Silhouette is southward bound again - finally.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
And we make a different decision.
We usually go off shore to sail south as it is fast and
better for us.
Since the weather has been so very awful we make a different
decision. We decide to take Silhouette
down the 'ditch' which is the nick name for the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway).
Mark using the advise of friend John Hromadka has downloaded
a program called Active Captain. It is
used for comments and navigation tips to and from folks using the ICW to warn
of shoaling and many other issues. As a
member you can add comments to warn others of new problems or issues.
So we take off during a small break in the weather to go
down river, then head south on the ICW.
Patty and other friends got up early to see us off - bye bye
Bridgeton
friends. Hope to see you in the spring.
Then - snow and ice, again.
Patty and I go grocery shopping on Monday - the next time
anyone can safely get off their boat is Friday - here are the pictures.
Chris and Dwight
Earlier I mentioned that our friend Dwight applied the new
rub rail to Silhouette but did not have a picture of him to show (after all I
was in Texas
when he was doing the work) - this is he!
Happy Hour with friends - Chris and Pete
We stayed for almost a week at Bock Marine (the weather was
awful) and decided to go back to Bridgeton Marina to await a weather
window. It is too late in the season and
very cold.
Happy to see some of our friends again we have an impromptu
happy hour aboard Silhouette.
Keel Guard
Here we have added Keel Guard (a 3M product) to the bottom
of the dinghy. The fiberglass was
repaired before we left last year for the Bahamas . After only a few months the glass was a bit
thin - this fixed the problem.
Splashing Silhouette
Silhouette is finally finished and ready for the water by
mid-January. We put her back in the
water and start working on our project list.
AND - here she is…
Notice that we have also had new graphics made by Ralph's
Sign Shop. The grapes look like grapes
again - the final touch to a very well done job.
Back to Beaufort
We fly back to New
Bern on 1/8/2014 and go check out the newly painted
Silhouette in Beaufort the next day.
Mark is pictured here with Silhouette and our new friend
Bruce Mallard. He is the master Awlgrip
painter who did a fantastic job on our hull.
He must be the best painter on the east coast - we have seen no boat
with a finer paint job than the one we received.
Dad shaving
On New Years Day I caught my Dad shaving. Dad and I spent a quiet New Years Eve as
couch potatoes watching some old western DVD's (John Wayne). Sharon and Carl went to the Moose club and
Mark was outside smoking cigars and talking to the neighbors.
New Year's Eve
On New Years Eve Sharon, Carl, Mark and I took off to check
out some marinas. Fisherman's Village is
where we decide to dock the boat for the winter - unfortunately they have a
waiting list. We add our names to the
list hoping for an opening by the time we sail around.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Cedar Chest
We had a very calm day with rack of pork for dinner. The cedar chest needed some cleaning - Mark
has done some of the work, then everyone else got into the project to get it
finished…it looked great when we were done.
The next day we headed for Florida for a short visit with my Dad,
sister Sharon and her husband Carl…
Christmas Day 2013
Now it is Christmas Day - we have stayed with Mark's
wonderful sister and bro-in-law since November 9th - over 6 weeks Our plan is to leave the next day and go to Florida . My Dad, sister Sharon and brother-in-law Carl
have all been in North Ft. Myers in a camper.
We are going to horn-in an visit for about 10 days. The plan is to leave the car there and fly
back to New Bern . Then our car will be the there when we sail
Silhouette down for the winter.
Julie and I have had the most marvelous time doing all the
holiday cooking, shopping, decorating, making cookies and candies, wrapping
presents, etc. We have agreed that it
was the best holiday season we have had in years.
Too bad I only have a picture of this cedar chest instead of
the four of us - but that the way it is…camera was not at the ready.
Christmas Mice
Mark mentioned that one of the ladies he used to work with
reminded him about the Christmas mice I used to make. I had forgotten all about them but now I just
had to make some - these are heads awaiting the bodies.
The mouse bodies are maraschino cherries (stem intact)
dipped into melted chocolate. To make
the heads - dip the almonds into melted chocolate and stick onto a
Hershey's candy kiss for the ears. Make these first. Then dip the cherries (one at a time) into
melted chocolate and attach to the head.
