Our First Thanksgiving

64 degrees and sunny this a.m. - thankful for that indeed

Much like the pilgrims those hundreds of years ago...'we' got up and made fresh bread and pumpking dessert then made breakfast and took a nap by noon.  "We get up at noon and start to work at one; take an hour for lunch, then at two we're done--jolly old fun."  It was a glorious cool and sunny morning--thank goodness for my new $7 on sale long sleeve top.

And also like our pilgrim forefathers, we took the boat over to the dock to pump out and get water...oh wait maybe not, that may be a 2014 thing.  Mark agrees that perhaps the black water holding tank laws in those days were a little more lenient, nonexistent some may say ;-)  But as sad as it sounds, it was nice to use our new pump out fitting-it's pretty cool and you know you are soooo jealous right?!?  There was a small 'misunderstanding' when we got back to the mooring ball but no one was injured. We learned an important lesson about when I am catching the ball and Mark comes up to help and that is...well let's just say that we don't like to point fingers but I could have done better getting the lines 'larks headed' on the ball. He says that he should have just stayed out of the way. Hmmmm, I wonder who is truly right in that argument. 

We loved hosting Island Khaya for a turkey dinner with potatoes, gravy, fresh bread, zucchini and pumpkin pudding desert. They were so gracious and we enjoyed the lovely company.  I hope I did right by such a special holiday.  Note to self, make the potatoes creamier next year.  Mark says they were fine but I think he's just saying that now to make me feel better or because I put that comment in the blog for all the world to see.  However, those who know me know that I prefer my potatoes 'lumpy with the skins.'

So domestic

OMG, does she ever stop running her mouth?

Riaan and Brenda patiently waiting for dinner

The best part of the day was talking, emailing, texting and Facebooking with family and friends who we miss so much.  It was a special treat to FaceTime with Jen Brown!  Isn't it the Girls Scouts who sing 'make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.' Well we are rich beyond compare and so blessed!

It wasn't quite like this but it was a great day

XO Suzanne

Hope you got a blessing from your day as well.

A cold day before Thanksgiving

Well maybe the weather wanted us to feel at home? The storms came through as predicted but the worst of it missed us. It was crazy to watch temps drop 10-15 degrees from am to pm. I guess that's nothing compared to snow in Virginia today. Funny that we ran the generator last night to have AC! Climate change indeed!!

We got some of our chores done including splicing the rode to the new chain for the back up anchor. That was a big deal to get done since an anchor isn't as helpful as you'd think without something to connect it to the boat!

Would you be surprised to find out that we then took a bike ride to West Marine? Well this time it was for a very good reason--we need a pump out fitting because (whispers) we need a pump out and need a fitting so the hose would create the required vacuum.  Sorta a big whoop when one is, well, taking care of such matters. Anyway, this time we biked via Las Olas Blvd and it was a hip little stetch fit for foodies and super rich people. So of course we are going back Friday...for food not the rich people part.  We also found the local Scottish Hooters but sadly won't be dining there this time around.

Other cool thing was I saw my first drawbridge from the bridge!  A pretty good sized catamaran went under and all I saw was the tip of his mast.

It was a long but good ride to the store and I got a crazy insane deal on a couple long sleeved tops...$7!!!! Mark got a long sleeve to wear asap because it was super cold today.  A stop at the dive shop for new fins, Adavanced Auto for Oil and Publix for La Croix and chocolates and back across our fav 17th Street bridge just after sunset we were.arl was the pack mule this time. 

We rode along the beach and I enjoyed the holiday lights and lighter traffic. We got our laundry into the dryer then had a late dinner at the Quartedeck but did not get to see our awesome bartender Joe.

It was a good day and productive plus we are getting some serious exercise with all these trips to West Marine. 

Tomorrow am I will make fresh bread and pumpkin dessert cups for dinner. Then I really hope to go to the beach for a bit before getting dinner ready because it will be 70's and sunny! We are looking forward to hosting Riaan and Brenda for Thanksgiving dinner. I've had to modify it a touch but will still have the basic required elements! I made myself laugh when I called it 'the first Thanksgiving'.

From our little boat here in Ft. Lauderdale to all our friends and family all over the world--Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you know that you are truly one of our great blessings, and we are very thankful for you all and your love and support!! XO Suzanne

PS happy early birthday Derek!

