Spring on Kent Island

 May 3, 2021 - May 17, 2021

The big news from the last two weeks is that I was able to visit Jessica (my oldest daughter) and her husband Joe in Johnstown, PA. I left the marina on Wednesday, May, 5th and returned on Monday the 10th.  Jess, Joe, and I haven’t been together since last September and it was so good to see them.  Since I arrived on Cinco de Mayo Joe and I met Jessica and a few of her colleagues at a local restaurant for happy hour.  The special drink for the evening was a pineapple margarita which looked delicious, but I opted for my usual - Titos vodka and club soda.  We had some appetizers and the best one was the roasted brussels sprouts - so yummy.  Even though Joe and Jess had to work during the day I was able to use Jess’s sewing room to cut out several garments I have been anxious to sew up.  As you can imagine, sewing on the boat works well, but there just isn’t a big enough flat surface to cut anything out.  One day Jess worked from home for the morning and we went out to lunch. I went to her office to help her with a few chores after lunch.  I also, went to the nearby Staples to print all of the games for the baby shower I am hosting for my second daughter, Rachel. I purchased the boxes for shipping the refreshments and the games and put everything together to ship out  the next day (another job that would have been difficult on the boat).  In the evenings we had great dinners and just chilled.  On the weekend we attended two woodwind quartet concerts and a youth orchestra concert.  It was wonderful seeing live music again.  On Saturday night Jess invited all of the musicians in the quartet and their spouses to her house for some snacks, wine, and beer.  It was fun preparing for the get together and even more fun meeting and chatting with some very interesting people. What a great visit and I actually got to spend Mother’s Day with one of my children for a change.

Back at the Marina Bob had started on some boat projects.  The big one was painting the bottom of the dingy.  Since the weather prediction was for clear skies and no rain we wanted to take advantage of the great weather and complete the painting.  Bob had painted the heavy wear areas while I was gone so the first day we applied the first full coat. The following day we planned to apply the second full coat, but ran out of paint.  Unfortunately, Bob hasn’t been able to find any more of the paint so we called the job done.  

The attempt we made to remove the leaking auxiliary fuel tank turned into a big fiasco.  The tank is under the Nav station seat and as usual with indoor projects it seemed like the whole boat was torn up while we were working on the removal.  After disconnecting all of the hoses and other connections (about 2.5 hours of work) the tank would not budge.  Apparently, the tank was calked on the bottom and nothing Bob and I tried moved it a bit.  Finally Bob decided to close everything back up and skip the removal and repair of the tank. Bob usually fixes anything that is broken on the boat no matter how difficult but, since we probably won’t be needing the tank anytime soon he decided to let it go.

The weather has been delightful. I think cold weather is behind us.  I have been able to walk almost everyday along the Cross Island Trail and now that the CDC has relaxed the mask requirements I am free to walk without a mask outside.  I’m loving it!

This coming week I am driving a 10 foot UHaul truck to Oak Park IL to take some family furniture and other items that have been in our storage locker to Rachel. I’ll make an overnight stop at my sister Becky’s house in Pittsburgh. I haven’t seen her since last summer. I’ll also be with Rachel for the baby shower I am hosting for her.  That will all be in my next blog post.

Thank you for reading my blog. I promise I’ll have some pictures in my next post. 

 April 19, 2021 - May 2, 2021

I imagine the reason I am so taken by watching the emergence of spring this year is because I haven’t experienced a Mid-Atlantic spring for five years.  Actually, this is the first year since my retirement that I have experienced all four seasons.  The change of seasons is lovely and I have missed the special beauty of each one. 

This is my view from my galley window. 
I call the photo" Reflections on Kent Island."

The weather was so nice one Sunday that I got my bike out, pumped up the tires, and took a long ride on the bike trail.  I rode all the way to the western  end of the trail.  It was easy going with only a few inclines.  As the weather gets warmer I’ll do more biking than walking. The next Sunday I rode to the eastern end of the island.  After exploring one of the marinas I took a wrong turn and wound up crossing the bridge over Kent Narrows and landed on the Eastern Shore.  Using google maps I safely found my way back to Castle Harbor Marina after a 1.5 hour ride.  Again it was a pleasant ride with just enough ups and downs to make the ride interesting.

It’s good to be back in the “saddle” again.

We suffered through several cold nights and chilly days these past weeks, but the weather is slowly warming up, thankfully.  There for awhile I thought “It will never be warm enough to swim” every time I passed the pool.

Great News - Bob completed his radiation treatments on Thursday and we celebrated with a great lunch at Carol’s Creek Restaurant.  Our waiter, who we have known for years, even comped us an apple tart for dessert when we told him we were celebrating Bob’s last day of treatment.  

I came into the treatment area (for the first time),
met the nurses who had taken such good care of Bob,
and watched him ring the “this is my last treatment bell.”

