Let The Good Times Roll & Roll & Roll

February 23 - 28, 2012

One day after we got home from Boca Grande my nephew and his family arrived for two days.  Bob and his wife, Pam, came from Detroit with Elizabeth (7), Mark (6) and Kenny (4).  We were thrilled that they wanted to spend part of their vacation with us!  As soon as the kids got on board, I told them they had to sit on the couch so I could talk with them.  They thought I was going to give them a long list of rules, but no.....  Instead I told them our tale of woe.  The pirates had come to our boat and left their flag on our stearn along with some shirts (that just happened to fit the three of them).  I convinced them that the pirates wouldn't return, if they would wear their pirate shirts.  Well, they bought it hook, line and sinker!  Stories were read and pirate life was discussed for the entire visit.  In the end it was unanimous -- the pirate life is the life to live!  On Friday at 3:00 they left and at 5:00 Mary and Russ arrived.  They are moving Mary's Mother to Venice from Minnesota and had an evening free.  We rendezvoused at the boat so we could have a quiet visit before we went to dinner.  It was good to hear about what is going on in our old neighborhood.  Saturday morning we were up and on our way to meet Mary and Doug at their house.  They had friends from Atlanta visiting and invited us to spend the day with them.  We all drove to Brandon where their boat had just completed repairs.  The guys hopped on the boat and made it back to Longboat Key faster than the girls could drive back (of course, we did make a couple of stops on the way).  Lunch was next at the beach, back to their house and then home to prepare for the arrival of Sunday's guests.  Didi and Peter had just completed a week in Boca Grande and were on their way back to Virginia when they came by.  We visited them there for two days last week.  While they were here, we packed the days full and had a two night Rummy Cube tournament.  Guess who was the grand champion -- ME!  It probably wouldn't have made the blog if someone else would have won.  Hey, it's my blog!  Tomorrow night we're visiting Jon and Bonnie's 39 foot Krogen and Thursday Mary is here for dinner!  We love having company and spending time with friends.  Like I told someone last week -- "all I need is time to change the bedding, clean the bathrooms and refocus" then bring on the company!

Gotta smile -- We're lovin the ride!

Off to look for pirates!

Pancakes for the crew.

Lots of dancing in the water, running on the beach,
hunting for shells, digging in the sand.

Mary and Russ visit before dinner.

The opposite of our trawler ----  60 foot Searay
that goes very fast.  Repairs made and
ready to head back to Longboat Key.

After lunch on the north end of Longboat Key,
we sought out the wild peacocks.
This male is doing his best to get the females
attention.  Looks like the girls are more
interested in eating. 

What looks like a shadow at the water's edge is
actually a six foot manatee.  He rubbed his back
and stomach along the bottom of our neighbor's
boat for 15 minutes.  These prehistoric looking
mammals grow up to 13 feet long and
weigh up to 1300 pounds.   

A perfect day to explore the coast in the dingy
with Didi and Peter.

Lunch on the dock of the bay.

The guys patiently wait while Didi and I shop.

Beverages and Peter welcome us home.

A Grand Time in Boca Grande

February 20 - 21, 2011

In November of 2009 we were taking our previous boat, Finally, to Florida on a three month trip.  The first night that we were in Demopolis, Alabama we met Didi and Peter on their beautiful boat, Moon Beam.  We got stranded there along with many other boats because a tropical storm was headed for Mobile.  The storm missed Mobile, but caused the rivers to flood all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.  That layover was a blessing in disguise -- it gave us time to develop a lasting friendship.  We traveled together to Mobile and stayed in touch when they continued to the Florida Keys and we crossed the state on the Okeechobee.  Before we left Florida to take Gotta Smile north, they came back from the Exumas to spend a couple of days with us in Stuart.  Didi and Peter continued to Virginia (their home state) and completed the Great Circle -- a huge year long accomplishment.  Labor Day week-end of 2010 we drove to Perry Sound, Canada to visit them at their cabin.  And, now we are together again in Boca Grande.  They rented a home on the beach for a week.  We enjoyed two days of reminiscing and catching up on family news.  Brian and Peter talked nonstop about all things 'engine'.  They are coming to Longboat next week to spend a couple of days onboard before they drive home.  Boca Grande is a beautiful island with a small village atmosphere.  Gulf carts are a favorite mode of transportation.  And, giant banyan trees grow everywhere.  
    

