Wrapping Up 2015

I can't believe another year has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday when everyone was worried about the year 2000 ... sixteen years ago!  We wrapped up 2015 the way most folks probably did ... enjoying Christmas & New Year's.  However, I bet you folks lucky enough to be reading this from Florida or the Caribbean didn't experience rain the entire time.  But hey, we didn't have to shovel snow so I guess it's all relative.

Ken and I enjoyed our new, tiny condo with our tiny tree that we borrowed from our daughter.  Actually, we swapped trees ... she now has the big one for her new house.  Once again, the timing of things has worked out for the best ... I just need to keep reminding myself of that when I get impatient with the boat.

To keep the Christmas spirit alive (and to prevent going stir-crazy from the rain), our daughter came over Christmas Eve day so we could bake chocolate chip cookies (are you reading this Ellen @ Cynical Sailor .. I thought of you) and fudge.  We baked and listened to Christmas music, which really helped my spirits.  I do bake some pretty awesome fudge ... just check out the back of a Marshmallow Creme jar for the recipe.

That night was spent with my Mom & Step-Dad at the casino for a buffet of prime rib and crab ... so good!  Did we have another big meal the next day?!  Between the weather and the holidays, I was sure to gain 5 lbs.!

Another excellent meal did indeed await us on Christmas Day at our daughter & son-in-law's new house ... a good ole Southern brunch complete with shrimp n grits and all sorts of good stuff.  We had a relaxing time with family and even met a great couple (our son-in-law's Aunt & Uncle) that recently bought their first sailboat ... I swear it seems we're meeting more & more folks that are getting into sailing.  I've been using my crappy camera phone, so while I think the kids look great ... I'm gonna blame my crappy phone for our picture.  The shadows and the lighting sucked ... oh well, if I'm gonna have a blog I gotta be real.

Look what the kids gave me ... a hunky pirate "Merman"!  I love it, and he'll definitely have a place on Nirvana.  Maybe I'll call him our protector and hang him in the boat for good luck.

The kids also gave me the collapsible measuring cups & bowls that I wrote about on my Christmas Wish List and something I'd been wanting, but hadn't gotten around to telling anyone about ... an adult coloring book!  How did they know?!  Even better, they found a coloring book with an ocean theme.  The pictures definitely aren't for a kid (or someone with no patience), and I can't wait to start getting creative.

The kids gave Ken two really nice shirts to take on the boat ... a quick-dry Saints shirt (Who Dat!) and a nice light-weight collared shirt from the local Abita Brew Pub.  If you haven't tried an Abita "Amber" or "AndyGator" you need to, but watch out ... those Gators will sneak up on ya!

   Santa gave Ken and I these cool "Nirvana" t-shirts ...

Ken and I have never spent a lot on each other at Christmas .. especially since buying Nirvana.  I gave him a light yellow t-shirt from "Life Is Good" and he gave me a quick-dry long sleeved shirt to keep me protected from the sun when on the boat.  Oh, and we did treat ourselves after Thanksgiving with a West Marine "Black Friday" deal ... Offshore Inflatable PFDs.  These were a really good deal at half off .. a savings of $200 bucks!

We rang in the New Year with friends, but were in bed before midnight.  Um ... we started celebrating a little too early ... no worries, good times! 

In between the rain and the holidays, Ken managed to install our new shaft, coupling, hose, clamps and stuffing box with packing already inside.  As always, it wasn't easy!  Stay tuned for pics and details in another post.  Yesterday was the first sunny day in I don't know how long, so hopefully the weather will cooperate and we'll have Nirvana back in the water real soon.

Happy New Year ya'll!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!