 

Now that we don’t have to go to Annapolis everyday we have started on some boat projects.  Along with the regular maintenance tasks (garbage disposal, filling water tanks, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc.) our days are filled up.  I haven’t had much time for quilting.

I have my visit to Jessica and Rachel all planned.  I’ll leave Wednesday (5/5) morning and head to Johnstown to spend Mother’s Day with Jessica. Then I’ll pick up a U-Haul truck and leave for Rachel’s in Oak Park, IL to deliver some items we have been storing.  I’ll also be with her for the virtual baby shower I am throwing her on 5/23.  I’ve never been to a virtual shower.  My sister Laurie is helping by setting up the Zoom meeting for the shower and Jessica will help me plan the games, etc. 

The first week of June I have a trip planned to a resort near Houston to spend time with Karl, my son, and his family.  Looking forward to finally getting to see my family!

Thank you for reading my blog.  Stay Safe!

Life at Castle Marina, Kent Island, MD

 March 29, 2021 - April 18, 2021

Spring has definitely sprung here on Kent Island since my last blog post (sorry it’s been so long between posts). On my (almost) daily walks I have been serenaded by song birds of various species.  Robins are everywhere and so are blooming flowers.

Kent Island has a Cross Island Trail where I take most of my walks
It is quiet (except for the birds) and serene; a great place to enjoy mindfulness.

A bridge on the trail crosses this wetland.

Fragrant Orange Blossoms are blooming along the trail.

Irises are blooming outside a building at the marina.

On Easter Sunday a crew came into the Marina and completely resurfaced the olympic size pool and the wading pool.  In the following days a water tanker truck brought in 19 tanks of water to completely fill the pool.  Throughout the week pool chemicals were adjusted and the water is now sparkling clean.  Can’t wait for the weather to warm up!!!

I think I'll be spending lots of time here this summer.

Bob’s treatments are going well (only nine more to go).  The treatments themselves only take about 15 minutes, but with his prep and the travel time it seems like the treatments have taken over much of our lives.  The first week we were here our trip back to Kent Island took at least an hour, but now the traffic moves right along and we are back at the boat in about 30 minutes.  Most days we eat lunch in Annapolis.  When we do come back to the boat for lunch I have been trying (successfully I might add) new recipes. It’s always good to add some recipes to my repertoire.  I've made some great sugar free desserts, too (Dutch apple pie, coconut cream pie, yellow cup cakes with chocolate icing). What should I try next?

Basil Watermelon margaritas are a new drink recipe we tried.

We are enjoying the change of pace here at Castle Marina and Kent Island.  It's so different from the hustle and bustle that was always around us in Baltimore and Annapolis.  Plus, if we get tired of the quiet we can easily drive to Annapolis or the beach!

I've started making plans to visit my children after Bob's treatments are over.  Seems like forever since I've seen them.

Thank you for reading my blog.  Stay safe.

City Dock, Annapolis to Castle Harbor Marina, Kent Island

March 22, 2021 - March 28, 2021

Annapolis was bustling with locals and tourists for our last week at City Dock. The weather was beautiful and spring like except for a mid-week heavy rain storm.  Bob had his daily radiation treatments and I was able to walk almost every morning.  I enjoy being outside at this time of year watching the flowers bloom and the tree leaves bud out.

Since our vaccines were fully effective on Tuesday I scheduled a hair cut for Wednesday afternoon (first one since October).  It’s good to get my hair back in shape.

Both the quilts I shipped out last week arrived at their new homes.

My grand daughter, Lili, with
the quilt I created for her.

My son, Karl, holding up the folded quilt I created.

Karl displaying the label I always sew
 to the back of the quilt indicating
 who I made the quilt for and
 the date it was completed.

On Friday afternoon we drove our car over to Castle Harbor Marina on Kent Island and a friend from City Dock picked us up at the marina and drove us back to the boat.  We stopped into the Pour House Pub for Happy Hour while we waited for our friend to arrive.  When he got there he sat down and had a beer, too.  We exchanged some interesting stories about cruising life. 

On Saturday morning we left City Dock in Annapolis around 9:30.  It was a perfect day to be on the water with a light breeze and plenty of sunshine.  We motored under the Bay Bridge, across the Bay, rounded Love Point (the northern tip of Kent Island) and continued up the Chester River. We arrived at the entrance to Castle Harbor Marina just before noon. Unfortunately, it was just past low tide and we went aground.  A dock hand from the marina came out to try and pull us off the low spot to no avail.  We got the boat turned around and headed back out into the river to wait for the tide to come up.  At 4:00 pm we tried to enter the marina again. We got to our slip easily without touching bottom once.  We got settled in and enjoyed the quiet evening in our new marina. It looks like our summer here will be quiet and laid back.

The Bay Bridge from the northern side.

Love Point with the Bay Bridge behind it.
Love Point has an interesting history read about it here
. https://www.secretsoftheeasternshore.com/love-point-on-kent-island/

We slept in on Sunday and walked to the Pour House Pub for hamburgers for lunch.  The food was great.  It’s nice to have a good restaurant with in walking distance of the boat. We will explore the area more later.

