~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 6

Chris & Kel's tree

Sunday, 12/22/19 ~ The alarm once again went off at 1:30 AM.  We wash, change, make the bed, check the boat, grab our food bag, the cooler, the dog, our coats and head to the car.  By 2:03 AM we are on our way.
     We have found that 2 AM is the magic time.  By leaving this early, we miss the usually heavy, commuter traffic spots at Jacksonville, Richmond, and DC, whether we are traveling north or south.  We also usually get to our destination between 6 and 7 pm.  We listen to Audible books, which makes the time in the car much more tolerable.  Yes, we do stop for breaks, food and to stretch.
     Today, we had no delays.  Traffic moved well.  We were at Chis and Kel's by 6:30 PM. Kel made her delicious, one-pan, oven roasted Italian chicken, potatoes and string beans. YUM!
     Needless to say, Hadi and Riley are both excited with Christmas just 3 days away. Once they calmed down and headed for bed, we follow their lead about a half hour later.

Monday, 12/23/19 ~ Chris and Kel had work today. The girls were spending the day at Kel's Mom for the day with some of the other grand kids.

Ryder watching from
 his new favorite spot!

     We headed to Delaware to spend the day with Pete's Mom.  It has been a while since our last visit. She is a truly remarkable 93-year old. She really enjoyed our dinner out at Laurel Pizza. It is not only Mom's favorite, but also the rest of the Bruzik Clan.  We all enjoy the great food. Mom was hoping that we could take her to Walmart for some Christmas Gifts for the girls.  With the crowds and parking, Mom and I stayed in the car while Pete ran in for the 2 presents.
     Once back at the Manor House, we wished Mom a Merry Christmas again and said our good-bys.  She was tired and we had a 2 hour trip back to PA.

Tuesday, 12/24/19 ~  Hadi, Riley and I made the Pineapple Bread Pudding that Pete and I took with us up to my sister, Deneen's.  We made a triple portion knowing that Deneen's husband, Joe's family will also be joining ours.  They are all good eaters.  The continuing comment between Pete and Joe and us wives is:  Will it be a "Steiner portion" (skinny) or a "Murawinski portion" (restaurant sized)?
     Chris, Kel and the Girls headed to Kel's Dad's for Christmas Eve with family, while Pete. Bailey and I headed to NW Jersey to Deneen's. It was a beautiful ride up through the mountains, then across the Delaware Gap & River.  There was even some snow on the north side of the mountains that the sun couldn't warm.
     Bailey had no reservations about being back here, which was good.  That meant that she enjoyed her 3 month stay with Deneen, Joe, Shelby, Julia and their dog, Lizzie.  Shortly after our arrival, Joe's Mom, 2 brothers and their families arrived.  My Mom, Deb, her twins, her son, Jason, Ashley and their son, Eli rounded out the group of 22. The only one who couldn't make it was Joe's sister Aggie, who was under the weather. We miss you, Aggie! Feel better soon!

      

      

            

       
     Dinner was outrageously good.  There some leftovers, but the Pineapple Bread Pudding was gone. The cake from Palisades Park Bakery, as usual, was also a hit. It was a great visit and we finally left around 9:30.

Longwood Gardens and downtown Kennett Square ~
       
     We didn't get back until 12:30 AM.  Hurry to get to bed as the girls won't sleep late in the morning.

Wednesday, 12/25/19 ~  The girls were up around 6, and against their Mom & Dad's orders NOT to go down, they did sneak down to check to see if Santa came.  They returned to stage whisper until everyone was up by 7.
     Santa wanted to make sure that each child got all the toys that Santa's Elves made for them. So, he wrapped his gifts in specific wrapping paper just for Hadi, just for Riley and placed them in specific piles.  Santa also counted to make sure that each of the girls got the same amount of gifts to open.  Once they started, shouts, screams, and "Look!" filled the family room.  Hadi flew through the opening. She was done in less than 5 minutes. Riley took a full 20.  One of Santa's gifts to Riley was a hand blown chicken ornament. (Riley nickname is the "free range chicken" while Hadi is the "climbing monkey.") Riley promptly announced "This isn't a toy! Santa only brings toys!" Even with this small glitch, the girls loved Santa's toys.

        

               

       

        

     Heather soon arrived and it was time for the rest of the presents to be opened. While they were being opened, I made 2 Quiches for breakfast while the chaos continued.  Thankfully, the kitchen and family room are a great room and I was able to still see everything.
     Around noon, Greg and Jenn arrived in a very audible fashion.  They had their car worked on so now "Belle" growled as she arrived.  It was now time for the adults to share gifts. Heather made everyone crocheted Afghans. Chris and Kel's is shades of grey, Jenn and Greg's is Navy and blues, our's is blue and aqua, while the girls have multicolored mixed with purple or pink. Beautiful, warm, ultra soft and cozy!
      Kel's family: Kel's mom, Sandy, her husband, Dan, and her uncle, along with Kyle, Amy and their 3: Kylie, Carter and Cammie. Presents were exchanged and a dinner buffet was set up.

Rubble & Chris

      The kids had a picnic on the floor, while the big people sat at the table,  Once the table was cleared, Greg and Jenn set out the cupcakes they made and helped the kids use the baker' bag to decorate the cupcakes. Needless to say, a great time was had by all.
     By 9, everyone had left except Pete and I. The girls were beginning to crash and burn. We sat and talked a short while before heading up, too!
     Merry Christmas to All!

