We’re home! Er, wait a minute – all winter we were at home on the boat. So, I guess I should say we are home in Kentucky. Our well-loved Great Pyrenees, Lucette, is home too. I really missed her this winter. She is her usual loveable self. I really want to thank family and friends who kept in touch all winter. Although this winter was different we still appreciated the e-mails. Also thanks to our “comment”-ers to this blog. And Shar, what a nice surprise of a birthday card to come home to. Our winter was not at all what we planned. You know about “the best laid plans . . .” well, that sure describes our winter. But, we were not alone in our non-traveling. I don’t know the exact number, but at least a dozen other boats never left the marina either. We all were constantly checking the weather and whenever we’d see another cruiser the invariable conversation was “well, how does this week look to you?” “not good, wind is supposed to pick up later and probably rain” “yeah, that’s what we saw too”. And on it went that way all winter. We kept telling ourselves ad nauseum that here in Brunswick at least we had friends, were plugged into shore power so had a little heater to keep us toasty, and had a car. We were able to shop at Harris Teeter a very nice upscale supermarket on St. Simon’s island as well as at Publix and Winn Dixie in Brunswick. (Not to mention all the ‘biggies’ like Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc) And the Oyster Shak had oysters for 25c apiece on Monday!!!!! I have to mention our new dockmates Janice and Greg. They just bought their lovely Allied Luders sailboat (s/v Glenice) this past fall and have already sold everything at their Tybee Island home and moved aboard! Such grand folks. We have enjoyed their company immensely. I already miss many of the folks that we hobnobbed with all winter, Sherrie, Cindy, George, Carol, John and Helen, Mary Jane & Art, Clyde & Sherri, Lynn & Ann and everybody else!!!
I don’t know the exact date that we finally came to the realization that we weren’t going to the Bahamas this winter. We really weren’t going anywhere. We got word from several of the people who did go further south (and Galen and Cheryl on the west coast of Florida), and all reported unpleasant weather. And poor Peter his plan of varnishing in some secluded cove with white sand beaches and palm trees was not to be. He couldn’t leave the wood bare or else all of his hard work of sanding would be for naught as it would have to be sanded all over again next fall/winter! So he started varnishing. He needed to put on at least 4 coats to protect the wood. Of course the weather still was not cooperating. Why were we not surprised? Finally, (after again turning the boat around) he was finished – really finished. So it was time to pack up and off- load things that we hadn’t used or eaten for over a year – We did leave many canned goods on board but took home a lot, too. We didn’t take as much wine home as we had arrived with, however. Well, duh. A whole winter had passed. And you know that a day without wine is . . . well, you know. So here we are back in Kentucky. We have had some rain (which is ok since I guess it has been dry here and living in the woods as we do, it did wet down the dry leaves and twigs) we have also had some lovely spring weather – today has been sunny and in the 70’s.
The daffodils are smiling. The forsythia has blooms here and there, the cherry tree blossoms are swelling as well as many of the hardwoods in the woods around
us. It is Spring in Kentucky and all is well.
Another “adventure” looms on the horizon --- stay tuned!
