January 8, 2011
Saturday
1867 Engine Hours
Water Temp…a frigid 45*
70* and Sunny
After a wonderful month spent at home for Christmas, and between Naples and Marco Island, we moved on to Goodland. Goodland is south of Marco Island. On our way over we were most delightfully entertained by many, many dolphins. They travelled along the side of the boat with us and I was so excited to get great pictures of them and the beautiful scenery along the way that I will pass along to all. Desolate, beautiful and quiet Goodland is a far cry from Naples City Dock where we enjoyed many good times, especially with the aid of Barry’s partner’s vehicle while they were home for the holidays…Thanks again, Larry and Nancy, for the wheels. Very much appreciated. Naples and Marco are rich with fun things to do…including the parade of boats all decked out for the holiday season, along with 5th Ave and 3rd Ave all dolled up for the season and lined with restaurants and shops. We also had the opportunity to get to an arts and crafts festival on 5th and it was so much fun. Restaurants and shopping were amazing, just one after the other everywhere eyes could see. Panda also entertained everyone walking the docks heading for their cruises on the Sweet Liberty, a touring catamaran docked beside us. But that journey had to end. Today we made the trek 16 miles south to Goodland where “live aboard” is welcomed and very much unlike Naples and Marco. The marina is a bit away from the town, but gives us a very good excuse to bring out the bikes and get some very much needed exercise…a welcomed activity. Surprisingly, there are many boats along the six docks outside the hub of the marina. As we approached our slip other boaters came to our aid and assisted in bringing us in. I am sure we will like it here. Tomorrow we will head to town to attend the infamous Sunday party at Stan’s and other restaurants and hopefully grab some delectable produce from the farmer’s market. Sunday on Goodland in notorious for “party time.” Live bands and activities abound. Stan’s is famous for their Sunday activities that vary from week to week. I will keep you all informed! Night for now and welcome back to the blog….love ya!
January 9, 2011
Sunday
Mid 70’s and Sunny
It was a great day. Barry got the bikes tuned up and we headed to town to replenish our produce. There was a bounty of fresh fruits and veggies to be had…so much to choose from and so little room to store everything I would love to have snag. I made my choices and we checked out the ever-growing crowd piling in at Stan’s Idle Hour. Tables were set up everywhere, including their parking lot along with an auxiliary tent accomodating a grill and beverages for those wanting to serve themselves. At 11 AM the tables were being staked out waiting for the official 1 PM opening that includes live outdoor bands. We returned to the boat, dropped off our goods and headed back for the festivities. Cars and motorcycles lined the streets and by now there was not a table to be had. We found a spot way back along the river and enjoyed a wonderful lunch of grilled fish and fried oysters..some the best oysters we have ever had. What a hoot! It was great to be among all this hub bub and we will return for sure, but for now it was time to head back to Sea Fox. Our new found friends, Paul and Denise, showed up to visit just prior to Tom picking us up for dinner at their condo so that was a short-lived visit. At Pam and Tom’s other friends, Debbie and Bob, joined us for great conversation and an awesome dinner. Long, but fine day!
January 10, 2011
Monday
75* and Sunny
Another gorgeous day….they never seem to end. A much needed walk to town and the fish market was great….an opportunity to cruise by the condos we have now fallen in love with, but no room for Sea Fox (she is too big) is a deterrent in Barry’s mind….AUGH! We could be quite happy at Calusa Village!! Oh, well…we shall see what develops. We invited Paul and Denise for dinner and enjoyed a great pork tenderloin and walnut basil potatoes, recipe courtesy of a great cook book Danielle gave me for Christmas. Yum…so many interesting, new ideas that will be tried for sure! Tomorrow…dingy cruising to explore the canals and mangroves that envelope us at this great marina!
January 11, 2011
Tuesday
75*, Sunny and Hot….Yeah!
What magnificent day! Pam and Tom joined us today for a cruise around Goodland and all the mangroves that inhabit this area….we were out and about for almost 3 hours….simply gorgeous with so much to see. Dolphins all around and one even came up at the bow of the dinghy….what a great shot it would have been if we were ready for the shoot! His beautiful little face was no more than 3 feet away from us!!!!!!!!!!!! AUGH…it would have been such a great picture…dinner on Sea Fox followed and an end to a splendid day!! Love to all. ; )
January 12, 2011
Wednesday
Chilly!!!
64*
It was chilly today, but no problem…much to do inside…freezer defrosting and laundry kept me busy most of the day…we did watch Cop Out…freaking funny movie! Watch it if you can. Pam and Tom picked us up later in the day and we headed out to Bob and Debbie’s condo for cocktails prior to Cirque Dreams Illumination. The show was magnificent and something everyone should try to see. : – ]
January 13, 2011
Thursday
A Chilly Slug Day
50ish
Wow…lazy day! TV, movies, computer, just having a slug fest and pigging out on the wonderful loaf of bread that Pam brought us along with cheese, sopressata and the like. We laid around all day and were wide awake come bedtime…oh, so not good.