Another day in paradise ;-)

Today we took off for the dive shop to gather my wetsuit and for Mark to try one on as well.  Then we were going to stop at the Publix finally (seriously, I've been trying to go there for like four days).  I had already reset expectations that the beach was out...I mean, it's Florida so why would I want to go to the beach.  How pedestrian...faux yawn.  (Commence pouting).

Sun, it was 4 degrees cooler today so only 80 or so

Onto the bikes we popped and 4 miles later we arrived at the dive shop.  The place we went yesterday and had spent a lot of time...then returned to today is called Divers Discount Florida.  When we were in today, the owner, Sam, mentioned he could deliver our stuff to the marina since he knew we were on bikes.  We said something about having them drive us, the bikes and our purchases back and he was happy to do.  Then he mentioned going to the Publix and we basically asked if I could go too--so he let me go with him to shop while Mark tried on suits.  It was so nice--he taxied me to the store then loaded the bikes and us (shopping too) into their van and drove us all the way back to the marina.  Pretty cool and saved us enough time for a quick beach stop.  Mark made that happen for me because he is the best.

Sam really helped us out--with our suits and carting us around--thanks Sam!

Aren't they a lovely couple!

The beach was windy but it was still nice to stroll and relax for a little bit before getting cleaned up and meeting up with Island Khaya.  They joined us for cocktail hour before going over to watch the "Lite Up the Beach" event on Las Olas Beach and the holiday kick off celebrations.  I even saw Santa!  Ahhhh!! Santa!!!! Yay!  I love Santa...like in the movie Elf love.  I realize that stuff can be boring and corny to many people, but I like it and I think that even when you are far from home (or not), little holiday events can mean a lot.  Plus I couldn't help thinking that my mom would have gotten a kick out of it.  It was nice to get a smidge of holiday cheer a few days before Thanksgiving.

Light display neighborly competition--even on the water...ummm, especially on the water

Forced "fun" outing. Brenda and Riaan were super sweet about going.

American Legion Band played-they were good and it was nice to hear some Christmas music.  I have the urge to watch Love Actually now...that and It's a Wonderful Life...maybe Auntie Mame first?

AHHHHH!!! OMG it's SANTA!!!!

The big to do was lighting the giant sand castle - so I like stuff like this, call me a sap or dork, don't care!

Speaking of, we are doing a little Thanksgiving on the boat and Island Khaya will join us.  Brenda said it'll be their first Thanksgiving...it's actually the first Thanksgiving Mark and I will have together.  It will be new and different because I will miss my sisters and our family tradition of pigging out then going to the movies then pigging out on dessert.  It's the first Thanksgiving in more years than I can count that I won't be with my sister, Roxie, so this year is another one for the 'bittersweet' column.  We'll have to make up for that in 2015 so get ready sisters (and Jim)!!

Tomorrow is supposed to be "chores" day including splicing the anchor chain and rode.  We'll see depending on what the weather actually decides to do...maybe a walking tour or beach visit is more important.  But you never heard that from me!

Just some words of wisdom on Las Olas Blvd

Inside

Mark here.

Some have asked "what does it look like inside the boat? ". Here are a few quick shots I forgot to post awhile back:

Salon

Galley

Suzanne's place. (OMG I cannot believe he would post a picture of a messy cabin?! /smn)

Here's the staged shot/smn

Looking aft-down the hall of the owner's hull/smn

Looking forward--note Mark's workbench and the water maker cabinet he designed and built by hand/smn

Mark's Nav Station (aka where we put all our cameras and phones to charge and get in the way of the charts and electronics--sorry Cap'n)

Down into the port hull/smn

Spare oom ;-) /smn

Looking into Jon's cabin/smn

Jon's cabin; he keeps it staged like this all the time...cough cough/smn

Jon's cabin view--he does have probably the best cabin/smn

An anchor, three trips to BOW & Sailorman, and a new head hose. Oh My!

We've been here in Ft. Lauderdale moored by the Las Olas City dock since...oh heck I don't know. Five or six days maybe? We'll be here another week until Just Catamarans can take us--hopefully the week after Thanksgiving. 

There's a story about why we are here and not on the way to Key Largo (involves a 56' fixed bridge in Miami that I missed in the guide books - doh! - as well as weather opposite of what we need to go outside again)...

The 195 Bridge (fixed at 56') is why we are not sitting in Largo now; that and the wind that is from the south when we need it to be from the north and then is from the north when we need it to be from the south...