Sunset over Kennett Square

Thursday, 12/26/19 ~  Pete and I left around 10 to head up to King of Prussia. We met Carolyn at Maggiano's for lunch.  It is always great to catch up.
     Once back, the girls convinced us to watch Toy Story 4 with them.  Just like the others, it was very well done.  Chris and Kel took advantage to pack.  They will be heading up to the cabin tomorrow for the weekend, after Kel's morning appointment. We are staying to watch Rubble as they couldn't get boarding for him due to the holidays.
   
Friday, 12/27/19 ~ The crew headed out around 1 for the weekend.  Since we now had some unexpected time on our hands, we decided to do some window shopping for cars.  My station wagon is 10 years old and has 160,000 miles.  She has been a great car, but age is catching up. Now is the time for research so when the time comes we can easily make a decision.
     We have been talking about it for a while and decided that we would like to go with a certified, pre-owned SUV that offers a quiet and comfortable ride, more rear leg room, slightly more storage and gets decent mileage.  I actually filled both sides of a sheet with hand written notes on most of the SUVs on the market.  I had Consumer Report's listing of the vehicles' reviews from 2013 to 2019, as well as Pro's and Con's as reviewed by Edmonds and Car and Driver.  We were able to knock a number of vehicles off the list based on the findings.
     Based on our research, we headed up Rt, 202 in West Chester to visit various dealer car lots.  . . just to peruse.  Well, you know what happened. . . We came home with a different car.  At the first place we stopped, we found a gently used, well appointed SUV, with a lot less miles that the wagon, and for a very good price.  We did the paper work, shook hands, transferred our stuff from the wagon into the SUV (which was a lot more than we thought), put on temp tags and headed home.
It was after 7.  The dealer was closed, the dogs needed to be walked and fed, we needed to be feed, and, since their shop was also closed, we were invited to return tomorrow so that the detailing could be finished.
     We drove home in this beautiful, comfortable, roomier and quieter vehicle, amazed, with no regrets and not missing the wagon!

Saturday, 12/28/19 ~ After the dogs were fed and let out and we ate our breakfast, we headed back to the dealer to have the detailing completed.  We also mentioned that last night we noticed the headlights were misaligned and the cargo area cover was missing. "No Problem." We sat in comfortable chairs while everything was taken care of.
     On the way home we stopped by Wawa for sandwiches for dinner.  Once back, we binged on most of Season 3 of Stranger Things.  It is really a great series, but we need great internet to watch it.  I wish we had completed the last 3 episodes.  I don't know if we will be able to finish the series tomorrow before the crew returns.

~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 5

Sunday, 12/15/19 ~  We missed the meteor shower that was supposed to be spectacular or a dud.  It was tricky to predict. We were in bed by 9:30 pm.  Exhausted as we were, we woke around 3, hearing Bailey pace and breathing heavy.  Pete took her for a walk.  She is having an internal flair-up of her vasculitis, probably brought on by the stress of not being with us for a while. Once back we all continued to crash and burn until 9.
       Once up, I had to put away all the stuff I had taken north. then I checked on the meteor shower.  It wound up being nothing.  I am glad we didn't try to stay up and watch it.

PEKABU's Christmas Tree

     Pete had hung the Christmas tree, but he waited for me to complete the decorating.  Being a 3-foot, 2-dementional tree, it didn't take too long. . . and it does look great!
     We were able to meet up with our friends here in Fort Pierce.  Bruce and Lin has traveled aboard their catamaran, SV ALIZE from Kent Island all the way through the Caribbean and back.  They returned to land and settled here. We caught up on things aboard PEKABU while enjoying some snacks. We then headed over to Cobb's Landing for dinner and then onto Uncle Carlo's Gelato for a delicious dessert.  Too soon it was time to say our good-bys.
     Once back on board, it didn't take long for both of us to crash and burn.

Monday, 12/16/19 ~ Pete was occupied all day with work. In between calls, he kept asking what were we going to get as gifts for family. I told him that we still had time.  He quickly reminded me that Christmas was next week!  Needless to say, I was in complete shock!  Had I realized that Pete flew up on Friday so we could drive to Florida on Saturday only to turn around and return to Pennsylvania 8 days later, I would have stayed at my sister's another week, or had Pete take the cheep flight last Friday and stay the week with me at Debi's. It proves that: 1) Pete really loves me! and 2) I am totally confused!  Thank heavens for online shopping!  It took about 3 hours and I had most of it done. Hope stuff arrives by Friday so I have time to wrap it.
     I also made an appointment for tomorrow with a local dermatologist for my face.  The rash keep getting worse. None of the current meds seem to be working.
     The rest of the day, I puttered around and made a list of things I still need.

Tuesday, 12/17/19 ~  With lists in hand, I kissed Pete good by and headed to the dermatologist. During the exam, he said that it didn't look like Rosesea, but a Para-oral Dermatitis.  As a precaution, he suggested I start using a non-fluoride toothpaste.  He prescribed an antibiotic, that will not upset my stomach and will not interfere with my other meds, as well as 2 additional topicals. I had the office call in the Rx's to the Walgreen's next door to the Dermatology office.
     Since it will take a while to fill the Rx's, I continued down the road to Michael's, BJ's and Walmart.  I was able to pick up a few more gifts and stocking stuffers.

