December 9-14, 2015 Preparing boat at BLM

free beer delivery to Brunswick Landing Marina.  That explains why it took us so long to leave

replacement "cups" for the shower controls on the stern.  they have covers, too

Love Christamas lights on the water

the movie set is missing

stores back to normal

Ricardo escorting me to church and back to the marina in downtown Brunswick, GA

This week all ran together getting the boat ready to leave the marina. 
Dave finished placing the new shower covers on the stern.  Before we went to MN, he started to replace them, but found out the replacements were bigger.  So he had to cut the fiberglass round opening larger to fit the new covers. 

He spent time going over all the systems, checking filters, oil levels, raw water screens, etc.  He topped off our fuel and used biocide in the tank (to avoid the growth that clogs your lines and filters). 

I had to do laundry after our trip north and then store our winter clothes again under our bed.  I also went through all of my clothes and put together a large bag that could go to the storage unit.  You really do find yourself wearing the same things.

On Saturday, I used Gary’s car for about 4 hours.  I took the clothes and a tote full of odd things to the storage unit.  I picked up some light switches for the boat at Radio Shack, since Beneteau only wants to sell you new light fixtures.  I searched for a fitting for our fuel line, but will have to go to a specialty plumbing or engine repair shop after the weekend.  Then I did the last of our provisioning at Walmart. 

That evening, we invited a few friends out to dinner with us.  It started as a thank you for the couple that watched our boat while we were in MN.  Then it grew to 8 people.  We went to Tipsy McSway's, a local bar downtown.  Everyone who was having dinner with us had helped us in some way over the summer.  So we had fun treating them.  Besides, we wanted to celebrate our anniversary this week, and we plan to be on the water on Thursday, December 17. 

Sunday I went to church and sang with the choir one last time.  I have really enjoyed singing with them and they seemed so appreciative of my contribution. 

Both of us worked nonstop all day cleaning, stowing, and trying to wrap things up to leave on Monday.  Somewhere along the way, we figured we could use one more day.  So we watched the Packers win and ordered Pizza to be delivered for the last time. 

We stayed busy all day Monday and were glad to have one more day.  We borrowed Gary’s car again and found the fitting that Dave needed.  We also went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and decided to buy a cushion for our mattress.  Dave’s hips have been bothering him, and my back seemed worse after returning to the boat.  We found what we wanted but will have to trim it to fit our triangular shaped mattress eventually. 

In the afternoon,we went to the library to update our chart plotter and phones.  Dave started while I went to the post office by bike.  Then I took over while he went to the hardware store one more time by bike.  All these last minute things to do. 

December 7-8, 2015 Back to Brunswick Landing Marina

Monday, Dec 7
Sherri was able to drive me to the Denver International Airport this morning after she had a telephone conference.  The travel day was uneventful.  Dave and our friend, Gary Krieger, picked me up and we went out for dinner before returning to the marina. 

Tuesday, Dec 8
Dave took a week to recover from his cold.  So he didn’t get as many things done while I was gone as he had hoped to.  Today, he felt much better.  So first he helped Gary repair his sail using our sewing machine.  Payback for the airport shuttle service 

Then we helped some other friends leave the marina.  Bob and Nina left their dock and moved their Island Packet to the fuel dock to stage leaving early in the morning.  When they arrived at the fuel dock, their engine had stopped.  They figured the fuel lines were clogged.   So Dave offered to let them use our fuel polisher to clean the fuel.  That took about 3 hours of his time.  So his first healthy day was spent helping others.

Good-bye Bob and Nina

December 5 & 6, 2015 Denver Baby Showers

Saturday Dec 5
The ladies all went to a friend of Katie’s today for her baby shower.  Laura was a very gracious hostess and served us a wonderful brunch including mimosas. 