Then let them dry and eat at will.
J
Puzzles
We expected to be headed back to North Carolina to pick up the newly painted
Silhouette. However as most jobs like these go, the weather did not always
cooperate. One day it was warm enough
but the condensation was so bad that they could not paint, etc. So as it got closer to Christmas (this photo
was taken on 12/17) it was decided that we HAD to stay for the holiday.
Julie taught me how to work puzzles in the evening hours we
had together. I had never really liked
doing puzzles as they seemed to take forever BUT now that I know the tricks
Julie taught me they are a lot of fun..
I am still no expert but a lot better than I used to be.
The front of the house
The front of the house.
Though we visited with Dave and Susan we only took photos of the
house…again I am getting really bad at remembering to take photos.
Susan and Chris in the kitchen
Dave and Susan have been building a new house. This is the kitchen…a lot closer to being
done than the last time we saw it - the original quote day for completion was
July 2013, then December now (I think) it is March or April of 2014.
The Banana Leaf
The one place we love to eat (it is now a tradition) is the
Banana leaf on Preston Rd.
in Dallas . It is a Thai restaurant that we started
frequenting when Anita (Mark and Julie's Mom) moved from Grapevine to Dallas and loved the food. Not only is the food great but it is kind of
nostalgic too.
By now you probably know these characters…
Bunko Babes (picture not included)
We were snowed in till Sunday when Julie's Bunko Babes had
scheduled their Christmas party. I got
to go as a substitute - the ladies are all really nice…they have been playing
as a group since their children were in grade school. We were glad to get out. (No pictures..Rats!)
If a tree falls in the woods…
Some oak limbs from Julie and Roberts tree fell on the
neighbors roof due to the weight of the ice but fortunately did no damage.
Ice storm
Then, an ice storm is predicted and Julie and I take the
opportunity to make candy, something that is a tradition for her and a new
experience for me as I usually make cookies.
December 2013
Christmas is coming…
Shortly after Thanksgiving Julie and I start decorating for
Christmas.
Italian Thanksgiving
The Saturday after Thanksgiving Julie usually has her three
girls (and respective spouses and/or boyfriends) over for a feast of Italian food.
Pictured here is me, Julie, Laura, Megan and Adrienne.
As usual, I got no photo of the guys…sigh.
The sock…
Not sure I can explain the significance that the 'sock' plays in our bowling the
shenanigans just let be said that is mostly silly and yes, Mark is bowing to
the 'sock'.
I guess the SEP - A - RATOR and the sacred 'sock' don't
really help much.
503…really?
These scores are indicative of our supreme expertise. I'm not sure we could get any worse.
Robert and Julie with Mike and Mitchell in the background.
Robert and Julie with Mike and Mitchell in the background.
The token bowling ball
SEP - A - RATOR was Mike and Al's Dad's bowling ball and has
long been an honored piece of gear at our bowling parties.
Robert, Julie and Kelly Kate (Mike and Bekki's daughter).
Robert, Julie and Kelly Kate (Mike and Bekki's daughter).
Bowling 101
Thanksgiving came and went.
Julie and I had fun cooking the usual Turkey dinner with many of the
extras and I failed to drag the camera out.
On Friday after Thanksgiving I organized a bowling party for
Mark grade school/high school gang. I
also refer to them as 'The Broken Bow Gang'.
Some of the guys and their respective wives came and the 'kids' are now
all grown up.
Mitchell is Dave Fiorelli 's
son.
Later Mark came by to give me a lift home
Thanksgiving came and went.
Julie and I had fun cooking the usual Turkey dinner with many of the
extras and I failed to drag the camera out.
On Friday after Thanksgiving I organized a bowling party for Mark grade school/high
school gang. I also refer to them as
'The Broken Bow Gang'. Some of the guys
came and the 'kids' are now all grown up.
The husbands…
Bryan (Sherri's), Mark (mine) and Mike (Deb's) - we are all
lucky gals cause these are three of the best guys!
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