Merry Christmas from my boat to yours!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to Ken and KeKe Reeds house for Christmas Dinner.

Cousin Eric (and date Michele) arrived with fresh caught Lobster,  (Eric is a professional Lobster Fisherman) which they made into an appetizer.  Just grab a toothpick and spear a chunk of meat the size of your thumb....     (i damn near filled up on Lobster.  dont you just hate it when that happens!)  Additional guests were Rick, a golf buddy of Ken's and his wife Candy.  (they put the Krey in Crazy!)  Next you ADD enough KeKe home cooked food for an army.  Mix with a large portion of wine and enjoy!

Cousin Eric in an Oklahoma shirt to give the BAMA folk some grief.

FOOD: White potatoes, Sweet potatoes, incredible corn*, stuffing, limas, turkey, ham, green bean casserole.  I'm gonna need a bigger plate!  Oh, roll and cole slaw too...

Another entire pan of stuffing not even touched.  The next morning (i stayed over in 'my room' to avoid the Po Po) Ken wrapped up our leftovers for a homeless feast and i carried it to the city park where they gather.  Plus i took them a case of beer.  If you are gonna be homeless, you might as well be happy!    *KeKe i want your corn recipe.

Ken prepares leftovers under the watchful eye of Barkley and Bella.

I carried an apple pie to the party and we never even touched it.  Kinda broke my heart to leave it with the homeless, but hey, it's Christmas!  We all know the old saying, "It's better to give than to eat pie?"  
Merry Christmas to everyone, from our boat to yours!         -Skip

High in the low 80's today.  Ahhhhhhhhh the Pirates Life.

The Christmas Miracle keeps giving!

Yesterday was another Christmas Miracle.

Christmas Miracle History LINKS:  

#1.) Xmas Eve 2017, meeting the Angels on the dock.

#2.) the very next day was a miracle Christmas Cookout  Dec 25th, 2017.

Stuart FL.  Meeting Mack and Vicki McGahee with a porkchop in my backpack.

#3.) the third was finding the free LPG tank.  (The Christmas Miracle from March 7th, 2018 in Marsh Harbor.  The slightly used aluminum tank...) i filled it and it's sat on deck untouched.
#4.) the fourth Christmas Miracle, was running into Mack and Vicki at Hope Town.

#5.) yesterday was the 5th Christmas Miracle.  i had a chance meeting with my boat neighbor Paul on m/v Poco.  We were both dragging dock carts out to the parking lot to retrieve stuff from our cars.  Paul asked me to come by Poco at 6p for cocktails with he and his wife Marilyn.  Well it's Xmas, so of course i went!  We sat and visited enjoying sunset and i got ready to leave...  Marilyn says, "please stay and join us for dinner?"  How could i refuse that?  Paul got up to start the grill to cook three huge sirloins while Marilyn got busy in the galley with baked potatoes, cooking mushrooms and asparagus.  *Here is the miracle.  Paul cant find his 'little green gas bottle.'  So i run next door to my boat, Prodigal and return with the aluminum tank (miracle #3) - still full of fuel from Marsh Harbor - this was first and only time I've ever used it.  Christmas Eve to save the grill....   Miracle?

I hope YOU are enjoying a miraculous holiday!

- Peg Leg Pirate Skip

PS.  update: i just got a text message from Mack and Vicki wishing me a Merry Xmas.  A 6th Miracle has unfolded!  

I took a photo of Confetti, Mack and Vicki's yacht for them last year in April.  This Christmas, Mack's son Hunter presented Mack with an original watercolor done by his girlfriend Julia....

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the water...

I may only get switches this year.  But hey, it was a good year.  I deserve it.

What's been up?

Done, done and done!  For some reason, some people dont like to talk about Colonoscopies.  why?  

'IT' was yesterday and it went 'fine.'  Except, they moved venues the day prior.  i got a phone call from the doctors office that the clinic they originally scheduled me in did not take my insurance, so they moved it to another outpatient clinic.  *note: this is on the DAY that i'm doing "the prep" and drinking a gallon of lemon-yellow goo.  (goo drinking says, "drink from 4p-8p")  That same day as the phone calls, someone knocked on my boat.  my neighbor next door, Gary and Barbara on a big beautiful KadeyKrogen yacht...  "Skip I'm making meatballs tonight and want you to join us?"  I say oh YES please, then remember it's chicken broth only today.  Double Damn!  So, at 5:30 I go over and smell the meatballs to visit for a few minutes.  (till the prep sends me running home)  They have also invited the neighbors across the dock, Breck and Pat who also have a massive luxurious yacht.  (I'm the poor step child. The one who can't eat, or cocktail.)  Barbara was so sweet, she made me a cup of Chicken broth.  so NO food that 'prep' day or the day of the procedure.  I dropped some pounds and WAS mean as a bear!  The procedure was scheduled for 2pm yesterday.