But let me try to catch up on what we've been doing.  Hint: West Marine twice, Boat Owners Warehouse three times, Sailorman three times, a dive shop, and a CVS for another ice pack (what can I say, I'm a klutz).  We have biked over three days to said stores nine miles round trip but I did get my jog and nearly died after not running for weeks.  We'll be taking another trip over today.  The bikes have been perfect and this is exactly why we got them!  Mark gave you the technical play by play in his post but you don't get the experience of humidity (it's Florida after all) and we have spared you the smell of the head hose replacement--Ew, super Ew.  Boating involves 75% work and it all costs three times as much as you think and takes at least twice as long to do.

So you don't think it's been all boat errands and chores, there's also been a fancy lunch, Einsteins Bagels, dinners out, IPAs & margaritas multiple times, etc so it all evens out. I even got comped two very generous glasses of wine a few nights ago ;-)  Now, I will say that 'going to the beach' is way behind in the activity standings at zero times so far (that's really more of a Suzanne thing) but today after we go get my wetsuit, maybe buy one for Mark, and FINALLY go to Publix, it gets its turn in the limelight I hope.  I give it about a 30% chance.  Tonight we are going to the Beach Lighting event which should be really neat and completely 100% new for us!  I think I lost the battle of participating in the Turkey Trot.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain again so I have attempted to designate that as chore day:  sewing cockpit side cover, splicing the new anchor rode/chain, prepping the electronics panel for the new ammeter, etc.  Other things I would like to do while we are here include:  Walking down Las Olas Blvd and the Riverwalk, seeing Interstellar at the science museum, seeing Mockingjay at the super fancy AMC dine-in theater, going to the beach ;-)

So here's an excessive pictorial summary of our lives the past however long it's been. I'll add captions when I have time. It's going to be 80 something degrees today and humid again, hope it's warm where you are.  Cheers!

 Thursday 11/20 - first in a series of bike outings

Lunch view

Sailorman--I've now been here three times...three

This bruiser was protecting the bikes at this rental shop--he was a little bad ass

Shiny!

Served us well and can now rest for a while--thanks Fortress

Friday:  11/21 - 20-30 mph wind and rain all day

Rained all day and super windy--I left the cabin for a total of an hour all day--no kidding

See the palm fronds pointing west?!

Then this yacht came through escorted by two boats--talk about a princess

How we had happy hour that rainy windy day

Saturday 11/22 - we emerge from the cave and took another bike ride

Still so freaking windy but we are getting off this boat!

Not a good sailing day!

Biked over the 17th Street Bridge without stopping--no heart attacks were had this day

Many cruise ships in port today

At the top of the bridge

Lemme take a selfie!

Biguns

Well surely you need a helopad and a hot tub - that's a garage for yacht toys there on the first level.

2-4-1 at Sangrias--not much on taking food orders there but the burrito we got as an app was good

Clearly happy to have survived my trip to West Marine and Sailorman

Fuzzy but I do love Christmas light displays--especially to excess

Sunday 11/23 - Island Khaya enjoyed the bikes this day so we got in jog and a ICW tour

OMG is that sun? blue sky?  Woohoo!

Well that feels funny

After we jogged and walked, we grabbed lunch at Spazios.  That man over there had just been 'talked to' by the fuzz, made to lay down and searched with gloves then cited...not sure why since he was not making a fuss or bothering anyone plus went about his "art" sales after they left.  Funny that the blond lady who finagled herself inside our marina gates was not told to lay down or searched with gloves...maybe because it was a police officer who let her in the gates? 

Full mooring field because Monday is THE day to cross to the Bahamas--very short window so everyone was staging for it.

We took a dinghy tour--Mark was super excited

This is for sale--last price I saw was $38M...anyone interested?

Yacht haven around here

Echo is also for sale.  Am I a dork that I loved the name of the tender?  Echo-Echo, get it? Ha cute!

Triplets

Again, FULL mooring - by day break, 3/4 of them were gone, off for Bahamas

Just hanging out in our little mini lagoon off the ICW

Monday 11/24 - Absolutely "Florida" day.  Took out the bikes again back to boat shops and bought a wetsuit.

YES, an awesome Florida day, even if it was hot and humid

I did not intend to be hauling 125' of line by bike for 4 miles...contrary to what you may have read, I was not smiling the whole way.  But don't tell the Captain.

Best girlfriend ever ^^^

Changes every time I look it up but I'll take it

Boating is super sexy, not disgusting and smelly at all...nooooo, gag

You can't tell but that is condensation on the outside of the door---because we were sitting in cold AC while it was sopping humid and hot outside--80 degrees at like 8pm.  We are spoiled rotten brats!