From Sea to Shining Sea

A tough good-bye

2012-01-26T22:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had the crew of Libre Vie over for a send-off dinner as they are making a quick move up to New York this weekend. Both being in the military and living on a boat have shown us that neighbors come and go quite frequently compared to our landlubber, non-military friends, but this particular departure will make me pretty sad. I've never felt insane for living aboard with my family or always wanting to travel when talking to them, and they don't mind that our crazy kids attack them with hugs. They are fun, easy going, and have a thirst for life that just automatically makes me smile. I will miss them, but am happy that our timing at least worked out to allow us to meet them!

Make a wish!

2012-01-24T21:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight the winds finally cooperated for a good Wishlantern launch, and the sky was perfectly clear and full of stars. We launched 3, and the kids even got in on the action. It was beautiful!

Ready to launch.

Up, up, and away!

Happy Weekend!

2012-01-22T21:02:00.001-05:00

Where to begin? Friday Frank was out with one of "the boys" while the kids and I hit up gymnastics and had a Wii rally. Saturday we drove into the city to pick Frank up and enjoyed a mini stay-cation in D.C. with a trip to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. As a special treat we went into the butterfly room there and spent a while admiring and identifying the butterflies. We even got to see one emerge from its cocoon! Today was all about two things--maintenance and football! It was frigid outside today so we (Frank) knocked out flushing/changing the engine coolant. It was a pretty messy job, but we managed to wrap up just as the first football game got underway. And I'm pleased to announce PATS WIN! PATS WIN! Yep, that just about covers this awesome weekend!

Thank goodness for nap time!

Happy Birthday, Captain!

2012-01-17T20:43:00.000-05:00

Tonight we celebrated Frank's birthday with a decadent meal of sloppy joes followed by a football-shaped ice cream cake. Nothing but class! We also tried out his new handheld VHF, with call-ups between "Big Daddy," "Beaner," and "T-Bone." It was very cute and the kids did pretty good for their first time live on the circuits! After the kiddos headed to bed he was able to try out our first "adult" Wii game, Call of Duty MW3. I guess he likes it...been playing about an hour so far!

Actual home remodeling

2012-01-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

This long weekend was spent away from our beloved boat. We made good on one of our Christmas presents and set to remodeling my sister-in-law's powder room. The job went reasonably well considering we were without our usual tools, but alas we couldn't finish due to a damaged vanity (not our fault!). We'll be back in February to wrap it up!

Snow!

2012-01-09T20:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was waxing the boat and today we got snow! It wasn't much, but enough to play in a little!

Katreina and her snowman by the beach.

The docks were a little slippery!

Sunny & 60?

2012-01-07T10:09:00.001-05:00

An unexpected January warm-up left us with a tough decision--stay or go? We decided to stay put and stick with the maintenance schedule. The Captain is off buying supplies while the crew and I play at a park. Not bad for the middle of winter!

Aground!

2012-01-03T20:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's not as bad as it sounds, but we were aground tonight at the pier. Extreme spring tides coupled with high winds sucked the water out of the marina and we were aground when we got home. Not too bad, not leaning on the pier or pilings or anything, but a line had to be let out and we had to step down (unheard of!) to get aboard. What to do about it? Have a "beached" party! Served up plenty of mojitos for the Captain and I tonight!

Hello, 2012!

2012-01-01T18:36:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, one and all! With fabulously warm weather forecast for the weekend, we headed up to Annapolis to join in their festivities. We had a great sail up and after a little help from the Harbormaster (mooring lines had been zip-tied for the winter!) we took over mooring ball #1 in an empty mooring field.

VERY relaxed as we head out of the marina.

The Captain surrounded by full holiday decor.

He got a turtle from the clown.

She got a ladybug!

As we headed into town, we welcomed our only neighbor for the night, the Lagoon 44 "Joy of Tahoe," by cutting their mooring line free, too. In town we enjoyed a drum and bugle corps, a clown, ice cream and coffee, a trip to a park that we somehow hadn't discovered before, and a magic show--it was great! After heading back to the boat, we were able to enjoy the bands all night. There were 2 fireworks shows--7:30 and midnight--and they were both great! We relaxed, reflected on all that 2011 brought us (hello, I'm home!), and pondered on what 2012 would bring.

We are ready for fireworks!

The trip home was adventurous to say the least! We pounded in 3-4' seas and 20+ kts. Docking was even a bit of a challenge! We're home and it's time to relax and enjoy 2012!

A toast to the New Year (before the winds kicked up!).

Merry Christmas from Lehe Paine!

2011-12-25T12:40:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas and hope that all our friends and loved ones did, too. The kids got some nice gifts from the family and were thrilled with this year's big present from Santa--a Wii! They got a few games and can't wait to try it out--I'm just happy to see it fits nicely in the one spot we have for it! Katreina's request for "food for starving kids" was fulfilled via food pantry and shelter donations in Illinois and a Heifer gift of chickens. I'm immensely proud of her for asking for that, and even more proud that she was happy when she actually got it instead of a bunch of toys. We were even surprised by a visit from some of our dock neighbors, and we were all spoiled by the crew of Libre Vie. We ended the festivities with what has become a new favorite boat breakfast--Immaculate Baking Co. cinnamon rolls. Yum! Now we're off to Gaithersburg to visit Frank's family and continue the holiday gluttony with shrimp and grits. After a great trip this has been a great Christmas. I can't imagine topping it next year!

The kids were very happy!

Thanks, Libre Vie!

We're ready!

2011-12-24T22:09:00.001-05:00

We made it home early today as the train was 2 hrs ahead of schedule--when has that ever happened when flying? That gave us plenty of time to check the mail, unpack a little, make a nice Christmas Eve dinner, and bake cookies. The kids are showered, presents of pjs have been exchanged, the table has been lowered, the tree has been brought inside, and the snacks are in place--we are ready for Santa! Now it's time to get to bed--NORAD has him about to cross the Atlantic!

"Please come to our house, Santa!"

Warming up in FL

2011-12-23T20:51:00.001-05:00

Where, oh where have we been? Florida! While cruising there would have been great, we still have to work so we took a new (for us) landlubbers method--the train! We actually took the auto train overnight from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL (just north of Orland) and it was a wonderful experience. Roomy, relaxing, and we arrived well-rested for a week of Disney fun! My sister and her family, as well as Grandma and Grandpa Powers, joined us at Shades of Green resort which is right on the Walt Disney World property. It was just a wonderful trip!

The weather was amazing and my sister and I relaxed by the pool the very first day. We visited Downtown Disney, went to a Very Mickey Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, spent 2 days each at Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom, and made a quick stop at Hollywood Studios. The kids (of all ages!) had a blast and it was a marked difference for me, having spent last Christmas in Dubai and away from the family. Frank and I were really surprised at how our kids have grown into the rides, really enjoying the roller coasters and water rides. I loved seeing all the animals, but really it was just awesome to get away from work and enjoy time with the family. It was especially nice getting to see the cousins all play together.

Now it's back to MD to make preps for the big guy to come tomorrow night!

We're ready to see Santa and Mickey!

It's Party Time!

2011-12-06T21:24:00.002-05:00

It's getting colder here at Herrington Harbour, but we're keeping it warm on Lehe Paine! Tonight was cause for great celebration as Trent turned 4! He's a crazy, fun little guy and we love him a bunch! He chose a Spiderman theme for his party and got "the" gift--a new scooter!

Happy Birthday, Swabby!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

It's tough to tell from this photo (and it is ALWAYS dark when I get home!), but the arch did indeed get installed on the 1st and we have our lights up! Candy cane rails, up and overs, a wreath on the helm and another on the ladder, and a tiny Christmas tree atop the new arch. The inside is decked out, too, and I love the glow of the lights off the cherry wood interior. There are a few other boats in the marina that are decorated--U and T docks are looking good!

Huh?

2011-11-30T20:13:00.000-05:00

After a rather challenging day at work for both of us and a trip to Dunkirk for dinner and some shopping, we returned to the marina to quite a surprise! Our radar arch, which is scheduled for install tomorrow, is hovering in position over the stern of the boat already! Honestly, I started to question what day of the week it was when I first saw it. Very excited for tomorrow. This thing has been on order for months from Beneteau, got shipped to the wrong place initially, and is FINALLY here! No more tripping over the dinghy on the bow!!!!!!!!!

The arch!

Can this day get better? YES!

2011-11-28T20:46:00.003-05:00

Whew! Today started with all sorts of disaster! After hitting bad traffic on the commute in, the little guy puked all over my car just as I turned in to his daycare. Grrrrrrrr! I stayed at home with him and did 6, yes 6, loads of laundry and cleaned my car. Not exactly a wicked fun day! But then, the tide turned...

Our new mattress arrived! After a rather comical display of us muscling the beast aboard it was in and oh so comfy! Who knew that pillow-topped latex could be so amazing?!?!?? Zzzzzzzzz...

8 1/2" pillow-topped latex from Handcraft Mattress Co.

Baltimore weekend wrap-up

2011-11-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

"Black Friday" was a mix of fun and pain for us. Fun since the kids and Dad headed to the Maryland Science Center (which was about a 2 minute walk from the boat!), pain as I was doubled over with sharp pains in my upper abdomen for most of the day. We tried some of that traditional, post-Thanksgiving medicine, Gas-X, to mend me and after lunch I ventured out to the Science Center with them. I still had bouts of pain, but I can say I still enjoyed it--that place is a blast! After we left the Science Center we stopped in to visit with Santa. The kids were a little shy, but I think they liked it. From there we headed over to a carousel the kids had been eying since we arrived--it was finally open and it made for a fun sunset activity!

The kids and I loved this old, wooden carousel!

We returned to the boat for dinner and to consider what to do with me. I had fallen asleep at 8pm the night before, felt tired all day Friday, had this crazy pain that didn't go away after plenty of Gas-X, and I was running a fever around 101F. A call to the doc of internal medicine in the family offered up a few possibilities, appendicitis being one, and we decided to track the timing/length/location of the pain for a while. Within a few hours I was asleep!

Saturday morning I was feeling better--still had some pain, but it was duller and less frequent and my fever had subsided. Perhaps this was just a stomach virus??? We decided to make the most of our last few hours in Baltimore with a trip to the Constellation. LOVED IT! That ship is beautiful! You can learn so much on a visit, and our kids even helped with morning colors. The kids ran through it way too fast, but I still managed to enjoy it. Such a great piece of history!