We had fun meeting several of Katie’s friends.  Brad’s mother and sister-in-law were also there. We heard some fun stories about Katie and shared future wishes for the baby. 

family, Heidi, Linda, Katie, Sherri

enjoying mimosas Janice, Bev, Linda, Brad's mother

proud aunts Bev, Janice, Katie, Mary

Zeller girls Sherri, Janie, Heidi, Bev, Katie, Mary

Mom and daughter, Linda and Katie

We regrouped at Sherry and Bobby’s.  After the shower, we delivered gifts to Brad and Katie’s so we could see their home.  Then all of us went downtown Denver for the “baby is brewing” party at the Wyncoop Brewery. 

Before the party,  the other women went shopping.  But I found a little “hang out” type of bar with Don and Bobby.  I wanted to see the Alabama football game.  And we all had a couple beers.  The place was called Illegal Pete’s.  They gave me a couple stickers that I could send to my son, Pete.

Brad had grown a mustache last summer, so several of us were wearing fake mustaches to “break the ice” when he arrived at the brewery.  We had a gift bucket of male gifts for Brad and the baby.  ANOTHER fun night. 

Sherri, Heidi, Janice

my crazy family Janice, Bev, Don, Mary

cute sisiter Sherri, Katie, Heidi

Brad, Don and friends, Don's the fun one

Katie opening and sharing the "baby is brewing" gifts

Sunday Dec 6
Everyone except me left today.  Janice and Heidi drove back to Aberdeen (Heidi had flown here form Sioux Falls on Wednesday).  They dropped off Bev at the airport.  Don and Linda drove back to Pierre, SD.  My flight wasn’t until Monday.  So I found the closest Catholic church.  Then I went to see the 4th Hunger Game movie.  I wanted to see it before we left the US for 6 months.

That evening, Sherri, Bobby and I went out to eat.  We spent most of the evening with them asking me questions about downsizing and moving to a warm climate.  They recently purchased a home in Key Largo.  And they are now deciding how much they want to hang on to in Colorado.  Of course, I have no regrets about downsizing.

December 2-4, 2015 Denver, CO

Wednesday, Dec 2
Janice, Bev and I took off for Denver this morning.  The roads were snow packed and icy for the first 3-4 hours.  Then they were fine.  We were on the road for 11 hours.  We ended up in Cheyenne, Wyoming at Margaret Harrell’s, Janice’s sister-in-law.  She had made lasagna for us.  We sat us visiting and drinking too much wine.

Thursday, Dec 3
This morning, Margaret had to leave for work.  The 3 of us were invited to breakfast at the home of Bev Ambrose.  She is a friend of mine and Bev’s that used to live in Rapid City.  She moved to Cheyenne about a year ago into a new town house.  She made us a very nice breakfast, and we had a couple hours to visit.  We all enjoyed our time with her. 

We drove into Denver and made it to our niece Sherri’s home by late afternoon.  There, we were joined by our brother Don and his wife Linda along with Katie the mother to be.

We had a Mexican dinner together and enjoyed visiting with Katie.

Friday, Dec 4
Those of us who were on vacation today spent the day at a mall near Sherri’s.  Katie and Linda had pedicures.  Sherri, Janice, Bev and I had massages.  Don’t remember what Don did.  We all met for lunch at a restaurant in the mall.  Then Bev, Janice and I went to see the movie “The Letters” about Mother Theresa.  Then we all met back at Sherri and Bobby’s.  We decided to go to the Denver Botanical Gardens and walked through their Christmas lights trail.  It was a beautiful evening. 

We returned to Sherri and Bobby’s for dinner and played Triminos and drank a few beers.  Another fun night.

Isn't Katie a cute mommy?

Don, Janice, Beverly and Santa, Sherri, Bobby, Linda, Mary, Frosty

November 29-December 1, 2015 Aberdeen, SD

Sunday Nov 29
This morning, Bev and I rode to Aberdeen with Janice and Jim.  The 3 sisters are planning to go to Denver for a baby shower next weekend for our niece, Katie Zeller Murphy.  I had to say good-bye to Dave.  He is going back to GA and the boat on Wednesday and I won’t go back until Dec 7.

