Windy Days Ahead

Well we are getting to spend a lot of quality time in Naples :) The weather has really kicked up - we are rockin' and rollin' like nobody's business. This is a very good lesson for both Martin and me. No use being uptight and overly destination-goal oriented - we can only do what the weather will allow. Martin talked with our marina neighbor, Hal, this morning and we were pleasantly reassured that we're making the right choice. He has years and years of boating experience and he agreed that he wouldn't take Lucky out in this - we're not big or heavy enough to make a passage comfortably.

So it's windy and cool (and I thought Florida was hot in the wintertime!). The breadmaker is cranking away, the heat is on and we're cozy and comfortable. I swear though, I am just so grateful that I got over the queazies because otherwise this would not be a "cozy" scene! I'm using this time to do some serious quilting. I'm putting my blocks in album, for those who would like to see, it's here. I have 2 hand-quilting projects going on. A Dear Jane, civil war reproduction quilt and a Quilted Diamonds quilt that I'm doing along with a with an online group of women.

Sometimes I feel concerned that we are getting a bit mellow - playing "house" a bit too much. It's challenging to get your head wrapped around the spontaneity - maybe we'll leave in 2 days, or maybe in a week. So you have to be ready to head out and explore if you can, but not get disappointed then if you have to leave... Because I keep thinking that we are leaving, I've not been reading the guide books to see what we could be up to. It's not that big of a deal except that both Martin and I are bit anal and somewhat control freaks (no!) so we need to ease into "going with the flow" thing, literally. I think I'm also pressuring myself with the "this-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity, get-out-and-do-do-do-do..." idea. I guess that's not very realistic either now, is it?

The other way that the uncertainty makes for strange times is that you say goodbye, but then you don't go. This week we had a good-bye dinner with Mike & Jackie at the Bamboo Cafe. It's a really nice French restaurant in downtown Naples. Mike and Jackie are wonderful company and it was a lovely dinner. Mike serenaded us with a couple of piano tunes on the way out (they had a piano just sitting there, asking to be played – dang but he is good!)

Sue and Armando had a fantastic going away dinner at their house for us too. Armando cooked an authentic Cuban dinner that rocked! Sue and I spent some time in the afternoon playing with her new sewing machine. I showed her how to make cloth/clothesline baskets and tried to temp her into the quiting world :) Sue gave me a great looking book on a couple that cruised the Caribbean in a sail boat that I'm looking forward to reading. I also got my cat fix in with Tru and Blu, their gorgeous and very sweet feline kids! I'm beginning to worry that Sue and Armando may think we're stalking them...we keep saying that we're leaving but we never do - like the relatives that come for a short visit and just won't go home, yikes!