The First Mate and Captain await the opening of the Constellation.

Trent and Katreina help raise the colors.

We got underway easily from Baltimore before noon. After a quick stop for fuel, we motored down the Patapsco River and headed south. With no wind, we made good time motoring (while I made chili!) and ended up on a free USN mooring ball in Weems Creek. It was a beautiful little spot that would have been perfect were it not for some alarm going off on a nearby boat all night. Keeping with the theme of the day, we did movie night with "Master and Commander," comparing Surprise to the Constellation as we watched.

Today we are heading home, and I can't say I'm too excited. This has been a nice break, and a great time with just our little family. We had lots of sleepovers with the kids, fun in a new town, and lots of sleep! I'm still having some stomach pains, and now Frank has a slight fever. More and more I'm thinking we have some sort of virus. Can't wait to get home, rinse the salt off the outside of the boat, and scrub down the inside! For now we are motoring, with winds on the nose and a small craft advisory in effect. In hindsight, we went the exact opposite direction for our trip in relation to the winds, but I'm glad we did. I liked Baltimore and have added to my list of places to return to by boat, or even to visit during a deep freeze in winter!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:42:00.001-05:00

With all the shops and museums (rightfully) closed today, we basked in the sun and took to some of Baltimore's great outdoor areas. But before we could even leave the boat, we had to repel boarders! With the tide low our deck was at dock level and tourists kept hopping on for photos! I was a little shocked by this. I guess that's part of being at a city dock though, and I guess there are some cultural differences to consider! A sign and some chains we found around the pilings, likely for that very reason, seemed to do the trick.

Our attempt to repel boarders.

Once we were "secured," we headed out. First up, Federal Hill! The kids loved scrambling up this massive hill, and were pleasantly surprised to find a small playground at the top. We even managed to find a geocache!

The view of our berth from Federal Hill (we're by the yellow boat to the left).

The kids help to defend Baltimore.


*Swings!*

After a stop by the boat for lunch, the kids and I headed out for a walk around town so the Captain could relax in peace. Then they all played football in a grassy area by the pier while I got to work on the feast--game hens, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, corn, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and a pecan pie pumpkin cheesecake (compliments of the Cheesecake Factory). Dinner came together nicely and I have to say we had a great day overall! I am very thankful to have a husband that does so much for our family and kids that have a sense of adventure. Can't wait to check out the Maryland Science Center (chosen via coin toss) tomorrow!

Our very own pilgrim and Indian.

The feast!

A weekend of thanks...in Baltimore!

2011-11-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

We took some time off work this weekend and after a short few days at the pier got underway Wednesday to head to Baltimore. The whole week we'd been watching the weather, with a cold front forecast to come through Baltimore Wednesday night with a big pickup in winds. Our plan was to get underway shortly after sunrise Wednesday morning and try to make it the whole 42nm in one day. So, how did the plan work? Well...so so. We got underway early, but there was almost no wind so we found ourselves motoring up to the Bay Bridge. After that, we started to see some wind so we shifted to sailing only to have the winds ramp up quickly to 30-35kts, and clock rapidly to the north. This was around noon--the front was coming through early! Frank did his best to hold on, and we were heeling at 30 degrees for a good little run. That's probably nothing to a racer, but to a live-aboard? Well...

A small sample of the havoc caused by our significant heel. See those fishing rods? They normally live in the cockpit!

We finally got a good opportunity to pull the sails in and motor again, but by then the seas had really built to the 4' range and the bow was slamming pretty hard. As we pointed the bow up the Patapsco River, the pounding got worse, with the entire front half of the boat seeming to go airborne at times. We pressed on since there was really nowhere to bail and because we knew with the wind coming straight down the river the waves would eventually diminish due to the reduced fetch. It was not an easy ride, and Captain Frank bore the brunt of it, but we eventually made it! Though the winds were still pretty strong, the lack of seas made for easy docking at the City Dock. And once again, we were the only boat there!


Lehe Paine in the Inner Harbor

We took advantage of the remaining hours of daylight to pay our dockage fee and check out our surroundings. We learned that not much of anything was going to be open on Thanksgiving, but there was tons to do within walking distance. Historic ships, museums, the aquarium, and parks were all right there! We will likely rest and relax tomorrow, and tear up the town on Friday!

The 9-11 memorial outside the Baltimore World Trade Center

Back to Annapolis

2011-11-20T21:38:00.000-05:00

This weekend had great winds forecast for another trip to Annapolis! We were able to make the whole trip under sail, downwind with ~15kts at our backs. Arriving in the mooring field, we had our pick of the balls and took #1, right off Ego Alley. We headed into town and took a long walk around the Academy campus where we checked out their impressive fleet of boats. Then, of course, it was time for ice cream! No matter how cold it is, the kids are always up for ice cream!

Downwind run into Annapolis

The lone boat in the mooring field!

Still loving that ice cream. Brrrrr!

Saturday night was spent peacefully watching a movie. Sunday morning we went on a long dinghy ride up Spa Creek and went ashore at Truxton Park. It was soooo nice! I love the crunch of leaves underfoot. We even managed to find a geocache while we were there!

The boys enjoy a walk along the trail.

We left Annapolis around lunch, getting underway from the mooring under sail for the first time ever. Figured an empty mooring field was a great place to try! From there it was a day of total sail. We didn't have to start the motor until just outside of the marina, and we made it to the dock just before sunset. THAT was a great sailing weekend!

Our Captain enjoying steady breezes at the helm.

St. Michael's, Take 2

2011-11-13T21:43:00.002-05:00

Our first visit to St. Michael's was in the height of summer and we swore we'd come back when it was a little calmer. This was the weekend! We left early Saturday with 18-20 knot winds from SSE giving us a nice push across the bay. Unfortunately the 2-4 foot seas on the quarter made the kids a little queasy, but not nearly so bad as last weekend! We anchored early in the afternoon and we're the lone boat for only a short time. Surprise, surprise--our dock neighbors, Libre Vie, were now our anchorage neighbors!

A quick trip to town afforded the kids the opportunity to play at the park, eat ice cream, and check out the great toy store. It also reminded us that we really need a long weekend here so that we can really check out the Cheaspeake Bay Maritime Museum. With the sun getting lower in the sky we stopped by Libre Vie for some wine (and orange soda for the littlest mariners!) and conversation before heading back home for movie night.

This morning we motored home with winds right on the nose. We decided to take advantage of what might be the last weekend with water at the dock to give the boat a good scrub-down. Still loving fall!

Solomons Island

2011-11-06T20:35:00.002-05:00

Perhaps we were motivated by the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, or maybe we were just really anxious to leave the pier. Either way Saturday we got underway in 20-ish knots and took a hell of a pounding as we left the marina. 3 (and sometimes 4) foot seas on the nose, short period...just rough! As we turned south towards Solomons, the ride smoothed out a bit, but that put the seas on our port quarter and still made for an uncomfortable ride. I think everyone got nauseous at some point, but Trent was the winner with 2 purging runs to the head. Bless his heart, he made it to the toilet both times!

We made it to Solomons Island mid-afternoon and were a little surprised at just how much dockage is available there. But of course we anchored! We dropped the dinghy, were thrilled that the motor was working well, and cruised the town. We may have missed something, but I didn't see the draw of the area. It wasn't bad, but I didn't see much worth going ashore to check out. Maybe we need to read up on it and head back sometime. I was happy to head back to the boat (after checking out a boat that had the radar arch we have on order!) and enjoy movie night with the family.

Sunday was much calmer and we had to motor a good deal of the way back. The highlight for me was checking out the fall colors from the water. The pelicans were cute, too! On this trip we also got to try out the new radar (sweet!) and our new battery bank (also sweet!), so it was a good trip overall.

Now to plan our next fall trips before it gets too cold! On that note, today we learned that many of our neighbors are heading ashore for the winter. In fact, we are one of only two live aboards staying put at this point. Are we crazy? Or are we just going to have a fun winter with our other hardy neighbors? Time will tell!

Home Improvement Season

2011-11-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

Like most American families we are excitedly getting ready for the holiday season by completing a few home improvements. I am happy to announce that I got my new Fagor pots and pans in the mail and successfully cooked eggs and a real dinner this week! What else??? Oh, I know--our radar got installed! Finally the weather cooperated and today we added a sleek new radar to the mast with the help of the folks at Atlantic Spars & Rigging.

The latest addition--a Raymarine radar.

Can't wait to try it out this weekend! Now if only the new mattress would hurry up and get here... :)

Bring on winter!

2011-11-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

Apparently this weekend's Nor'Easter got everyone thinking...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:46:00.001-04:00

Our little monsters had a blast tonight! They were positively spoiled by our dock neighbors on Renaissance Lady, Nana Maria, and Libre Vie, then filled their buckets in under an hour in the town of North Beach. We may have to host a party soon to offload some of this candy!

Spiderman and the Princess Fairy

More changes

2011-10-26T20:50:00.000-04:00

For a nice, calm autumn, we sure do have a whole lot going on! Yesterday we got measured for a custom mattress and our new bed should be here in about 3 weeks! We went with the super froo-froo latex pillow-top job. Should be nice! We also turned in the old batteries and picked up our new barometer (LOVE the lifetime warranty from Weems & Plath!). As if that wasn't enough we FINALLY received word from Beneteau that the radar arch we ordered forever ago has shipped. And if the weather holds our radar will be installed tomorrow. It's not all good news, though. Last night we had some gusty winds and Captain Bandana's body separated from his skull, crashing to the deck. His body is now lounging in the cockpit while his head remains dangling from the yardarm! :)

Hiatus

2011-10-23T20:47:00.001-04:00

While we had been looking forward to October for some time out on the water, life had other plans. Right before the boat show we celebrated the marriage of our dear friend Jesse. That week we learned of an ailing family member, and this weekend we laid her to rest. Through all of this we have been enjoying a good deal of family time with the extended family, and it has been great to celebrate a wonderful woman's life and legacy.

While we've been off the water we have made some key improvements to the boat. For starters, skull lights and "boo" stickers are up, and a skeleton dangles from the port yardarm. We've also offloaded some of the summer clothes in favor of warmer garb. We even have new Fagor nesting pans on order so that we may stop ingesting flakes of Teflon from the old T-fals. But the biggest improvement came today, compliments of the Captain's hard work, in the form of new batteries! Now we can enjoy a weekend on the hook with the heat on without draining the bank. I can't wait to get out on the water this weekend and try it out!

