Sunsets and friends

 While searching for our dream boat, we got a little distracted with side attractions such as a disc golf game....Florida style....lot's of Spanish Moss and palms everywhere....all the while looking for that lurking gator.




One of our main goals once we landed in the Tampa Bay area, was to have Tim's bad shoulders taken care of through the VA Hospital here.  As it turns out, the doctors can't diagnose any specific problem through the MRI's and examinations, so we've decided to wait further on any type of surgery (and hence possible long recovery), but rather combat the inflammation and pain with good old "Vitamin I" (IBU Profen)....a miracle drug in it's own right.  Onward thru the fog we go......

......with another fun stop at a large sand sculpting contest on Siesta Key near Sarasota, FL. 





Did you know that they spray a water downed Elmers glue all over  the sculpture to hold it together?  Quite a lot of talent in something that is so temporary....more time than money for sure.

It's me, Al 

And then one night, we finally rendezvoused
with Alison---Leslie's first room mate in college 1977....once again, without skipping a beat---we picked right up where we left off about 30+ years ago......except we didn't stay up all night like those good ol' days.....
"ah, ha, ha, ha, staying alive....staying alive"  (yep, the Bee Gees---lots of disco I must confess----it was the era---along with the Rocky Horror Picture Show------geez, I digress)

wow, man....$1.50 drafts...

So anyway, we have had a wonderful experience playing...... and then playing some more all around the mid-west coast of Florida----life is not only a vacation, it's a total beach at this point.

Sandhill cranes on the golf course behind Mike's house where we've stayed for a month now.....really cool bird watching.

Our deepest gratitude to Mike for many things, including his extensive knowledge of sailboats---but mostly for being a good friend

And speaking of good friends.......

 this beautiful sunset memory is dedicated to our dear friend in Santa Fe, 
Steve Bailey.....
rest in peace.....we'll miss you    







Coming next-----our new sailboat, "Fiesta"---
an Island Packet 35 :)                    

Life is a journey....not a destination Part II

And as promised, here's Part II of the video Road Reflections created by Tim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7is05Ja1Z8&list=UUWkujpkdOhS75mdt3gIQsxQ

Also, if you want to check out any of Tim's other 33 videos,
they're only about 1-4 minutes duration each and are quite entertaining:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TimReevesVideo/videos

Soon to come.....results of our boat search
.......drum roll please......

Life is a journey....not a destination

And now for something different....here's a brand new video lovingly filmed, produced and artistically edited by our one and only favorite (and humorously unconventional) videographer......Tim

Part I of our trek across the US

(got popcorn?)

Click 

Road reflections Part I

And then stay tuned for Part II in the works......

Down the east coast NY to FL

We left NYC behind with a "peace" of contentment....we had done it, 

with grace and glory.

So now what?  SOUTH-ward-ho!  We drove for hours down the east coast on a beautiful fall day and found ourselves landing for a night in a quiet & quaint & artistic Chesapeake seaside town of Cape Charles, VA.

Never enough

Here's to my fav mermaids---Susan, Nancy & Krista

Cape Charles, VA

This small strip of peninsula on south eastern Chesapeake Bay is joined to the Virginia mainland by the interesting long Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel....an engineering marvel.  

You start out on a bridge and dive into a tunnel half way across and come up the other side.....a passage for ocean vessels...really cool.  We've also found along the way, that there are several tunnels that won't allow vehicles like our van because of the propane tank we carry.  Fortunately this one was good to go for us as we coasted into Norfolk/Virginia Beach.....

and then on down to......

Our next big adventure was a long overdue visit to our crazy good friend (and neighbor for a while on Witt Rd in Taos).......Howie.

Need a laugh?  Visit Howie

We arrived early into Kill Devil Hills where Howie lives on the Outer Banks and thought we would take a short siesta in a beach parking lot before meeting up with her Gilda Radner-style high energy.  Not but 5 minutes into a couple of zzzz's.....we hear,

"You can run, but you can't hide!"  Dang if she didn't nail us.  The next 2 days was just like old times when we all 

"wived on da wight side of Witt Woad"

(think like Elmer Fudd here)  This has grown into an ongoing Reeves family joke to this day....of which I'll spare you.  Needless to say the fun picked right back up that day on the OBX.

We had a blast riding bikes around the Wright Bro's memorial in Kitty Hawk

.....finding some beach time.....the OBX has over a 1000 ship wrecks off it's shore----and earned the title: 

"Graveyard of the Atlantic".

Where's Leslie?  Metal detecting :)

It's so good to finally be able to visit with old and dear friends----this is essentially a very large important part of this whole journey.  Thanks Howie----never stop laughing!!

Next stop---Durham, NC

Home of Duke University and our friends Michael and Gretchen Morrissey....

...and don't forget Sunshine too

We first met Michael and Gretchen at the BnB in 1996, when they came to stay with us one cold wintery day.  They had been up skiing when Michael's bravado lured him off a rock in Hunziker Bowl only to break his leg*.....the ER doc told him to stay put for a few days in Taos, so they found us....friends for life.  Oh yeah...one more thing.....it was their honeymoon.  But they still came back for many years after. Not only were we all compatible skiers, but they were also sailors. 

                                         *sorry Michael, had to put it in here---it's a great story :)

Amazing homegrown pepper garden

Gretchen is a talented textile design artist with awarding winning recognition.  Michael is a master of many trades, notably evading hackers on the internet for a large company.

Thanks to the Morrisseys for a fun 2 days----we know we'll see you down in the islands on our boat in the near future---bring the rum fun!

We finally made Florida a week ahead of schedule.  

By staying focused on our dream, we had to give up a few other family and friends visits.......maybe next time or....come see us!  We had 3 scheduled visits on different boats for sale along the way.....one could have been a contender, but we had to compare....so onward. 

Nellie Bly----nicely outfitted

First Manatee sighting----mom and pup

Historic lighthouse in St. Augustine, FL

We are currently on the west coast of Florida south of Tampa, staying with the ever kind and gracious Mike Fauser---a friend of Tim's from high school in St Louis.....who is also our invaluable (and very patient) boat broker.  

Mike and Patti---sunset on da beach

For a week we have looked at about a dozen Island Packet 35ft boats....there's so much to know....

so stay tuned dear friends and family....the next posting should reveal our decision.....

in the meantime.....keep on  lovin' and laughin'