Stay safe and thank you for reading my blog.

 

Final Two Weeks of Winter in Annapolis

 March 5, 2021 - March 21, 2021

I saw daffodils in full bloom on my walk today and last week I saw crocuses, a sure sign of spring.  I haven’t seen any robins yet, but the birds in Eastport are singing their hearts out.  Finally, today the temperature reached 61 degrees.  Annapolis has been packed all weekend with locals and tourists alike. I certainly understand everyone's need to get out on such a beautiful day (but I wish they would be more  conscientious about wearing masks).

My first sign of spring!

Daffodils are such cheerful flowers.

Bob has completed three full weeks of treatments - only 5 more weeks to go. He has been tolerating the radiation treatments well so far with only mild fatigue as a side effect.  

My two large quilts came back from the quilter and I finished Lili’s and shipped it to her last week.  Today I completed Karl’s quilt and will ship it to him tomorrow.  Hopefully, they will both photograph the quilts and send me pictures that I can share on my next blog. I’m working on my youngest daughter’s quilt and will take it to the quilter next week. I still have one baby quilt to make and plans for some lap quilts and throws, but I’m not in any hurry to complete them.  I, also, want to take a break from making king and queen size quilts; the smaller ones are much more fun!

Lola is sleep testing my son's quilt.

The week coming up will be our last one in Annapolis.  It’s been a good experience being here this winter although living on a boat is much more fun when you are going places!

My next blog will be written from Castle Harbor Marina on Kent Island (our summer home).  

Thank you for reading my blog and stay safe!

Winter in Annapolis

 February 15, 2021 - March 4, 2021

Lot’s has happened in the last couple of weeks.  The big news is it’s starting to look and feel like spring might not be too far away.  After a short spat of cold weather we have been experiencing days with highs in the low 50”s.  It rained for a couple of days straight, but the weather is definitely improving. It's hard to believe that we will be leaving for Kent Island in a few short weeks.  

One afternoon we fed the sea gulls in the City Dock Park.

One morning we walked off the boat to find
Mr. Peanut was visiting Annapolis.

The bronze statue of a young girl listening to
Alex Haley glistens in the warm sun.

Nancy Hammond (a local artist) has changed the picture
in here gallery window to this spring scene.

I completed the quilt top for the baby quilt I have been working on. I took it to a machine quilter who I met at The Crabby Quilter (my new favorite quilt shop) and she had it done in a week! I finished the binding and sent it (along with the swaddling blankets I made and a couple of items I purchased) off to Rachel.  She loved it!

The whirly gig pattern was fun to create.

Another big event is that Bob started his radiation treatments for his prostate cancer on March 2nd.  Things seem to be going well.

We have also found a new favorite Mexican Restaurant in Annapolis - Chevy’s Fresh Mex.  It is never very busy for a weekday lunch and we can sit far away from any other customers so we have eaten there a couple of times.

We watched the cooks making tortillas one day.
We had seen a production like this once 
in a tortilla factory in Mexico. 

Stay safe and thank you for reading my blog.

Winter in Annapolis

 February 1, 2020 - February 14, 2020

We’ve been having severe winter weather during the last two weeks interrupted briefly by a few spring like days.  Our first snowstorm of the year turned into an ice event coating the boat and all other surfaces with a thick coating of ice.  I cleaned the ice covered snow off the boat with the deck brush to prevent damage to our canvas from the weight of the snow and ice.  Just yesterday we had another ice event. We had freezing rain all day and woke up to an ice covered world.

The most impressive ice cycles on the boat
are hangingfrom the sail cover.

Our slip piling with Rainy Days in the background

Ice cycles hanging from our grill cover

Our view from inside the cockpit

The ice on all surfaces was an eighth of an inch thick.

Again, I have been sewing most days since we are often confined to the boat due to the weather (I have still gotten out to walk several days each week). This time I’ve been working on the baby quilt and some flannel receiving blankets (I think they are called swaddling blankets now).  The bright primary colors of the baby quilt were a cheerful contrast to the gloomy outside weather.  I took the quilt to a local long arm machine quilter who hopes to have it back to me in two weeks! Can’t wait!

Of course, we followed the second impeachment trial of Donald trump.  The videos of the insurrection were quite frightening and I thought the House Managers did a thorough job of proving their case.  However, Trump was still acquitted. 

Bob and I are both on three lists for appointments to receive the Covid vaccine. My sisters have either had the first dose or have an appointment for the first dose. I would think Bob, with his cancer treatment and diabetes would be able to get a vaccine quickly, but Maryland isn’t getting enough doses each week to satisfy the great demand for vaccines.

Bob is closer to starting his actual radiation treatments.  On Monday he has a mock treatment to help he and the doctors solidify the treatment plan.

Stay safe and thank you for reading my blog.