"Captain Bandana" swinging from the yardarm.

Look at all that power!

US Sailboat Show

2011-10-10T21:21:00.001-04:00

With the little girl in school today, Trent joined us for a day of gawking at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis. The lusting began early, with enticement awaiting us in the very first tent. Custom mattresses, folding propellers, shiny new dinghies, and the possibility of getting our barometer repaired all looked great to us! But who were we kidding? We were there to look at boats!

We went straight for the Lagoons and much to my surprise I was not all that impressed. The interior just wasn't the quality I was expecting. The next stop at Fountaine Pajot panned out quite a bit better. We checked out both the Lipari 41 and the Orana 44, but actually preferred the smaller Lipari in that line. After a bite to eat we checked out the Beneteaus and were treated to a demo of the dock-and-go system--wow! The boats were nice, but we still love ours the most! Next up were the Leopards...39, 44, and 46. I really liked the 39, but then we went on the 44 and I was completely smitten! I LOVE the forward cockpit, even if it does rob a little of the seating room from the saloon, and the separate heads for the guest cabins were a nice touch. After that the 46 didn't really add much for me. I mean all the cats had an impressive amount of room and storage (and 3-burner stoves!) over our boat, but a few really stood out for us.

So, the official lust list from the show is:
1. Leopard 44 catamaran
2. Fountaine Pajot Lipari 41 catamaran
3. Leopard 39 catamaran
4. Walker Bay Genesis FTL dinghy
5. Handcraft custom mattress
6. Flexofold folding propeller
7. and many more!

That's it for this year!

Fall Sailing

2011-10-01T20:25:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, after a tough week of work, we got underway, destination unknown! We headed north, thinking we might make our way towards Baltimore. We were rolling under full sail! As the winds started gusting with a squall line, we had to reef. Of course I was in the middle of making dinner (make-your-own pizza) and burned my hand a few times moving pizzas around. While the speed was great, the other benefit of the squall was a great show of rainbows...

With the sun setting we headed into Aberdeen Creek for the night. Seemed like a nice little cove, but as the sun rose this morning we realized it was a very nice spot! The houses and boats in here are unbelievable, and it's really peaceful. It was a chilly morning, so we donned hats and tried out the fishing. After a really lazy morning and a look at the winds, we decided to just stay put. It seemed like a great day for fishing, movies, drawing, and relaxing, and it was!

The outboard--GRRRRRR!!!!!!!

2011-09-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

I'll say it for Frank--that damn outboard is a pain in the @$$!!! After paying a bunch to have it serviced, it crapped out while we were on the water in Annapolis. And after 2 more carb cleanings by Frank, along with fresh gas, it still won't start. I've watched Frank spend hours on this thing and I'm honestly about to spend the $1000+ on a new one and pop a bow on it for him just to be able to move on and enjoy fall sailing! He's taking it back in to the shop again tomorrow, and I can only hope it goes well.

Annapolis, Take 2!

2011-09-18T21:21:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we decided to hit Annapolis, this time hoping to avoid the mega crowds. It worked! I will say the sail up reminded us a lot of sailing in PACNORWEST waters as we were dodging tons of logs and debris in addition to the normal slew of crab pots. But we made it! We had no problem catching a mooring ball Saturday afternoon and even managed to get the dinghy motor working for a trip to town. We did a little shopping (new shades!), sampled some ice cream, and even ran into Katreina's kindergarten teacher while walking around. Dinner back at the boat, followed by cigarillos and cocktails on the back deck for the adults, made for a nice, relaxing evening.

1st Mate at the helm.

Today we decided to dinghy into town for breakfast at an Annapolis icon--Chick & Ruth's Delly. The atmosphere was fun, classic diner and the food was good, too! I had a crab omelet that I swear had a good 1/2 pound of meat in it, and the kids' OJ tasted perfectly fresh-squeezed. Mmmm... Katreina had a little drama with her loose tooth before we ate, but some ice made it feel better and in the end she was leading our trek through the alleys of Annapolis. It was a great way to spend the morning! We decided to tour the harbor in our dinghy before returning to the boat, but alas it wasn't meant to be. The engine started sputtering out and we barely made it back before it died for good. Frank is not happy!

Ready to get our eat on at Chick & Ruth's

We got underway for some great downwind sailing and had our biggest event of the weekend--Katreina lost her first tooth! She was dangling her feet over the port rail and suddenly jumped up into the cockpit calling, "My tooth! Mom, look! My tooth!" And there it was, tiny and frail, in her little hand. I'm so proud of her for hanging on to it, and for being brave when it bled a little. My little girl is getting so big! [sigh] Back at home, we had to celebrate with some ice cream. Good times!

U-dock fun

2011-09-13T22:16:00.000-04:00

Tonight we made our first visit to our neighbor Tim's boat, "Kelly B." Compared to our home, it is HUGE! Had a great time visiting with neighbors Tim, Dave, and Carol, and met new friends Ed and Jan. Such a great crew here at HHS!

Skylight work (a.k.a. The boat project from hell)

2011-09-11T22:06:00.001-04:00

After a seriously long week at work we decided to stay put and get a few boat projects done. As we'd noticed some of the caulk coming out and had some leakage during the hurricane, we figured it was time to strip and replace the caulk on our cabin skylight. We removed the caulk easily enough then had to scrub the biology project that had been growing in the seam. After a meticulous tape job, I was ready to go. We decided to use some marine adhesive/sealant that said it was for port lights. I was a little leery as my comfort is with 100% silicone, but dove right in. Immediately I decided I hate this sticky, goopy, marine crap. I couldn't smooth it to save my life and it didn't seem to bond even to itself. To make matters worse, when we went to pull up the tape (nice 3M blue tape!) the paint on the actual window lifted with it, as did some of the lovely sealant. I was crushed. All that work and we had a botched job and had created another with the window paint. Despondent, I turned to the pool/bar for a pick-me-up.

This morning we got back to working on the window, cleaning out the adhesive and prepping it for an application of 100% silicone. Frank also started project #2--fixing the engine shutoff button at the helm. THAT was an AWESOME boat project! Seems the wire connection had jiggled loose right behind the panel. Easy fix! We cleaned it up, recaulked the cover, and voila! Done!

After lunch I applied the caulk to the window without any real issue. We did have a few showers move through so we had a tarp up to protect our work. So far so good, but I'm anxious to see how it holds up.

So how did we celebrate? With a trip to East of Maui in Annapolis where I got a longboard! The guy working there didn't even make me feel like an old hag! I got a nice little Sector 9 board, checked out their selection of SUPs, then came home to skateboard. I love my board! I took one good digger in the tennis court, but otherwise did okay. It was a great release after this past week and weekend. And now...FOOTBALL!!!!! :D

Rain, rain, go away

2011-09-07T21:00:00.000-04:00

We have been dealing with some lows, including the remnants of tropical storm Lee, for the past few days. It has made for some very loud nights on the boats. In fact, I just about peed myself with that last bit of lightning and thunder! At least the house floats!

Labor Day Weekend, 2011

2011-09-05T20:57:00.004-04:00

We kicked off our weekend with a birthday celebration on Friday night for the 1st Mate (me!). After a nice dinner at Mango's we all enjoyed cupcakes from Curbside Cupcakes (the cupcake truck in downtown DC). YUM!

Happy Birthday to me!

Saturday morning we got underway with our sights set on Annapolis. We had some great downwind sailing and passed at least 3 regattas on the way. We weren't terribly surprised that there weren't any mooring balls available in the harbor, but there was plenty of room off the USNA quay wall so we dropped the hook and all 100' of chain in anticipation of higher winds in the afternoon. We were planning to meet some friends in town so we dropped the dinghy (exciting in a stiff breeze and chop!) only to discover that the engine wouldn't work. After some troubleshooting Frank though it was the fuel line from the gas can to the engine. We caught a water taxi (thank goodness for that service!) into town so we could meet up with our friends, try to get the part for the dinghy, and of course get ice cream! The whole gang caught the taxi back to the boat for a simple dinner of burgers.

Sunday morning Frank tried for a few hours to get the dinghy going, but it just wasn't meant to be. Even after painstakingly cleaning the carburater it wouldn't run. Seeing a few mooring balls had freed up, we decided to shift to a spot a little closer to town. The moorings in Annapolis are great! After the bit of relaxing we headed into town via the taxi again and walked amongst the crowds. It was a little much! After some treats and a nice walk we decided to head back to the boat. We just aren't into crowds like that. Frank put up the hammock, the kids got out their fishing rods, and we relaxed!

Captain relaxing in the hammock while the 1st Mate supervises the swabbies.

Kiddos hanging in there during some choppy conditions.

Our trip back home today was a little rough! There wasn't a ton of wind, 13-15kts on the nose, but the seas were square, ~3' and 3 sec period, and it was rough down below! Poor kiddos didn't even feel that great up in the cockpit. We made it home just fine though and after giving the boat a good scrub we hit the pool for about an hour before the rain started. All in all, a decent weekend, though I could have done without the troubles with the dinghy and would really like to go back to Annapolis when the streets aren't so packed.

Celebrate!

2011-08-30T21:51:00.001-04:00

Got the news that Katreina will get to start school tomorrow and she couldn't be more thrilled. How to celebrate? By finally checking out Calypso's, the restaurant up at Herrington Harbour North. Good choice--it was $1.50 crab and $2 draft night! Captain's happy!

He's got crabs!

Slow start to the week

2011-08-29T21:45:00.000-04:00

We got power back sometime in the wee hours of the morning, but it's still a slow start to the week. Katreina's first day of school was called off today so she headed into the city with Frank, and tonight we learned that school is still closed tomorrow. Poor girl is desperate to start kindergarten! But I guess the county still has folks without power so we'll be patient. The marina is already pretty much cleaned up, and the weather tonight is perfect. It's good to be home!

Post-Irene

2011-08-28T14:58:00.001-04:00

I talked to Frank this morning right before he went to bed (0745!) and he said that while it was loud and very windy through the night, all was well. The surge was a non-event. I stayed in Gaithersburg until after lunch to give him a chance to rest, but was anxious to return. We don't have power or cable, but for the most part the marina faired well. One tree partially fell on a boat and a few folks have head sails that are torn to shreds, but that's about it. I'm a little surprised at how humid it still is, but we're working through it. Frank has been a machine, getting all the canvas back up by himself, and I pitched in to take some of the spare lines off. With that, we're off to take a walk and chat with our friends!