 neighbors

So, jump back to the day prior, Monday the prep day.  i spent hours on the phone with the old clinic, the new clinic, the doctors office, my insurance company....    Now just for fun, the doctors office phone system was on the blink that day.  It started with me sitting on hold for over 30 minutes with their computer voice phone.  I guess you could say it really started twelve years ago... when at age 50 my doctor went on vacation the week when my first Colonoscopy was scheduled.  I did all the prep and showed up at the clinic per my appt.  I was THEN informed - from the little sliding glass window in the big clinic lobby - "your doctor is on vacation and the procedure is cancelled."  THAT caused me to be worried, curious, leery about this procedure this time.  [it made me furious then, at age 50]  At age 50 they rescheduled and i had to 'prep' again and go through all the rest a few weeks later.  Thus my fear of 'what can go wrong' and the phone calls to confirm all round.

Cut to the scene at the clinic yesterday.  1:45pm and i've checked in at the reception desk for my 2pm procedure.  She checks her system and informs me, "we dont have you on the schedule."  [oh horrors, not again?]  The clinic lady, Maria, tries to call the doctors office - you guessed it - the phones put her on hold...  Fortunately i have a cell phone number for the receptionist at the Gastroenterologist office and we work it out.  They fax in the doctors orders and they put me on the books - yippee!  they put me at the end of the list, 5pm.  (hungry as a bear)  Sunday night i ate a salad.  Monday i had 3 cups of chicken broth.  It's now Tuesday and i've not eaten or drank anything.  (Growl)  Fortunately all the clinic staff were great, the doctor showed up and it all went smooth.  At 4:45pm they wheeled me into the operating room and I awoke at 5:15p in recovery.  To celebrate my great good fortune I went out to eat at 6pm.

There is no moral to the story.  Sometimes Colonoscopies are just a pain in the butt!

I hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas!  

Unfortunately, with my medical bills, all i can afford to give you is this story.    

love you all.  xoxxoxo Skip

I'll be stuck here with my crazy friends at the marina restaurant.  With FOOD!

my weight: 204 lbs.  / my BMI is 24.8 normal

I'm finally back on Prodigal

Dad and I had a great massive 
'Christmas visit' this weekend.  

We took several 'little drives.'

Dad is following his routine and gets around well using his walker - for balance.  He is a healthy productive 90 year old.  The kind of guy who hangs out in Bingo halls or goes to Walmart just for fun...

On Sunday my sister Lynn and her husband David along with daughter Erin came to join us for Lunch.  The Bradshaw's were in Little Rock to attend the Nutcracker Ballet, where their youngest daughter, Hannah is a ballerina.

While visiting in Searcy, I was very fortunate to be invited to stay at the Sloan's house.  Each day during the visit I got to be a part of the Sloan family activities.  3 basketball games, 1 Christmas singing production, and a birthday party...   It never ended.  Tons of fun and family time.  Thanks again to the Sloan's for making me a part of the family!

Camille's 20th Birthday Party @ Treva's house.

Gentle Ben singing in the Academy Choir.

I stopped for the night in Valdosta Georgia to visit the Lester's next.  

Then finally arrived in Ft. Pierce and the Prodigal.

Doug, Peggy and I.

Peggy makes a roux for Gumbo.

Home Made Fruitcake.  YUM!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

- Pirate Skip

Where's Waldo?

So much to type, such lazy fingers...

I'm in Arkansas today.  Drove up last week to visit my 90 year old dad.  (emphasis on OLD)  

transit

Lester Farm

First stop: Valdosta Ga.  I stayed the night with Doug and Peggy Lester in their lovely farm house on 600 acres, where they are Cattle Ranch-Farmers.  Thanks Doug and Peggy for the feast, a great visit AND for the incredible Pecan Pie and homemade Fruitcake!  Dad and I shared some fruit cake yesterday and it's delicious.

Next stop, Searcy Arkansas and Dad.  I am graciously invited to stay with Ellis and Lori Sloan in Searcy, on Harding Drive.  Both Ellis and Lori work for Harding University and are dear old friends of mine.  (Lori and her family were next door neighbors to us growing up)

Ben, the Sloan's second child, after Camille - my favorite, played basketball for the Harding High School and we all got to watch him play.  

clap clap clap, clap clap clap, clap clap clap clap go Ben!

 "I L.O.V.E. cherries!"   - Bill Williams

"Me thinks he loves sausage too."   -Skip

Sudoku work

nap time.

TRANSIT PHOTOS:

 From the balmy 80's in Florida.

 to the bone chilling, wet 30's in Arkanas

this is a work in progress and i need to run for now...   more to follow.    -busy skip