End of day view from our porch

     Once I picked up my prescriptions, I continued to Publix for a few things to last through the weekend.

Wednesday, 12/18/19 ~ It was really windy today. The temps were in the 60's, but the winds made it seems much colder. The local weather reported winds of 25-30 with gusts much higher. Passage weather indicated that with winds just of shore were 35-40 mph with 12-25 foot waves. Definitely not a day to head out to sea! Since the winds were out of the NNE, it also substantially increased the current through the marina.  We are situated across the current so when the tide comes in it pushes us against the floating dock.  With the wind increasing not only the current, but also the wind coming broadside to PEKABU. We healed, we rocked, we shuddered, and a vortex formed as the current raced around out bow.  The indentation in the water appeared to be 6-8 inches deep. Without the glare of the sun on the water, we were able to see the bubble trail from the vortex extending about 5-6 feet back from the bow and we could only see about 2 foot down into the water!  It might have been longer and deeper than what we could see. Pete was concerned about our fenders being so compressed that they might pop (so was I when he showed it to me!).  West Marine had a sale on them so off he went ASAP.  We used all 4 along with the 4 we already had in place.
     It was a good day to stay inside so I did a lot of reorganizing of my stuff.   With limited space, I have always "scientifically packed" my clothes. As organized as it sounds, it really wasn't.  Every time I reached for a clothing item, I usually disrupted the rest.  As a result, most of my clothes became wrinkled. While at my sister's and living out of my duffel bags, I finally realized that if I placed my sorted and folded clothes into plastic grocery bags, I could remove an entire class of clothing, while retrieving another and not make a mess! I wish I had that light bulb moment about 9 weeks earlier! Well, now that I have it I found out it works great for my closet's shelves too!
     Once my stuff was organized, it was time to reorganize our aft cabin (our "basement!") Pete slept there when Paul was on board.  Then it had to be emptied again for the mechanic to check things back there. Here is where my scientific packing pays off.  Stuff that is rarely used is placed the furthest back; most needed/used closest.  I also have extra dry goods in the canvas shopping bags that also must be easily accessed.  It is not a big job, but one I prefer to do so that when Pete plays the "Have you seen...?" game, I can usually answer, "Yes, it is . . . "  I usually win, scoring about 98 out of 100!
    After positioning the fenders, Pete used one of our swim noodles to silence the swim ladder for the floating dock located by our aft.  It has been banging due to the wind and current for hours.  The silence is wonderful. Even fellow boaters stopped by to say, "Thanks!" He also did some cleaning and organizing while I did my thing.  He cleaned out the filters, and reorganized the Nav table.  Before we knew it, It was time to start dinner.

Thursday, 12/19/19 ~
     My cleaning continued into today.  Since the winds have died down somewhat (down to 20-25 mph), I was able to clean the port and hatch "lights" (windows) and lubricate the seals on them,  This is done about 2-3 times a year as maintenance. After dusting and washing the floor, I put down the new area rugs I was able to pick up while in NJ.  They look great, but I am concerned with having a much lighter streak in the center of the rugs, it might show dirt so much quicker.  I will keep my fingers crossed that I am wrong.
     Pete was busy most of the day with work so I worked around his phone calls.

Friday, 12/20/19 ~  Those winds continue 18-20 mph still from the NNE (which means cooler temps).
     Pete and George continue to have work projects that should be completed before the holidays. So after exercising, I ran errands.  Since I had to head south to Port St. Lucie for the closest LabCorps, I stayed in that area. I was able to get to Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, Walmart and Walgreen"s. 
     Having completed all my errands, I returned home to start my wrapping. I place my cardboard cutting board on the forward bed and it is the right height for me to stand and wrap! I made a healthy dent in the wrapping, but then dinner needed to be prepped.
     After dinner we relaxed, watched some TV and read.
 
Saturday, 12/21/19 ~  There were rain bands that came in all morning.  As a result, we decided to skip the Saturday Farmer's Market.  I made French Toast with fruit for as special breakfast.
     Pete once again stopped by the marina office to see if the presents we had ordered for Hadi and Riley had arrived. Amazon email indicated that they were delivered by USPS, but they still have not shown up at the office. So he went to the Post Office.  They said that the addressee had signed for the package.  YUP! They don't deliver to the individual boats.  It was stolen. So, Pete continued on to the Walmart, that was jammed a few days before Christmas, BUT they were well stocked with toys. Pete was able to pick up the Barbie Plane and Jeep for the girls and be out of there in under 30 minutes! Whew! (AND Walmart was actually cheaper than Amazon on these two items!)
     By dinner, all the gifts are wrapped and packaged for traveling. We had also packed all our clothes, Bailey's stuff and moved them to the car.  Bagels with cream cheese are wrapped, granola bars, sodas, waters and my OJ are all packaged in the fridge, ready to grab as we leave.
     By 8:30 PM, Bailey has been walked and we start heading to bed.  1:30 AM is only a few hours away.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K

~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 4

Sunday, 12/8/19 ~ Here in Ft. Pierce, the heavy rains came through last night.  However, the sun came out and Pete headed north to Orlando to visit a specialty store.  He enjoyed just exploring, and grabbed lunch on the road.
     He returned around 6 PM. Once off  95, the closer to Ft. Pierce, he got the more congested the roads and parking was impossible.  It turns out that today is the Christmas Parade, Market and Tree Lighting Ceremony.  Thousands of people, both young and old, crowded downtown enjoying everything including the bounce house, face painting, Christmas Market and food vendors. No point hunting for parking. Instead he headed south on Rt. 1, finding a Taco Bell for dinner and sat in the parking lot and read for a few hours until he was pretty sure the crowds left.

