Final 2 1/2 weeks aboard S/V BeBe (sniff, sniff; wipe a tear)

We have been so busy setting up household in Galveston that I have been lax in catching up this blog.  This posting covers our final 2 1/2 weeks aboard S/V BeBe.  Likely, I will make one more final posting later this year covering our adjustment back to land life.  That  is something that people often wonder about -- how does one adjust back to land after cruising for more than a decade.  Too soon yet to know how that will go.

S/V BeBe from aloft

On 11 January 2017 new owners Dan and Lori Carlson arrived in St. Thomas. We had docked at American Yacht Harbor marina in Red Hook in order to make their moving aboard as easy as possible.  Good thing we had booked 2 nights in this marina because half of their luggage did not arrive with them.  It was delivered to the marina the following day.  Dan took the opportunity while tied to the dock to go up and check out things at the top of the mast. Wind was high so that also was a good reason to hang around the marina for an extra day.  As we motored out on Friday the 13th (shudder!), unbelievably, that wind instrument again acted up!!  Is there no end to this problem!

Lori & Judy watching Dan at top of mast

Bill realized as we motored out that the instrument once again reported erratic readings after strong winds and heavy rain. This convinced him that we were getting water intrusion into the sensors.  Since every component had been replaced more than once, the only thing left to replace was what is called the control mount.  It is a mount built into the end of a cable which runs through the mast down to the Hydra 2000 at the nav station. The wind instrument attaches to the control mount at the top of the mast.  We had this part but had been unable to hire anyone to do this work and I did not want Bill going up there again.  He had some minor surgery on his thigh last September and each time he went up the mast that incision area was irritated. Thankfully, Dan is quite comfortable going up the mast.  We motored to Francis Bay and as soon as the wind slowed Dan went up and replaced the cable; he re-mounted the wind instrument and all worked perfectly once again.  Think we finally had a fix!!!

All this and more was stored in the cockpit lazarette.
Dan attempted to organize it 'his way' - but I think
he will find that the lazarette will be re-arranged
almost every time he gets in there.  

One day we went out for the first sea trial and all went well.  Winds were about 20-knots.  We sailed from Francis Bay northward to off western end of Jost Van Dyke; turned around and returned to Francis Bay.  Seas were lively and winds were a little high, so perfect conditions for a sea trial.  Dan and Lori could see that this 53-foot ketch handles differently than their 30-foot sloop back up on Lake Michigan.  Much heavier (and slower, most likely) and very comfortable and safe.

Lori & Dan celebrating on day we finalized the sales paperwork

After a few days we motored over to Soper's Hole to clear into BVI; then sailed in ultra-light winds to The Bight on Norman Island.  Dan flew the Secret Sail for awhile.  The Secret Sail is the mizzen ballooner which we have had placed into a sock; basically an asymmetrical sail flown from the mizzen mast.  

Bill & Judy also celebrating on day sales
paperwork finalized.

I have always especially liked this sail.  It can add up to 1 knot boat speed and really balances the movement of the boat comfortably.  On this particular day the wind was so extremely light BeBe got down to only 1-knot speed over ground!  But Dan had fun playing with the sail and it is best to learn new sails in calm conditions .  Finally we started the engine so we could arrive well before sunset.  We anchored in about 10-meters depth just inside Treasure Point.  We all felt that it was okay to anchor on this lee shore only because winds were so light and forecast to remain benign.

White Bay on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands

Sunset as viewed from White Bay on Guana Island.  That is
Jose Van Dyke in center background.

The following day we motored to Marina Cay since there was no wind whatsoever to sail. The following morning Dan and Lori took the dinghy across the channel to Beef Island to go to mass.  That afternoon we motored to Lee Bay on western side of Great Camanoe Island but the northern swell made that bay untenable.  We continued motoring past Monkey Point and picked up a mooring in White Bay on the eastern side of Guana Island.  There we found free wifi with decent speed; guess it was provided to the mooring field from the expensive resort on Guana Island.  How nice of them!

Lori & Dan settling into their new boat.

Next day was a gorgeous sail westward over the northern side of Tortola.  Dan and Lori put out a pole to starboard for awhile and then took it in -- just for the experience to see how it works.  Dan took the helm and sailed all the way to the entrance to Little Harbour at Jost Van Dyke.  Just before going between Green Cay and Sandy Cay we crossed paths with a couple of Texas boats which we knew were in the area and had hoped to meet up with, Tammy and Bruce on Dos Libras and Janet Lee and Michael on Adventure Us 2.  I have followed the blog for Dos Libras since they were berthed in Corpus Christi and had looked forward to meeting them.  Bill and I had met Janet Lee and Michael in Kemah a few years back and wanted to catch up with them now that they were out cruising in their own boat.  Both Dos Libras and Adventure Us 2 went on into Great Harbour while we stayed overnight in Little Harbour.

