east meets west...

...and it all went south.  But that was this evening.  Rewind.

We said goodbye to our friends this morning...that was a bummer.  We had a great time with them :)

Then it was back to reality for me.  The truth of the matter is I WAY overdid it with my broken toes this week.  I didn't want to miss out on any of the fun, especially the scuba diving.  But, two dives in three days, and add in all the walking in between- my left foot feels like its back to about day three.  Ugh.  I've got it taped up tight, have been icing it down, and I simply need to lay low and let it heal better.  If we have any thoughts at all about sailing to the Abacos, I need to get well.  Maneuvering on a sailboat can be tricky under the best of circumstances.  Throw in some wind, waves, heeling, and a few broken toes and I'd better use the jack lines or I'm likely to fall overboard.  Besides, much of what we love to do is hiking and exploring new places, and at this point I can barely limp to the laundry room or the pool.

Today was a new world record...five loads of laundry.  Back-to-back company the last two weeks, and it's been almost all play and no work.  This week it's back to writing a new to-do list and beginning to tackle it all. 

Off the top of my head, we need to:
     -speak to Luis yet again about the next course of action for Bessie.  This is first and foremost, as blowing black oil/fuel exhaust is NOT normal.  Something needs to be done before we can safely and comfortably resume cruising.
     -take care of some financial business to get us through the last of this sailing season.
     -sort and organize all that we have had in storage at Mom and Pop's.  It either needs tossed, stored back on Marquesa, in the Jeep, or over to our friends, Kenny and Fran's, if we do decide to sail to the Bahamas in April.  Regardless, this is Mom and Pop's last week here, and we kind of took over their second bedroom as a storage crib.
     -fix the fan on my side of the Vberth :)
     -make another trip up the mast to run new wiring for our VHF radio.  We don't seem to be sending or receiving at the moment.  We need to also consider/investigate getting a new antennae, since I'm going aloft anyhow.
     -scrub the carpets down below...we've had a lot of salty wet scuba gear in the salon area.  yuck.
     -patch the dinghy, sell the dinghy, burn the dinghy, bury the dinghy, buy a new dingy....SOMETHING has to be done about the dinghy!  It is our 'car' when we are cruising, and it is clearly on it's last inflatable tube.  We can't do without one, and I really don't want to ask for one for my 50th birthday. I was hoping for a little more exciting (or romantic :) gift than a new dinghy.  Wow, after I just typed that, I realized all of the dinghy puns that could be said.  Good thing Cap'n isn't looking over my shoulder right now, he might get his feelings hurt ;)
     -do some deep cleaning and organizing of our lockers.  First of all, I need to move some cases of water around (and other things) to balance the weight on Marquesa.  We seem to be listing a tad to the port side. (Maybe that's only when we're in bed, as Cap'n sleeps on that side, lol!)  No, I also need to really go through the galley provisions and clean all of the cupboards there, too.  Now that I am done entertaining, I need to be thinking about meals for just the two of us. Whether we set sail for the Abacos or not, we will be back in Indiana within the next six weeks, so it's time to whittle down our provisions.
     -build those daggone lazy jacks!  It's been on the to-do list all season, and it's yet to be to-done!
     -and when all else is done, there's always washing, waxing, polishing, and oiling that needs done, too. 

This afternoon I laid low with my foot up to watch the IU game (boy, they squeaked out a win.)  I then went to the grocery.  I sautéed a pan of onions and peppers to take to the hot dog roast over on the west side of Banana Bay.  The group on the other side of the marina gathers for sundowners every evening, but we seldom get over there.  It's not for a lack of want, as there are people we really enjoy socializing with.  Honestly, we love being able to watch the sun set from the bow of our own boat this time of year.  We have a front row seat on Marquesa, and it's a gorgeous view.  We like to joke that "we live on the other side of the tracks (channel)" and today, well....yeah. about today.

A large crowd gathered for drinks and finger foods while the fire got hot. 



Diesel entertained the kids catching rocks, chasing rocks, and digging up rocks.  He was a happy boy.

    

We enjoyed ice cream for dessert with homemade chocolate sauce made by Nancy on Jenna Star.  Oh. my. goodness. :)

I enjoyed catching up with Linda on Yesterday's Dream, and Stephen and Pam on Tide's In.  I love hearing other folk's sailing plans for when the season here comes to an end.  Many boats will be on the move come the first of April, and I am hoping we get the chance to make a move too, if all goes well with Marquesa these next two weeks.  As of now, after the front moves through this week, it's looking like "a go" for many boats to leave this next weekend.  Some will do the loop, some will head to the Caribbean, some will head north to NC, SC, VA, NJ, and NY, and some spend their summer cruising the Chesapeake Bay.  I would love to do the Chesapeake one day.  Believe it or not, I was lost in conversation (I know, right?!  Who would have thought?), and I lost my husband in the process.  I found him when I heard some cross words being said.  East met west, it all turned south, and the party was over for today.  It's all good.  No harm, no foul.

It was still a beautiful day in paradise.  G'nite, y'all!