Wind, Rain, Sleet, Snot Snow, Whatever

It does not matter what pissed off Mother Nature throws at us this weekend.
30 knots.
Drizzle.
Fog.
We are going here:Or there...
One of those anchorages.
Or two.

It's time.
It's been nine months since this boat as seen that island.
That is absolutely the longest time we have been in a harbor.
This was the windiest, rainiest, yukiest winter / spring I can remember.
It's time.
Plus it's Memorial Day.
Memorial Day tradition ~ go to the islands, get wind, watch boats drag.

Goodbye Cousin Jeff!

We were lucky enough to attend my cousin's memorial on Sunday in Yucaipa.
Which is about half way to Phoenix...
Made record time on the way home though!



Back to my cousin.
Jeff Clark.
He was the oldest of five.
I am the youngest of five.
Huge age difference.
Enough age difference that he could have been my father.
We were never very close.
But I am very close to his sisters and niece.




Awesome stories from his friends.
He was extremely giving.
Never, ever complained all through his illnesses.
He always had a camera in hand.
Full of extremely corny jokes.



I loved that my cousin, Julianne incorporated what I had written to her in what she said.
I loved, loved, loved that my cousin, Dana was able to be there!
Talk about icing on the weekend cake!
I loved the stories.
The kind words.
Even the tears.
Yes, even the tears.

Stavros, Delaina, Jim, Heather, Dana & Julianne.

Jen, Fabrizio, Lauren, Toby, Scooter and memories of Kermit

Yes, a few of these names sound oddly like critters from Sesame Street.
But in reality, one is a dog and one was a human.

As we needed to be in Yucaipa on Sunday, we had to figure out what we could fit in as our second part of the weekend trip.
You know we always try to schedule more than one thing!
Where else could we go?
San Bernardino?
Uh, why?
Rialto?
Why?
What else is out that way...??
Hmmmmm...
Highland?
Again, why?
Fontana?
YES!
Finally.
Friends Jennifer, Fabrizio and Lauren live there.
They have invited us many times.
And Fabrizio has threatened offered to cook some of his famous Italian dishes for us!
Perfect!

So off to Fontana we went.

We met Toby the cat.
Being tortured by Lauren the daughter.
The scary part?
When Jenny was little she used to do the same thing to her cat...

We talked about the times Kermit the dad used to get Jim a little looped after working on Kermit's boat...
So I asked Jim, if, after Kermit's cocktails did he look remotely like this?Scared the crap out of Jim, as he did not see me find these glasses and put them on.
So then they all had to try them on.
Lemmings!
Jenny...
Jim...
Fabrizio...














Lauren...





And Scooter the ever-so-tolerant dog.Played ball in the driveway.
Was introduced to Wii.
Stories.
Memories of Jenny's dad.
My sister.
My dad.
Laughter.
Italian cocktails.
More stories.
Wine.
Awesome pasta by Fabrizio!
With some name I can't remember...
Cake by Jenny & Lauren.
More stories.
Bed.
Breakfast.
Hugs.
Promises to do it again soon.
Off to Yucaipa...

Cruising Canucks

For Barb & Richard!Fun times.
Fun Race.
Fun friends.
Fun memories.

Hell, yes we remember you!

P.S. No, Barb & Heather do NOT have tattoos up their arms...
That's how I labeled pictures pre digital age.

Stupid me.

Newport Beach Visit

Anytime we have to go someplace we consider far, far, away (which in our case, means outside of Ventura Harbor), we try to fit in more than one activity or visit.
Such as our whirlwind trip to see nieces in Anaheim when we fit in visits to the Science Center and the Museum of Natural History.

This time?
Jim had a Raymarine Technician Seminar in Newport Beach.
Starting at 7:30 in the morning...
Which would have meant him leaving here around 2:30 in the am to make sure he got there in time!
UGH!
Not going to happen especially him not being a morning person and all...
My suggestion?
Drive down the night before and stay in a hotel.
His suggestion?
I go with.


So I did.
And what a cool hotel!
Embassy Suites!
Where Meghan works (but in South Lake Tahoe...)
Happy hour, breakfast, king suite, two tv's, couch, refridgerator, blah, blah, blah and the coolest atrium!

Next day:
Jim in a conference room with a bunch of marine guys.
Me helping rig "Toshalito", Alan and Susan's new F27 trimaran!
Alan single-handed it up from Dana Point to Newport and Susan and I went and had an awesome lunch at Crystal Cove.