My Mom's favorite ornament
. . . A Snow Baby!

Monday, 12/9/19 ~  Pete was very busy with work.  He and George started around 7:30 this morning and finally wound up things around 6 PM.
      I was able to put a few hours on the blog and catch up with Pete's Mom.
      Debi and I headed to BJ's to pick up her new glasses, which I really like on her.  Now not only can she see, but she looks great while doing it!  Nobody goes to BJ's without coming home with more than planned. Debi had a basket full, while I was able to pick up the first of my Christmas gifts.
     Once home, Debi, Mom and I headed to The Heritage Diner in Hackensack, for dinner. Debi has been craving fried shrimp and scallops. Mom has been craving chicken liver pate, and the salad bar they offer, and I had Salmon, which was excellent.

Tuesday, 12/10/19 ~  Today was rather quiet. Pete had some work projects to clean up and then was able to break around 10 so that the rental car could be returned. Once back, he did the laundry.
     Debi and I did some strategizing on support for Mom once Debi returns to work.  Mom needs someone to help her with her insulin amounts and make sure she takes the rest of her medications. At 92 is is getting a little forgetful.  Thankfully, Terry, Mom's home care person, is able to cover the hours we need her.

My 2019 Ornaments ~
Otherwise known as
"Christmas Tree Jewelry"

Wednesday, 12/11/19 ~ Pete had a full day of work. He and Tim got together for dinner at Cobb's Landing. Tim will be staying there a few more weeks.  It is time to decompress after the cruise down.  Pete agrees that it is more challenging making the trip solo.
     I took advantage to run a bunch of errands. I went to Staples,  Bed Bath and Beyond, Michael's, and BJ's.  Once back, Debi and I made up this year's Christmas ornaments.  We both had a good time.

Thursday, 12/12/19 ~  Pete stripped the bed, put up our 2-dimensional Christmas Tree, and finished cleaning the interior.  There were showers all around, but few hit Ft, Pierce.  It was the wind that made things more interesting.  The 20+ mph winds are out of the NE and are coming abeam of the boat.  As a result she is rocking at the dock. When the current is heading south, the boat is compressing the 4 fenders almost to the point of popping.  There is also a vortex that forms as the current passes the bow.  The water is raised about 4 inches and the air is sucked down inside the vortex for about 5 feet.  It is amazing to see.

I couldn't resist ~
the tree lights reflected
on the front door

     I did a little more on the blog, did laundry and went with Debi to her hair salon to have my 2-inch + grey roots taken care of.  When we entered the salon, Debi informed me that they do not take credit cards. As I got ready to give her what for, she told me that Mom was treating me to this. I wasn't even allowed to tip!  The stylist did a great job matching my color and the trim and blow dry looked great.       Once home I had to head up to Deneen's to pick up Bailey. Due to commuter traffic it took me about 30 minutes longer.  Bailey was thrilled to see me. It has been 2+ months. All though she had Lizzie for company, a thick bed to sleep on, and she could no longer sleep upstairs with Shelby, because the stairs to her loft are too steep and her hip is stiff and sore, but she still had a good time.  However, once I was there, she stayed by my feet all night, even while eating Joe's delicious Chicken Parmesan. It was great so visit with Deneen and Joe, but too soon we needed to head back to Debi's.

Friday, 12/13/19 ~ Pete was up around 5:30 AM.  He wanted to do a final pickup and vacuum before the Uber arrived.  Unfortunately, there was another filter, we didn't know about, that was clogged on the Dyson.  He had to leave it for when we get home.
     That 's right. . . Bailey and I are finally heading home! Pete has a 9 AM flight from West Palm Beach and arrives in Newark at 1 PM. While he is in the air, I finalized my packing and Bailey and I met Pete around 1:30.  Bailey was excited, but I know I was even more thrilled.
     Once back at the house. Pete had a work project that needed attention.  He worked until about 4:30 and then we headed to Texas Road House for dinner. Debi hoped to join us, but she didn't feel up to it.  She did however treat us to dinner, which was wonderful.
     Once back, we packed the car so that we only have to wake, walk the dog and be on the road by 2 AM. It was time to say our thanks and good-byes around 8:30 PM and head to sleep in Chelsea's room.
     I am so glad I was able to be there for both my sister and, earlier this spring, for my Mom, and even more thankful that I have such a wonderful, understanding, supportive and loving husband!

Saturday, 12/14/19 ~ The alarm went off at 1:30 AM. We were able to quietly leave the house and be on the road at 2.  The heavy rains that arrived last night continued until 4 and then fog accompanied us until we entered Richmond.  The skies lightened, but stayed overcast. The sun played hide and seek for a good part of the day and the further south we traveled, the temperatures rose into the mid 70's by mid-afternoon.  We decided to find a Jersey Mike's and have subs for dinner before getting to the marina. As a result, we were finally home around 8 PM. We texted the family that we arrived safely.
     The car was unpacked and simply placed on board.  Tomorrow, after a good night's sleep,  I will put things away.
     "There is no place like home!"

