Halloween anyone?

I love Halloween and I love October. Today, which is the 1st of Oct., we went to go get our projected Halloween decorations. I will be attempting to make webs for the East end of the trailer (visible to our neighbors on that side) and a smaller one between our windows on the South side, both with spiders on them. I found a cute string garland with black fringe and white skulls on it, to hang along the awning edge. We found some fabric flowers, sunflowers and mexican marigolds, to put in the vase outside and put that in front of Selina (our tarantula) in her cage. I have a skull covered in silver glitter out there, too, but that might make it inside because the glitter will get away, and then I want to have something inside. I asked one of my friends to give me their recycled milk jugs, so that we can make our milk jug skeletons, again. I will hang one up at my mom's grave, and the other one will be given away, but they will be hung at either end of the awning until they are fully made. We can make the skulls and the rib cages now (which should be fun). I am thinking about what we can do for John's birthday on the 12th, and then again, Leo's birthday is the 25th of Oct. and he is planning on a laser tag birthday party. Should be a fun month, all together. I love being here in San Diego for this time of year, but sometime in the future, I would really love to be in Mexico for Day of the Dead celebrations. I love my life!

August and saving money for next trip

We are all together again in San Diego County. While the kids and I managed to come home May 5th to help my dad with his doctor's appts. and his kidney stones (which are still bothering him), John drove home later with the dog in the dodge. Then John went over to Jordan for 5 wks. to train linemen there and is now back to us and also back to work here in SD. So now it is all about the activities that the kids can participate in while we save for the next portion of the trip. Leo & Teresa didn't get enough training in to qualify for Junior Olympics in SD but there is always next year. They have been dropping time in almost all their races in the past 3 meets and seem pretty happy with themselves, something that we strive for them to be while here. They love being with their friends on the swim team. T has been hinting that she would like to be back in ballet, so we are going to sign her up for that. I don't know about Leo, but we will find something like that for him (although he doesn't want to dance). We are just trying to enjoy being back here, helping my dad get over his stones (or get them out the least painful way), visiting with relatives while here, enjoying the amenities of SD (as in the museums here, getting ready for the school year, going on outings here like Green Valley Falls). Somehow, I am more focussed this year on saving money for the next trip. Let's hope that all stays well for all of us while we gear up for the next trip... maybe I should also post more often to document what is happening with the kids and the adults. We love our lives here but we also love our trips!

AS for me? I am now doing a regular yoga practice that is about 3 times a week and learning to organize my cleaning frenzies. Maybe that would also entail writing again? And loving being a swim official. I just took my starter test and passed it. I even got to start some races this weekend at the Games of America/Cal State Games. That was fun, but also hard due to some overly invested-in-their-kid's-swim-performance parents from out of state. I know they meant well, but if they have complaints about the games, they should address them to the organization, not to the facilitating team, which was CAST... and then accept what we say when we say it, instead of hovering over different volunteers and complaining, whinging and whining. Really? Yes, really...

moving back to SD

Have I mentioned how I hate to move? Have I mentioned how I hate (or more like it, grow bored) with staying in the same place too long? (sighing) There is something definitely wrong with me... so we flew back on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo, dude!) and slept in my Mother-in-Law's house for the past week while I helped my dad travel the kidney stone procedure journey that he is currently on (and boy, I so do not want to walk down that path!), and finally moved the trailer with Heather's (another homeschooling mama) help this past Monday, the 16th.

So now, as I gaze on the clothing littering the couch (there is a couch under there, right?), and wonder what the heck needs to get done next so that I don't end up driving back to the same store over and over again, I sit back and notice that May Grey is the predominant feature of San Diego right now, and that my cozy little trailer is home to me, just as the boat is home to me. While I am not an interesting enough person who would be caught in a "torn between two lovers" scenario, I can't help but feel a wee bit like that over the fact that when I am at the boat, I love it; when I am in the trailer, I feel all warm and cozy and love it.

Yeah, definitely something wrong with me. San Diego! Here I am!

All Good Things...

The cruise has been great. Images from different islands, the cruise on the river in San Blas, have been flitting through my head. But we leave tomorrow to fly to San Diego to go help my dad with his health issues. Almost all the people here are just the best! Tami off "Andiama" and her kids. Andrea off of "Safety Cat" and her daughter Pari. All the kids here at Marina La Cruz & their respective families, all of them are such great people! I am so going to miss everyone. (but not the humidity and heat that is gradually building...)