The next day we moved over to Great Harbour and we all met up for lunch  at Foxy's.  We enjoyed this very much.  Great to meet up with fellow Texans.  And I very much enjoyed listening to Tammy and Janet Lee tell stories of their first year or 2 out cruising.  Both boats just arrived in the BVI after spending last hurricane season in Puerto Rico followed by short visits to Culebra and the USVI.  So, while not really newbies, neither are jaded long-term cruisers.  I enjoyed seeing and listening to their excitement about their 'new' experiences, which caused Bill and I to remember how we felt at that stage of our first few years out.

L-R: Tammy & Bruce of Dos Libras; Judy, previously of BeBe; Janet Lee & Michael of Adventure Us 2;
and Lori & Dan, new owners of BeBe.  Bill is not in photo because he is behind the phone camera.
Lunch at Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke.  Excellent way to end our cruising years -- with friends at a beach bar.

Judy with Foxy.  Photo taken on
Christmas Eve day

A famous hammock.  Guess where?

Next day we motored over to Caneel Bay to pick up a mooring in order to clear into USVI once again at Cruz Bay.  Officialdom satisfied, we motored back to Francis Bay for our final night on a mooring.  The following morning we removed the bimini extension and mesh shade panels and folded down the bimini so that Dan could practice using the bow thruster to maneuver the boat in reverse as practice for docking stern-to in a marina.  He backed up perfectly to a mooring several times and it appeared that he could handle the boat in reverse just fine.  

When we arrived at the marina another boat was in our reserved slip -- the only slip that this marina has which can accommodate a boat the size of BeBe.  A smaller sailboat named Sunquest was in the slip and refused to move.  He was waiting for a new transmission to be delivered in 2 days and said he would not move from our reserved assigned slip.  The marina office advised us to temporarily dock at the T-dock.  Dan tried to reverse BeBe to the dock but got confused at some point and turned the helm the opposite direction and also pushed the joystick for the bow thruster in the wrong direction.  The wind caught the bow and there was no way to recover correct direction because of the strength of the wind off the bow.  We came within inches of ramming the stern of BeBe into the dock but Dan managed to go hard throttle forward just in time to avoid collision.  A learning experience.  He recovered control and re-positioned the boat and was able to reverse to dock the boat on the second attempt.  Now to settle the problem of that boat in our assigned slip.  I loved it when the guy told me that "It is all taken care of; I am not moving."  I told him he might be all taken care of but we were not yet taken care of; and that we could not remain on that T-dock.

Bill and Dan visited the marina office and soon Sunquest was moved to another slip which could accommodate that smaller boat.  Do not need an engine to move a boat; lines and dinghies can do that just fine.  Now that guy really was 'taken care of.'  And so was BeBe.

Dan was able to reverse BeBe into the assigned slip perfectly.  Bill stayed with him, standing near the helm to talk him through the process.  At one point the boat was reversing too rapidly and Bill moved the throttle from reverse to forward to stop the backward thrust or we might have hit the dock.  Other than that one little issue, Dan docked in reverse just fine on this attempt.  This process is something that becomes easier with practice and BeBe is still new to Dan and Lori.  So docking and reversing in tight quarters is stressful for them, I'm sure.  They will gain confidence with more experience and practice.

For our final night aboard BeBe, Dan and Lori hosted us for dinner at a nice restaurant.  It was a pleasure to enjoy a fine meal in a nice restaurant; a true treat for us.  Our flights home were uneventful.  We arrived in Houston after 1 a.m. and had booked a room at the Marriott right there in the airport.  We had rented a small SUV to handle moving all those duffle bags to our home in Galveston; ended up making several trips transporting as many things as possible the following day; then that long drive back up through the city out to the airport in order to turn in that rental vehicle.  Shame they do not let people rent vehicles at IAH and return those vehicles to Hobby airport; that would have been much more convenient.

Adjusting back to land life is going to take awhile, I think.  As I have stated to several people who have asked about this, we are returning to a different country than the one we left 11 years ago.  It was time for us to stop living on the boat because my hip has become too painful and movement limitations were difficult in that marine environment.  I ran across this quote from a State Department employee recently fired by new President Trump and it sums up my feelings about giving up our cruising life.  Tom Countryman served the nation for 35 years and at the time of his discharge he was the Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation.  He was in Amman, Jordan, booked to fly to an international meeting on nuclear arms control when he received notice of his discharge and orders to turn around and fly back home.  At his retirement gathering, he stated:

""I leave you with one last thought, from one of my favorite philosophers.  If you've never read him, or not for many years, I urge you to take the time now.  His name is:....Winnie the Pooh.

And he said:

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.""