Plan B

2011-08-27T21:20:00.001-04:00

This morning we added a few more lines (for a total of 13!) and got all the fenders in place. The wind had picked up a little, but it was still pretty calm. Nonetheless, the Captain ordered the women and children inland! Ok, of course I care about the safety of my children, but I had really started to get excited about experiencing this ordeal, good or bad, as a family. But the kids and I packed up and headed inland to stay with family in Gaithersburg while Frank stayed behind. It's a good thing he did as the fenders required repositioning. He's been hanging with 30+ knot winds since noon, and now it's up to 40. Just talked to him and he's doing well, as is the boat. The worst is yet to come, but I'm confident Frank and the boat will be fine.

All tied up and ready to go!

Preps continue...

2011-08-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

Today Frank got all the canvas down, including the genoa, and lashed the dinghy to the deck. It was hot and humid (duh!!!) so we went to the pool, dined out, and had ice cream. Is there a better way to prepare? As the sun set we got to work adding lines and working the boat into her storm berth. We still have some back-up lines and 3 fenders to hang in the morning, but we have time. It will definitely be raining in the morning, but we are confident we can get adjusted in time. I've got my rain boots ready to go...good night!

Special forecast for Rose Haven created by the Aerographer's Mates I work with. Awesome!

Irene

2011-08-25T21:01:00.003-04:00

After keeping an eye on the models for the past few days, it's looking like hurricane Irene will definitely be impacting us here. It's a little too early to guess at the surge we will see, but at this point it's pretty certain that we will see 50 knots sustained for a good stretch of time. The plan for now? Fill the water tanks, take down the bimini and dodger, clear the deck, move the boat forward, add some more spring lines and all the fenders, and hang on! Oh, and of course, get rum! If you think about it, we are sort of lucky here in that we have our own water and we are sitting on a floating generator--it's just that whole being on the coast during a hurricane thing that sucks. Most of our fellow U-dockers are planning to stay put, too. If it's getting too rough and we aren't close to the worst of it, we will move. It's not worth risking the kids getting hurt. Very interested to see what the weekend will bring...

In lighter news, Frank replaced the thermostat on the water heater today--we have hot water!

Don't rock the boat, baby!

2011-08-23T20:24:00.000-04:00

Today's big event was to be kindergarten orientation, and while that was exciting another event stole the show--an earthquake! It was the event that almost wasn't for us...we were in cars and didn't have a clue it happened until I showed up at the little boy's daycare to pick him up (though in hindsight that wasn't a pothole that caused my car rock in a funny way). While the whole DC area got shook up pretty good, I took it as an opportunity to remember what's important and to live every day to the fullest. In that vein, Trent and I stopped off for an ice cream cone, then the whole family hit the pool and enjoyed dinner at Mango's. The weather was perfect and as we sat in the cockpit enjoying the evening we had some great chats with our neighbors. Word is the pilings swayed like crazy, but no boats were damaged. The only casualty was a potted tomato plant off of a neighbor's piling. All in all, not bad, but looks like a hurricane is thinking about heading this way soon...

Heating and Air Conditioning

2011-08-22T21:35:00.006-04:00

As the daughter of a career HAVC-er, this post could be about the gas vs. electric, central air vs window units...but it is actually about the boat! After seeing the water heater breaker unexpectedly trip a few times and not being able to rouse up any hot water Sunday, we've officially rendered the hot water heater broken. Looks like the wire to the thermostat corroded and burned up, so the Captain/Chief Engineer is on the hunt for a suitable replacement. In happier news, it was LOVELY out tonight! It's amazing what 10-degree cooler temps and lower humidity will do for a gal. We shut off the a/c and opened up the windows...it was so peaceful.

Tonight we also had an extremely low tide, so much so that I half joked about us being on the bottom at the pier. Rest assured, we had a good 5 inches below the keel! Geez.... It did make for a fun trip to explore the beach!

The boys exploring the shore at low, low tide.

Life in port

2011-08-20T22:07:00.002-04:00

It's been a gorgeous day here, but sadly the Captain is out of town so we stayed tied to the pier. No biggy--we walked, swam, waxed the boat, played shuffleboard, horseshoes, and frisbie, and went to a south-of-the-border themed party here at the marina, complete with awesome food, good music, and margaritas. Not bad for a "quiet" day!

Kids enjoying the spread at the Herrington Harbour South Slipholder Party.

St. Michaels

2011-08-07T21:24:00.000-04:00

We headed to St. Michaels this weekend since Frank's sister and her husband were heading there and we've been wanting to check it out. The weather made for some sporty sailing, with 15-20kt winds the whole way across the Chesapeake (I drove!) and some gusts once we made it into the eastern bay, but we made it and secured a nice little anchorage just outside the harbor. We put out all 100' of chain as there was a possibility of thunderstorms in the forecast and the area was reported to have poor holding. Just as we dropped the hook, we caught sight of the tour boat that our family members were on and made preps to meet them in town.

The kids enjoy a little "rail time" during some calmer winds.

While not grossly hot, it was wicked humid! As soon as we pulled up to the dinghy dock I was impressed with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. I can't wait to go back and give that place the time and attention it deserves. The kids immediately found a playground and got to working up a sweat. While we played Frank took his sister and her hubby, who had never seen our boat, out to the anchorage to check it out. Of course the kids and I had to scope out the town's ice cream and toy offerings, and it didn't disappoint!

Frank, Fawn, and Darrell cruise past The Crab Claw on their way out to the boat.

It seems that we haven't completely scared off our brother-in-law as he did return to town and talk to us. After a little more socializing and playground time we headed back to the boat--it was time to go swimming! The water was cool...just perfect really. The wind was creating a little surface current that challenged the kids, but we all had a blast and wrapped up with showers on the transom. Then it was grilled steaks, cocktails, and bed!

The trip home was pretty uneventful. We had a nice sail for a bit, but motored to avoid beating into the wind. It was too hot to delay getting to the pool! Wrapped up the weekend with some grapefruit crushes and an amazing belly flop display by the kids. Once again a great weekend. It's going to be tough to go back to work!

The Captain and 1st Mate enjoying the pool.

Special forecast

2011-08-05T19:42:00.001-04:00

My AGs (that's Aerographer's Mates for you non-Navy types) ROCK! Today they added a forecast and tide data to the weather brief for St. Michael's, MD, which is where we are headed this weekend. Looks like the winds will be a little brisk and there is a chance of showers, but I think it will work!

Wax on, wax off...

2011-08-04T21:40:00.001-04:00

I can not compare to a cleaning crew. For the past two nights I've danced with the weather in an attempt to scrub and wax the deck, even going so far as to chamois dry after a rain shower! The orbital buffer has helped, but between work, the weather, and the darkness, I've not made the progress I had hoped to. Still I managed to get most of the topside surfaces done, I just know that with a day or two off work (and maybe two more people on my crew!) I could really make some headway. Still I can't deny that it's nice to see that gleam and know that my work put it there. :)

Evening stroll

2011-07-26T21:06:00.000-04:00

Tonight brought me back to another reason why I love our marina--the eco trail. After dinner we decided to go on a long walk to check out radar mounts on other sailboats and oogle at the Leopard 39 cat that's tied up here. As we walked along the docks to the east side of the marina, Katreina kept stopping us to read the educational signs along the way. That, the slightly cooler air, and the many crab, snakes, and birds we saw, really made the walk nice.

Accessories

2011-07-23T21:34:00.001-04:00

Since it is crazy hot here and we're not underway, I might as well catch up on a little boat news. First, we have a radar arch on order! We had been eyeing one for some time, or considering it or dinghy davits, but went for the arch! Now we have a home for our dinghy and for solar panels (a future purchase!). In related, unrelated news, we have a radar! Of course we aren't planning to put it on the arch, but we did get it with a rig to mount it on a backstay. We weren't really out to find one, but couldn't pass up a crazy deal on Craig's List. So to recap, that's a radar arch on order and a radar in the storage unit ready to be installed! Stay cool everyone!

Visitors!

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, these may not have been our first visitors, but they were the first visitors that we've had since we moved to Maryland, and the first time I've had a girlfriend see the crazy life I've chosen with my family. My friend from college, Ashly, and her husband and 2 daughters passed through MD last night on their way home to TX and I was thrilled they were able to stop by and stay with us. We managed to head out for a little sail, but the winds were approaching 20kts and little Audrey wasn't a fan of the choppy seas so we headed back in. After perhaps our roughest docking yet (we WILL remember to remove the flagpole from now on!) we realized it was too hot and humid to do anything but swim! We all headed over to the pool for some competitive diving and to introduce our guests to the world famous Orange Crush. Dinner at Mango's followed, and the kids somehow tricked us into buying them ice cream from the bar. Back at the boat, all 4 kids tucked into Katreina's room to watch a movie. I loved it. They all got along so well and were so sweet together--I could totally see us doing this again. When it was finally time to turn in, we dropped the salon table and made the 4th bed up. It's kind of quirky having to break down your family room to create a bedroom, but I love that Ashly and Jason were so cool about it all. The marine heads didn't even phase this family! And sharing our tiny home with their family didn't feel crowded at all.

My only regret is that I didn't take a single photo! I was so busy enjoying the moment that I didn't stop to capture it! Maybe next time...I really hope we can all hang out together next year!

Fun in the sun

2011-07-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

Another great weekend! 4 hours at the pool yesterday--Trent jumped from the diving board for the first time (not bad or a 3-year old!)--then we had a great dock party/potluck and movie night on the beach. Today started with a slipholder breakfast followed by a great day of sailing, and I took the wheel for over an hour! Then the kids and Frank hunted minnows at the beach..the highlight: Trent eating one alive!! I think we may watch too many survival shows on Discovery Channel. Tonight we're tidying up for our first visitors since the move! I'm so excited as this will also be the first time any of my old friends have seen our life afloat. Anxious, excited, and ready to see the Darnell family!

Great sailing on the Chesapeake!

The Wye River

2011-07-09T21:33:00.001-04:00

Today was a great day of sailing with 12-15kt winds making for a quick upwind trip to the Wye River. I'll admit that we were healing a little much for my comfort at times, but it was kind of cool seeing us top out just above 7kts.