Jim met us in Newport and we went for an afternoon motor around the bay.
Perfect weather.
Sunshine.
Warm.
Awesome boat.
Best of friends.Saw a mini "Meerkat" sort of...
A stretched Manta cat.Saw our ex-ex-boat without the name on the back!
Oh, but I am not going to dwell on that!
Yes, I will...

Saw an impressive little girl sailor who could stand on the rail on her sabot.The guys dropped Susan and I off on "Toshal", their 46' sailboat, while they went and moored the tri.Then had to row back to us...Tacos, beers, vino, water, talking, catching up, sleep.

Next day, giant breakfast with friends.
Picked up Cruiser the dog.
Received a lovely gift from their 4 year old granddaughter, Breckyn.
A portrait of me!
No, that is not a beard on me!




And an awesome sail on "Toshalito"!Ok, this is a way fun boat to drive.
I loved it.
Easy.
Sails like a dream.
Kind of hard to use the head in that teeny tiny little space.
Responds great!
Loved it.
So now I get this F-boat fascination.
Yep, want one now...

Second night, took the ferry to Balboa Island, walked the length of the island and had Chinese food.



Not a bad way of squishing in that second thing to do when we had to go far, far, away.

This Did NOT Make Me Happy. At All. Whatsoever.

While cruising around Newport Beach on "Toshalito", Alan and Susan's F27 trimaran, we came across this:

Oh yay!
Happy day!
Our ex-ex-boat!
"Thistle"!
Remember, the one we lived on for twelve years?
Cruised Mexico for three years?
Sold to Dave and Cherryl, who lived on it for five and a half years?
Who recently sold it to some guy who wants to cruise it?
Good, glad you all have such great memories.

So what was this about?Totally unacceptable.
Not so great.
Something is missing.

What the ???Where the hell is the name?

Sorry new owner, but my brother designed that name.
The boat is (was?) well known by that name.
Kind of thinking you head to Mexico and could have made friends just by the people who knew us by that name.

Ugh.
Wonder what he is going to name it.
It better not be something fluffy or lame.
Stupid or corny.

I cannot imagine Thistle's soul likes this.

Ouch.

We have been laughing since yesterday afternoon.
Since I came across this in The Log.
I had kind of forgotten I had sent it in.
Stan The Man kissing a puffer fish!And the puffer fish spitting water back at him...
The funny part?
We didn't even know about this contest when we took the picture.
And the second funny part?
Our friends on "Don Quixote" have won this contest too!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Simple.
We're not there.
This is where we were a year ago today.

Another Cat in the Cat Clique!

Congrats to our friends, Colin and Wendy!
For going from three hulls to two hulls.
For going from minimal comfort to huge, unbelievable comfort.
For lowering their speed, so we can now not be left in the dust.

Soon to be ex-boat ~ "Indefatigable" or "Indy" for short:Fast.
Fun.
Extremely fast.
Trailerable.
Children have to sleep outside.
Did I say fast?
No place for the dog.
Not so comfortable to cruise in for any length of time.
But really fast!
Anyone looking for a F-31?

New boat ~ "Wolfcat", soon to be re-christened "Bangorang" or something like that.We saw this boat with it's prior owners at Santa Barbara Island and on the backside of Santa Cruz Island.
Even had a vhf conversation with the owner.
Now we have had drinks and food on it.
A tour.
An evening.
This boat has three comfortable staterooms.
Meaning their kids can now sleep inside.
Room for the popcorn eating dog.Comfort for extended cruising.
And they won't be leaving us in the dust anymore!

Mike & BBB's Wedding!

We both felt very honored to be invited to Mike & Bibiana's wedding!
Remember, we had kind of misbehaved when we stayed at their house back in February.
The too many wineries in one day kind of misbehaving...

A lovely, sunny, warm day.
A beautiful location on the grounds of the Santa Barbara Courthouse.
Mike's cute grandsons.



A happy, happy groom.

A stunning, smiling bride.







A designated driver to deliver us from evil to and from the reception.
Incredible, over-the-top food and wine.
Great people.
Fun time setting up Crystal's beautiful daughter with the cute young waiter.
Nice, interesting family members.
Chatting with Bibi's sister who has spent a lot of time in the Tepic area and has written two book about the Huichol Indians.
Love-filled toasts.
The biggest cake knife I had ever seen.




Lots of smooches.



Lots of happiness.Lots of purple teeth from the red wine.

Thanks for including us!
And thanks for the matching set of way fun wine glasses!