Please note a new blog tab titled "Next Step (new)"

Bill & Judy stepping off BeBe for the final time, with lots of luggage for the flights home.  (So sad!)
It has been a fabulous 11 years!

Summer is over / Trip to Houston

Example of giant leatherback turtle.  Photo borrowed
from MembersOnly, Jesse James' website about
tours available on Trinidad.
http://www.membersonlymaxitaxi.com/events/oos.htm

Summer was over and time for the grandchildren to return to Texas before we knew it.  We had hoped to take one of the turtle watching tours to see the giant leatherbacks either laying eggs or see the tiny hatch-lings scooting across the beach and into the sea.  But that trip never materialized for a variety of reasons.  First there was a health problem in tour operator’s family and then there were not enough other cruisers to join us for this outing.  Jesse James cannot run this tour for only 4 people unless he charges a high fee, and he did not want to do that.  Sorry that Elisabeth and Damien missed seeing the giant turtles or the tiny babies.  Bill and I did the tour on Grenada years ago so we did not miss anything, but it would have been nice for the kids to see this wonder of nature.

Damien trying coconut water for
1st time.  Not a fan.

Haircut!  Looks like a boy again.
All ready to start school when
get back home.

The taxi to the airport for flight to Houston picked us up at 04:30 so we opted to stay in Crews Inn Hotel the night before departure.  We have a routine of preparing BeBe when leaving for weeks or longer and we did not want to do that in the middle of the night.   I had already emptied and defrosted all the freezers 

Elisabeth making cat ears for Damien.  Every young
girl should know the basics of sewing.

and refrigerators.  When leaving the boat we run fresh water through everything that normally uses seawater -- the air-conditioning systems, heads and hoses, generator and engine.  That fresh water kills any marine growth or creatures that might have found their way into those hoses and systems.  This is not necessary but is something that we have always done when leaving the boat for longer than a week or so.

Luggage for flight home to Houston.  8 large duffle
bags; 4 carry-on bags; and 4 backpacks.  THAT got
a lot of our stuff off the boat!

We had booked a large van to accommodate all our excess luggage for this flight.  Since we are selling the boat it made sense to take advantage of flying with the 2 grandchildren and max out luggage limitations for this flight.  And did we ever!  The 4 of us each had 2 large checked bags, plus each had one rolling carry-on bag and each had a backpack.  That made for a lot of luggage!  Because we had so much luggage it was decided that both our sons would meet us at the airport in Houston with their largest vehicles.  And this is when the problem happened.

As so often happens we were delayed in luggage collection in the Customs section of foreign arrivals at the airport.  Because it had been so long since the flight arrived and we were not yet out in the arrival area, Trey decided to step outside to see if by chance we had walked through the crowd already and were waiting for them near the cars.  There was a dark gray curb next to a dark gray driveway, and in the darkness and shadows contrasted with the sunlight nearby he did not see that curb.  This caused him to trip and shatter his kneecap.  He said it sounded like a gunshot when he fell full-weight onto that 1 knee.  A cart attendant said that Trey was the third person to fall in that exact spot in the past week.  So this is a known safety hazard.  The airport management really should have a stripe painted onto that curb!

Trey in fixed brace.  Happy on pain pills second day
after surgery.  We bought a small fridge and set it
on rollers next to his recliner to hold ice green tea and
snacks.  This became his command center as more
and more magnetic holders were added to the fridge.

Trey’s patella was broken into 3 sections, with the middle section slipping down behind the lower section.  Ligaments to thigh quadriceps were severed as well as ligaments to lower leg bone also severed.  The kundles also were sheared off.  This was a very severe break.  He had to wait 9 days for the severe swelling to reduce before surgery to screw and wire the kneecap back together.  The doctors placed him into an immobilizer brace for those 9 days and he was in a great deal of pain.  After surgery the leg was placed into a fixed brace locked at 180 degrees—straight leg.  The orthopedist wanted the leg to remain locked straight for 5 or 6 weeks before slowly beginning deflection 10 degrees each visit.  Supposedly, by 3 November his leg will once again be capable of moving to 90 degrees.  And then the fun part of physical therapy begins.  What an ordeal!!

Because of this accident Bill and I extended our visit to Houston.  Rather than return to the boat on 1 September as originally planned, we will return on 21 September.  Trey needed help until he could regain better mobility and stability of movement.  He has a walker and now could move from bed to recliner unassisted after the first 3 weeks post surgery, but still needed someone to prepare meals and fetch drinks.  He has diabetes; healthy and timely meals are critical; it wasn’t like someone could prepare a sandwich for him before heading off to school and work and leaving him alone all day.  I am glad we decided to remain another 3 weeks to allow him time to gain more movement and become less dependent on others to help.  He tries sitting at his home desk each day and is slowly increasing the time he can stand that.  He is progressing nicely and hopes to improve to the point that he will be able to work from home next month.  Thank goodness for the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) which provides him with employment protection until 25 October.  He has disability insurance through his employer.  Those 2 things are saving graces when someone sustains an accident such as this.  It is painful not only physically but also financially.