We anchored in Granary Creek (the only boat here!) and since it was blazing hot outside we all immediately got into swimsuits and started jumping off the boat. It was like swimming in bath water, but still managed to cool us off. Dinner and a long dinghy ride wrapped the night for the kids, but with temps in the boat still in the 80's we decided to stay on deck and enjoy the peaceful night. As the sun set I took a shower out on the transom, enjoying the warm, peaceful evening. Add this to my list of nice spots...

Happy 235th USA!

2011-07-04T23:07:00.000-04:00

This morning proved to be MUCH calmer than last night! After a lazy morning we re-set our hook closer to town so the boys could run in and get some fuel for the dinghy. Next stop--Cambridge, MD for night #3 of fireworks! The wind wasn't all that favorable and our batteries needed a boost so we motored. As we came into town we were shocked to find only one pontoon boat tied up to the free wall in town and headed in for a spot right behind it. Our guides noted that the deepest water was in the middle of the wall (right where the pontoon boat was!) so we angled to get as close to that as possible. I jumped off and gave the lines a mighty tug, but just as the boat was about 3 feet from the wall it stopped moving. "It almost feels like we're in the mud," I shouted to my loving spouse who looked down at the fatho and concurred--we were definitely in the mud. After using the dinghy to ferry myself back to the boat we checked the tides and sure enough, we had come in right at low tide. Waiting it out we should be good to go. The kids were asleep and it was over 90 degrees outside (and getting hotter by the minute inside the boat) so we did all that we could do--we waited!

Almost there!

After a few chats with locals and about an hour of patiently waiting (and powering and pulling!) we were free. As luck would have it, the lunching pontooners were leaving, too! We headed out in the basin and re-approached the wall, this time snugging up just fine. We made it! As soon as the kids were up I made some grapefruit juice slushies to help cool them down, and took a little walk. On our way back we saw that Jan and Gary on "Tie a Knot," our neighbors in the anchorage last night, were tied up right behind us. Small world! Then we headed over to Snapper's to get some ice cream and froo-froo drinks--it was HOT and the a/c felt great! After that treat we took to the dinghy to check out the town. What it lacks in cute little shops it makes up for in quantity of berths and condos! We also scoped out where to head for fireworks...

Without power we don't have a/c and I'm sorry, but it was just too hot for me to get excited about cooking dinner. Back to Snapper's! The food and service were great, and now we were ready for the night's festivities. We started with sparklers and small fireworks by the boat, then headed over to Long Wharf Park and the marina for the "big show." We followed all the locals and found some great seats on a pier. WOW! This might have been the best one! The whole family loved it! We had a nice walk back to the boat, which is still ridiculously hot. Doesn't matter, though. I had a great time with my family and wouldn't change a thing about this whole weekend!!!! (Ok, maybe I'd take out the dragging anchor and soft grounding...)

Here's to Independence!

The start of our celebration weekend

2011-07-03T22:53:00.000-04:00

Wow, our new home continues to impress! Saturday our marina hosted a carnival-like party, complete with bounce houses, tattoos, and food. We hit that up after spending the morning at the pool and that alone would have made for a great day, but that night there were fireworks! We walked about 3 minutes from the boat and sat on a grassy knoll to enjoy front row seats to a great show. The kids loved it!

Saturday we got underway and headed to Oxford. The picture says it all...

Awesome

After anchoring in Fatty Cove we decided to try out a first on Lehe Paine--swimming from the boat!!! It was AWESOME! It was so nice...the water helped cool us all off and once the kids got into it, they were jumping non-stop! There were some jellyfish around, but we kept an eye out and no one got stung.

SO MUCH FUN!

After dinner we made it into Oxford for a little ice cream, but a quick check of the radar told us it was time to get back to the boat. Oh my! Minutes after we got the kids on the boat, the wind kicked up something vicious and in no time we were dragging anchor! Agh! This had never happened before and I freaked out, almost losing my hand trying to hold onto the rode instead of letting it go when I should have. After a few frantic minutes, letting out all our chain, and settling back in much closer to a few of our neighbors, we were set. Once again, many lessons learned. Much to our surprise the town still had fireworks, though Mother Nature almost stole the show. During one big, brilliant firework a bolt of lightning shot through it and made for the most amazing mix of nature's and man's art.

It is so great to be back out on the water!

The new neighborhood

2011-06-12T15:33:00.000-04:00

We are loving our new life here on the east coast! There is so much to do during the summer and living at the marina has been like living at a resort. We've checked out the restaurant, Mango's, a few times and love the food, the beach has been AWESOME, the pool just opened and we're all big fans, there are plenty of places to take walks and play, they've been showing movies on the beach on the weekends, and they threw a great BBQ/bonfire last night. Seriously just loving it!

Enjoying her milk, island-style, at Mango's

Ah...the beach

This place knows how to party!

My new A/C guy?

2011-05-28T19:26:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo, we have air conditioning! I am so proud of Frank! Now we will survive the summer. However this puts me in an odd position...as the daughter of a career HVAC guy I've always called Dad our a/c guy, but now Frank hooked up the boat, so... Who cares?!?! I love both of my a/c guys! :)

It's getting hot in here!

2011-05-25T15:12:00.000-04:00

Ok, it's bloody uncomfortable! My loving hubby has spent months learning about, purchasing parts for, and installing parts of the new air conditioning system for the boat. He's busting his butt and is so close to being done--thank goodness! I had no idea idea it would be so freaking hot and humid here in mid-May. On a good note, the beach near our dock is usually pretty empty so we've been cooking dinner down there and cooling our toes in the water.

We're home (again)!

2011-05-14T15:19:00.000-04:00

Moved into the new slip at Herrington Harbour South today. Frank moved the boat solo while the kids and I waited at the dock with lines in hand. May take a bit to get used to the fixed docks here on the east coast. It's nice to be home!

On the road again!

2011-04-25T22:02:00.000-04:00

In the sling.

The weather wasn't exactly great, but we did manage to get the boat loaded up on a truck today! I always get a kick out of seeing our house roll through a parking lot on a travelift and today was no exception. I will totally miss Puget Sound, but I'm ready for my family's next adventure.

Ready to hit the road.

Tomorrow is the big day!

2011-04-24T23:39:00.001-04:00

Since Friday we've been working hard to get the boat ready to ship. The mast and dodger framing are down and everything down below has been secured. The cars are packed...let's do this!

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!

2011-03-31T12:41:00.000-04:00

Joy of joys, I'm home! We got back from deployment on March 24th--it was perfect! My sisters rode the ship as "Tigers" from San Diego to Everett so I had a few days of sharing my work-afloat life with them. When the ship arrived in Everett I was near the front of the line to get off and found Frank and the kids on the pier. It was just a great experience. Everyone looked great and the kids were talking a mile a minute. In fact, they've been talking pretty much non-stop since then!

Now the real excitement begins as we get set to move at the end of April. We're working on tidying up the boat and selling off some stuff. The boat looks naked right now as we have sold both of our beloved kayaks (we'll have ones we can borrow from the new marina) and have taken down all the sails and canvas for a good cleaning.

I am pretty sad to be leaving the Pacific Northwest as I love the land, the water, and the people up here, but I guess it's time to move on.

Happy 5th, Munchkin!

2011-03-05T20:56:00.000-05:00

Today as I am somewhere around where east meets west I feel a world away from where I should be. It's Katreina's 5th birthday today and to say I'm miserable would be an understatement. Frank is playing Super Dad yet again, making her birthday great. He started it off by bringing treats and toys to her daycare for a little celebration yesterday. Today the family flew kites before going to another friend's birthday party at the Children's Museum and when I spoke to them on the phone everyone was getting ready to head to the Mexican restaurant for K's special dinner (2nd year in a row she's picked the same place!). Tonight they will have cake and open presents, and I won't be there. Frank will send me a bunch of pictures (he is AMAZING) and they will have a good time. I have cried (from tearing up to full-on bawling) about 10 times in the past 24 hours, but I'm hanging in there. The worst was when I was talking to Katreina yesterday and she started singing "Almost There" from Disney's "The Princess and the Frog." Her voice was so sweet! Today she got me again by sounding very sad on the phone as we were saying good bye.

This is almost over, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Singapore

2011-02-18T04:26:00.001-05:00

Ok, maybe I should have titled this entry "my happy place." After more than 50 days at sea I had no problem kicking back alongside this pool at the Sentosa Resort & Spa in Singapore. The pool was divine and the bar served delicious caparinhas. It was a port visit full of great food and drinks, a visit to the historic Raffles Hotel for high tea, an experience of the 24-hr Indian Market, a relaxing evening out on Arab Street, and my first-ever hot-pot dinner. It's a nice, clean, accessible city. If it weren't so expensive and far away, I might even consider it for a vacation! Anyway it was a great break and I'm getting closer to home by the day!!!

Heading in the right direction

2011-02-16T00:29:00.000-05:00

We've just moored in Singapore! For some reason I'm not nearly as excited about being in Singapore as I am about being east of where I was before, which means I'm closer to my family. That trend needs to continue! Plans while here include a good deal of pool lounging, consumption of several fruity cocktails and/or beers, High Tea at the Tiffin Room in Raffles (Raffles is home to a bar where the Singapore Sling originated), a trip to the botanical garden, then more pool lounging.. Have to get off the ship first, though! It takes hours to get the brows rigged and get the thousands of folks that want off the ship off, then into line to get on a handful of busses to leave the base, then onto some other conveyance to get into the city. In short, it's a pain, but a pain that most are willing to put up with to get a break and check out someplace new.

My greatest joy today was calling home and having Katreina answer the phone all by herself! Frank was giving Trent a shower so Katreina masterfully slid the little bar on the face of the iphone to answer a call from Mommy! We exchanged greetings before she got excited and pushed the big red button to end the call. It was brief, yet perfect!

Good tunes, great memories

2011-02-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

I share a "cozy" office with 13 other people, so sometimes it's nice to slip the headphones on and escape. Tonight while working I was in the mood for Rusted Root and hit "shuffle" to enjoy the 3 albums of theirs that I have loaded on my phone. What luck...just a few songs into it was "Blue Diamonds" (the song Frank and I danced to at our wedding reception) followed immediately by "Send Me on My Way" (the song that was playing as we left the reception that night). Those songs, in that order, brought back a wave of great memories from that day over 6 years ago that I got to marry my wonderful friend.