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K

~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 3

Sunday, 12/1/19 ~  The rain arrived around 11 AM, but by noon had changed over to snow. It was cold and raw.  By 3 PM, there was about 5 inches on the grass, but only a dusting on streets and about 2 inches on the sidewalks.  Great day to put up Christmas!

Christmas at the Clough's

    Friday, the girls brought up all the Christmas boxes and assembled the tree, then headed out with friends. With Christmas songs playing, Debi and I enjoyed decorating.  I forgot how many Christmas ornaments I have made over the years. Seeing so many of them going up on her tree made me feel good about making them.  This year's ornament parts and pieces are in the car, waiting for assembly.
    I made a pot of chili and biscuits for dinner; perfect for a raw, snowy day.
    While it snowed in NJ, Pete took advantage of the mild temps and sunshine to defrost the refridge, fill our water tanks, clean the bird poop off the decks and take the dinghy out for a spin.  It has been months since the engine was run so Pete thought it best to let it run for a while.
    While talking with his Mom, he learned that she has become a football fan.  No team in particular, but she roots for the team in the prettier uniform. Since she has no preference, her weekends are busy between college and professional football.

Monday, 12/2/19 ~ Pete has a quiet day.  It was sunny, but windy and cool.  He sat in the cockpit most of the day enjoying his latest book.

Snow's here!

     We woke to 3 inches of snow. Thankfully, little of it remains on the roadways. My sister, Deneen, called.  They are about 40 minutes NW of Debi and have about 7 inches of snow on the ground, but the snow showers continue.  She said Bailey really doesn't like snow.  Bailey zoomed out to take care of business, then ran back into the house.  She is also having substantial stiffness in her left hind quarter. I called our vet to get something to make her more comfortable.  We have a pharmacy that will mail her prescriptions to wherever we need it.  The prescription should arrive Wednesday or Thursday.
     I spent the morning researching info on immunotherapy for tomorrow's meeting with Debi's oncologist. For most of the afternoon, I worked on the blog.  I am very slowly making progress.
 

Memorial Sloan-Kettering
 in Park Ridge, NJ

Tuesday, 12/3/19 ~ We were up bright and early to make the 8 AM appointment at the Cancer Center's lab. This is the first time in about 5 years I have had to clear the snow off a vehicle! Then she had the meeting with the oncologist, where some of our questions were answered, but there is no solid explanation for the spread.  The outlook is conservatively optimistic, but better than we anticipated.  Then she started her 1st round immunotherapy. We were at Sloan-Kettering until about 2. We decided to celebrate by heading over to BJ's Restaurant and have New England Clam Chowder and some appetizers for a late lunch.
     Pete picked up his rental car around noon.  He was scheduled to have someone pick him up around 10, but after 3 calls, he opted to Uber over. The car was barely prepped. The staff apologized and explained that only one crew member and one booking agent reported to work this morning; two out of six staff! She was not only doing paper work, but also washing cars in her skirt and heals. Once in the car, Pete ran a couple of needed errands.
     After dinner, Debi, Mom and I watched the TV special: Brad Presley Thinks He's Special. I am not well versed on Country Singers, but we all were amazed at his guitar rifting. His guests included Carrie Underwood, Payton Manning, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Jonas Brothers  and Kelsea Ballerini.  Throughout the entire program he created situations that you couldn't help but laugh.

Wednesday, 12/4/19 ~ A cold front came thought last night. Here in NJ we woke to temps in the mid-30's. In FLA, Pete woke to temps in the mid-40's - cold for this part of Florida!  Most of his day was spent running errands.  Mail picked up from Green Cove Springs, golf clubs dropped up to have the grips replaced, food shopping and a stop at the post office took up most of the day.
     Now that we know Debi's continued treatment, she and I discussed my departure.  I have been here 4+ months.  I am so glad I was able to be here for Debi. Now that she is stronger and treatment is bi-monthly, it is time.  Pete and I spoke and he found a $45.00 air fair from West Palm Beach to Newark.  However, everything is extra; carry-ons, checked luggage, food, drinks.  He will fly up next Friday, and we will drive home on Saturday, so it should just be a light carry-on. My time making up  the sofa every night is coming to an end!

Thursday, 12/5/19 ~ Pete was finishing up a work project when Bruce, formerly of SV ALIZE, called.  He and Lin have returned to land and now living here in Ft. Pierce.  They had just received our Christmas card and were thrilled to learn that Pete was so close.  He came and visited for the afternoon. Once I am back here, we will arrange to get together.
     Debi and I ran some errands and while at BJ's Wholesale, she signed up for membership and was able to order new glasses with an additional discount for new membership as well as a December onsite sale.

Friday, 12/6/19 ~ The cold is sticking around on the entire east coast, so is the winds.
      Pete worked all morning, then planned to pick up salads and herring from Blick's, his golf clubs which were being re-gripped and then meet Ann for a Chinese dinner at Hunan's. He arrived at Glicks at 3:05 pm. He along with 4 others, were very disappointed to to see a hand written sign stating that Glick's closed at 3!  Disappointed, he headed to the golf shop to pick up his re-gripped clubs only to find another hand written note: Closed due to broken water pipe! At least Ann didn't stand him up!  They enjoyed the company and dinner.
     But his strange day wasn't quite over!. . . There was no parking anywhere downtown. Pete had to park about 3 blocks away.  Tonight was Friday Fest here in Ft. Pierce.  Bands were playing, food and craft tents were set up and people roamed all around the town center here at the Marina (It happens first Friday of every month!).  He had to wait until after 9 to find parking close to the marina.
     Debi and I headed over to the wig maker.  This will be the second try to see if they can create her hair as it was before she lost it.  It turned out OK, but so much better than it was.  I hope she will go back to have them modify it a bit more.  The curl and color are off.  She will need it in order to return to work. She works with pre-teens who are autistic.  They do not like change, but I think they will be thrilled to have her back.  Hopefully, it will be in January.