Elisabeth, a/k/a BeBe, in Bonaire August 2007
celebrating 6th birthday.

BeBe in Trinidad celebrating 15th birthday

Elisabeth, Judy & Damien.  We will
miss summers on the boat with
grandchildren.

Extending our stay in Texas also had other benefits for Bill and me.  It afforded us more time to fix up our little bungalow in Galveston.  Our tenant had died unexpectedly in late June.  We are leaving the home as rental property through the remainder of 2016; changing status to be our homestead effective 1 January 2017.  Since we will be absentee owners it seemed best to retain the property manager for the remainder of this year.  He has subcontractors to effect repairs should any damages or accidents occur during our absence; although, I seriously doubt anyone would want to rent the home for such a short time period.

We have taken this opportunity to have the flooring replaced throughout the home.  And replace the aging HVAC system.  A gas line has been run and a meter installed; I am so looking forward to replacing as many of the electrical appliances as feasible with new gas appliances, but those will wait until we move in next year.  The front steps have been replaced (remember—this is an elevated home in Galveston; there are always plenty of exterior steps).  Soon the exterior will be pressure washed and repainted.  And a new security alarm system has been installed.

We have reclaimed some of our old furniture from various relatives, as well as some kitchen things.  Bill’s brother John has donated numerous things to set up housekeeping in this little bungalow.  There are enough furniture pieces in the home now that it would be possible to rent it furnished for the next 3 months should someone be in that market.  Highly doubtful. 

All that is left of my pots and pans from 11 years ago!
A single pot lid.

It was funny when I unpacked the crates labeled ‘kitchen’ which I had loaned to Bill’s sister 11 years ago.  I found exactly ONE lid for a pot.  No pots or pans or skillets --- just 1 pot lid.  Good thing I am keeping those good German-made Silit pots and pans currently on the boat which I purchased a couple of years ago!

Time to repaint the deck stripes.  I last did this job in
New Zealand in early 2009.  The paint was dark brown
and perfectly matched the original stripe color, but turned
green within 6 months.  This time the stripes were painted
by someone other than me (aging hips and knees are not
for this job!).  The new buyers wanted white and I like it.

Bill and I are getting anxious to return to BeBe.  We do not like being away from the boat for such a long time, especially when we do not have trusted friends there to report any problems that might occur during our absence.  We have spoken with the dock master at Crews Inn and he says BeBe is fine.  Bill emailed the guy who recently painted our deck stripes white and he also checked the boat and said all is fine. 

Oh, did I forget to mention that?  



Yep, the deck stripes on BeBe now are ivory colored.  A new color for the new buyers. 



 And Bill and I like it.

Swallowing the Anchor

This is a difficult post to write.  

Bill and I will soon become CLODS.
We have a few months left, but that departure time will be here before we know it.

Some readers (sailors!) will know that acronym.  For the non-sailing folks, a CLOD is a Cruiser Living On Dirt.  The other oft-heard expression is that we are 'swallowing the anchor.'  Either expression tells you that we have reached the end of our cruising years and it is time to retire back to land.  I would continue cruising for another year or possibly 2, but Bill is ready to call it quits now.  And we each have always believed that when one partner is ready to stop cruising, then it is time to stop.  How awful it would be to live on a boat with someone who does not wish to be there.  We have seen that situation in some other cruisers and it never works out well for either partner.  Plus, there are so many things that I physically cannot do anymore due to my painful arthritic hip and damaged knees.  Boat life has become increasingly difficult for me physically.  It is time to quit and find an easier lifestyle.

Lori, Bill and Dan with BeBe in background

BeBe already is under sales contract to soon-to-be new owners, Dan and Lori Carlson of Chicago.  Dan and Lori flew to Trinidad last Friday and spent several days with us going over BeBe.  They presented us with a sales contract and we accepted.  

Bill sent an email to about 20 people who had contacted us over the past 18 months looking for a boat like ours.  All these people were looking to purchase an Amel, preferably a Super Maramu 2000 model such as BeBe. Five people responded that they were interested in seeing BeBe and might be serious buyers.  We did not want to show the boat to anyone until late September as there were several things we wanted to do first -- such as clean carpets and empty some of the overly stuffed lockers.  It is amazing how much junk one can accumulate living on a boat for 10+ years.

But Dan was insistent that because of employment commitments mid-July was the only time he and Lori could make the trip to check-out the boat.  We finally said 'okay' but that they would have to stay in a hotel because we did not want company on board while our 2 grandchildren were with us.  And they would have to understand that the boat has not been cleaned and prepped for sales viewing.  Dan said they wanted to see how we lived aboard anyway; they had already looked at several Amels listed for sale over the past few years but those boats had all been emptied.  They wanted to see ours while still filled with all our 'stuff' -- to see how real cruisers live.

