Christmas 2008 with Family

Living on a boat, we are challenged to match the holiday traditions that we used to keep in New England. Every year we would go to a local tree farm and cut the perfect Frazier Fir tree that was just tall enough to kiss the 8 foot ceilings and the pine smell would fill the house. Although our tree was artificial and about 12” and one set of LED Christmas bulbs and a Nativity set completed our decorations this year, we were not lacking. The main reason for our happy Christmas was the two angels in the picture below.

My cousins, Barbara and Nancy invited us into their home and treated us like royalty. They fed us wonderful meals, showed us around Disney and the Space Center and gave Emily entirely too many gifts. Barbara runs the house smoothly while having fun with Emily and Nancy sewed enough doll clothes to fill up a small duffel bag. Somehow a large box of gifts from my Mother arrived in Florida from Maryland and we all felt her long-distance love. Santa even knew that Emily needed a bigger bicycle. It was nice seeing my Aunt Lorraine and I really enjoyed talking with my cousin Barry who also lives nearby. He was a great rock climber in younger days and I think he would come with us to the islands if he could.

Barbara’s daughter Connie (I think she’s my second cousin) lives nearby and they let us stay in their spacious home where they have a nice complete apartment downstairs. It was really nice to have a rental car for 9 days and be mobile too. Kim and Emily spent some extra time with all my relatives while I got the boat ready to go into the shipyard. The watermaker was installed and most other boat projects were completed successfully in about a week. Some electronics remain to be installed and we are waiting for the contractor to come out of his holiday break on January 5^th before we can get them up and running and head for the Bahamas.

We are spending the days completing small jobs, swimming in the 71 degree water and enjoying the abundant sunshine and warmth. With daytime temperatures around 78 and nighttime temperatures around 60, it’s not a bad place to spend an extra week. Emily enjoyed the break from homeschool, but has gotten back in the groove. We have now completed half the school year and she aced another math exam this week. Kim has been provisioning the boat with food and we need to leave soon while we can still float. I will fill up again with fuel the day before we depart and we will make fresh water from seawater on our passage, so we will be fully loaded as we enter the Bahamas. I must say I’m looking forward to eating my way through all those yummy provisions.

The next Blog entry, Dear reader, should come from clear, bluer island waters.

Tom