Will be put to good use!

Saturday, 12/7/19 ~  Pete and Tim, SV EVENING STAR, headed over to the Farmer's Market this morning. Pete picked up Bear Claw, Danish and Rasin Bread along with some fresh fruit.

Elijah Christopher

     After dropping Tim's purchases off at his boat, in the marina across the ICW, the guys headed to a nautical flee market.  It was a disappointment and not worth the $7 entry fee.  Poorly supplies and very limited variety,  definitely geared to fishermen and small boats.
    Pete dropped Tim off at his marina, where he will be for the week,  Then Pete headed back to the boat and cleaned the boat interior.
     He chilled the rest of the night.
     I did some work on the blog and was able to post a number of entries.  I also processed some of the photos Jason and Ashley sent Debi of her grandson, Eli.  He is so cute.  It looks like they will be able to fly up from Austin sometime in January.  He is 5 months old and Debi can't wait to meet him!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K

~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 2

Sunday, 11/24/19 ~  Heavy rains came in again last night, but they weren't strong enough to clean all the birds' berry droppings staining the deck. 
     Thankfully the skies cleared by the time Pete left to join Al and Vicky for dinner which was made from shrimp purchased at the Farmers Market yesterday. The garlic shrimp was delicious, catching up with friends, and watching a wonderful sunset rounded out a really great weekend!

Monday, 11/25/19 ~ The mechanic came this morning.  As soon as he looked at the alternator/regulator he spotted a problem.  The wire was attached improperly.  He also identified a cracked bracket and arm which supports the unit.  He also checked the engine mounts, and found them cracked. (Pete has asked all the mechanics over the past 2 years to check them, but this is the first report of damage.)  The generator still needs to be looked at, but the mechanic will address that when he installs the new bracket for the alt/reg.
     After the mechanic left, Pete was able to track down the perpetual salt-water leak that is seeping in under the stairs.  Then it was time to clean his tools, a number of which the mechanic borrowed as they weren't in his truck.
     Lunch and dinner was sandwiches made out of the delicious shrimp dip/salad Pete picked up at the Farmer's market yesterday.  Pete is really enjoying it!  Work and reading fill out his afternoon, then it was time to watch Monday night football. Or rather listen with 1/4 ear as the book was so much better.

Tuesday, 11/26/19 ~ The mechanic returned today, just to check the heavy duty bracket he made for the alt/reg to make sure it will fit.  He will be back when he has all the parts he needs to finish up aboard PEKABU.

     

     When he left, Pete took the bike over to Publix to pick up the rest of the provisions needed until he has access to a car. The 2+ mile ride each was wasn't a problem. . . until the tire went flat.  He needed to repair it with the bike loaded with groceries behind the seat and the small thermos bad holding the ice cream attached to the handle bars. The repair worked and as he was returning to the marina, someone stepped out onto the street, almost into Pete.  It was a miss, but as Pete started to continue, he turned and realized he knew that face.  He turned around and met up with Hugh and Deb from SV SIMPLICITY.  They had dropped anchor across the ICW and were in town exploring.  With perishables, he had to keep their visit short and return back to the boat.
     Today was my sister's last radiation treatment. Following tradition, she rang the bell 3 times and applause could be heard through out the clinic.  Fingers crossed that this round of heavy cranial radiation does what it should.  She won't have initial results for a a month or so.
     On our way home from the clinic, we ran some errands. When we came home we found a Chicken Picatta dinner dropped off by one of Deb's co-workers. It was delicious.

Wednesday, 11/27/19 ~ Pete and George had a very busy day.  Things had to be wrapped up prior to the long Thanksgiving weekend.
     I headed out around 10 am to Heather's.  She was off today and I wanted to beat the super heavy traffic that always happens the afternoon, the day before Thanksgiving.  Smart move as there was no traffic all the way there.  My only delay was for the the utility company replacing some overhead lines.  Who am I to complain about a 10 minute delay?!
     Thank heavens for Bluetooth. En route I was able to catch up with my good friend, Deb. They are aboard SV SIMPLICITY currently in Port Canaveral for the next few months. Hopefully, after the New Year all four of us will be able to get together.
     Since I was early, I was able to get to an urgent care facility not far from Heather's.  The folks at AFC were wonderful.  The doctor was thorough and laid out the options for treating my rosacea.  This outbreak continue to worsen. Unfortunately, I have used most of the prescription topicals and oral antibiotics, which are usually first line of treatment, I can't use as my system can not tolerate them. She prescribed a topical I have used successfully in the past. Hopefully, it will work.
      Once back at Heather's we decided to head over to Carucci's Grill over in Yardley, PA for a delicious Italian dinner.  We enjoyed stuffed mushrooms, fresh pita bread and salad, then Heather had Tortellini Bolognese while I had Eggplant Arnaud ~ very thin, breaded eggplant, pan fried, then rolled with mozzarella and ricotta cheese and topped with marinara sauce. We were too full to try any of the deserts, but those that were served at other tables, looked wonderful.
     Back at the apartment, we continued to talk and watch  "the boys" antics.
     After reheating one of the 35 frozen meals I sent down with him, Pete prepared the veggies that he will serve with dip and hummus for Thanksgiving with the Freedmans.