While they were here in Trinidad they had the opportunity to join the cruiser group playing Sunday afternoon Mexican Train Dominoes.  And our friends, Simon and Jenny aboard Fenecia, joined us all for dinner one evening aboard BeBe so they had a small opportunity to see what the cruising life is all about -- the people one meets out here.

Bill and I will be flying home to Houston with the grandchildren for the month of August, then we will return to Trinidad and begin trying to figure out what should be shipped back to Texas and how.  We will sail BeBe north to the US Virgin Islands where we will meet Dan and Lori in early January and spend a few weeks familiarizing them with the unique sailing characteristics of this Amel Super Maramu 2000.

And then Bill and I will be retiring to our little bungalow in Galveston.  Bill has a number of activities planned for retirement:  1) he has been appointed Vice Commander of the Galveston Squadron of the Texas Navy; 2) volunteering at the Texas Lone Star Flight Museum doing maintenance on those old WWII airplanes; and 3) volunteering on board  the tall ship Elissa, where he crewed before we began this round-the-world 10+-year sailing adventure.  I have no idea how my time will be occupied once we are CLODs next winter.

Back at the boat

 After our last blog posting there was more of the same.  Just the things one does when visiting 'home' once per year.  We drove to Galveston several times for a night or 2 in a hotel and that is always fun.  

There was a really nice reenactment in period costume of Texas artillery during our war for independence from Mexico.  This was held on the dock next to the tall ship Elissa on the day of the opening of the new Texas Navy exhibit at the Seaport Museum.  Attendees were treated to a most informative speech and presentation by a historian about the ships of the Texas Navy.  Next year, for the very first time, information about the Texas Navy will be added to the history books that every 7th grade student in Texas is required to study.  About time!  And we also learned that during the Texas war for independence that the Yucatan peninsula sided with the Texians.  They did not want to be ruled by the Mexicans.  Two of the Texas Navy ships sailed down to Cozumel.  One of the captains went ashore and planted the new Texas flag, claiming the territory as property of the new Republic of Texas.  Wow!  Wonder how it ended up back in the hands of Mexico.  I assume because Texas did not push the matter and insist on their claim to this land after winning independence from Mexico.  We took a lot of photos of the costumed men and women firing the cannons but for some reason I cannot find any of those photos.

Bill and Elisabeth.  She is wearing flats and
he is 6-ft tall.  She is still only 13.
Going to be a tall woman.

We drove down to Corpus Christi one weekend.  That was fun, of course.  But someone in Corpus shared their upper respiratory virus with me.  On top of the bronchitis which I had enjoyed for several weeks prior to this trip.  After Corpus we drove up to east Texas to visit friends Barbara and Bob Bradford; and I then shared this virus with Bob.  Apologies to Bob.  We thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Barbara and Bob for a few days.  And especially enjoyed the fabulous steak dinner to which Bob treated us.  The restaurant owners must also own their own cattle ranch because the quality of that meat was way above prime.  I was so sick with the bronchitis and the added head cold that we cut our visit short and returned to Houston several days earlier than planned so I could visit my doctor.  Little good that did; the meds did not help much.





It was a good l-o-n-g visit to Texas.  Thanks much to Aaron and Lynn for putting us up and for putting up with us.  Very nice of them to open their home to us for 3 1/2 months.  We extended our visit for an extra couple of weeks so that I could be available to babysit the infant granddaughter, Rose, while her nanny took a holiday.  Since Rose is still too young to receive vaccinations for measles, she should not go to a day care facility.  There are just too many people not vaccinating their kids these days and measles is too contagious to take any chances.  Much better to keep the baby at home.  So we stayed a bit longer.  No hurry to get back to the boat anyway since we will remain docked until the end of April.

Rose Annette Rouse
Baptized Lutheran March 2015

Just before we left Houston Rose was baptized.  She wore the same baptismal gown as her elder sister.  None of us realized how much Rose resembles her sister at that same age until we pulled out photos of Elisabeth (BeBe) in her baptismal gown.  They look almost identical.  

Baptism naked

This church does baptisms differently than where the other grandkids were baptized or christened.  At this church the baby is stripped and dunked naked into the baptismal font.  Mom lowers the baby into the font and then the priest (or I guess he should be called the pastor?) uses his hand to pour water over the baby's head and face.  The water is heated and Rose loves baths, so there was no crying.  I sort of expected her to wave her hands and splash water all over everyone, but she did not.  She was a doll during what must have been a strange experience for her.  

Priest, Lynn, Rose, Aaron, Damien, Elisabeth (BeBe)

Afterwards a large group of us, mostly maternal relatives, went out for a celebratory lunch at a nearby restaurant.  I am glad we were able to share this day.



