Lots of Photos on Facebook; Fun in Stuart, FL

I just upload a bunch of photos to Facebook. If you'd like to see them, go to my Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/kathymcg25#!/kathymcg25

Here's an update from the last few days:

Thursday, April 8:
We walked to customs with the dogs. We were in and out in 10 minutes. On the way back, we detoured to three marine stores, looking for new propane hoses with the correct fittings, to no avail. It's a Trident Marine Systems hose and none are available within 50 miles, according to their online system. Ours went bad and so did Bum's Rest. So We called West Marine and had them shipped to Alan and Patti's house in Stuart. $52 overnight shipping for Saturday delivery for two 22.99 parts, all because West Marine doesn't have it in stock. So we'll stay in Stuart for another day and get errands done, laundry, groceries, etc.

I called a friend and former co-worker, Debby Starr, who relocated to West Palm Beach to see if we could get together, but our schedules wouldn't work. We were both disappointed. Maybe next time, Deb!

We went to dinner at the Tiki on the beach. The special was filet mignon with grilled shrimp. Yum!

Friday, April 9:
We left West Palm Beach at 9 a.m. heading for Stuart. We're taking a mooring ball at Sunset Bay Marina and Anchorage. We pulled up all the lines and fenders, lengthened the painter and off we went. I forgot to close the hatches and a big power boater went by and a huge wake washed over and through the hatches and everything got soaked! I had an inch of water on my bed. What a mess!

I cleaned up that soggy mess and took a  shower and washed my hair while we were waiting for the Parker Bridge to open. Openings are quarter of and quarter after the hour and we missed it by 5 minutes. It was much easier to shower while waiting, than trying to balance while underway!

We went through seven bridges to get to Stuart. I called a few dockmates from home. They are starting to get their boats back in the water.

It was 84 degrees, winds were WSW at 12 knots. We arrived at the mooring field at 3:45 p.m. We're on mooring balls 26 and 27.

At 5 p.m., John Conover picked us all up with the dogs and our laundry. Patti and I did our wash while we enjoyed visiting with John and Joan. We munched on all kinds of goodies...Joan really put out a spread. Patti and Alan arrived and Alan made a salad. Then we dined on salad, grilled chicken breast and roasted vegetables with potato salad on the side. Dessert was butter pecan ice cream and brownies with coffee. (Yes, my clothes are too tight from all this eating!)

The dogs had a blast. They have their daughter's dog, a pomeranian/poodle mix. Mocha is just adorable and Jazzy, especially, loved racing around with him.

John drove up back to the marina about 10 p.m. with our new sail that was shipped to Alan and Patti's and our clean laundry. Thanks for your warm, Southern hospitality, John and Joan! We love your new home.

Jazzy passed out on mommy's pillow when we got back to the boat.

Saturday, April 10:  The gas line arrived and is the wrong fitting! Damn. Now Chuck and Wayne have to run around looking for an adapter.

I washed all my bedding at the marina laundromat and bought coffee and a breakfast sandwich in the marine store. Sunset Bay is a beautiful marina. We love it here.

Chuck picked me up in the dinghy and I helped Chuck put up the new head sail. We're really happy with it and can't wait to try it out. Thanks to Don at Winter's Sailing Center for helping us order it form Ullman Sails.

Alan picked me up and we went to West Marine,  Public and PetSmart. I bought Jazzy a new collar because the S hooks that hold her tags all rusted and ruined it. Her hair keeps getting brown from it.

Chuck met Alan and I at the dinghy dock and we loaded up the dinghy. It took two rides to get everything back to the boat. Then he and Alan went looking for a fitting for the propane. Meanwhile, I cleaned out the refrigerator and put the groceries away, which took 2.5 hours! To save space and not bring any insects into the boat that may have been at the grocery store, and cut down on trash while traveling, we take everything out of boxes and put it in ziploc bags, rip the label off and stick that in the bag as well. It also helps keep food fresh, because the humidity level is so high onboard.

Chuck came back with fittings he thought would work, but it turns out that they rigged the hose to make it fit at the factory and what he bought wouldn't fit. Damn. So he's putting it back together as is for now and putting rescue tape on it to make sure there's no leak.

Since Alan and John were running us all around town, we bowed out of our dinner plans with Ralph and Bette, since we'll see them all summer at the marina and made plans to take the Conovers and Blumbergs out to eat.

We walked the riverwalk to La Famiglia, an Italian restaurant downtown, with the Blumbergs and Conovers. What great people. We had a lot of fun with them. The food was wonderful.