Thursday, 11/28/19 ~  Howie picked up Pete around 10 to head back to Delray Beach to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family.
     Heather and I watched to Thanksgiving Day Parade. The acts were OK, the floats - unremarkable, and the winds required the balloons to be kept close to the ground, but 3 commercials really made our day. They were better than the Super Bowl's:
  ~~   Microsoft is offering voice, language translation software.  In the commercial, a girl sees her mom conversing with clients in Japan and the software making the necessary translations. That night, looking out her window she sees reindeer.  She grabs her mom's computer, greets the reindeer and asks if they can speak.  The translation comes back "yes" and she proceeds to fire away a bunch of important questions. "How do you fly? How can Santa deliver to everyone in one night? Does Mrs Clause really cook that good?"  and more in rapid fire succession!
   ~~  Chick A-Filet has an animation where a young girls request for building a snow man was not well received by her family.  Following 2 strange cats, she enters a hall clock and emerges in a work shoppe where an old man is fixing clocks. Lost Time and Time Flies clocks are seen.  He gives her a card to give her family. When she give it to them. "Sharing time is the greatest gift of all" Yep! They built a snow man.
   ~~ The longest was a 4 minute Comcast ad.  In it kids build a snow man and from behind it appears, E.T.  He is looking for Elliot, who is their father.  The mix of the movie and the commercial was pretty special.
     Heather and I headed over to Jenn and Greg's for dinner.  Greg did a great job on the brined turkey. Jenn made delicious corn souffle, sausage stuffing, potatoes and beans, while we brought a winter salad, a bottle of wine, and freshly baked apple and pumpkin pies.  It was a wonderful dinner. The only thing missing was Pete!
     This morning Pete and Howie played 9 holes of golf.  They returned back to the house where Tania, Andrew, Cookie and Cliff joined Ann, Howie and Pete for a wonderful dinner.  There too, they spread out the food preparation among them and everyone had a great time and delicious meal!
     Around 9 PM, Heather and I returned to her place, while Pete returned to the boat in Fort Pierce. Once back Pete and I shared our day. Thank heavens for phones!

Friday, 11/29/19 ~  Heather took "the boys" for their first veterinary visit. They are typical 9 month old kittens, but did very well at the vet's.

Heather's Tree

     Once home, I helped Heather put up her tree. The cats were still traumatized by the car ride and the visit, so they hid in the bedroom for most of the afternoon.  That gave us plenty of time to decorate without them underfoot. Greg and Jenn also put up their tree, but Nala was so intrigued that she climbed into the tree and toppled it.  Pete also got into the spirit and took our tree out of the front storage area, unrolled it (It is a 2 dimensional tree already loaded with red bows and red and blue small Christmas balls.) and hung it.  He wants me to "fluff" and decorated it when I return. (Which, hopefully, will be soon!)
     Dinner was another BLT Pizza.  It is sooo good! and it will be a while before we visit Heather again. After wards, we watched the movie, Hacksaw Ridge, the biographical WW 2 drama about a conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon, Desmond Doss, a medic, received the Congressional Medal of Honor. During the battle of Okinawa, our troops were ordered to withdraw from the Ridge, but Doss stay behind, carrying 78 wounded soldiers and belaying them by rope down from the ridge.  I remember when it came out, it received lots of accolades.  Now I know why!
     Pete spent the morning writing out Christmas cards. In the afternoon he enjoyed the quiet, read up in the cockpit and spoke with most people who walked by.  He has told them that he has a wife, but he is pretty sure they don't believe him.

Saturday, 11/30/19 ~ I really enjoyed my time with Heather, but I need to return to Debi. I left in the AM so that traffic was light.  They are already posting "Travel/Snow Advisories" along the highways.  An unpredictable storm is forming in the Atlantic that will merge with one traveling up the east coast.  High winds and 3-6 inches are due late Sunday and into Monday in northern Jersey.
     Once back at Debi's, we chilled and watched some Hallmark Christmas Movies. Dinner was leftovers from the Thanksgiving Dinner that Chelsea's boyfriend, Matt, had prepared.
     Pete took advantage of the Farmer's Market before biking over to the the gas station for dinghy gas.  On the way back the bracket for the basket broke holding the gas can.  Thank heavens for bungee cords. He made it back with nothing lost or damaged.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

~ Stay in Fort Pierce ~ Week 1

Passage Weather page
for tomorrow's forecast

Sunday, 11/17/19 ~  There has been much chatter on Facebook as well as on the radio about the storm hugging the east coast today and tomorrow.  Most of the coast is under high wind warnings. Seas are predicted to be substantial, 20-30 feet off shore.  We watched the formation of the storm via Passage Weather.  It is a great website that we have been using for years as it not only shows wind, but wave heights and action including the Gulf Stream. We have had to adjust the time back 5 hours for EST instead of Greenwich Mean Time, and adjust to feet instead of meters.
     Pete put in a couple of hours for a rush project for work. He visited Tillman's Famous BBQ, close to the marina. It was delicious and there is enough for tomorrow night's dinner. Football and a good book rounded out the day.

