Highlights of the summer of 2019...

• Brother Barry and crew manned the fort and took such good care of Mom...what a relief!
• New refrigerator 
• Floyd’s new horns...though he did get in trouble more than once for unwarned honking!
• Museum at Whitefish Point with great artifacts from Edmond Fitzgerald
• Lunch buffet at the Grand Hotel, Mackinaw Island 
• Charlevoix with the Bemis crew!
• Mobile groomer came to Leland...
• Frankfort with Shanna banana 
• All those calls to Saugatuck Marina mechanic and still no batteries or work!! And no shopping!
• Meeting up with Janet and Laurie in Chicago
• Attending Hamilton and cheering for the Cubs...front and center....I ❤️ Chicago...
• Rainstorm and grocery shopping timing...we didn’t get wet
• Boat visit from Ben Stien and Laura...solving our electrical issue in less than 30 minutes on a Saturday night!
• Seneca and Spring Brook Marina...where new boat batteries happened
• Locking through at 5 AM...what an artery clearing adventure...both times!
• Shopping at Starved Rock
• Laughing at MAD HOUSE II....meeting TARYN AWEIGH
• Wickets down...driving through open locks
• Re-connecting with Larry and Cindy  BUCKET LIST in Grafton
• Cooler temps on the skanky river...who woulda thought the 80s in July were possible??
• Fourteen and a half hour boating day from Kaskaskia to Paducah....and then there was SassySea Sally and TARYN AWEIGH....boating into GTB with them...and hanging out for a while!! 
• GTB slip was even better than we thought 
• Bad haircut for poor Dakota
• New friendships at GTB
• New chairs ordered...bigger in slip patio

Two weeks later...geesh, I’m hoping my list of things to do at home begins to dwindle. I’ve literally been going at the speed of light....but as I catch my breath, I’m determined to finish this up so I can get it printed! Good to have goals! Floyd stopped here long enough to drop me off and purchase a few things for boat projects...he and Dakota headed back to the boat four days later. He plans to be in Kentucky til Mid October. You’d think with me “home alone” I’d be making better progress...

So we were gone from Wichita 103 days...left on May 23 and returned on September 3...while they weren’t all glorious, our mission was accomplished without much ado. In fact, it was a perfectly pleasant total boating experience...we had some boat issues, but they weren’t deal breakers. Nothing that really slowed our progress or broke the bank. We had some extremely hard days, but we knew ahead of time what to expect...and those days put us closer to the new home port...all worth it!  We had some days that just seemed to be blessed...timing, weather or temperatures all worked with us for a change. Even though the skanky river section was skanky, we managed without many headaches. Most important, we didn’t kill each other!

We traveled 1091 miles...leaving Northport for the last time on June 16 and arriving at Green Turtle Bay on Sunday August 4.

We rented a car while we were in Harbor Springs and took road trips to Whitefish Point, Saulte Ste Marie and Mackinaw Island.

By boat, we visited 29 ports...though we did go to Charlevoix 3 times and back to Northport twice chasing that electrical issue. New to us were the stops at Elk Rapids, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Arcadia, Seneca, Alton, and Paducah. At Manistee, we stayed at a marina that was new to us...and one that was so improved we almost didn’t recognize it!

Home safe and sound....though they coulda  dialed down the heat a little. At least it’s a dry heat!! Lol...like that makes it better...it’s is a whirlwind of activity as we unpack, catch up with friends and regroup for sending Floyd and Dakota back to the boat. We have several things we want to buy here and send back ...so Floyd has projects! New handles for all drawers and cabinets is high on the List! He plans to head out Sunday afternoon...stopping Monday just a little off the beaten path to pick up that new dock box...sure hope that works!!

Emory did start on enlarging our deck ...he started on Tuesday....and Wednesday he’s done!! Our friend Vicki sent photos....we’re very pleased!

We have managed to gather a summer summary...I do plan to post that. Then it’ll be time to get this little book printed!! Soon....

This place is beyond busy....people, kids and dogs are everywhere ....and we are having a blast people watching....and we’ve got that great view of the boat ramp. Several boats yesterday that didn’t make it through the weekend....as well as interesting boat dockage in the dark....oh, my!

Coffee pot malfunction was not averted! Play Taps!!  Thank goodness we hadn’t thrown out the leftover coffee...so lives will be safe Monday morning. But it’s really serious! We have had an under the counter attached, original Black and Decker coffee maker....looks like hell but made great coffee! Until yesterday....think the electrical innards shot craps. They no longer manufacture any coffee makers that attach under the counter....so tears...and tons of online looking and discussion about moving forward...and where we’re gonna find the counter space for a coffee maker...hopefully, we’ve made the right choice. Stay tuned to see that play out. We Amazon ordered one...will arrive in Wichita on Wednesday so we can check it out.....meanwhile, this one stays put....

And the schlepping has begun in earnest...the plan is to leave here around 1...drive as far as Springfield...then into Wichita on Tuesday. Hope to arrive early afternoon...unload, visit grocery store and pick up mail before collapsing in a heap! Mom, Kelli and grand boys are in there too. I’m sure Brother Barry and crew working with Mom are gonna heave a sigh of relief to have me back on deck. I’m rested and ready....I’m always glad to get to the boat...and glad to get home! I just wish it didn’t require so much schlepping...I need to work on that!!M

We can not believe all the people on the dock today...must be Labor Day weekend....boaters everywhere flocking for one last hoorah....and they seem to all be dog owners!

Floyd has started schlepping the “going to Wichita” items to the truck...we’re seriously thinking we’ll head out tomorrow and break the trip in to two shorter rides....get back early enough to visit grocery store etc...I’m good with that...

Today is people watching...oh, and trying to avert coffee pot malfunction....it could get ugly!!

Thirsty Turtle last night was tons of fun...our group grew from 4 to 6  to 8...and then 9....joined at one point by Bill Gary Sr...owner of GTB. Drinks were cold and food was mediocre...band was really pretty decent...time spent chatting on pier 5 with everyone and watching the masses arrive was delightful...but we were up way past our bed time...

Tonight is a totally different experience...off to the Yacht Club!

We did take a trip into Murray KY this morning to visit some chairs we’ve been talking about. They were even better than we thought...so Captain Floyd pulled the trigger on those bad boys...Stressless recliners with auto foot rest in Oxford blue will be a lovely update to our salon...hope Dakota likes them!!

We also got to experience a little of the Grand Rivers Art and craft show craziness...traffic was un-frickin’- believable.  Think I’ll wait for the shopping part tomorrow...

Mayor of Pier 5 has created a monster...Vickie loves Dakota and yesterday she bought him a silly squeaky toy...so now he loves her even more....but we know it went over the top when he came to bed last night carrying his new toy. We allowed it to stay...but prayed the squeaking didn’t happen during the night....thankfully it didn’t...

He’s gonna be so sad next spring when she doesn’t return....us too!!