What’s Happening

Since Christmas, it’s amazing how busy we can be since we no longer have jobs!  But I guess that our “hole in the water” is actually a full-time job.

We made our trips to Chattanooga TN and to Ashland OH to care for Sue’s mother and uncle.  And there’s on-going communications & corrections to their medical and financial affairs.  So that accounts for SOME of Sue’s time.

I get to work through our TO DO list on the boat, starting with over 100 items for this past winter.  We got through the priority items and actually were able to work on some lower items such as cosmetic repairs.  And, of course, we hauled out the boat for bottom paint and an out-of-water survey for our insurance company.  And found the obligatory “OH CRAP” items to spend even more money and time in the yard.

Colorful CAT engine when I'm cleaning and painting it!

"Fruition" on the hard again.  My hole-in-the-water costs more
when it's out-of-the-water

One problem we found was a big crack in the fiberglass just above the
waterline, where either Sue or I (I'm not saying which) hit a log or debris.

But the main reason we spent the winter in New Orleans was to see our super wonderful perfect granddaughter (and her parents of course) & to try our best to spoil her.  Yes, she’s growing quickly (or are WE just getting older faster?)

At Mardi Gras World, we find two more revelers!

The Festival of Balloons, where EVERYTHING is made of balloons,
even Captain Hook.  Amazing stuff

Mardi Gras headress at the Festival of Balloons

And then it was time to start getting ready to go cruising.  Finish up the boatyard work, pay the bill (we almost had to sell our first-born child!), provision the boat, and watch for a weather window (the weather this winter has been cool and very windy).  Hadn’t spent the time I wanted on trip planning, but we’ll start out following the same path east that we did 3 years ago.  And after a week of lousy weather, the window finally opened.

At our winter marina, we prepare for yet another winter cold front
and high winds.  7 dock lines tied to this piling.

Our "last supper" in New Orleans...boiled crawfish, fried shrimp po'boy
from Parkway Bakery, and Barq's root beer (created in New Orleans)