I've packed. Leo has packed. I will get Teresa to pack soon (of course, knowing her, she has all ready taken care of it). My last yoga class with Lee leading was this morning. We will go out to breakfast tomorrow morning and I will say good bye to the boat for who knows how long... I am making lists of stuff that needs to stay on the boat, stuff that needs to be taken off the boat, and stuff that needs to be given away.

While I do miss certain things that I can only get in the U.S., and of course friends and family, I am really going to miss this place. Its hard to think of being away for 6 mos. or being away until Jan. (if John's work in Jordan flies us out there for 6 mos. starting in mid-Sept.), but there are so many people that I will get to see in Los Angeles, in San Diego and foods that I have missed (hello! Trader Joe's!), movies to see, and of course my Dad. I thought I was going to leave in sadness, but I can't. Not really. I have so much that I am thankful for, healthy kids, a great husband, a boat that I love, a lifestyle that I am always amazed at living...

I hope you take a moment out and think of all the good things in your life and just be grateful for that moment. No need to dwell on it, just be grateful and then keep on moving forward! Love my friends so much, both in Mexico, in the U.S. and all around the world...

Marina La Cruz, home for Popoki for the next year

So here we are... in Marina La Cruz. Earlier than expected but it seems like we should have gotten here even sooner. My father, who is 82, is having some health issues and had to go to the ER twice in April (so far), so we had to make our way from Bug blas, er, San Blas to La Cruz at night. The marina is smaller, than say, Marina Maz, but definitely a better looking one with the town in full view on one side. There is another Gemini Catamaran here, so we are definitely not the smallest boat here. All of the people here are super nice, something that we have found at most of our destinations.

Of course, let me tell you about my new friend, Tami. She is totally nice, great looking and has a beautiful family and boat. She started a "kids' club" here in La Cruz, and so now people with kids are drawn here. Are L&T just loving that, or what? On top of that, Teresa has been having a ball playing with Abby and Leo is just hanging out with Christian and being "dudes" with him by playing on their Wii (btw, Gene the dad? is totally a cool dude to play Wii with also, according to Leo Boleo). New besties? who knows? If I could only cook as well as Tami can, then we will never lose the weight from the states!

Great people all around us, great attitudes and energy in this place. I am looking forward to exploring the little town here and eating at some of the restaurants here. Anna Bananas for breakfast, anyone?

Having said the above, it makes me a bit sad to know that I need to leave next Tues. and fly to San Diego to help Dad with his kidney problems. I am going to be flying Volaris, an airline that Gwyn & Joan took to Maz from TJ and had a great experience with. So that will be my next little adventure next week, flying into TJ and taking a cab to the pedestrian crossing at the border and having some nice friend or relative pick me up.

I hope that all of my friends are doing well and that I will get to see them when I get to the states. I'm not sure if I will be flying home to the boat again afterward, since John can stay on the boat until June 5th or so before he has to make his way to San Diego to get ready to fly out to Amman for work starting at the end of June. I'm also not sure if the kids are taking off with me, or staying to play until their dad drives the truck back with the dog. Those decision will have to be made later today. We have friends that will be staying on their boat for the hurricane season, so there is always the possibility that we will be coming back to the boat to hang out here, or take the trailer out of storage and go back to our activities in San Diego until Oct. Guess those decisions will be made soon, too.

Safe sailing to all our friends, whether you are on a boat or not.

Say "Good Bye" to Mazatlan

Well, we have been in Mazatlan for a whole month (and a couple) and have had a good time. We met some awesome boat crews (like "Ascension", "Perceptions/Kainoni

Say "Good Bye" to Mazatlan

Well, we have been in Mazatlan for a whole month (and a couple) and have had a good time. We met some awesome boat crews (like "Ascension", "Perceptions/Kainoni", "Cat-and-about", "LadyHawke", "Liquid 8", "Shamu", "Full Shell", "Firefly" among others), managed to hook up with our friends off "Ocean Blue" (who's kids are really lovely), and ate some awesome food.

