My last blog post ended with us just having returned to Trinidad, busy getting Nancy Lu ready for our 2020 sailing season, and me about to fly back to winter in the Pacific Northwest.  At least, I had caught my blog up to 2020! I’ll just pick up where I left off…

 

When we arrived in Trinidad  January 6, we found Nancy Lu right where we left her back in June of 2019, in the boatyard, still sporting the protective layer of wax she was coated with before we returned to Texas for hurricane season.

 

She was also ensconced in shrink wrap which did a good job of protecting her decks from the downpours of rainy season and keeping the cabin relatively cool.

 

Once we arrived, Ricky, our boat watcher, got right to work on giving Nancy Lu a couple of coats of bottom anti-foul paint, removing the layer of wax, and

 

polishing her up to a reflective shine!

 

After being back in the Caribbean for a mere week,

Parrots in Trinidad Video

I left behind the daily cacophony of the monogamous pairs of parrots in flight (gracelessly) overhead to their evening roosting places, an event by which you can just about set your watch!

 

I also left behind my daily lunch of Caribbean goodness cooked up and sold daily by Miss Debbie from the food stand right on the other side of the boatyard fence from Nancy Lu!

I was headed to visit my sister far away in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

 

My first meal after I arrived was at the waterfront restaurant, Tides Tavern, in Gig Harbor.

 

My little sister, Jenny, and brother-in-law, Bob treated me to lunch on the way to their home from the airport after my overnight flight.  What a great way to reacclimatize to winter!  The scene through the restaurant windows was similar to where I had just left, with a harbor and boats docked in a little marina close by…except for the light fall of SNOW—just a little thing, haha!

BTW, I brought little more with me than the clothes on my back.  Jenny had a puffy jacket ready for me to put on at the airport!  She and I wear the same size clothes and shoes so packing clothes wasn’t necessary, and my bag was VERY light!

I came to see Jenny play Ethel, the mother, in the Neil Simon play, Barefoot In The Park!

 

Our visit was interrupted periodically with her going to rehearsals and performances, but it was so fun to see her do her thing, and she did a GREAT job—so funny!   Bob took good care of me when she was gone!

 

I went to a matinee performance with a bunch of Jenny’s friends!  So fun!

 

When I was at home with or without Jenny, I was comfy in “my chair” surrounded by fur nieces and nephews, cozy in my borrowed attire of Wonder Woman jammies, fluffy robe , and fuzzy socks with slippers, ahhhh!

 

I also got to spend time with my non-fur, even more cute and precious niece!

 

After my leisurely, early morning coffee on my first morning at Jenny’s, I had the delight of accompanying her to Magnolia Forest Preschool .  I’ve been wanting to visit this unique school that she and a fellow educator started 2 years ago!  I had so much fun!

 

I actually got to go to school two days.  They were both short days due to the snow.  Jenny and I enjoyed talking with each other on the trip to and from the forest each day (and our stops at Sonic on the way home)!!  There are so many interesting things to discuss with your sister after a morning watching and helping to facilitate children growing and learning through play in such a beautiful, inspiring “classroom”!  I’m super happy and proud for her!

 

DAY ONE:

hiking to base camp (the classroom)

 

almost there!

 

a good day for a fire!

 

learning about fire safety

 

SISTERS!

 

almost time to hike back down to the pick up area

 

a story while waiting for parents

 

DAY TWO:

separation cuddles

 

a different “classroom” today

 

rosy cheeks with a little splash of mud for the CUTEST effect !!

 

Someone else needs a cuddle.

 

Mission accomplished!

 

After 5 days, I flew back to my tropical home, arriving at 1:00 in the morning and

 

finding no less beautiful nature scenes to take in and appreciate!

 

Photo Cred:  Jeremy Gassman, s/v Right Turn

After my PNW interlude and a day’s rest, it was time to SPLASH!  It has been our custom for the last 2 years to begin and end our time in the water docked at Crews Inn Marina for about a week each time.  It was nice to be rocked to sleep tucked into our slip there for the first time since arriving in Trinidad.  It was also nice to start having my breakfast, coffee and Bible reading in the cockpit each morning instead of down below.  We kept the air conditioner in the companion way, but didn’t need to turn it on until around midday, hence a nice quiet, cool morning cockpit!

 

At Crews Inn, we continued to get Nancy Lu ready to sail.  Sometimes this means getting into some tight spaces!

 

One of the luxuries afforded us by being docked there is my favorite little Italian restaurant, Caffe’ del Mare.  This year we were just steps from its entrance, making it possible for Nancy Lu to photo bomb my selfies,

 

One of my favorite dishes is their signature salad.  It comes with balsamic vinaigrette, but I always ask for a side of Chadon Beni vinaigrette, as well. It is made with our favorite eastern Caribbean spice!

 

Soon it was time to stow the air conditioner, move around to Scotland Bay and wait for sunset for our overnight sail to Grenada.  This year, we buddy boated with Jeremy and crew, Jane, on s/v Right Turn.  We had buddied around with Jeremy since arriving in Trinidad within a day of each other, us from Texas, of course, and he from England.  We only met Jane a couple of days before setting sail for Grenada—more about the fun had with the two of them in my next post…