Tuesday December 9: Packed and Ready to Go

How does that song go? "My bags are packed, I'm ready to go ... leavin' on a jet plane" or something like that. Written by John Denver as I recall in the mid 60's but really made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary.

Ha - you are showing your age if the song is stuck in your head now!

But it's true - our bag is packed and we head off tomorrow for northern Ohio. We practiced today with temps in the 60's and wind.

We did take advantage of nice days Sunday and Monday to prepare the boat for sitting for two weeks and for our return in late December.

First on the agenda was to change the engine and injector pump oil. Both were a bit past due.

Second major project was to get the mast back up. We'll want it up so we are able to use the dinghy and there really aren't any more bridges between here and the Keys that restrict us whether the mast is up or down.

It's pretty manageable with the two of us but since our neighbor Scott was around, he came over and gave us a hand getting it up.

Of course the stainless steel stays needed to be cleaned and polished. Steve does them as high as he can reach when the mast is up but with the mast down it's much easier to do the tops as well.

There were a few spots at the top of the mast that needed some attention with a dap of paint.

NOW the boat looks complete :-) Something about the mast being down just never seems right!

Not all work though. Yesterday was really the nicest day we've had since we've been here in Hollywood. The beach along this shoreline just goes for miles.



And the pier is always a favorite place to visit. New gates since the last time we were here!


But the same old pelicans hanging around - just waiting for the unsuspecting fisherperson to leave bait laying around or not being careful about a fish on the line.




Except for this one guy who appeared to be just sleeping out a bit from the pier. It wasn't until I looked at a closeup of the picture that I could see his eye was wide open!

Just bobbing along on the water tops :-)

Blogging to take a break until we return to Yesterday's Dream in late December!! (We packed lots of warm clothes - we hear it's cold up there in the north :-) )