August 17, 2017



On August 9th we left Mackinac City at 6am and we saw the sunrise!   Wow, I didn't know it was so beautiful. We wanted to get "good water" on way to Charlevoix and that we did.....there wasn't a ripple.   We were in the Charlevoix City Harbor, right downtown.   I believe it is the most beautiful harbor on the great lakes (at least that I have seen).  It is right downtown and lots there to see and do and EAT. .....I believe we ate our way thru Charlevoix in one week!  With the help or our good friends Trudy and Chuck Center, not only did we eat, but we also borrowed their car to relocate ours to Traverse where we will need it later this week.  We had a great time at the beach, golfing, did I mention eating(!).....we also got to catch up with old friends the Nestles while there.  We saw and chatted with several other loopers....it seems the farther we get on this "leg" of the trip the more loopers are showing up....I suppose when we get further down south, we will encounter even more.  We reluctantly left there at 6am the morning of Aug 15.  This time I slept instead of seeing the sun rise....but, of course, I was in the cockpit ready to take over the captain's duties, if need be!  I wasn't needed!!


We are presently in Traverse City, Michigan at the downtown city harbor.....Lots to see and do....For instance, the Pinta and the Nina came into harbor yesterday .....they are replica tall ships of Christopher Columbus era, when he first came over.   There were PROTESTERS with signs and yelling obscenities and things like "Go Home".....etc.    So, of course, we ran down to see what all was about, following the police officers, etc......Native Americans apparently have a beef with Columbus (!) and want to rewrite history on this one also....well enough of that topic!

I am so excited to post that I am now getting the 2nd toilet replaced on LeReve.....so any guests will be thrilled to hear that news!  Capt Bob is, once again, trying to pry himself into small spaces.....times like this a small child would be good to have aboard!.....(but, come to think of it, after the couple weeks with small children aboard, not so sure the trade off value is really there...ha!  Love my grandboys, but it is constant activity that we are so not used to!!

My 2 cousins on my mothers side of family live in Traverse City (I have 52 FIRST cousins.....2 on my mothers side and 50 on my fathers!!  seriously)  So my 2 here are near and dear, as my brother, sister and I are their ONLY first cousins.  I called Barb once we arrived and she immediately came down to say hello, and invited us over the next day to swim and meet some more "2nd" cousins....there are more of them. I also got the chance to visit with my Uncle Wally, who is 97 years old!.....and my other first cousin, John......and later, Bob and I enjoyed a lovely dinner with Barb and her hubby Dave.   (ps, we also learned some important lessons about getting a "permanent" address established soon, as they are both attorneys.....I made sure we had attorney/client confidentiality before saying a word!! haha)..I shall not forget "too clever, by half" ... thanks Dave!!

Tomorrow I fly to Cape May, New Jersey, for my annual get together there with girlfriends Gerry Ann and Madeline (or as I call her Gini.....you can figure it out!)  come to think of it, maybe I should call GA "Vodka"...and they could call me "ice tea".....SURE!    We have been doing this girls week away for over 10 years. It will be a good "break" for both of us to get some off boat time....Bob will be driving downstate for business and be picking me up when my flight returns in a week.  Then we    will spend a few days in Ann Arbor/Saline with activities such as a baby shower for Molly, etc.   Once we return back to boat it is serious travel time to get to lower Lake Michigan, hopefully connecting up with Lisa and Sue over Labor Day, and then the REALLY BIG adventure begins.  I say that as we have boated the Great Lakes for years and it is a "pleasant" repeat, but a repeat none the less.....It will be interesting to see something we have never seen or experienced before.

August 3, 2017

Can't  believe it is August....We have had such a busy last couple weeks that there has been no time to blog!.   Plus the internet service in some places is so frustrating that I just give up....I have enough things to drive me nuts that I don't need one more.   We spent several nights in Blind River, Canada and then went on to Thessalon for one night...beautiful marina, absolutely NOTHING else in the town.....Luckily we did find a place to eat after walking for a mile or so that closed in 5 minutes of us getting there, and we did feel like we were putting them out for coming in so late (7pm) and I thought Rogers City had little to offer!   We crossed back over channel to Drummond Island to meet our kids and grand boys on July 22.  We effortlessly checked back into the US and got a slip at the "yacht haven" for the next week.  Seems the US doesn't have nearly the restrictions of what you can bring back  with you as Canada does with what you take into their country.  So the Martha Washington geraniums that I "smuggled" into Canada didn't have to be hidden in the bath tub to get them back into US.....hey, they were beautifully blooming and that's the only thing I have that reminds me of  living a "normal" life somewhat!.   I had meant to leave them with my mom but I forgot and still had them on board.   They also don't want you to bring ANY fresh meat, fruits or veggies with you....which is pretty funny, as let me tell you, their grocery stores are lacking a lot compared to what we are used to.   However, we did love, love, love the butter tarts! and of course, our favorite .....pea meal bacon....which really is ham wrapped in a mealy substance like corn meal. (but must be pea meal.....my grand sons refused to try  it! ha, their loss)

So the whole bunch showed up at Drummond, and the "adult" kids rented a cabin on the water just next to the boat harbor, and the 3 grand boys stayed with us on the boat.....It was quite a week...
We had a couple days of rain and that was pretty tough with the small places and 3 VERY ACTIVE boys..(thank you God that the new baby will be a girl!!)  All in all, I think everyone had a great time and even the 2 grand dogs seemed to enjoy themselves.  

We brought grandson Bennett with us on the boat, back across Lake Huron to Rogers City for spend the week ....it is much easier to have a grand son one at a time.  He was a big help to captain grandpa in cleaning the boat,etc  (as there was this "incident" involving a broken hatch, that he had to work to help pay off the $$ it cost to fix)....Bob then had a business trip downstate and then one in Colorado that left Bennett and me on the boat alone for 3 days.....As luck would have it, the Nautical Fest was going on and there were lots of activities, plus my sister and brother and families were in Rogers also.....Sister Lisa and Sue spent a lot of time with him at the beach, etc....plus there was this cute little girl that also occupied his time.....His grandpa told him to watch out for "those Rogers City girls".... it was pretty cute to see them hanging out at the carnival etc....don't tell him I mentioned it!  Oh to be 11 again!

The week gave us a few pretty rough nights of storms and we were glad captain Bob had the lines secured for us. Bob got back on Friday, I took Bennett to meet up with his mother to take him home and all has quieted down....except for the LOUD music that comes from the festival tent each night, just across parking lot from marina.....guess I am getting old!

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we hope to move north up to Mackinaw City for a few days and then on to Lake Michigan!  Huron has been fun, but it is time to get moving.....we have seen a few looper boats here, but have not made contact with anyone....when the winds are blowing there are not too many  boaters hanging around on the docks....we just get inside and hold on!