This turned out to be a perfect time in infant development for us to get to know Rose.  When we arrived she was sitting up.  During the time we were there she learned to crawl, pull up and walk, feed herself, wave bye-bye, and several other things.  She was not truly walking yet at 9 months of age, but she was taking a few steps when we left and you could see improvement in movements by the hour daily.  I was very glad to share those times with her.  Even though she will forget us long before we see her again in a year to 18 months or so.  At this time we have no idea when we will return to the states again; just know that we are crossing back to the Caribbean early January next year.

My baby turned 40 yrs old right before we left Houston

Travel back to Sicily was awful.  The worst travel experience thus far.  We bought tickets from Luthansa from Houston to Rome, with separate tickets from Alitalia from Rome to Catania.  Luthansa then changed our itinerary to be Houston to Washington DC to Frankfort to Rome.  With the first segment partnered to United.  When we checked in with United in Houston the counter agent said that United does not interline baggage with Alitalia, so our 3 overweight large bags could only be checked to Rome.  We had paid $100 for the extra 3rd bag and had weighed each bag to be sure each was 50 lbs or less.  Well, guess what.  Those bags weighed slightly different on the United scales at the counter.  One was 50.5 lbs; one was 52 lbs; and one was 54 lbs.  United wanted to charge us $108 per bag for being over 50 lbs.!  We balked at that and rearranged contents, ending up with 49 lbs in one bag; 50 lbs in second bag; and 61 lbs in the third bag.  Where that extra 3.5 lbs came from, I cannot fathom.  At any rate, we were only now supposed to pay $162 for the one overweight bag.  Why the overweight charge was now $162 rather than the $108 stated five minutes earlier; no idea.

Then the fun began.  I checked in with the two 50-lb bags and got a boarding pass.  But Bill could not check in because he was no longer shown as a passenger on the ticket.  An agent tried to fix the problem and was unsuccessful.  Another agent tried to fix it.  And then another agent tried.  Eventually they managed to print a boarding pass for Bill, but just for the first flight.  We would have to deal with Lufthansa in DC for the other boarding passes.  The good news was that during all this confusion, the agents forgot to charge us for the overweight bag.  Lucky us.

When we got to Luthansa gate in Washington DC, the Luthansa agent said that they DO interline with Alitalia and she re-checked our bags all the way to Cantania; and gave us new baggage claim check tickets.  She also encountered difficulty because Bill was no longer shown as a passenger on our tickets.  He showed up on the ticket and we had a printed copy of that, but in their computer system he was no longer shown as a passenger.  After much hassle they eventually got boarding passes printed for him for the flights to Frankfort and onward to Rome.

When we landed in Frankfurt, Luthansa was on strike.  Isn't that just great!  There were lists of flights that had been canceled due to the strike.  But we again lucked out.  An airline called German Wings (never heard of them) took over the Lufthansa flight to Rome on which we were ticketed.  We arrived in Rome right on schedule.  The Alitalia flight to Cantania also was right on schedule.  

We arrived as scheduled but our bags did not.  Not a single one.  We had arranged for a driver with an oversized vehicle for transportation from Catania airport to Marina di Ragusa.  This is a 2-hour drive and the large vehicle and driver cost 150 Euro.  Had we known there would be no baggage then we could have taken the bus for 10 Euro each.  And everyone knows how I hate to waste money.  The next day all 3 bags were delivered by courier to the marina.  And all 3 still had the original baggage claim tickets affixed.  The Lufthansa agent in Washington DC had failed to attach the new baggage tickets sending them onward to Catania.  We were very glad these bags were found so quickly because there were many boat items in those bags that we cannot purchase locally.  We would have been hard pressed to replace those lost items.

31 hours travel time from door to door, Houston to boat, for this trip.  Glad we will not be doing that again.  Ever.  Travel back home from the Caribbean is so much easier, and that will be our future.

BeBe was much cleaner than we expected to find her after such a long absence.  That was a nice surprise.  I felt like being on a charter boat at first.  Could not remember simple things like where I keep the salt and pepper.  Maybe it was jet lag.  We are settling back into boat routine and already looking forward to end of April when we will get moving once again.  I am ready to begin our passages towards Martinique and end of April seems a long time off.

And I already miss the kids and grandkids.  

BeBe docked at L2 berth in Marina di Ragusa

Back in Texas doing the 'time out' required by Schengen Treaty limitations

DIL Lynn and newest granddaughter Rose Annette Rouse
Christmas Day at home.