Still too far away from home, but filled with very happy thoughts right now! :)

Still here!

2011-02-02T11:11:00.000-05:00

Since I last wrote we've been hard at work out here. I can say that time seems to have flown, but still not fast enough! Back home I missed Frank's birthday, but was able to be part of the celebration thanks to The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co. in Seattle. The customer service was great as they let me order via email, delivered perfectly on time, and even gave me a military discount! Frank and the kids said they were yummy, too. I can't wait to try them out for myself!

Frank has been really busy back at home keeping up with all the winter maintenance and domestic chores, and he even managed to secure our new home in Maryland! When we move in April/May, we'll be heading to Herrington Harbour South in Friendship, Maryland. It looks like a great place for our little family, complete with beaches, a pool, nature trail...perfect. I can't wait to see it in person! Somewhere in there he also managed to spend a few days checking out the Seattle Boat Show. One day was a particularly sweet Daddy-Daughter day where our little princess decided she really liked a $1.95million yacht. Precious!

And finally, the thing I REALLY can't wait to see--skateboards! The kids both got them a few weeks ago and have been tearing up the marina ever since (ok, maybe not shredding yet, but they are trying!). I loved seeing a pic of both of them on their boards so much that I'm even contemplating getting one, too! I mean, how cool would it be to ride our skateboards over to the pool at the new place???

Thinking of everyone back home who is getting shwacked by the crazy winter weather in the states. Stay safe and warm--I'll be home soon!

Where's Jody?

2011-01-11T08:23:00.000-05:00

Where, oh where, do I begin? It's been over a month since I've managed a connection that would allow me to post!

I spent the holidays in Jebel Ali, UAE, which is the port city for Dubai. It was a good port visit. I spent one day diving on the east coast of UAE near the city of Fujairah. The visibility wasn't magnificent, but the variety of fish was! I also did a tour of Dubai on Christmas before returning to the ship for an Italian family dinner. I also had a little holiday party in my room, opening presents while listening to Christmas music. The next day I had duty, but it wasn't too bad since it gave me a good chance to call the family and enjoy the many, many videos Frank sent from home.

I'm back out "on the job" now, but lately we've been focused on planning our move. I might not even finish the deployment before having to head to a school to prepare for my next job. We're still working out the details, but it's safe to say that in about 3 months we'll be making our way across the country to settle into our new, totally awesome marine in Friendship, MD. I say totally awesome just based on Frank's account and the website, but Herrington Harbour seems to have all that I could possibly dream of. Regardless of amenities, we'll all be there together and that's the greatest part.

Not much "ship news" to share. There are some very monotonous stretches here. But every day is a day closer to home. :-)

3 months and something something days to go

2010-12-09T10:28:00.000-05:00

I don't even know what to write, I'm just so excited to be able to even get to this blog page today! Connectivity is less-than-reliable sometimes. Let's see...since I last wrote my little boy turned 3 and I wasn't there to see it. Thanks to my amazing hubby I was able to feel like I was there, though. I got lots of photos and videos!

We have reached the 3-month point, but aren't quite half-way yet. That's kind of a bummer. I don't know how much longer I can take being away from the ones I love! I'd be thrilled to be scrubbing toilets right now as long as at the end of the day I'd see my family. Sorry if I sound negative, but I've got a cold so I'm just feeling crappy physically which isn't really helping me emotionally. Boo!

I promise I'll try to be much more positive the next time I write!

My Day

2010-11-29T04:26:00.000-05:00

As I got set to do a little workout today I cranked up the incline on the elliptical, closed my eyes, and slowly marched up an invisible hill. Soon I could hear the crunch of the leaves, feel the chill of the air in my lungs, hear the kids giggling… I was in the woods in the coastal Atlantic, or was it the hills of New England? Was Frank taking us “just 75 feet off the trail” again on the hunt for a geocache, only to spend the next ½ hour bush-wacking in circles? I didn’t care. It felt great. Just as I thought I caught that smell of the leaves decaying beneath my feet the roar of an afterburner and the thump of a catapult brought me back to my reality. Warm, stale air, water all around, and flight operations in full swing on the deck below. It was a nice escape while it lasted.

A very thankful day

2010-11-26T08:23:00.000-05:00

We're celebrating Thanksgiving out here on the 26th vice the 25th because of "the requirements of the service" and conveniently that means we're really celebrating on the same day as folks back in the states (it's a time zone thing--just trust me). Though it's a holiday today I don't feel very different from how I feel every day--too far away from where I really want to be. The kids and Frank are nearing the end of a 2-week stay in Maryland where Frank is taking a class and the kids are enjoying time with the family there. I am able to admit that I am jealous. I'm happy that the kids are having fun, but at the same time I'm hurt when I call and they have no interest in talking to me because of all the fun at the house. I knew it was going to be like this, but it still stinks.

The Culinary Specialists ("CS's") that serve our staff made a remarkable meal of all the traditional favorites. They were up all night baking tons of pecan, pumpkin, and sweet potatoe pies and prepping for the feast. It was great and for the most part we were allowed to relax for the day--no meetings!

I'm thankful for that great feast, for my wonderfully supportive family, and for the friends and family that have helped Frank, Katreina, and Trent in my absence. It's a beautiful thing.

Bahrain

2010-11-21T04:31:00.000-05:00

I've just wrapped my first visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Like any good port visit, my time was split between eating and relaxing and little else. The first night in town I went to an Italian buffet with some friends I used to work with in Mississippi. This was not your Pizza Hut style buffet, but rather one with lamb, risotto, cured meats, cheeses, breads, calamari, pasta, and wine! It was great!

The second day was my "treat" day. I lounged on the beach at the Ritz Carlton, sipping a beer and reading People magazine--a perfectly brainless afternoon. I took a nice, long dip in the lagoon, too. I could have stayed in there for hours. With evening came another food extravaganza at a Rug Flop. That's where a rug dealer brings a selection of rugs, teaches the group about them, then tries to sell them. I learned a lot, but let's face it--fancy silk rugs really don't belong on a sailboat. Instead I enjoyed the shwarma, hummus, and wine!

After a day of duty, my final day in Bahrain was a real treat! I spent the day with my friend Sonja and her girls, Mia and Cecelia. Mia and Katreina had been best friends back in Everett before they moved to Bahrain and it was great to reconnect with them. We went to the mall and ate out (a rare treat for Sonja) and had ice cream. Then back at their house Mia and I did crafts together and took pictures for Katreina. It was such a great way to spend the day. My visit to Bahrain was finished with a nice "girls night out" to dinner with Sonja.

It was a decent place. I can't say I'd yearn to return, but it was alright. Now, onward...

Mail call, mail call!

2010-11-05T10:54:00.000-04:00

A recent replenishment at sea brought us something like 115 pallets of mail, and I was a winner! Got a box of magazines, drawings, and snacks from Frank and the kids that was barely in one piece when I got it, and I got some movies and music from my sis Brandi! It was all definitely nice to see, especially as I've had some rough days out here. The funny thing about mail out here is that every package gets sat on by an elephant at least 3 times. These specially trained elephants work very hard to compact our mail so that more of it fits on the airplane or pallet that it's strapped to, therefore allowing us to get it faster! Sure...

Today we have the group "Gloriana" onboard to give a concert for the sailors. That's pretty cool! Too bad I have a migraine and will probably try to stay as far away from the noise as humanly possible. :( I'm still just amazed that they pull this type of stuff off at sea.

From "the big show"

2010-10-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

I've been remiss in writing lately, but I've been unsure about what to report. We're here, flying missions nearly every day, and to be honest every day is pretty much the same. That's not to say that we're not busy, but it's the same type of tasks, watches, and "fires" every day. I guess I should be fair and say that the ship does a great job of offering lots of stuff to keep folks going, like bingo, movie nights, and ice cream socials, but my schedule is pretty set. And I'll admit that at times I find it hard to be "happy, cheery Jody" when I just want to go to my room, flip through pictures of my family, hug my big stuffed penguin, and cry.

On the bright side, Frank and the kids are doing great. In fact, every time I talk to them they all sound very happy, and Frank keeps them busy with lots of fun stuff. This week has been chock full of fun Halloween activities and I'm really looking forward to seeing costume pics.

I'll try to come up with something more interesting to report! Honestly the best take on life on the carrier is "The Boat Show," an in-house production that's available on the USS Abraham Lincoln Facebook page. Check it out!

Lincoln Arrives in 5th Fleet, Ready to Support Afghanistan Surge and Maritime Security Operations

2010-10-23T09:46:00.000-04:00

Lincoln Arrives in 5th Fleet, Ready to Support Afghanistan Surge and Maritime Security Operations

Well, since the press release is out I guess I can go ahead and tell you all--we're here! It doesn't look much different from anything else I've seen thus far on the voyage...water, water everywhere. Water and haze, that is. Just an ever-present fine haze of dust in the air. But planes are flying and props are turning, so we're getting the job done.

As it's fall I'm missing my absolute favorite time of year back home. I love the chill in the air, the freedom to cook everything with cinnamon and nutmeg, the rustle of leaves, and wearing sweatshirts. There is no need to wear a sweatshirt here. And I miss the kids and their excitement to dress up for Halloween. This year Trent is old enough to really get into it, and Katreina is going to be a witch for the second time in her short life. The whole family sounds very happy and I'm happy for them, I just really wish I was there, too!

It's not all work out here!

2010-10-16T07:06:00.000-04:00

Carrier Strike Group Nine has partnered with a Seattle-area family winery to create ":Nota Bene Cellars 2008 Admiral's Reserve Red" to commemorate our 2010-2011 deployment. How cool is that? Check it out here--Admiral's Reserve Red! $1 from each bottle purchased will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and another $1 will go to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

KL--Take 2

2010-10-11T06:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I ventured back into Kuala Lumpur with my friend from work, Kelly, and her brother who was visiting from the states. We started the day with the most amazing breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton--I had Malaysian coconut rice with lamb and tiger prawns, along with the usual pastries, fruit, coffee, and juice. Stuffed, we headed to the Central Market to shop for trinkets and work on our bargaining skills. While there we decided to follow the lead of several coworkers and go to the "fish spa," where you plop your feet into a pool full of doctor fish who nibble away at the dead skin on your feet. As I'm crazy ticklish, especially on my feet, this was 10 minutes of sheer torture! Kelly and I were laughing like crazy!