January 14, 2011
Friday
69* and Sunny
No slug stuff today!…We were up and out on the bikes cruising the island checking out properties. Nice day for a ride, and then a pit stop at Little Bar for a great late lunch. Much better than sitting around all day and the weather promises to get warmer so more moving around to come.
January 15, 2011
Saturday
Low 70’s
Sunny, but a bit chilly
Laundry day! Trying to find quarters for the machines at the marina was a feat. Met another cruiser, Kevin, who assisted with letting me purchase some of his. He has a car and went to Publix to buy some…thankfully he was generous with his find. The remainder of the day was spent reading and continuing our plight of finding a home…still unsuccessful!
January 16, 2011
Sunday
Mid 60’s
Stan’s Idle Hour Day!
Denise came to visit in the morning and we decided to take a walk to join the craziness at Stan’s later in the day. People from all walks of life join there to listen to the great outdoor bands and enjoy a bit of lunch. It is crazy there! Hundreds of people milling about. Later we returned to the boat and watched the Patriots get slain by the jets.
January 17, 2011
Monday
Clouds and Rain
68*
Water temp 68*
Denise accommodated us today by cruising us over to Wallymart to replenish, and that we did…so much stuff.. there is no longer space in the fridge for even a fly! Crappola day, but by the time we returned it was almost dinner time and we pigged out on chicken wings…had been having cravings for days! I must say….they were freaking good. We actually had to turn on the heat to warm up the cabin a bit due to that bad, bad damp air!
January 18, 2011
Tuesday
70’s
Sun, Clouds, Fog!
Such a fun day today! Denise and I headed out for a wonderful bike ride and after about 3-4 miles and my ass sufficiently numb we returned to the boat to find Barry still on the computer and now Paul had joined him! Slugs! We sat and watched the fog roll in…amazing. So thick that the islands to the west of us were totally hidden. But, sure enough it lifted and we headed out on the dinghies for a cruise. Turns out Paul is as much of a dare devil as Barry and we ventured into 1 foot depths trying to see how far we could go before getting stuck. It might sound lame, but it is very much fun. Then afterwards dinner on Orion, their 48’ Jefferson. The boat is very nice and has been converted into virtually a home with a full-size kitchen (no longer just a “galley”), 2 beds and 3 baths, along with a beautiful living room…very comfortable as this is where they truly “live.” A superb fillet mignon and veggie dinner followed as a prelude for my birthday. It was great! Thanks guys!
January 19, 2011
Wednesday
Rain then Sun
79* by 4:00
Denise and I headed to the Farmer’s Market early in the morning and scooped up great stuff….with the inclusion of fresh flowers! Yeah! I have come to love having fresh flowers sitting on our table. The herbs are wonderful to have on the boat but they do not add color like a bunch of fresh flowers. We also hit the liquor store…always a must…and Wallymart yet again. A new seat, or “couch” as Barry put it, for my bike was such a necessity…it will be nice to ride and not become numb, so hopefully this one will be a winner. I spent a good part of the afternoon reading everyone’s emails and postings on Facebook of birthday wishes…so nice of you all. What a lovely day it turned out to be. Sunshine and 70* all afternoon.Tom picked us up late afternoon to head to Marco for the birthday dinner…chicken picata! Thanks Pam! Score big time for a delicious meal. Nice to see Deanna and Jay also. Great night, great food and great company.
January 20, 2011
Thursday
Upper 70’s
Warm, sunny and gorgeous!
Cleaning today! John, Roberta (from Freedom) and their friends Jen and Gene joined us for yet another wonderful day. Barry and I cleaned the boat…God forbid anyone joins us on a dirty boat…even though it is ever far from dirty…whatever…I will pacify. I also was in the midst of making stuffed grape leaves when our company arrived…Roberta to the rescue, and she helped me finish up so we could be off to town for lunch. Denise and Paul joined us and we walked to town and attempted to have lunch at Marker 8 but the deck was full so we moved on to The Little Bar. Splendid lunch and cocktails! The Little Bar is a great spot, and today must have been hippie day as all the waitresses were dressed in the appropriate 70’s attire. Ms. Fortune, our waitress, was a hoot! Back at the boat we closed the day….our company was off and running, but will return on Saturday for more fun in the sun. My cooking quest continued. Pickled beans with peppers and garlic (recipe compliments of Denise), garlic confit and onion confit were all prepared by yours truly. Onion and garlic recipes were from the Gallery Gourmet that was a book I received from Danielle for Christmas. Time consuming, but well worth the effort. All will be used in many more delectable recipes to come from the Sea Fox galley. R & R in front of the boob tube for the remainder of the evening…Perfect day! And my birthday “week” continues….love to all!
January 21, 2011
Friday
Sun and clouds…upper 60’s
Laundry day again…and with everything hanging on the bow nicely to dry…I ran in to shower. Then the rain came! Augh…whatever! Pretty much a hang-out day today, until Denise called at 10:30 PM to join them on the main dock where they were fishing and catching! Fun times till 1 AM…oh we are going to be sorry in the morning. Paul did manage to catch 4 fish and they were filleted to be used in tomorrow morning’s breakfast. Turned out to be a great night!