Monday, 11/18/19 ~ Here in NJ, we woke to temps in the 30's and brisk winds.  In FLA, Pete had heavy fog and temperatures in the 40's, rising into the 50's, not typical for this part of Florida.
     In between work projects, Pete checked the local stores and found a Publix about 2 miles away. No problem riding there and back, but he will be limited on what and how much he buys.  He is building his shopping list.
      While walking up the dock, Pete met the owners of a Katie Krogan 48.  On their way south off the Jersey coast, the heavy seas caused the boat to pound into the waves. It caused a lot of damage to the cove molding joints. Much of the wood will have to be replaced.
     Pete has been periodically checking the battery compartment.  Today, when he check, he found that the compartment top and sides were warm.  He checked and topped off the batteries, which will be checked daily.  There is an Interstate Battery store not too far from the marina. He will watch and see if they need replacement.  It is another thing to put on the repair list.
      He enjoyed the BBQ for an early dinner.  Once completed he sat up in the cockpit, one of his new neighbors invited him to join them for dinner. 

Tuesday, 11/19/19 ~  It was a beautiful day. Temps were in the low 70's mild breezed and sunny. Pete took advantage and rode over to the Post Office to mail off a commemorative on-the-rocks glass Paul left on the boat.
      While putting a few hours for work, Pete had a call from the marina office.  They would like to reposition 5 boats to make room for a larger boat due in tomorrow.  PEKABU is one of the boats that moved. Now she sits at the bottom of the ramp leading to the facilities.  It is perfect for meeting all our dock mates.  They all walk by and say. "Hi!'  It is also more convenient for Pete as he is not using the on board head since the marina has no pump out facility at present.  Since PEKABU is docked across the current, the only safe time to leave the dock is at slack tide, which will make timing to get pump outs challenging.
       Like I said, this is great positioning for meeting people.  Pete has already had 5 invites for Thanksgiving.  Ann and Howie put in their request a month ago, so Pete will be heading to Delray Beach. However, he has also been invited to join SIMPLICITY in Cape Canaveral, the cruisers pot-luck here at the marina,  Join a few of the cruisers for drinks before the pot-luck and another to join the 3 retired servicemen, who are cooking a Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time.
     While Pete and I were catching up on things around 4, another dock mate stopped and asked if Pete needed anything at Publix.  I was left rather abruptly as he got his bags and joined her for the car ride over!
     Once back and groceries put away, Pete enjoyed the Hungry Man Turkey Dinner.

Wednesday, 11/20/19 ~ Today was a quiet day, Pete scrubbed all the salt off the boat and the enclosure.  While topside, Pete saw a manatee and a flock of pelicans who love hanging around the marina.

Pete's Mom, Victoria
& The Tree!

     Pete found out that they weren't kidding about the current.  In incoming tide will pin the boat against the dock while the outgoing keeps the dock lines ridged.  Our fenders will probably need to be replaced due to the abuse.
     This past weekend Pete's bother and family visited their Mom.  They had a wonderful visit and put up a smaller, but full-sized tree.  Everyone there has been coming in to comment on it's beauty.  Earlier today, Mom got on her scooter, planning to join friends for lunch, when a wheel of the scooter hooked the electrical line for the tree lights.  Apparently, the tree took offence and attacked Mom!  She had to call for help to get the tree off of her.  We wouldn't be surprised if next year, prior to Thanksgiving, a memo is sent around to all the residents in nursing care that all Christmas trees must be small and placed on furniture.
   
Thursday, 11/21/19 ~ After work Pete again was sitting up above and received a invite for dinner.  He had to turn it down again as dinner was heating on the stove.  He is really enjoying the interaction with everyone. He will make sure that he delays dinner when sitting above.  This way he can accept a dinner offer that may come his way.
     Debi saw the oncologist today.  There is some good news: the disease was only found in the brain fluid.  There are no masses.  The original tumor is nothing but scar tissue. Doctor is investigating clinical trials and other therapies, including immunotherapy.  There will be a meeting with all the thorasic oncologist from Sloan Kettering to discuss Debi's therapy options.  We will meet after Thanksgiving to discuss the next steps. Through out all of this Debi has had tremendous love and support from family, friends and co-workers. Even with the periods of upset, she continues to have a very positive attitude.

Friday, 11/22/19 ~ Pete had a beautiful day to simply relax, while we here in NJ had cold, rain and 3 doctor appointments,

Marilyn, Jon, Pete,
 Vicky & Al

     Pete spoke with Al and Vicky of SV OHANNA KAI, who are in another marina her in Fort Pierce and Marilyn and Jon of SV ESCAPADE, who live up the road in Vero Beach.  Plans were made for tomorrow to meet for lunch.  Pete is looking forward to seeing everyone.

Saturday, 11/23/19 ~ Pete met Al and Vicky at our marina. Saturday morning is the large farmer's market. Organic vegetables and fruits, baked goods, fresh juices, flowers, and home-made candies are available.  There is also a huge craft area. Pete bought shrimp dip/spread, cinnamon raisin bread, and some fruits.  Vicky had to leave perishables in our refridge while she continued to shop.  Once done at the market, they went back to OHANNA KAI to put thing aboard and then meet Jon and Marilyn for a late lunch. Everyone had a great time.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K