From there we headed to KL's Chinatown to check out all the knock-off purses, shoes, DVDs, watches, perfume, clothing, you name it! This is where great haggling skills are rewarded, but I don't really need a Jimmy Choo or Coach bag so I came away empty-handed. We did go down a back alley where locals were chopping up various meats and veggies...even saw cats in cages there!

The evening was spent with the rest of the staff to send off one of our shipmates in style and party at an event thrown by those of us who were most recently promoted. It was at Luna, a rooftop/pool bar with great views of the Menora and Petronas Towers and it was really a good time.

Kelly and I looking girly.

Petronas Towers just after sunset.

My final day in Kuala Lumpur was very low-key. After another crazy good breakfast at the Ritz (this time I had some Malaysian rice noodle dish with eggs), I gave myself--body, mind, and soul--to the Spa Village at the Ritz-Carlton. I began with a massage in the traditional Malaysian technique. The strokes were long, the pressure firm, and I reached a point of total relaxation. This is the first time I've had that type of massage and I would absolutely do it again. After an hour of that, my facial began. I almost fell asleep during that! The experience ended with tea and as I sipped it I wondered if anyone would find me if I just hid there... After the spa, Kelly and I headed over to the Petronas Towers (recognizable from the movie "Entrapment") for a little shopping and an up-close look at one of the city's icons. It was a nice way to end the trip and while I'm not totally blown away by KL, it was a nice diversion from this little thing we call deployment. It was so nice to be out with another mom, talking about how we really feel about being away from home, but it still doesn't beat being there. I miss you guys!!!

Petronas Towers

Hey, it worked!

2010-10-08T23:17:00.000-04:00

On a whim I tried the whole pics in the blog thing again and it worked! Here are the kids hamming it up after the firefighters visited their CDC last week.

KL--day 1

2010-10-08T22:17:00.000-04:00

Well, a cold beer sure tasted good yesterday! Other than that, not much to report. I made some spa appointments, ate room service (yes, it is good at the Ritz!), and read. A few things struck me on my trip into the big city (1 1/2 hrs each way):

1. Kuala Lumpur is a mix of super-trendy, posh, towering skyscrapers and run-down, crumbling flats. These are all mixed together. It's not like there is the "fancy downtown" and the "other side of the track." It's all mixed together. Lots of construction is going on so maybe that's going to change.

2. Walking in most of the city is a life-threatening experience. Crosswalks are rare, cars are fast, and sidewalks aren't terribly consistent. I feel for anyone who is limited in their mobility.

3. Malaysians (thus far) are a very nice, quiet people. Made me completely embarrassed to see and hear the loud, obviously American sailors that were whooping it up at, of all places, the Ritz-Carlton.

4. Radio ads and billboards that talk about ways to conserve energy and resources are everywhere. I hope they are having success with those initiatives as they at least seem to be trying very hard.

5. This is not Everett, WA. Because it's not Everett, WA I find that I am completely disinterested. I want to experience new places and cultures but it is hard when my favorite travel partner is so far away, working so hard to take care of everything at home. Liberty buddy rules and duty make just getting out a logistical challenge, but once you do you can usually have a good time. I'm just too miserable at this point to really allow that to happen. Hopefully my next trip out tomorrow will be better.

It's duty day today!

Finally, a port!

2010-10-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Port Klang, Malaysia, the port city of Kuala Lumpur! I've only seen the pier thus far, so not much to report, but I hope to head into the city in a few hours to check it out. Woo hoo!

Isn't it ironic?

2010-10-06T07:15:00.000-04:00

We are getting ready for a port visit (YIPPIE!) so there's lots of info getting put out. First, there are tours being put together that come with helpful info sheets with great tips like "Bring along insect repellent." Then there is the mandatory port brief where the ship's Doc cautions everyone to use insect repellent, "preferably one with DEET." So, what is one item that you can't buy in the ship's store? INSECT REPELLENT!!! Even better? Pharmacies are "off limits" in this port. Where exactly should I be purchasing this essential item??? I'm hanging my hopes on the street vendors...

A great weekend back home

2010-10-04T23:23:00.000-04:00

I can honestly say that I wish I was reporting all of these events to you first-hand! Frank and the kids had a fun-filled Saturday from what I can tell and I attached a few pics, too. They started the day fishing, which I heard was more baiting than catching. The kids entertained themselves by feeding ducks and picking blackberries. After naps they all headed to the local fairgrounds for a demolition derby! It was a night full of noise, crashes, and explosions, topped off with fireworks. Frank and I went years ago and I can just imagine the kids loving it.

Latte time!

2010-09-23T21:49:00.000-04:00

As I sit here in the middle of the Pacific I'm sipping my first Iced Dirty Chai Latte. ?Que? you may be asking? Well, well, we have a Starbucks onboard! It's pretty cute, called "Jittery Abe's," and serves a sampling of the beverages available at your favorite Starbucks back home. The bonus? Funds raised go towards MWR. So I've tried this Dirty Chai at the recommendation of one of the AG's in our shop. I was a little skeptical, but it's not bad! Kind of spicy, but still with detectable notes of espresso. Suffice to say, quality of life has changed quite a bit from my days underway on SHOUP.

My underway soundtrack

2010-09-19T00:27:00.000-04:00

I hit "shuffle" on the ipod today. I got Rusted Root, then P.O.D., then Princess Tiana (Disney), then Nelly. At that point I started laughing out loud. Folks, this is what happens when you inadvertently combine the iPhone profiles of someone who likes alternative rock and singing with her daughter with a heavy-metal redneck that sometimes has a hankering for rap. Do not try this at home.

I love penguins!

2010-09-09T22:14:00.000-04:00

I'm on my third busy day away from home. I think I've just about gotten back into the routine of being out at sea, but boy I miss home. The BEST thing I did while I was home this time was get some new stuffed friends for the kids and I. Trent and I had a date day at Toys-r-Us where he picked out a huge stuffed penguin to be our new hug buddies. I had this idea that if the kids and I each had the exact same stuffed animal, we could all hug our animals and it would be like we were hugging the person we missed. So Trent and I walked out with 3 big penguins. One went to the ship, and the other two headed back to the boat to make their homes in the kids' rooms. I told the kids that I'd hug mine every morning and night, and that if they did, too, it would be like we were hugging each other. I've hugged that penguin about 70 times since we got underway and somehow, it helps!

Maintenance!

2010-09-06T18:50:00.000-04:00

So of course we had tons of chores to do when we got back (clean the boat, pump tanks, fill water, laundry, take out the trash and recycling, get groceries), but Frank was really wanting to change the zincs while I was home in case he needed any help. So he suited up and dove in the chilly water on a rainy day! Go Captain Frank! He was done in no time.

Home and away

2010-09-06T11:58:00.001-04:00

There is something sad about rushing home from a wonderful trip with the family just to pack for the next journey. We are motoring back to Everett now so we can wrap up some chores and get me all packed up to leave on deployment tomorrow. I'm lying in my daughter's bed, soaking up every bit of princess perfect that I can before the morning comes.

One last trip (again!)

2010-09-05T23:37:00.000-04:00

Friday morning we left Obstruction Pass and headed toward Massacre Bay, the first place we visited in the San Juans last year. We figured why not end it like it began! On the way we slipped into Deer Isle for some gas--great marina there--and made it to an anchorage right off Skull Island State Park in the early afternoon. We paddled around a bit that afternoon, but the tide was high so it was tough to get at the critters. Instead we decided to explore on foot. The kids entertained themselves by hauling around a piece of driftwood!

Saturday we had a great paddle around the tidelands, playing with all kinds of starfish! I love seeing the kids get excited by the stuff we find. On the beach they would scream out "holy cow" as they'd flip over rocks and send baby crabs scurrying in all directions. They both got cut up pretty good by barnacles, but they were having fun. After lunch we hiked again since the tide was up and then made a little sand (a.k.a. barnacle shell) castle on the beach, complete with driftwood bridges and buildings. It was pretty breezy and chilly, so much to the kids' dissapointment I did not let them splash around in swim suits.

Today we had to start heading back home sadly. We went through the Swinomish Channel this time (way less scary the second time around!) and are now anchored in Coupeville. We had hoped to get on the dock, but there wasn't room. We made a fun trip, all 4 of us in the tandem kayak, to town for ice cream, playing in a park, and dinner on the pier. Of course we had Penn Cove mussels since we were in Penn Cove and I was thrilled that Katreina ate some, too!

I've had such a great time these past few days. This is what I love and I can't say that I'm thrilled to be heading back home now, then back to the ship, then off on deployment.

Happy Birthday to me!

2010-09-03T00:16:00.000-04:00

After a slight delay in starting my leave yesterday, I got off work around noon and managed to knock out pre-underway domestic chores in just a few hours. We've talked about getting me a computer to take on deployment (I really just wanted Frank to get a new one and give me the old one!) so that I can try to send pics home so Frank and I did a little shopping on base before picking up the kids. Nothing there, so we hit Best Buy with the munchkins and got hit with TONS of options! Frank ended up going with the newer version of what we have now (faster, thinner, lighter, sexier) and the kids scored new movies for enduring the trip with us. And then we were off for a weekend in the San Juans!

We made it to Coupeville last night. Based on the amount of motoring we may have to do (no wind) and the cold temps at night, we decided to hit their fuel dock to try to top off this morning. The fuel dock wasn't open and wouldn't be for over an hour, so instead we fueled up on caffeine at Local Grown, a great little cafe right on the town dock. Next up was slack water at Deception Pass. While we were heading through we saw EA-6B Prowlers, F-18s, and P-3s flying around Whidbey Island. Add in the whale and porpoise that we saw after the pass and it was almost like a day at the office!

Tonight we are on a mooring buoy at the Obstruction Pass Recreation Area. The beach here is really pebbly, but after kayaking ashore and going for a nice walk in the woods, the kids had a blast splashing around at the water's edge. It was very cute. Frank headed back to the boat to prep and drop a crab pot, and the kids and I came along in the tandem in time for dinner. After birthday burgers Frank made a smiley face out of candles in a little cake and the kiddos helped me blow them out. It was perfect! To top it all off, we all paddled ashore again and Frank built a little fire in one of the campsites so we could have s'mores. While it was getting fired up Katreina and I went on a little walk and found an awesome, west-facing beach. The sunset was spectacular and I loved my time alone with my little girl. It was so nice that we went back to get her brother so he could see it. S'mores weren't really a hit with the kids, but marshmellows were! It was a fun experience nonetheless and really made me want to go camping!