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!        

Touring the island via golf cart.

This is one tree -- A huge banyan

Didi and I perched precariously on the back
seat of the golf cart.  Time for breakfast!

Fun in the sun.

The Kid In The Candy Store

February 15 - 18, 2011

On Wednesday we drove to Miami for the boat show.  The day was beautiful and we had the top down for the five hour drive.  The Miami Boat Show is one of the premier shows in the United States with power boats new and used (up to 200 feet), sail boats and a convention center full of boating equipment.  From this point on the convention center is referred to as Brian's candy store!  I announced that I was not going to that part of the show as soon as we decided to go to Miami.  I knew that Brian would spend an entire day there, which would be similar to pushing bamboo sticks under my finger nails -- torture of the worse degree.  Brian was glad to have the day to himself -- no whining to listen to.  On Monday Jennifer called and said she would be flying into Miami early on Thursday and would have the entire day free.  Yea!!!!  Brian could go to the candy store and I could have a whole day with our daughter.  All I had to do was drop Brian downtown and find my way to the aviation center, where I could pick Jennifer up.  Traffic in Miami is wild.  In the short distance I had to travel, I passed five accidents.  I prayed that I would not be number six!  After a quick tour of the beautiful Gulfstream 550 that she flies, we were off to shop and have lunch in Coral Gables.  What a treat to be together.  We picked Brian up for dinner and heard all about the wonderful things he found, contacts he made and information that he gleaned from conversations with reps.  On Friday Brian and I went to see the new Krogens that were in the show:  an updated version of ours and a new 52 foot model.  We did walk onto a few other boats, but our heart wasn't in it.  We love our boat and couldn't get excited about the others.  Next stop, Stuart.  We drove there Friday afternoon so we could meet with upholstery people on Saturday morning.  We're going to have the three couches (two in the salon and one in the pilot house) redone.  Before heading back to Longboat we stopped in downtown Stuart and at the Harborage Marina where we originally bought Gotta Smile.  There we met another couple that had just purchased their Krogen three days earlier.  They had lots of questions and we agreed to get together when they come to the Gulf coast in March.     


We stopped at Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove
to see Bob and Linda.  Their boat, Veda L, was there,
but they were in Aruba. 
Did you tell them we were coming?

After a long day, we tried to take pictures of both of
us with Jennifer.  Brian and I both looked
 seriously demented in every one. 
So....one cropped of Jen, the back of
us walking to the car and an opps!  
Not exactly suitable for framing, but much better
than any of the others. 

Downtown Miami.

The boats are crammed in.  It's like an expensive 
jigsaw puzzle. 



This isn't the biggest boat in the show,
but it might be the one with the most toys.

Very cute downtown Stuart. 

The citrus crop is ready for harvesting.

We arrived in St Armand's Circle just in time to
catch the end of a car show.  Unfortunately,
most of the exotics were gone. 

 Gotta Smile -- We're lovin the ride!

Everyday Life with Boaters

February 14, 2012

The weather report says that it will only get up to 65 today. We went for a walk, but had to come back to take off sweatshirts.  No wind, blue skies and wispy clouds make it feel warmer than the thermometer reads...right now we are at 53.  The temperatures this winter have been in the mid to high 70's almost every day.  Not every winter is this warm and according to the local weather report, some of the locals are complaining that it is too warm.  They want to wear their sweaters and jackets.  We did see people wearing earmuffs on Sunday when the temperature was around 60.  I'd love to drop them into a Minnesota winter for just one day.  They would think that hell froze over.  
Downtown Sarasota had a farmer's market on Saturday.  We enjoyed roaming through the streets, people watching and bought the juiciest oranges.  After lunch at Barnacle Bill's, I went to the lady's room, Brian went outside to wait.  I found him totally absorbed in a conversation with two other couples.  What a surprise!  They are boaters doing the 'loop'.  I finally had to interrupt their conversation about tool storage with a subtle hint -- "Brian say good-bye" as I held up his hand so he could wave to them as we strolled away.  It was 1:30 and we were due in Largo to visit Fran, Brian's stepmother, between 2 and 3.  Fran and her picture were in the January 6th blog, You Just Never Know.  

