home, your off shore and if your not careful your toys can get blown overboard. Doesn't this all sound like a vacation. NOT. But you know I'm making it sound like I don't enjoy sailing. Well that's not the case. Maybe not as much as my guys do. There are parts I could do without. But overall it's growing on me. I'm always excited about seeing a new place and meeting new people.



As you know we made a trip to the Bahamas for Christmas. For all the bad weather and mishaps I relaxed more this trip than all the others. I read a great deal, watched movies and played games with the kid.



The trip started a few days before Christmas. 2 days later than planned. We made it to the keys by Christmas Eve to make the jump to Bimini. Well lets just say we all know what they say about the best laid plans. They Suck!



Just shy of half way across the gulf steam, in the middle of the night. The sea is was what my husband called a washing machine. The waves were all mixed up. We were getting our buts kicked. Full moon so we could at least see the confused waves. YEH The dingy that we were towing decides we need to do a man over board drill. NOW. The line broke. We tried and tried to catch her but we just couldn't get close enough. So my totally insane husband jumps off the boat in to the gulf stream and swims to the dingy. He did take a line with him. At least he didn't expect me to be able to come back and get him. I really don't know. Oh wait it gets better. I smell something burning. But there is nothing I can do about it right now. He swam to the dingy tied a line on and pulled it back to the boat. It had ripped the eye clean out of the bow of the dink. Honey I smell smoke. He got back on board. "I don't know what you were worried about I am at trained professional" Yah 17 years ago he was a Navy diver. Before having a broke back. Before he gained weight. BEFORE. Honey I smell smoke. He turned on the lights in the galley and it was full of smoke. No fire up front. The engine room was full of smoke. No flames. It all the Chaos a battery had come loose and grounded out on the throttle cable. And smoked A lot. Oh yah we had no throttle control at this point either. Doesn't this all sound like a Vacation. He managed to rig the throttle in one spot. We decided to turn around and go back. It was closer. He set in a new course. Changed his wet clothes and literally passed out from exhaustion. I fought the boat for 2 hours in what I was hoping was the best direction it really didn't feel like we were making any head way. The GPS wasn't showing any we were fighting the wind and the gulf stream I needed to increase the speed but couldn't and didn't have the heart to try to wake him. When he woke up he tried to explain to me that we were making headway that it just wasn't the course that was laid in. But that we were moving forward. He took over and headed to the nearest land which turned out to be Rock Harbor, Key Largo Fl. He dropped anchor just at dawn and we all slept like the dead. Merry Christmas. Of course these things don't slow down kids at all . My little guy was up and at it. Where are we? Did Santa come? Can I go swimming? Of course Santa came. I'm Super Mommy!! He was little bummed that we weren't in Bimini where we had told him we would be when he woke up but he got over it. We had an awesome Christmas dinner and me and the little pirate went exploring and let the Captain sleep. He deserved it. We'll try again tomorrow.



I will add more about our "vacation" next time. Enjoy some pics from me and Waddy.
We did make it to the Bahamas!

Christmas dinner.Yum

captain Rob

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