Hello friends....it’s been a good looooong while! But we are back to the boating life.

Last year became a series of tangled complicated life changing events. Two weeks prior to leaving, my mom was diagnosed with oral cancer....requiring a second more serious surgery. In the ultimate act of kindness, Floyd instantly decided to call off our summer plans. He knew I needed to stay with Mom...and he needed to stay with me. It was a wild summer...followed by six weeks of radiation in the fall. I’ve been full time caregiver...four tube feedings and administered drugs daily. We have had some help but more like a babysitter...just coming occasionally. She turned 90 in December, has maintained her weight and continues to show daily improvement! My brothers insisted that we get outta town....sooooo here we are!

We left Wichita on Thursday afternoon....made a brief stop in KC to visit Dennis and Jessi at their new house...then booked it to Columbia, then South Bend, then Northport. TUMBLEWEED was in slip C-24....and while she looked good...she was a mess inside. Two years is too long to let sit. Every surface needing cleaning...and the musty smell was overwhelming. We had hours of prep work before we could even think about making the bed! And schlepping...good lord almighty....we had the truck totally loaded.

Three days later and we are amazed at how much better everything looks and smells!  We went to Traverse City yesterday...found my favorite bakery and did major damage at the local Wally World...when you have to buy one of everything, sticker shock!! But we are finally locked and loaded.

Electronics guys are on board this morning.. giving Floyd lessons on the new chart plotter, etc...it’s a beautiful day for a sea trial....clear and sunny...60 degrees..so it’ll be a little cool on the water but we’re use to that.

Our plan includes visiting places in the north for awhile...we’ve got a list...need to make sure all this works. Then we’ll leave the area forever. We have reserved a slip (and been paying for it since March 2018) at Green Turtle Bay....on the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. It’s closer to home so hopefully kids and grandsons and friends will visit...season is longer ...water is warmer! It’s a great full service marina with a Yacht Club on site. We think we’re gonna love having a home port. The down side for me is that in the heat of summer we’ll be moving in the skanky river again! Floyd doesn’t see that as a bad thing....

So now that I’ve retrieved the password and made this blog active again...I just have to remember how to post photos ....and we’re good to go!!  That is if any one is still out there in blogger land...