Outta Lauderdale onto Just Cats FINALLY!

Don't recall where we left off but I'll start with Jon and Suzanne's Excellent Adventure aka, the day I dragged Jon all over Ft. Lauderdale and surrounding cities running errands.  I feel like those who know me know that I am an errand running ass kicker and I have a system and the system works.  And certainly don't take it too seriously, noooo not me.  So we started out around 10am and drove towards the farthest point away, Costco in Davie (which is were you always start when running errands of course-the farthest point, not Costco I mean) via West Marine because we were making a loop, not back tracking.  We found early success and rewarded ourselves with Costco pizza and hotdogs.  (Oh so sorry Jon, I never said thank you for the pizza! Thank you for the pizza!!) It was there that we heard from Mark that he needed us to go to either a hardware store or West Marine for 4200 (me = grrrrr, we already went to West Marine and now I must reassess the logistics of my errand work plan.)  No luck at the Home Depot next to Costco so I made the command decision to change the program and take us back to West Marine then back track to Publix on AIA.  So we then went north to Kohls and Total Beverage in Plantation...great success again and Jon even got an additional 20% off on his purchase.  Jon was brave and true as he waited in line at Kohls where he was about #20 in line with 8 poor souls lined up behind him.  I was proud of Jon for overcoming that level of adversity.  Now you are asking yourself, "Suzanne, why didn't you just go to Total Beverage on AIA not University?"  Good question but remember, Jon needed Kohl's so I could cut out the beer run while he was being tortured at Kohl's.  Ok, then back to West Marine and an additional unscheduled stop at Sailorman, aka the store I said I would never go to again, but it was on the way to Publix so a win as far as driving logistics goes and Jon got a free beer.  We hit Publix and I am pretty sure that is where I officially lost Jon and his patience/amusement with me and my driving and overmanaging of errand running.  And that was our last stop--except for getting one gallon of gas for the rental car.

There is a layer under half of that.

A number of important things should be remembered here...first is that this was literally five hours.  Five.Hours.  Jon has earned his entry to heaven or the afterlife of his choice for spending the day with me.  Luckily for him, an "I survived a day of errand running with Suzanne" visit to the Quarterdeck was had by all!  Thanks Jon and I am glad you are still speaking to me after our day together.  Second is that we are so provisioned that it isn't even funny.  It took me about three hours to put everything away but we got beer, cookies, crackers, and so much more!  Third, you just read in excessive detail about how I dragged Jon on a five hour "adventure" filled with food, beer, new clothes, adhesive, and general groceries...all while listening to "the best hits now" on the radio...can you say JT, Pitbull, Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor?!  Jon and I were all about the bass, bitches, so shake it off! Oh by the way, while I kidnapped Jon, Mark stayed behind to install insulation foam in the freezer in an attempt to make the size manageable if we get the freon (or whatever it is) recharged.  Later that night before the Quarterdeck, Jon also got to tour the El Galeon!

Happy Idiots

El Galeon

Ohhh ghostly night shot

Monday we were basically on call for Just Catamarans--maybe we pick up and go, maybe not?  So we took the rental back, thanks Hertz at Bahia Mar Marina-you were super, and Mark and I had a super quick jog and Jon walked the beachfront.  Krispy Kreme donuts from the beachfront CVS were had by all and it was awesome.  Back at the boat the fellas continued on projects and we made the call to buy one more night at the mooring.  Of course that was when Just Catamarans said to come on down.  We agree to head out Tuesday a.m. and spend Monday finishing projects and treating ourselves to a Farewell Ft. Lauderdale dinner.  Jon got the weatherstripping done and Mark finished the foam install and got thermostat unstuck (after 6 years of being stuck).  I worked on Christmas cards.  The boys took the bikes for "one last trip" to West Marine and I walked down Las Olas to the Post Office.  We ended our busy but super productive day with dinner where our Ft. Lauderdale experience began, at Coconuts.  It was awesome food, half price wine, and one gorgeous bartender for Mark and Jon to admire and one cute fella bartender.

The man knows how to get the job done!

Mark's new insulated freezer!

Off to West Marine

One of the columns at the end of the canals along Las Olas

We were moored off Mr. Fogg's park for over two weeks and on the last day I finally read the marker.

Sitting pretty on her mooring

Sitting pretty at Coconuts ;-)

 We spent 19 days in Ft. Lauderdale and the time really flew by but I am glad we have moved on to new and 'exciting' adventures here at Just Catamarans.  I am asking Mark to do a technical post for you to talk about the work being done here.  I know that he will do it 10X the justice that I could so stay tuned for that!

Good bye Mooring Ball #1, you were very good to us!

Oprah's place apparently (yeah I'm the one person in the world who is not fan) The one below is Spielberg's 'boat'.

We biked over this bridge at least a dozen if not 20 times!

Coming into Just Catamarans--super super close!

Close quarters

Yeah, close

 PS, Impressions of Ft. Lauderdale:  Crowded, loud, rude drivers, much 'social noise', sunny, people watcher paradise, kite surfers.  The social noise moniker is Mark's brainchild and I agree 100%.  There are so many people that everyone is trying to be noticed and it makes things so loud and noisy, be it cars, motorcycles, clothing, lack of clothing, talking, behavior.  I'm exhausted from it all.

Hopefully in about a week, we'll be going a few miles back up to Port Everglades then out and down to Miami, Biscayne Bay and maybe maybe the upper Keys?  Then onto the Bahamas finally.

Port Everglades--we hope to see you up close and personal soon!