Frank did a great job finding this fun place to spend the night. It has been a great birthday!

Weekend escape (almost!)

2010-08-30T11:36:00.000-04:00

As my time back in Everett is coming to an end, we finally were able to get underway for the weekend! We left Friday night under a clear sky with winds out of the north and decided somewhere around the end of Jetty Island that we should head south to Poulsbo and take advantage of some nice downwind sailing. We sailed into the night, with the moon rising in a glow of amber and stars all around. We didn't anchor until 10:30, but it was a nice night.

Saturday morning I got contacted by work to let me know that I had to come in to work for some urgent tasking. Ugh! Winds were not favorable for a gentle return to Everett, a cab/bus/ferry would take forever, and I just really didn't want to abandon my family weekend! In the end, we decided Sunday afternoon would do. So we spend Saturday hopping around Poulsbo, enjoying some end-of-summer sales and treats for the kids. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time kayaking. After dinner back on the boat, we went for another paddle to check out some seals and were surprised by a plethora of jellyfish! They were literally everywhere. Trent touched a few, but Katreina certainly would not! Such a great day on and around the water, and I will totally miss days like that.

Sunday we busted back to Everett, another great day of downwind sailing (though I'll admit I got a little sick early in the day!) that got us back around noon. I rushed over to the ship while Frank was Super Frank and cleaned up the entire boat, pumped tanks, and filled water. He's a machine! I managed to finish up at work in enough time for us to hit the Farmer's Market for a few minutes, then the kids and I ran around the grassy area to give Frank some "Dad time." And what did he do? To heck with relaxing! He tore apart the shower drain pump in the kids bath that's been broke and proceeded to repair it.

We capped the weekend off with a nice walk down the pier after the kids went to bed. It was a perfect evening. I can't wait to do it all again!

Visits and repairs

2010-08-24T14:44:00.000-04:00

I'm back to work today after a nice visit from my parents. It was pretty low-key, but we did get underway Saturday and caught a few crab. The kids really enjoyed all the extra attention and Frank and I really enjoyed date night!

On a slightly bad note, the boat does not seem to be happy about my unexpected return. Since my arrival less than a week ago one of the shower pumps had a membrane go bad, the TV died, and now our freshwater pump completely died. All are easy enough fixes (we hope), but it's kind of a bummer!

Woo hoo!

2010-08-18T12:43:00.000-04:00

Ok, obviously I should be working but instead I am celebrating the fact that I can actually upload photos to the blog from the ship! I hope it stays this way when we're underway. This is one of many awesome photos taken in June when we had Kristin Harris come take pics of our family.

I got home yesterday afternoon and am VERY happy to be back! Trent is talking way more than he was a month ago and Katreina is getting great at spelling. We had a nice dinner out in the cockpit of the boat and then went for a dinghy ride. The kids were very cuddly and the night went way too fast, but I'm looking forward to many more nights like that.

Slight communications vent

2010-08-16T22:04:00.000-04:00

I try not to complain because we have it way better than sailors did even a decade ago, but GEEZ! I ordered my pictures on July 8th and I still don't have them! I'm going to see my babies in person before I get those darn pictures in my hand! And why is it that ABE seems to be the only ship the the US Navy that won't let people (other than Media department and some super big-wigs) use Facebook underway??? And why, oh why, am I unable to upload photos to my blog on this network??? WHY?? WHY?!?!?!!??

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks for listening!

2010-08-12T23:06:00.000-04:00

Since we pulled into San Diego today I got to call home and talk to everyone and it was great! Katreina hogged the phone mercilessly, but we had a nice conversation. She let her brother talk for about a minute, then got back on the phone and told me that when she sees me she's going to give me the biggest, biggest hug and lots of kisses. If she only knew how much I'm looking forward to that! Then she said, "See you soon!" That's kind of funny since Frank hasn't told them that I'm coming home yet. I can't wait to surprise them at school that day!

"Don't forget your old shipmates..."

2010-08-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

In preps for the "battle" today and the anticipated return home, I'm listening to Jerry Bryant and the Starboard Mess's "Roast Beef of Old England: Traditional Sailor Songs from Jack Aubrey's Navy." It's a favorite album in our house as we love the movie "Master and Commander" and Frank and I are reading the entire series of Patick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin novels. Anyway, the song "Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates" is one of the kids' favorites and probably the most popular from the movie.

Lyrics--"Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates"

So to Trent and Katreina..."Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar Jack...Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!" Love you guys!

"Mama, I'm comin' hooooooommmmmmmmmme!"

2010-08-10T11:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I am happy to report I AM GOING HOME! Our schedule has seen some flex in the past few days and it looks like we are going to have a few weeks at home before we make the deployment push. We are wrapping up COMPTUEX now, with battle problems focused on preparing us for everything we will see on a 6-month deployement in the space of just a few days. It's busy--I'm on watch 0000-0400 and 1200-1600 every day in addition to a full suite of meetings and meals here and there--but I am definitely learning a lot. In the past month I've seen, once again, that my husband rocks and will do just fine without me, and that with email and phone calls I feel like I'm not too far out of the loop at home. I think we're going to make it. But for now....SEE YOU SOON, BABE!

Seattle SeaFair fun

2010-08-08T22:11:00.000-04:00

I got the coolest picture and story today from Frank. The pic was the kids with Johnathon Hillstrand, of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" fame. The story, well, sometimes it's best to just go with what Frank writes. Maybe he'll add the picture sometime... [hint, hint] ;) He writes:

We had a fun (but long) day today at SeaFair. It started out great!! I decided to drive to the park-and-ride near the park where it was held as parking was supposed to be near impossible. But the iPhone navigated me right past the park and I thought, "Why not just see." Sure enough, there appeared to be no parking. Then I saw one space right beside the front entrance with 3 guys at the entrance. I thought, "Who cares what it costs, it sure will be nice if the kids have a meltdown." So I pulled in, rolled down the window and said, "Good Morning." The guy said, "Sir, thank you for your service, just head to the right. If there is anything you need, please let us know." I mumbled "thanks" (out of shock that it worked and I didn't even have to pay), and got Super Rock Star parking! Then shortly after getting in, a man gave me pit passes for the hydraboats! That was cool, there were whole jet engine motors being craned off boats and new ones put in boats, crews running everywhere, and lots of cranes to lower whole boats into the water. After that, we walked past a fire truck, and then ran into Johnathon Hillstrand standing there talking to 2 firefighters! It was pretty neat. We got pretty good seats for the air show too, although Trent almost bailed on me because of the loud noise. The kids went into a bouncy-house twice, and were good pretty much all day. Trent fell asleep about 1 minute after getting in the car, Katreina lasted about 5 minutes because she could see a plane out her window! I am worn out, but glad we went.

I would like to extend my most sincere thanks to the organizers of the Seattle SeaFair for taking such great care of my family today! I'm so glad they were able to go and have such a great time!

Bye, Eric!

2010-08-05T23:37:00.000-04:00

Today I sat in the cold confines of my watch space and watched a live video feed of the flight deck. Revving up on the catapult was an aircraft that would launch my best friend on the staff off the ship for good. Thankfully, it had a safe launch and within the hour I was given the news that the plane had landed safely at North Island Naval Air Station, putting him within minutes of his favorite gelato stop in Coronado, CA. It was a bittersweet day as I will of course miss having him around to chat with at work, but he's off for the better life as a distinguished Olmsted Scholar. I'll miss you, Eric!!

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Hits COMPTUEX Grand Slam

2010-08-02T19:49:00.000-04:00

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Hits COMPTUEX Grand Slam

Here's a story about what I'm up to these days! :) Jody

Sunday, Sunday...

2010-08-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

So I've mentioned before that Sundays are quite special onboard, with one less meeting and brunch instead of breakfast and lunch. I took advantage of the opportunity to sleep in, then went out to find a new gym. I started in the hangar bay using a medieval contraption called a "Versa Climber." I managed to "climb" to the top of the Space Needle (which totally made me think of home) before giving up. That thing is just hard! From there I headed to the new Horizon/Seaside Gym. In comments to my last post my mom mentioned that "The Boat Show" (check out the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN page on Facebook!) had shown the great view from the rowing machines in that gym and let me tell you, after weeks of working out in white/grey rooms, it was AWESOME! I biked while watching dolphins frollick and whales pass by. Then I rowed, imagining I was helping to power the ship along. And I did all of this, breathing in deep, sucking in the sweet smell of...BACON!!! I know, I know, you thought I would say "salty sea air" or maybe even "jet exhaust," but it being Sunday morning the only smell out there was bacon! It really makes working out a greater form of torture than it usually is, but somehow I made it through.

Sounds like the kids and Frank are having yet another awesome weekend. He sent me great pics of the kids trying out the new toilet he put in their head (boy do I wish I could post photos from out here!) and of them out enjoying the concert at the marina. And perhaps my favorite pic of the weekend was one of the great sunset, enjoyed from the cockpit of the sailboat. I miss seeing that with Frank.

Getting set for a busy week here as our training and testing continues. Thanks to all the family and friends that are supporting me and all the other Sailors out here--it means a lot to us!

My "Program"

2010-07-29T11:47:00.000-04:00

I hate running, only because of how it makes my knees and hips feel afterward. I really, really hate treadmills. But I ran, on a treadmill, to avoid the monotony of trying to find fun, creative ways to work out underway. And it was boring. I stared at a white wall. Blah. But I survived, so I've committed myself to doing that at least once a week, even if only for 10 minutes, to engage as many muscles as possible.

Why? The pattern of the day underway is set by watches, meetings, and meals. And boy do they serve up some food! Not always the best, but really not that bad and always in vast quantities. It takes a lot of discipline not to eat way too much and even more discipline to pry oneself out of the rack, away from those precious minutes of sleep, to go work out. My motiviation is a little program I call "Frank Deserves Better." Successful participation in the program results in a Sailor returned to her hubby in a more toned shape than she departed. Anyone can join the program, and you don't really have to be a Sailor or be underway, but just try to be a little more disciplined for the next, oh I don't know, let's say 8 months. Any takers???