Lucky (girl) update

Everyone at the marina is pitching in with Lucky. She had a couple of visits by Doc. Rock. She is pretty small for a newborn, and still has a little pneumonia in her lungs, but otherwise, she is doing well. She gets fed every 3 or 4 hours, so she should be putting on a little weight in no time.

She spends her waking hours running around the marina store trying to figure out what everything is. She has spent some quality time with Bun, and follows Sharon around like a little puppy.

Sherry and Lucky

Gene and Sharon giving Lucky her meds.       

Lucky sneaking up on Miles

Sharon's off hours are spent relaxing and napping on the bow of the boat with Daisy.
                                      
                                                                                                                         Feeding time.

Meanwhile, I'm doing what I do best. Contemplation of today's activities.

Meet Lucky

If you have looked at previous pictures that we have posted, you have noticed that there is a field of goats next to the marina that we are staying at.              On 2-23-12 one of the young mother goats gave birth. It wasn't an easy birth and with the help of Gene and Richard, a baby goat was born.

He was named "Lucky".... because he was lucky to be alive. But momma goat didn't make it through the difficult birth.

 So we have a new project, and that is "Lucky". Lucky was and still is suffering from a little chest congestion. The feeding cycle comes every three hours. Lucky is getting around well for 5 days old. He (she) is staying the laundry room of the marina where it is a little warmer right now before being returned to the field with the other goats. Lucky is getting a bath every couple of days, by Richard, to keep him (her) clean. The first night was the toughest for Lucky so Sharon spent the entire night with him (her). So I didn't get lucky.
 I never would have thought that we would be raising a goat while on this trip, but we just take each day in stride. Meanwhile, Lucky is following Sharon around like a little puppy. I guess this is the reason we were meant to stay at this marina!! Lucky needed extra loving hands to help out with goat rearing. Everyone is bonding with this cute little creature. Even Jim is feeding it and  checking in on it. Other boaters are pitching in, too. Pictured is Peg and Jim. Who would think a boat trip would take us all to this?! What do you get with a little red cooler filled with hay? An instant baby goat's first bed! The cooler, now turned on it's side, makes it easier for this little one to tempt it's new walking legs and check out the strange world it's in. Who could resist such a precious four-legged ball of fur? Daisy smells the goat on me and can't understand what's going on. Jim was walking Daisy today, while I was outside with Richard, petting the goat baby. Daisy wasn't happy. Later, when I went back to the boat, Daisy saw me and started whinning with happiness

  

                               "LUCKY"

                           Feb. 23rd, 2012

Projects while onboard, or at least talking about them.

It was nearly 80 deg. today. We are all sitting outside enjoying the weather. There are projects to get completed on the boat, but the conversation goes like this: " I can't decide to rig the hammock up to the jib roller or the stanchion. It I put it on the roller, it will put too much weight on the jib sail. If I mount it lower, it may not be off the deck".

I said "mount it to the main and off the end of the boom. This way you would be over the cockpit". Can't put it there because of the helm. "Then we could fasten to the main above the main roller and to the forward stanchion". But it would be in the sun during the day. Then we are back to mounting it off the main boom.

This conversation took about 15 minutes. We both looked at the boat from a distance of about 100 feet. Neither one of us ever got up to get a closer look. Ultimately, the hammock didn't get put up today, so we just sat in the sun all afternoon, until the temperature got too warm and then we went inside to cool off for a while.

The hammock is on the list to get done someday soon, along with several other projects. They all have do be completed, some day, some way. They will get done, maybe when the weather is a little cooler. (Note from Sharon: This is not for our boat but someone else's at the Marina.)

  

Meanwhile, I think I'll do a little fishing. Or maybe go sit in the shade, or maybe a ride over to the beach.  This sunshine today is just too good to waste working.

There is life besides Boatin!

So, after sitting around all day, every day, We decided it was time for a "road trip". We rented a car  and decided to go back to New York to see the snow. So this is the snow we drove 845 miles to see. But the trip had benefits. We got to see the grandchildren, too.  Needless to say, they were suprised. A 14 hour drive if I wanted to do it non-stop. We stopped every couple of hours in search of a real Dunkin'Donuts. I just wanted a medium French Vanilla coffee. Is that too much to ask?! So when going north, the closest Dunkin'Donuts was Virginia. About 5 miles off of I-95.  Once I had a French Vanilla coffee, I was good for another few hours of driving. Next Dunkin'Donuts was New Jersey. So It is roughly 250 miles between coffee stops. Keep this in mind if you like Dunkin'Donuts coffee.

Once we got home, we found out that Kayla was going to build a car for the Friday Night Grand Prix races at the Grace Fellowship Church. Not one to miss a race, I decided, with the help of the grandkids to build a car, too.  This is the car that I built for the race. One comment was "It looks like a rolling aquarium".  It had sand, surf, turtles, fishes,  plenty of sea shells and a palm tree on it.  It didn't win the race, but it sure looked nice (slowly) going down the long wooden track.
This is Kayla's car . Yes, her car was pretty, yes her car was fast... but not one Palm tree! There ought to be a law.