First off, I would like to say that I have found a community that I truly, truly love and fit in with. When another mom says to me, "We don't make the kids take showers everyday" in a hesitant voice and I can say confidently "Oh neither do we!". All of us women have some common concerns: How do we provision? Where is the best produce? What bus do we take for that? How do you keep your hair from flying in your face constantly while under sail? What do you do with your hair everyday? What are the bugs like there at that anchorage? What do you use to keep the bugs off you? How do you pack, so that you can still find things in your food locker but the food is not squished? Where can you buy dog food (or cat food, or baby food)? Where are you doing your laundry? What is a good price for doing that here?

I love it that so many of us have the same questions. Sometimes, I can answer. Sometimes, I am asking the questions. Don't we all like to be in a group of people where most of them are helpful? I can truly say that here at Marina Mazatlan, almost all the people have been helpful and nice.

Life has been good to us here. The engine got fixed (yay on that one, it was the alternator that needed to be replaced, and then one of the wires had a short in it), our kids got to play with their friends, Steven and Skylar, our kids had a sleep over on the boat (!), we have been healthy (sometimes too healthy, we have been having some great meals here in maz), the weather has been wonderful (OK, the fog has been kind of creepy-interesting), we had a visit from our relatives (Hi j-mom! Hi Gwyn!), we got to stay at our time share and be treated to a hotel room, and finally the kids and I got our hair trimmed!

Great meals have been had at "La Tramoya"(at the head of dock 3, in Marina Mazatlan), "La Mona"(beside the Marina Mazatlan offices), "Senor Leonoso" at Bruja's Beach, "Beach Burger" at the Plazuela Machado. We always recommend our friends to go to "Pedro Y Lola's" even though we had no chance to go this year.

We went to "Serenity Spa" for our hair cuts today. 100 pesos for the kids, each, and 200 pesos for me (400 pesos ends up being about $33 U.S.). And a pedicure would have set me back about 200 pesos, but I didn't have the time for it. Too bad, because the last pedicure I did is kind of old. And tired. Oh, well. Don't look at my feet, if you don't want to see the last centimeter of old wine colored polish chipping off.

We rediscovered "Emperadors" (think oreos, but chocolate filled instead)& Bohemia/Negra Modelo, discovered Zuko (think tang, but bettah!), and drink the Pacificos by the 8 pk now.

We are so looking forward to the next part of our trip, sailing to Puerto Vallarta. We plan on staying in about 4-5 different little anchorages on our way there, then staying in La Cruz for a few days and then onto Paradise Village outside of PV. I am not looking forward to the no-see-'ums, but we are now armed with a non-toxic bug spray and Skin-So-Soft (yes the avon standby). Looks like the wind will be with us and we are hoping for not as much swell as predicted, but we look forward to meeting new boat crews and other families as we explore this part of the coast, that we know so well by road, now by sea.

Good bye Mazatlan! Hello adventure!

Sea of Cortez crossing

As a cruiser that is not comfortable yet cruising, crossing the Sea of Cortez was an adventure. Definitely out of my comfort zone. The first night watch, I shook uncontrollably at 3 in the morning. At 3:30 when the wind dropped, I had to make a decision to wake the captain or try to make due with what was there. After playing with the headsail and mainsail for a while, and seeing on the autopilot that we were going 0 knots per hour, I finally woke John up. He came up and said "hm" and fiddled with the sails until the wind kind of freshened and got us back up to 2 knots per hour. Whereupon, I gratefully fell asleep until 7 AM.

Maybe I should back up a bit and say that as we left Pto. Escondido, we were only sailing to Agua Verde, a 17 mile away anchorage that was very beautiful and relaxing. As we were pulling into this anchorage though, the first of our engine problems started. We spent the night there and then went onto some beautiful spots that were equally relaxing to go to over the course of 7 days.

We were going to pull into Frailles (which is on the cape of Baja) when we realized that the wind was in the South and the fog that was covering Frailles was more as likely as not, going to stay on for the rest of the day (this was at 2 PM). John said "Let's hang a left?" and away we went, to start our crossing.

