Back on Board and Back on the Move

As you can see, I took a bit of a hiatus from blogging.  From Jacksonville we flew to Fort Worth for a celebration that will go down in history.  At least our family history anyway.  Two of my brothers had milestone birthdays 70 and 60 and seven siblings managed to make it to the birthday bash.  Sadly, the oldest brother couldn't make it but he was missed.  We used Thanksgiving for those of us from out of town to come into town and party.  David and I joined his sister, Libby, for dinner at her daughter, Alexis' new home for Thanksgiving.  Alexis and Brandon graciously included us in their family feast and made us feel right at home.  Many Thanks.  The downside of the trip is that David's shoulder started to bother him.  He blamed it on sleeping in bed that didn't rock with the waves.  Once back in Jacksonville, it really started to hurt to the point of urgent care visits, lots of drugs and a shot to get us on down the road.  In a long series of days, we made it to Stuart and rented a car to drive back to our "dirt house" in Fort Walton a few weeks earlier than planned to start the process of doctor's visits, tests, etc.  Bottom line is his shoulder still hurts but he has meds to help and a bunch of follow-up when we finally get home to treat the culprit, bursitis.  Man, nothing makes you feel old like sore joints!  Not many pictures but some to break up the words.

7 of 8 siblings.  The birthday  boys are the two on the end.  Blue Ribbon 60
and witty tee 70.

The halyard (line that raises a sail) was tied off to keep it from banging against
the mizzen mast while we were in the marina. Our wind generator eventually
cut through the outer sheath one blade nick at a time.  Fortunately it didn't sever
the line completely so we could use it to messenger the new line through the top of the mast.

How you reach the mizzen sail. Step on the cockpit table then use the
2 winches to stand on.  When we designed the bimini, we had to explain why
the gap had to meet certain width parameters. 

We had the bottom cleaned before we left Stuart.  The guy asked is we were
a Mardi Gras boat.  We couldn't figure out what he was talking about until he
showed us the string of beads clinging to the scupper hole.  Our granddaughter Freya
had great fun making them drop down the scupper hole back in Charleston.  Amazing they
stuck with the boat until Stuart!

Spike the cat decided he liked us and our boat.  We know his name thanks
to his collar.  Very friendly and very inquisitive. If there was a nook
he could reach, he explored it.