 The track
The
drivers
The winners.

So after a week back home, we saw the snow, we checked the house, we saw the kids, we ran a race. With everything done, we got back in the car and headed back south to Dunkin' Donuts for a French Vanilla coffee and to the boat. We were back at 3AM.  Life aboard a boat is sometimes getting off the boat and going back home.

The weather controls the cruise

Every Sailor worth his (her) salt knows the statement.  
"The weather controls the cruise"

 For centuries sailors have said "I don't know when I will arrive, depends on the weather! Well, we have a different outlook on this term.

As long as the days are sunny and warm, we have no problem staying where we are.

 On our trip south, there were several days when the days were rainy, windy and just plain miserable and we stayed in port where we were. There were also a few times when the weather was simply beautiful, so we stayed and enjoyed ourselves.

 Just because you have a nice day, you don't have to get underway to travel another 50 or 60 miles. Chances are the weather will be nice there also. So why chase the sun? We always caught up with the good weather, or it waited for us to arrive.

 On November 22 we pulled into Osprey Marine for a 5 day break. The weather was beautiful and has remained that way for the whole Winter. I know it's been a mild winter throughout the Northeast. but it doesn't hold a candle to breaking out the BBQ grill on Jan. 1st, or just sitting and relaxing in the sun in Feb. Occasionally, we have a chilly or rainy day so we stay in and rest up, besides, we wouldn't be travelling on a day like that anyway. But the sun always breaks out the next day and the temperature starts to rise.  Another tough day ahead.

We said if the weather turns really cold (wintry), we would head further south. That never happened, so we stayed. The days are getting warmer and longer. I think we are on our way to Spring. We are looking forward to our trip back North. We hope to see a few things we missed on our trip down here.

Now I understand when people say they make this trip every year and see something new every time. 



    

What is it about lighthouses that always attracts us? Is it the security? The picture below is our home marina back in N.Y. The lighthouse is out on the point of the island.

The picture above and below is Lightkeepers Marina, located  north of Myrtle Beach, S.C.  It called out to us when we were heading down the ICW. We had plans on continuing through to Osprey Marina but upon seeing the lighthouse, we changed plans and pulled in and spent the night.

Here is a suggestion to anyone owning, considering owning or wanted to own a marina: Build a lighthouse, they will come.

To our friends to the South, you are probably enjoying a sunset like this tonight. To our friends back in New York. Trust me, it's beautiful.

Daisy May

This page will be dedicated to Daisy May. We got her two years ago from Homeward Bound Dog Rescue, not knowing what kind of life she had before us. They didn't know much about her. After a couple of weeks with us, we discovered that she had a life of abuse. Slowly she has learned to be a trusting friend. Occasionally she drifts back to her previous experiences, but then she looks around and sees her life now, and everything is alright again.
She took to boating easily, a lot more easily than she took to riding in a vehicle, but that's another story. She has only experienced sea sickness once, off the coast of Sandy Hook, N.J.  The weather was rough, she couldn't get her footing and was sliding all over the fly bridge with Sharon trying to hold onto her.

Since then, she spends her days relaxing on the back of the boat or curled up in the corner of the couch. Life on a boat with a dog can have its difficulties, but life without a dog is non-negotiable, so it all works out for the better.
She has had many firsts in the last 2 years. We don't know that for sure, but we surmise that when she is apprehensive about something, she hasn't done it before.

Yesterday, we took her to the beach at Surfside. At first, she wouldn't walk on the sand, then she felt the warmth and jumped right in then the cool sand felt different so she hesitated for a moment. Then that was alright, then came the surf. The first couple of times, she ran away from the waves, but looking back to make sure they didn't get too close. Then she figured if the Dad (Jim) could walk in the water, it would be alright. Her tail started wagging and she pranced along the waterline. She stayed out of the water, but once her paws got wet she discovered that the water wasn't going to hurt her. She'd venture about 4 inches in the surf and when the waves came in, she would back up until they were over her paws. Soon her tail was wagging, and she was enjoying the cool water.

Once, back on the boat after a day at the beach, she was fast asleep for the rest of the day.

She loves to walk around the marina a couple of times a day, We haven't ran across any alligators yet, but she is on the lookout for them. I don't know who would run faster.

The goats were curious as to what this dog was, so they came over to the fence to check her out, and Daisy had to check them out also. First couple of times she had to bark, but when she did, the goats would just look at her. Daisy figured if they didn't care if she barked, she wouldn't bother wasting the energy. So now, every morning we walk up to feed and check on them then back to the boat for another nap and breakfast.

She celebrated New Years Eve with us this year. We all fell asleep early, woke up to watch the ball drop and then back to sleep.

When we lost Hershey, we weren't sure that we wanted to get another dog, Daisy came into our lives shortly after looking for a family and we were considering another dog. It all worked out in the end. Daisy got another lease on life and we got another companion. When you look in her eyes, you see an understanding in her that she appreciates her life now. We don't know what kind of life she had before joining us, but we can only hope that she is enjoying this lifestyle now. Our life is better with her in it.