Nice week in FL to escape the 15" snow and cold

Back to the boat after an easy Jet Blue flight to West Palm Beach with well behaved Mazu at my feet for 3 hours.  Such a good, friendly, fun dog.

Then our hour drive to Fort Pierce and delicious dinner at 12A Buoy - I think the best food in Fort Pierce in spite of little atmosphere.

To Shawnee, to Shawnee - neat as a pin and welcoming.

Day 1,  Monday 12/9.  I am starting a new daily routine: A morning walk around the marina docks to see the beautiful new pool, a new morning coffee counter at the marina dock and checking the license plates from all points across the US from Alaska, Tennessee, Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts.
  Drew suggested a morning walk on the beach with Mazu who always loves it, tears around, does her 360 spins on the sand and in the air and dances through the warm water wavelets.  She's so much fun to watch and play with.

  Next, we drove to the Latin coffee place, Mervis, for some great breakfast on the way to Nelson's farm market near Winn Dixie.  We got the freshest veggies and fruit - a deelicious cantaloupe.  At the Dollar Store, we also bought tiny white lights to put around the lifelines on the boat for Christmas and a wreath for the bow.

Day 2, Tuesday the routine. After figuring out the male and female plugs for the lines of lights it looks great.  I put the cord down the dorade vents to the outlet in the galley.  Also, I put up battery fed tiny white lights around the cockpit.  A little festive. Several boats have colored light strung from the top of the mast to the deck.  Next year.

 I also hosed off the deck from the osprey and other birds that sometimes poop out these tiny hard beads when roosting on the high lines. 

Day 3, Wednesday --  I was Online with an all-morning meeting with NH Master Gardener Alumni Association as treasurer via zoom. My afternoon project -- get the dinghy down so I can motor out to the uninhabited nearby island with Mazu for a wading walk around the whole little place.  BUT, after lowering it and adjusting the lines and lowering the engine onto the dinghy, when Drew pulled the cord -- nothing, the engine didn't even turn over.  New project for Drew - he thinks it's the carburetor.  Off to buy Mechanic in a Bottle at Home Depot (as well as a Sonic chocolate shake.)

Not sure if it works, but it's in the gas tank.  The project will continue when we return in January.


Later it began to sprinkle so we went to the movies and saw Harriet.


Day 4, Thursday --  It absolutely poured all day - never seen such rain - must have gotten 3-5" from what accumulated in the dinghy that Drew bailed out since we didn't lift up the dinghy before the storm.  Read a lot, did emails.  I went up to the work-out room and actually used the treadmill for a mile.  I also started a jigsaw puzzle.  Ate a light dinner on board instead of 12A Buoy prime ribs because of the pouring rain. We finished watching the last of Unbelievable on Netflix and another episode of Kominsky Method.
  
Day 5, Friday -- beautiful day, morning routine. On my walk, I picked up lots of plastic litter off the beach after the storm.  When we got back and rinsed off, we found Drew tracing leaks again - down the mast through the boot, and one behind the propane locker.   He ordered material to seal the mast boot better.  We had a nice lunch at the marina restaurant with Mazu at our feet.
  I'm making a list of things I can bring back to the boat when we drive down in January:  bike or use the free one here, paddleboard - I can pump up and go with Mazu, tennis and pickleball rackets - hope to find places to play, and playing cards or app solitaire games.    Tomorrow we fly back to Boston, home for Christmas in Bangor with Sarah, Yeang and the grands.  Can't wait.
  Off to do the exciting laundry then maybe Vero Beach Museum.  Drew projects on...
 I also cleaned out three water filters, defrosted the freezer, designed and ordered our picture Christmas cards, and completed this blog.
                      Merry Christmas to all.  Deep breaths for 2020.