Monday Nove 30
We enjoyed a lazy day at Janice’s.  I got Janice and Bev hooked on Triominos.  I thought it was awesome when the game was over and one of them started to set it up to play again, and one refilled our drinks.  It was so fun to be with people that think like I do. 

Bev and Janice would look up and smile because I had just beaten them hehe

Tues Dec 1
We woke up to new snow on the ground this morning.  Janice and Jim spent about 2 hours shoveling snow.  That’s why we moved south and on a boat.  The snow continued to blow today and was supposed to continue through the night.

I DO NOT MISS THE SNOW

taken through the screen window

We had plans to pick up Garrett and Claire (our great nephew and niece) after school and take them to their house with Heidi and Glen.  But with the way the weather was, we decided to pick them up and take them to Janice and Jim’s for the night.  Heidi had to leave early in the morning for Sioux Falls.  So we were helping them out. 

We ran a few errands, picked up Papa Murphy pizzas and then the kids and back to Bath, SD about 10 miles outside of Aberdeen, SD. 

their maintenance person has a sense of humor

We had pizza and played Uno with the kids.  They both had to read tonight for homework.  So we took turns listening to their stories.  Fun night.

pizza chefs

Garrett and Jim sledding.  who says you have to grow up just because you've retired

November 28, 2015 Secret Breakfast

This morning we were treated to the “secret breakfast” made by Dave, Garrett, and Claire.  The three of them have been having “secret meetings” to plan this since the moment they arrived.  The menu consisted of several drawings of different faces or animals made on regular toast or french toast with fruits jelly and whipped cream.  They had so much fun.  But we were glad that nobody was in a hurry to go anywhere. 

Later that morning, I want to an IKEA store with my sisters for the first time.  I didn’t buy anything, but got a few ideas for storing things on the boat.  It’s amazing how reasonably priced everything was.  We spent the afternoon watching AL win another college football game. 

We decided that Jerry shouldn’t have to cook another meal for us, even though he enjoys it.  We let him pick a restaurant and decided to go to the Surly brewery.  It is known as a “destination brewery”.  I think that means that when it was built, they planned to include the restaurant space.  There were 16 of us.  So even though we arrived at 5:00, we had to wait 90 minutes for 2 tables.  They had some great beers. 

After visiting with everyone, Bev, Janice and Jerry and I ended up playing cribbage.  I can’t believe that was the first and only time we played that weekend.

3 cooks in the kitchen

putting on the finishing touches

regrouping to make things move faster

a turkey

a basketball with hair and a bunny on top

the menu

Claire entertaining Bev while we wait for our table

Barb, Janice, Don, Jerry, Heidi

Heidi, Claire, Bev, Bobby, Mary

Sherri and Bobby

Jerry, Janice, Mary and Bev (she likes having a 5)  Don was still up and took visiting with us and took the picture

November 27, 2015 Musical "Beautiful"

Today, some family members went shopping, but not like we used to.  About 11:00, 7 of us went downtown for lunch at the Rock Bottom Brewery.  Then we walked to the Orpheum theater to see the musical “Beautiful” about Carole King.  Don, Linda, Bev, Barb, Janice, Jim and I attended.  It was great and I would recommend it to anyone.  Carole King started writing music in the 60’s.  The time frame of this musical covered her life from high school until she moved to California and produced her Tapestry album.  Tapestry was the first album I bought with my own money.  So Carole King has a special place in my hear.

Tonight, Jerry made a spaghetti dinner for 20 people.  Another relative of ours was in Mpls for the weekend.  Tom and Sharon Zeller (our first cousins), were visiting their son, Nate and Trisha, Rachel and Madeline who live in Shakopee, MN.  They were able to join us for dinner.  The 4 kids age 11-8 all had fun together, even thought they have only met once before.  It was nice to visit with all of them. 

Again, the siblings visited until about midnight.  I really enjoyed my family time.

Mary, Janice, Jim, Don in back. Bev, Barb and Linda in front