January 22, 2011
Saturday
Cloudy 68*
John and Roberta were to join us at 10:30, so Denise’s offer to join them for breakfast fish was declined. But our quest for an airboat ride was decided upon. After lunch we headed to Stan’s to catch the 1:30 ride. The sun was shining! The ride started off with a bang….much fun and our captain was quite informative! On the return ride it started to rain and the wind picked up….how nice! Making the corner back to the slip proved to be very wet! We were all drenched by a huge wave that came over the bow….only us! But thankfully it was at the end of the ride. A trek back to the boat and plans for dinner ensued. The guys headed out for the market and returned with a bundle of goodies for dinner. Sushi tuna, stuffed peppers, and lobster spread among other stuff for apps! This could have been dinner…but no…Tilapia fillets topped with delectable crab, green beans and an orzo/couscous mix was a magnificent dinner. Denise even provided freshly baked peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies for desert! Good friends and great conversation!
Love to all!
January 23, 2011
Sunday Fun Day
Sunny and 69*
Stan’s Idle Hour Day
Brunch on Orion this morning was superb! A virtual buffet of eggs, potato pancakes, sausage, bagels with lox and cream cheese, fruit salad, all washed down with bloody Mary’s of course! Once sufficiently stuffed we headed to Stan’s. John and Roberta had scoped out a great spot on the upper deck where the stage and dance floor were in full view. People here want to be noticed and watched…and that we did. All walks of life from bikers to the elite of Marco and Naples flock here every Sunday to partake in the festivities. Clothing, head dresses, and accessories ran the gamut from formal to simply “you have got to be kidding me.” Queen Mary, an older woman of generous size took the prize today. Oh my…did she not look in the mirror before she left the house?? Scantily clad was not bad enough…oh no…she cruised the crowd caressing her overly-ample breasts and allowing tips to be placed where anyone could find a spot to do so! Even Stan, at age 83, took the stage and entertained the crowd with jokes and songs. For dinner we headed to Cocomo’s Grille. Delish! And we did not have to prepare and clean up. Gotta be a fan of that from time to time. It was a long day and bed was calling us…I responded to its calling! Night All.
January 24, 2011
Monday
56* Upon awakening
72* at day’s end
John and Roberta headed out this morning and were on their way back to St. Pete by 8 AM. Gonna miss our friends very much! But they shall return in two weeks for another weekend! Yipee! Today was infamous laundry day and fun with producing a soup from a carcass of a roasted chicken from earlier in the week…and it is yummy! The dolphins continue to entertain us on a daily basis. They are so much fun to watch. A couple of days ago they were so active and were jumping out of the water and just plain playing with each other. Free entertainment! Such a good thing. Xoxo
January 25, 2011
Tuesday
69* Sun and Clouds
We headed out for a bike ride late morning before the weather turned. Cold front must be on its way! Gorgeous morning! Had to check out the new “couch” Barry installed on my bike, and oh…what a difference. Numbness….no more! Great exercise and then a stop at Marker 8 for lunch. We summoned Paul to join us and we enjoyed a great lunch. Back at the marina we tried to catch a few rays but the clouds rolled in within an hour. Tonight has been designated “left overs” for dinner. Great way for both boats to clean out our refrigerators.
January 26, 2011
Wednesday
63* at 7 AM
Denise and I headed out to the farmer’s market at 8:30….gotta do it or there are hoards of peeps otherwise. It was a wonderful thing…huge shrimp, fresh ravs and so many other goodies to be had…the bread is the best. Also scooped up more basil and thyme for planting and plucking from pots on the boat…a wonderful thing. Larry joined us for a business/dinner meeting. Good time. Yummy shrimp and angel hair pasta with garlic toast smothered with a pesto/garlic spread. Wonderful day with more to come// xoxo
January 27, 2011
Thursday
54* and Nippy
It was nice to chill and read the paper all morning. It never got above 63* today…chilly!
Visited with Denise and Paul for a bit….they had “cousin” company. And dinner….oh my…so freaking good! Pork Tenderloin with mushroom gravy, sweet potato gratin, and mashed cauliflower…comfort food on a cool evening!
January 28, 2011
Friday
53* at 7 AM
Water Temp 65*
A bit better weather-wise today, but not much. It probably got up to 66*. But, the sun is shining and that is a wonderful thing. Lunch at Little Bar with Denise, Paul, Barry and Kristi was wonderful as usual! A nice big fattening Ruben for me…there goes the diet for today. The walk back and forth, I am sure, made up for the decadence!
January 29, 2011
Saturday
59*
Bright and sunny! Laundry and cleaning day…after all…it is Saturday! Sunbathing with Denise on their bow later in the day was so nice…there was a breeze, but the sun was so warm it did not matter that it was a bit cool. I got back to the boat with “lots” of color. I am sure it will be a nice bronze tomorrow…I hope~ Finally had to cook that butternut squash that has been banging around. Soooo….butternut squash lasagna and left over tenderloin for dinner.
January 30, 2011
Sunday Funday
57* at 8 AM