That 2nd morning on the water broke with about 75 dolphins playfully swimming around our boat and riding our wake. The 2nd night of watch was good and not scary at all. But then again, 1st night watch was from midnight to 4 AM, while 2nd night was 8 PM to midnight. At 10:30 PM, I had already sighted one of the lighthouses before Mazatlan and by midnight, John let me go lay down for a few hours sleep. I got up at 2, and that's when we realized that what with no wind and the engine wouldn't stay on for more than 5 min. at a time, we needed to give ourselves a new plan. Ingeniously, John lashed the dinghy to our starboard side, got in and turned on the motor. Under 2 1/2 knots, we guided ourselves in... oh wait, why can't we see Mazatlan? Oh could that be a huge fog bank covering most of Mazatlan?

We ended up anchoring off of Punto Cameron, in front of Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay, which was kind of funny given that we are time share owners there. That was at 6:30 (and kudos to my son Leo, who got into the dinghy at 5 and stayed there until we were at anchor). By 10:30 this fog had burned off enough for us to realize that we needed to be 2 1/2 miles further South for the channel entrance that leads into the marinas, and we were tied up to the dock by noon.

While I am glad that I am more comfortable with night watch, I have to say that being sea sick the entire time that we were sailing and I was needed to go below to cook, really bummed me out. I wish I had been thinking about it. I could have had some fresh ginger aboard to get rid of it (and I have a great recipe for ginger tea that works for me), or at least some way to make myself not feel so crappy!

For now all I can say is that I am glad it is over, I am glad that we are in a great marina and that I am glad that the kids had some friends at the nearby El Cid marina, to play with.

on the mooring ball at last!

We got Popoki back in the water on Thurs. the 8th of Feb. spent the next 2 nights on the dock and then on the 10th got out on mooring ball 99. Of course getting the rope with the shackle on it was almost impossible as the secondary buoy was not there. I had to hold onto the mooring ball with the boat hook for 15-20 min. while boat assistance from Singlar came out and pulled up the line (without shackle) from underneath the main buoy.

Boat life will settle in as soon as John and I get over the flu completely (we caught it at the beginning of the week). Kids and John
went in yesterday and I just slept in while they were gone. Today we decided to not go in at all, and I am not concerned that the dog has not gone to the bathroom since I walked her just before leaving the dock. I went and demonstrated for her twice, and even Teresa went and showed her where and how to go. The dog stared at us blankly. Since then I just have to be patient that
she will remember, as she has done both on deck before. Keep your fingers crossed that the dog figures it out.

John had to take the sink apart today, when he went to replace the water filter and something snapped off underneath. He got it
cleaned out and put back together and fixed but it is always something on a boat. We do not like where the water filter housing is and would prefer to move it next trip, but then again, he will be putting in a hot water heater and it will need to be re-plumbed as well. The sink is not in permanently, so I guess it is just as well.

Since I have forgotten my cable for downloading pictures from my camera into the computer, and also forgotten the battery charger for the camera battery, I told my dad and he promised to send both in the mail. Maybe it will be here next week.

We hope to do some little day sails and then some overnights soon to the nearby islands. Hope I get my cables soon so that
I can download pix onto the blog and onto FB. Love & miss my friends... and I am astonished that the world moves the way it does, we managed to pick up the news on our wi-fi connection for our computers and were astounded that Mubarack is no longer in control of Egypt. I am happy for the people of Egypt and hope that the transition is a peaceful one.

lists, lists, lists!

Grippos Holidays

Christmas Grippos

Grippos had a great Christmas. Here is Leo, looking like the 12 yr old that he now is.

2011 Schooling?

So I am getting excited about leaving San Diego. No, really, I am. Whenever I think of the boat, I think, aaaah, I am getting a nicer kitchen with less oven. Of cozy nights playing Monopoly, or Pass the Pigs. Of reading with the family. Or visiting with our boating neighbors. But...

We got great news! We are going to Jordan as a family in May! Yippeee! But now that means we are not only practicing our Spanish for this next trip, but we need to research and learn about Jordan and learn some polite phrases in Arabic. Oh really? So now my curriculum for 2011 looks like a mad woman put it together. Science will be life sciences (cell reproduction and such, genus and families of animals/flowers/insects and such), Spanish (verbs & conjugations, vocabulary, conversational practice), MathUSee 3rd & 4th levels, reading for pleasure, writing an adventure novel for the kids, and podcasts of science and grammar and Spanish, classical literature for kids (Tom Sawyer, The Diary of Anne Frank, Dickens and stuff like that). Can we say that I feel a bit crazed by all this? I hope my sanity returns in time for me to pack it!