Christmas in San Jose...

Had a wonderful Christmas Eve.  Old friends Bob and Laura Miller joined Sandi, Lisa, Matthew and me at Sandi's home in San Jose.  A fun time, lots of gifts, lots of cheer, and Laura and I discovered that we're related by way of Daniel Boone (she through one of his daughters, me through his son Nathan).  Hope your holiday was as fine!

A lovely week in Florida...

This is the end of my second week in Deland, FL, this December, and Penelope and I have have had a truly wonderful time.  It's hard to believe it's real sometimes ... visiting some of P.'s friends, going to a state park, walking out by the ocean, watching sunsets over glasses of wine, creating great meals together, getting to explore each other's souls.

Tomorrow  I'm flying back to California to spend Christmas with my daughter Lisa, son-in-law Matthew, her mother Sandi.  Penelope is staying behind to spend Christmas with her daughter Erin, son-in-law Keith, and sister Pat.  Then she's flying out to join me a couple of days later to celebrate the new year, sail on Dog Days (God willing, the weather clear, and the creeks not rising).  After that it's back to Florida, thence to Alizee in North Carolina and getting her ready to sail to the Bahamas between the end of February and first of March.   

Eastcoast-Westcoast...

Had a lovely week with my beloved and got to meet her daughter Erin and her partner Keith in Tarpon Springs.  I had to fly home to turn in final grades for my last term ever teaching at De Anza College.  With that done and after a trip up to Alameda, some piano playing with guitarist and fellow sailor Tony Oliver at the Encinal Yacht Club, plus a couple of nights aboard Dog Days, I am home and packing to fly off again to Florida for another week.  Chomping at the bit, one might say.

Winging my way to Florida...

Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Florida to be with my love Penelope.  Sailing is in the future ... the near future ... but for now my thoughts are elsewhere.  So, you sailing afficianados out there, be patient, this blog will turn back to sailing soon.

My friend Karl Lichty called me the other day from the salon of Alizee to say that there was no mold, the dehumidfiers were emptied and restocked with pellets, the dehumidifier fan was working, the batteries were charged perfectly, and he'd hung a zinc fish off the transom for me as a little extra precaution against electrolysis.  It's a relief to have a buddy to look in on Alizee, and perhaps by mid-January or a bit later, I'll be up there to get her ready to cross to the Bahamas. 

Meanwhile, everyone have a wonderful holiday season.  Penelope and I certainly will, both in Florida and California.