Wow! It's been over eight months since our last blog entry, far longer than our usual update. In some respects, a lot has happened during the past eight months - in others, not so much! Easily the most notable experience is how COVID has affected our lives. Our 2020 New England summer sailing plans were scuttled by the pandemic. Our usual enjoyable social life in Vero - sharing time with friends either in our home or their's, frequenting favorite restaurants, museums, movies, farmer's markets and theatre performances - have all mostly been scuttled. We've become hermits! Except for a few still-possible interests: visiting grand-daughter Penny and her parents, walking with friends, a little cycling and lots of golf! We have also experimented a great deal more with cooking, gardening and blowing the multitude of falling Live Oak leaves from the patio, drive and walkways around our little home.
Even though COVID has had a dramatic effect on our plans, we've been able to visit with Penny much more than anticipated. If we were on Dream Catcher in Maine, we would have missed so much of Penny's first months. And because we live in a climate where you can almost always be outdoors, and because we have friends very close by, we have been fortunate to be able to share time with them, either on patios, golfing, cycling or walking. It has made a huge difference for us. A couple weeks ago, friends of ours from up north were in town and we got to share lots of time doing all of those things together. We have also been able to visit with Sharon's Aunt Gale and Uncle Dan at their new home in Titusville - about and hour and a half north of us. And, we are very grateful for Zoom and FaceTime! Technology has made all of this distancing somewhat tolerable.
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Greg, Gale, Sharon, Dan
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| With Roger and Chrisy on the golf course |
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| At McKee Gardens |
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| A baby alligator on the golf course |
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| Mr and Mrs Sandhill Crane with their babies |
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| Baby Penny with Grandad |
Some of you know we did get a bit of a getaway in September. We decided to drive north to Sharon's family's beach house in Fenwick Island, DE. Crazy as we are, we decided to leave at around 4:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon and do an all nighter. We said "it will be like an overnight passage" - well not so much. While we had little traffic and made great time, the entire time, we kept saying - "OK, the way this is not like an overnight passage is....." But, we pulled into Fenwick at 7:30 am Sunday morning and were happy to be there. After recovering for a couple days, we headed to the golf course. Then, on Wednesday, Greg went out for a bicycle ride and returned bloody and concussed fifteen minutes later. A trip to the ER found two broken vertebrae in his neck, a broken nose and several lacerations on his arms, legs and feet. Poor guy was in a collar for the next three months. But - it was a good place to quarantine and convalesce. He was a good patient and by the beginning of December he was back on the golf course! He really was fortunate as it could have been so much worse.
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| Right after the accident |
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| Almost healed |
While the bicycle accident had nothing to do with it, Greg has finally retired. No more dealing with clients, phone calls just when it's time to anchor, sketchy internet and cell coverage and the pressure of having to be on someone else's schedule. He is really enjoying it so far!
This year, we are preparing to get Dream Catcher back in the water, hop on and head north to New England. The poor gal hasn't been sailed for over two years! Engine commissioning, bottom paint, sails and rigging inspections, water systems back online, bright work, batteries! Not to mention a huge deep clean and polish of all surfaces! Lots to do, but no more than we are used to. Looking forward to floating once again.
This summer we are NOT on a schedule. We are not working! We DO NOT NEED TO BE NEAR A CELL TOWER EVERY MORNING AND EVENING for work fixes! Our plans are to wander through the Chesapeake to Newport, then up the coast around Boston, New Hampshire and Maine where there are unending sights to see. Our hope is as we all get vaccinated, we can have visitors aboard as we make our way north. Let us know if you want to visit! In early Fall, we will haul somewhere in Maine, head back to Vero Beach for the winter months and return to Maine the following Spring. Not a bad life, eh?
But before we head north, we have a couple projects to finish. Sailor friend Tommy orchestrated the rebuild of a new pergola over our patio. His knowledge, skill and hard work created something lovely. He and Greg worked tirelessly for two weeks to complete this quite complex job. The following week, new paving work began (that being done by another crew) and we look forward to a totally new outdoor environment.
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| Before |
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| In Process |
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| Finished Patio and Pergola |
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| Finished front walkways and driveway |
Most everyone we know has gotten at least one COVID vaccine shot and most have gotten two. We both have ours, and the kids do as well. It is a huge relief and we feel so very fortunate to have weathered this storm in good health and relatively good spirits. Hoping the same is true for many of you.
We yearn to travel again and hope that better days are ahead for all.
'Til next time -
