It's a Polar Vortex!!!

Based on the forecast we broke down and rigged the bubbler on the 2nd.  By the 3rd we had temps below 20F and winds just under 30kts and got enough snow to go sledding!

By the 6th the next round of crazy wind hit, with temps still below 20F and the boat "dipping to port" due to the constant push of the wind.

And the next morning the bubbler was churning hard!  6F!

Suffice to say we endured a few chilly days here in Maryland.  We "survived" with a combo of an electric heater and our diesel hydronic heat (each had its "moments," but overall kept us toasty) and good cooking!  The bubbler did a great job keeping the area around the boat ice-free, too.  And for those that are curious...we pretty much always wear life jackets on the dock during the winter since the water is so cold, but it's especially important when there is ice on the docks.

This weekend?  60F!  

Happy New Year!

We mixed it up a little this year by asking our friends Beth and David and their family to join us for our sail up to Annapolis for New Year's Eve.  Our dock neighbors on Nirvana also headed up on their boat.  We had a brisk sail up, and the chop got to one of the littlest passengers, but all in all it was a beautiful, cold day on the bay!

It was bitterly cold with the wind, but we still headed in to town for snacks, face painting, music, and a little time at the park.  But dang, it was cold!

Why do I love Annapolis so much for NYE?  Kid-friendly schedules!  The first round of fireworks went off at 7:30 and they were great!  All the kiddos got to enjoy them before getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

Somehow all four kids slept in one bed. Somehow we got back today in very choppy seas without anyone actually getting sick!  I had so much fun (did I mention it was cold?)!  I loved the craziness of having four adults and four kids under the age of 7 on a 39' boat!  I loved being one of only two boats in the entire mooring field.  I loved having all our Christmas lights glowing while we were hanging out in the harbor.  I loved having the hydronic heater humming away all night. I loved sharing one of our little family traditions with our very brave friends.  :)

Happy New Year, everyone.  Can't wait to see what 2014 brings!

Merry Christmas!

A frigid, gusty Christmas Eve and a lazy, cold Christmas Day have us still tied to the pier, but it's been lovely!  We did a pre-Christmas hibachi and gift exchange with our local family on the 23rd before coming back to the boat to bake cookies, lower the table, and get ready for Santa!

I love how the boat looks at the holidays, all decorated with cards from friends near and far.

As is our tradition, we left out cookies and milk, and even had a bowl of reindeer food up on deck!  I awoke to the sound of ice dropping from the rigging and a little girl tip-toeing out of her room. Santa came!

The kids scored a ton of Legos, Kindles, Wii games, cards to buy food for the food bank, and books.  The Captain got the coveted infrared thermometer and a ton of zip ties.  And I got a full suite of yoga gear AND a GoPro camera!  Can't wait to take pics of the boat from new angles!

We are so fortunate.  We are healthy, warm, and happy.  And this year we are together.  Merry Christmas!

When "sizzling" is a very bad thing

Well, the pictures say it best--we had a big meltdown on one of our main power disconnects yesterday (the one for the a/c units) that also fried our charger/inverter.

We think there was a pinhole leak in a water line in the lazerette which sprayed the electrical and caused a little sparking/meltdown.  What we can't explain is why the breaker never tripped. Bad, bad, bad.

Nonetheless, I'm still thankful.  Thankful that Frank was working from home and returned from running errands before it got any worse (he had to isolate the power since the breaker didn't do the job).  Thankful that we were able to still sleep in a heated home last night (diesel heat wasn't impacted) and that our home is more or less whole still (just a little singed).  Thankful that nothing was hurt that a credit card can't fix.

We (mostly Frank) will make some adjustments to the plumbing as we put it all back together, but life goes on!

Thankful for a wonderful week in...Jamaica!

Once again we grabbed Grandma and headed out of the country (via plane!) for Thanksgiving break.  This trip was "new" for us in a few ways--first trip to Jamaica, first time using CheapCaribbean.com to book a trip, and first time staying soley at an all-inclusive resort.  The Hilton Rose Hall Plantation resort didn't disappoint!  As soon as we got checked in we hit the buffet for a late lunch and were immediately surprised by the selection and quality of the food (and drinks!).  This was definitely a step up from our Costa Rican all-inclusive.  Right after that the kids discovered the waterpark and slides--they would be happy there all week!

This was the most "resort-y" vacation I've ever been on, and while I still prefer getting lost in a rental car, this was a great vacation.  The highlights:  water slides, reggae music, the White Witch of Rose Hall, the beach, warm salt water, Hobie Cat sailing, jerk chicken by the beach, football in the sand, snorkeling, hiking Dunn's River Falls, swimming with dolphins and rays, exploring the aqueduct, soda/beer chugging contests, island food, and family time.