My mom & dad

Today my parents have been married for 48 years!  Congratulations to both of them.  They are good, honest, hard working people.  They have lived in the same house since 1971, which is where I still call "home".   Even though I won't be with them to celebrate today, I'll be there in spirit.  How lucky I am to still have them!!  They have taught me to be true to myself and how to love.  Now as they go through the next phase in their lives, being great-grandparents, I wonder how they will again surprise me...  Love you both...

My mom hates having her picture taken!

Having the love of music, one of the best gifts in the world!  Thanks Dad

An old love... FOUND!

Okay, everyone knows I LOVE TO EAT...  I'm not a good cook, so I keep it as simple as possible.  My latest snack is POPCORN!  When I was a kid we ate it every Friday night while watching 'Rockford Files'.  My sister would make it, and she'd put a ton of butter on it!  I've always loved popcorn.  But then microwaves came along, and it just didn't seem to taste the same. The microwave stuff must have been lacking all that Crisco my sis put in the pan!!

So, on the boat, we do it the ol' fashion way!  No Crisco however, but canola or veggie oil.  I've found that you can make it plain & boring, sweet & salty, cheesy, spicy... the possibilities are endless!  So, find some fresh Parmesan cheese, or Tabasco and give your taste buds a treat!

Even goes with wine....

Spring Cleaning!

Now, or very soon, it will be time for SPRING CLEANING!  On our boat, there are 'pink' jobs and 'blue' jobs.  PINK is for girls and BLUE is for boys. 



PINK LIST...

Clean out cupboards:  Check expiration dates on canned goods.
                                    Kill any weird bugs that may have found their way onto your yacht.
                                    
Clean galley and head sink drains:  A combo of baking soda & vinegar, let soak about 20-30 minutes, then pour hot water down the drain.

Check fire extinguisher gages and dates.  Replace or refill as needed.

Change batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Wash pillows and blankets.  Store heavier blankets and quilts.  Space Bags work great for this!

Go through medications and various first aid items.  Throw away expired stuff, restock what you need.

Check and clean canvas.  Repair any rips, busted zippers, or snaps.

Wipe down the interior with whatever you like the smell of.   My mother would use bleach!

"Radio check" on the VHF.

Scrub with mold killer inside cabinets and closets.

Repack ditch bag.

Vacuum mattress.





BLUE LIST...

(  this will be MUCH longer and A LOT more work! )

Engine, engine, engine... Give it love, support, and read poetry to her...

Check the water maker, do a test.

Make sure the hot water tank still works.

Clean sails.  Repair any tears, check for wear.

Check and test ALL batteries.

Make sure the air conditioning is in good working order.  This will make your wife happy!!

Change potable water filters.

Fix what ever has broken in the past 6 months.

Put two or three coats of varnish on.

Check and fill propane tanks. 

Clean the bottom.  Or hire someone to clean the bottom!

Check rigging; standing and running; fix or have an inspection.

Check steering cables for wear.

Double check the date on your life raft.



Okay, I'm sure there's at least 45 things I've missed, but this is a good start!  Good luck!  A clean boat is a happy boat!!!

Home...

Not your typical Seattle home....

A beautiful day on the north coast...

When you live ANYWHERE, including a boat, it's home, right?  Well, yes and no.  Yes, Marionette is our home.  Our stuff is here, we eat here, shower here, have clothes in the closets... But for me, home is Seattle.  My daughter is there, her husband, Lil Bean in the oven, my mom & dad, my son, my mother-in-law... I'm starting to miss my family.  Which I'm guessing it fairly normal.  Whatever "normal" is!  I like the Dominican Republic for many reasons, but mostly for the green landscape here.  It's not Seattle, but for now, it's home... Doesn't look all THAT bad, does it???

Low cost hotel on the beach....

I LOVE the green!!

I'm going to be a grandma!

Marrs loves little babies....

Yes, you read that right!  I'm going to be a grandma!  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  But with this wonderful news also comes some sadness.  We will have to put the boat up and go home to Seattle.  When you live on a boat, it becomes part of you.  The boat comes before anything else.  She must be taken care of.  We've owned serveral houses over the years, but a boat is different.  She is special.  But once the new year comes around, we'll be back at it!  Maybe Panama...

Mosquitoes...

Part of life living in the tropics are BUGS!  UGH!  Especially mosquitoes. So, here's a few things that might help...


( An e-mail I received from my dad... )

How to Kill Mosquitoes

You may be aware of this, How to Kill Mosquitos - NOT A JOKE

I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared.. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well.. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children's swing area, and the standing water nearby.

Now, if you're like me, you didn't get this information until it was too late!  In that case, here's some more ideas...

Soak the bite with vinegar.  Doesn't smell great, but it will stop itching, which can turn into an infection.

Rub the bite with Vick's Vapor Rub, your sheets will be a mess if you climb into bed after, but relief is relief!

Fruit Smoothie...

This is my own recipe... You can change it up, add a little more here, or a little less there... This will require refrigeration and power...


1 cup of plain yogurt OR 1 cup of soy milk
1 cup of cranberry juice OR whatever else you have around 
2 cups of frozen fruit
2 cups of ice
1 tablespoon of cinnamon ( opt )
1 cup of  cold water


Throw everything into the blender and MIX!
Makes 4 servings



HELPFUL HINTS: Buy fresh fruit and freeze.  Cut up pineapple in chunks, peel bananas and break in half, wash and cut strawberries,  peel a mango and slice.  Place in plastic bags and freeze.  Use as needed!  Mix and match!

Simple foods and most things are easy to find, even off the beaten path!



You can also add some RUM to this for a Sundowner Party...


                                                  ENJOY!!!!!!!