On 3 December 2014 we flew from Rome to Frankfurt to Houston to begin our mandatory 90 days out of the EU Schengen area.  Looking backwards 180 days (the requirement on any given day for Americans and most other foreigners visiting most of Europe), we had been within Schengen territory for a total of 87 days on the date of our departure in early December.  It was a good thing we did that little week trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, in October for our friend's wedding or we would have been a couple of days over the 90 day Schengen limit.  I thought we were being very careful about keeping the total number of days below 90 but we must have miscounted somewhere along the line.  But all is good that ends good, and our final count was 87 days in Schengen countries during the previous 180 days; so we were legal. The officials at the Frankfurt airport where we were officially stamped out of the EU did check my passport for dates during which I had been in EU.  I do not know if Bill's passport was also checked or not as we were in different lines and did not clear out together.  Europeans honestly have no idea how stressful this nonsense is for people like us who strive to always obey laws, even the silly ones.  I am so tired of dealing with and worrying about this.  It will be wonderful to say goodbye to the Med later this year and be done with it.

Us at the Texas Navy Admirals Ball

So we are in Texas until sometime later in the spring.  Not sure at this time of our exact return date to Sicily.  We had originally planned to return as soon as our 90-days out was up and then do some land travel around Italy or other places in Europe.  But after our Rome trip both of us have kind of lost all interest in doing the previously anticipated land travel.  Rome was fabulous and we are thankful for having the opportunity to visit that famous city.  But flying to Venice or taking the train around to various cities has just lost the appeal that it once held for us.  Guess we are just getting tired.  After all, we have been doing this for almost 9 years.  We are both really looking forward to a year from now when we will once again be back in cruiser friendly Caribbean.  With things like pot lucks and Mexican Train games and friendly socializing.  Something that does not happen in the Med with so many people who are not actually cruisers but more like local sailors.  After all, a Brit or German sailor in Italy is like a Floridian or Texan sailing to Maine or Maryland. Not real cruisers in my opinion. It is a different attitude entirely.  Merely sailing in an area of their home country.  Since the EU is supposed to be a country these days and those 'countries' we previously knew as countries are now merely states of the EU.

A few of the dancers in front of band at Admirals Ball

Bill has had numerous medical appointments the past month.  Gratefully, he continues to remain 100% cancer free.  We were not worried about a recurrence but it is wonderful to have confirmation that he remains healthy.

Me, towering over 2 of the other guests.  The woman
on the right also is an Admiral in the Texas Navy.

I celebrated another birthday a few days after we arrived home.  Unlike some of the folks back in the marina where we left BeBe for the winter, I have no hang-ups about getting older.  As Bill's step-mother was fond of pointing out, there is only one alternative to aging and it is not desirable.  People who think getting old is a bad thing need attitude adjustments.  As part of my birthday celebration we decided to attend the Texas Navy Admiral's Ball.  As some of our readers and friends might or might not know, Bill was appointed by the Governor to the position of Admiral in the Texas Navy several years ago. Each December there is an annual black-tie ball which is held in Galveston.  This is the first opportunity that we have had to attend one of these balls.  As Bill said, we were celebrating my birthday, Christmas season and breathing -- and not necessarily in that order.  We stayed the weekend at Moody Gardens Hotel.  A lovely weekend vacation.

Bill on left chatting with fellow Admirals.

Did I hear someone say: "Texas has a navy?"

Well, yes.  Yes, we do.  Because when Texas was a sovereign country prior to joining the United States, the country of Texas had a navy.  When Texas joined the USA, that navy was never formally disbanded.  Therefore, it continues to exist today.  It has no ships anymore.  And is not supported by taxpayers.  Today it is a volunteer organization which strives to educate about the Texas Navy and its importance in Texas gaining independence from Mexico to form the Republic of Texas in 1836.

"The Texas Navy...It's no exaggeration to say that without it there would probably have been no Lone Star Republic and possibly the State of Texas would still be part of Mexico."

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. 1936

More info here:   https://texasnavy.org/

The first afternoon we just drove around Galveston revisiting memories and enjoyed good seafood.  Checked on the house we purchased last year and leased.  We did not bother the property manager or the tenant; just drove by to confirm it looked okay from the street.  We learned a few days ago that the tenant has decided to renew his lease for another year.  Yay!  One less thing to think about while we are off cruising.

The next day we toured the tall ship Elissa once again and visited the Seaport Museum.  Before we began cruising Bill volunteered and crewed about the Elissa.

http://www.galvestonhistory.org/attractions/maritime-heritage/1877-tall-ship-elissa

If one volunteers a certain number of hours each year, then that volunteer crew member gets to sail on the Elissa when she goes out from dock into the Gulf of Mexico, usually once per year.  At least that was the program back when Bill crewed on that 1877 barque and climbed those old masts to bend square-rigged sails.  Again, fond memories.