We invited Bonnie and Jon over last night.  They are from Iowa and live on a 39 foot Krogen.  It is a newer model of our previous boat.  In fact, Brian met them when Finally was for sale in Stuart, Florida.  They recognized the smiley face on our stern and had saved Brian's phone number.  (I think they knew he would be a wealth of information if they ever ran into a problem.)  So, last week when they arrived in Longboat they gave us a call.  It reminded us again, what a small world we live in.  They are a really fun couple.  We look forward to seeing more of them.

Ann and Jim are our closest neighbors here in the marina.  I first mentioned them on the December 18th post.  We see them, in passing, most days (usually when Jim is smoking his daily ration of a half a cigar) and have gotten together several times.  They are true southerners (hospitality and accent) from Tennessee and live permanently on their Hatteras.  This morning Ann stopped over to tell me that she read my blog.  She was laughing about my brother's visit.  Her question, "Is that true?"  I told her to watch out -- she's next! 

Happy Valentine's Day!
                                                                               
Gotta Smile -- we're lovin the ride!



   
      

We Must Be Mellowing.....

February 2 - 8, 2012

My brother, Mark, and sister in law, Sue, came from the Detroit area for a one week visit. In the past this has been a bit problematic. Mark, has always been the fun one. I've accused him of behaving like the youngest person in the group. That has usually been a two year old or a teen-ager. But, always the one that was a little out of control. Sue, on the other hand, has more phobias and fears than you can count. She is afraid of being kidnapped and held as a sex slave, she's afraid of most dogs, she doesn't like to be on the water if there are ripples, she's very nervous in the car (That one has a basis -- Mark drove through the wall of a house with her in the car when they were in high school). Without more elaboration -- I'm sure you get the idea. 
Well, we're happy to report  -- it was a great visit!  Sue was a very good sport and even had fun on an all day dingy ride (through some relatively rough water) and a two day trip on Gotta Smile to St Petersburg. Mark was lots of fun, as usual, and we had endless laughs about 'the good old days'. When they left, we were trying to get them to commit to a ten day visit the next time they come! Brian and I agree we have to give them the coveted great guest award!



All of our guests pose in Sarasota and
shop at St Armand's Circle.

The calm before the storm.
Dingy ride.

Big homes along the bay,

Lunch at the Salty Dog.
Does anyone notice that there is something missing?
A ladder --- A way for me to get out of the dingy!
We had to climb the boards to get to the dock....

After a very tasty lunch.
Sue is not wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
Those are buoys strung on the sign.

     
  
     

Time to get back in the dingy....
My feet are not on the wall of the dingy.
They are on the top rail of the dock.
Diners that are near the dock are offering to
come out and help me get in.
My pants are soaked from the waves coming over the
bow of the boat. I look incontinent.
I have no dignity......
but we laughed about how pathetic I was
for the rest of the week .

Everyone is dry and back on board after a fun day.

A beautiful day to travel to St Petersburg.
We spent the whole day on the upper deck.
Dolphins traveling with us.

Florida is the land of giant trees.
I've shown you live oaks and banyan trees.
This is a kapok tree in bloom.

The only other woman I'd let Brian cuddle up with. 
Her long tail must help her balance
 those big boobs! 
After we moored in the bay, we took the
dingy into town. 
A trolley ride showed us the sights.

Gotta Smile in front of the Vinoy Hotel

Time to leave and we are all smiling -- for real!

We have a new mailing address:     Jackie and Brian Smillie

                                                            411 Walnut Street

                                                                   #9268

                                                            Green Cove Springs, Florida

                                                            32043

Gotta Smile -- We're lovin the ride!