The board of directors held the annual meeting for the Texas Navy at the Seaport Museum.  It was our first time to attend one of these meetings.  It afforded us a better understanding of the organization and how it is operated.  During that board meeting we also learned of a museum in Austin with which we were not familiar.  It is a museum honoring Texans of various military forces.  We hope to make a trip to Austin to visit this museum soon.

http://texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/

The ball was fun, good band for dancing, delicious meal, enjoyable conversation.  I got a kick out of some of the 'admirals uniforms' worn by a few of the men.  Each admiral can design a uniform to his/her liking and some of them were eye-catchers!  There also were a number of men in Naval or Marine formal uniforms.  Bill wore his regular tuxedo, like most of the other guys present.  It was a nice evening chatting, eating, drinking and dancing. 

The man seated to my left at the dinner table was a Marine officer.  I am terrible about not remembering military ranks and remember neither his name nor his rank.  But...man!....did he get hot under the collar when the flags were presented by the local branch of the Coast Guard cadets.  One of the event organizers told the 4 flag bearers to change positions for some unknown reason.  The flags were presented with the Texas Navy flag to the right, with the Texas flag to its left; with some other flag to the left of that; and then the US flag on the far left.  Oh boy!  That is wrong!!!  No flag is EVER supposed to be presented positioned to the right of the American flag.  Never.  Under no circumstances.  Anywhere.  Period.

And, oh, did those seated at our table hear the venting from this Marine officer about this breach of protocol.  He was very upset.  Later, he sought out the cadets who presented the flags and dressed them down harshly.  Then he sought out the organizers for the event and vented further.  I would not be surprised if he did not follow up the next week and contact the commanding officers of the 4 cadets who presented the flags.  He made it his mission to make sure that everyone involved in this faux paus never does something like that again.

Admiral Nick Ricco performed the formalities for the 'Table for One' ceremony.  This is touching ceremony.  It is also called the Missing Man Table Ceremony.  Here is a link which provides an example of this ceremony.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YMgkqJ1skc&feature=channel&list=UL

Sunday morning after the ball there was a brunch for the members of the Texas Navy which was held at The Artillery Club in Galveston.  Oh my!  Of course we had to go to that function too!  The Artillery Club is the oldest private club in Texas.  It is oh-so-exclusive!  Only 100 members are allowed.  I do not know if one also must be a BOI but would not be surprised if that is a requirement for membership.  For those unfamiliar with eccentricities of Galveston, a BOI means 'Born On Island' --- one is inconsequential if one is not a BOI.   At least in the eyes of all the other BOIs.  Obviously, we are not members of The Artillery Club.  That is another world from our lives.  Scroll down in this link and read the marker text for an explanation of this exclusive club.  http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM15M5

Brunch was good; not at all what we expected.  They served cheese grits (delicious!!!) and a type of steak and gravy dish, accompanied by various types tiny biscuits and fruits and a few other things.  I do not remember ever being served cheese grits and steak with gravy for a brunch.  We were seated next to a nice couple from Houston who had lots of funny stories to tell.  The brunch surprisingly turned out to be more fun than the ball the previous evening.

Duane, Lauren, Trey, Theo's back, John, Boyd, David.
With Zachary barely visible on other side of Theo.
And Bill seated in chair on far right.

Christmas came and went.  

Once again we had 26 people gathered for a too-loud, too-crowded, and too-quickly-over holiday dinner celebration.  There are still children in the family so Christmas still is a magical time.  This was first Christmas for our 7-month-old granddaughter, Rose Annette Rouse.  

Duane, Lauren and her mom Teresa

It was over too fast and I did not get to visit with everyone as much as I would have liked.  Maybe we can get together with a few of the people on a quieter, less crowded, level before we return to Sicily in the spring and enjoy visiting and catching up on each other's lives.

Bill's brother John.  My brother Boyd and his wife Cheryl

Last weekend we once again went to Galveston, just for a night to get away by ourselves. Yesterday we attended a memorial service for one of Bill's lifelong friends.  He was a high school classmate who will be missed.  One of those people who everyone loved.  A special guy who died far too young.

DIL Kristina on right.
 Her sister Krystal on left.
With their mom Keena in center.

Abigail on left.  Her mom Krystal in center.
And granddaughter BeBe (Elisabeth) on right.

Our elder son Trey
carving beef roast

Grandson Sebastian.  All grown up and almost finished
with that college degree!

Grandson Zachary as
Batman

They are all fascinated by something on that TV or computer.
Younger son Aaron, grandson Zachary, grandson Damien.
With Daniel, Zachary's maternal cousin, standing behind them.

This weekend our brother and sister-in-law are hosting several of us at the Houston Symphony for a Mozart operetta.  Bill detests opera but he is going to placate me.  And the early teen-aged grandkids have never attended an opera, although they both enjoy symphonies.  I'm looking forward to this event.  

And that sums up the first 6 weeks of this visit to Texas.