THE REALLY BIG NEWS

Really big news...about 8 lbs, 2 ozs.....21 3/4 inches long.....worth of big, good news!

Baby Josephine Elizabeth Branham (Josie, or JoJo) was born on Friday, November 10, 2017.   Grandpa, Captain Bob and Grandma Jane were on pins and needles all day, waiting for the arrival....we got the good news at 6:23 pm with a picture of her only 10 minutes old....and thanks to face time and all the neat communications we have these days, we were able to see her and talk to new mom and dad (the attached pic was sent a little later)

After we all (that is grandpa and grandma) calmed down .....we toasted our newest grandchild off our deck as the Blue Angels flew a salute over the bow of the boat and then gave a fabulous fire works show!!  What more of a celebration could a grandparent want......

So, as you see,  we did make to it Pensacola and we did anchor out in the bay along with several hundred or so of our favorite boating friends to watch the air show.  It was a thrill when they flew directly over the boat.  We tried to get pictures, but they are faster than the camera!  We spent the night anchored in the bay and took off the next morning for Destin, Florida.

After the joy of the previous evening, the next morning, we received a disturbing call (heartbreaking, I should say) that the hunting camp that my father and his 4  brothers built on 365 acres in northern Michigan (Hawks) not far from Rogers City, in 1959... had burnt to the ground in the night.  Bob is now an owner, as is my brother and 3 other cousins  (as all 5 original owners have passed on to the giant hunting grounds in the sky).... So now, not only is deer season cancelled (for the 59ers) but decisions have to be made as to the future of the property.  Bob will go north as originally planned but for a camp "meeting" and not for the hunt.

We did spend one night in Destin, Florida at a "fun" (ie: expensive) marina, right in the heart of a new development with shops, bars, restaurants, etc.   We were backed up to "Margaritaville" ...thankfully, it was a chilly evening and the outdoor festivities were limited (are we old, or what!)

Now we are in PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL.....might sound familiar to those who know us well!!  Our old stomping grounds for 15 years or so about 10 years back.  We are at Baypointe Marina and at night when the  city lights are on (it gets dark here at 5pm) I can see down the "strip".....and reminisce about the good ole days....haha.   Don't think we could party like we used to...in fact I know we can't, as we were in bed last eve at 7pm!!  So today will be a clean up day, laundry, packing etc....getting ready for the big trip to Michigan, still scheduled for Wednesday.....can't wait to meet our new granddaughter!!  I know she feels the same...  because she didn't wait for us to arrive!  (not sure how mom and dad feel.....don't think they feel anything, as they are exhausted....perhaps we can help out with that)  I did tell my daughter that she will feel that way at least for another 18 years or so!  👶

What a Thanksgiving this will be.

Things you NEVER want to hear from your captain!

Before I get serious, I had to share with "you all" some things I HAVE heard out of Bob's mouth in the past few months.....so I decided to make a list of 10 statements you NEVER want to hear our of your captain's mouth.


10.  I THINK we have enough fuel to make it across Lake Michigan

9.  I sure THOUGHT we had enough fuel

8. The boat doesn't seeming to be running like it should

7.  I didn't think the winds would be THIS STRONG today

 6. I should have checked the weather report this morning

 5. What's that noise and where is all this water coming from?

 4. We have no electricity/water at this marina, but the price is good (goes hand in hand with...We

      should have gotten a pump out at the last marina.  

 3.  I can't pull up the anchor, just cut the line!

  2. SOMEONE (!) is going to have to get on the mask and dive down to cut the line that is caught
      in the props.   (.....  and FYI.... only ONE of US swims!)


  1.  SERIOUSLY....THE ONE I HEARD THIS MORNING THAT PROMPTED THIS LIST....

          "I sure wish I knew where we were"!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAPTAIN BOB

November 3, 2017

So today is  captain Bob's 63rd Birthday!!  I wanted to post  a pic of him cleaning the boat...shirtless, but he said no!....So I got this one of him when we went out to eat....however, I forgot, and missed the chance when he was eating a piece of his complimentary cheese cake (maybe I was too busy sampling it!) and so I posed him in front of the candle on the table.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!!

downtown the Wharf

We are presently at the "Wharf" Marina, Orange Beach, AL......beautiful place......a "real" downtown area with tons of stores (the least of which sells beautiful children's clothes from Spain....the clerks were oh, so helpful, once they found out I am expecting a granddaughter after 3 grandsons!)  I also got a pedi and mani in honor or Bob's  birthday.....only because I wanted to look nice FOR HIM!

We crossed Mobile Bay yesterday after spending several days in Mobile, Alabama.  We pulled the boat so Bob could paint the bottom with a "salt water worthy" paint.....don't ask me the difference, but I spent 4 glorious nights in a hotel room with a real toilet, tub, kitchen, etc etc......(actually, it was good to get "HOME" once we got back on LeReve)  Good news also was that there were no nicks in the props, nor any other damages from coming down the river systems.  We were anxious to get  back on "the loop" after 4 days "on the hard"


It is funny (?) how we are now in a different group of loopers than previously.   There certainly are a lot of us out there!.....we are also aware that some that were in front of us are now behind us??  That's because different boaters want to explore different areas....Right now, we are on a mission to get to Panama City by Nov 15, as we have airline tickets back to Michigan from there.....did I mention, there is a new granddaughter on the way?? (haha)

Before we got to the end of the river system in Mobile, we did have a WONDERFUL catfish dinner at Bobby's Fish Camp.....A very "unique" place.....there were 4 boats there on a Wednesday.....Normal hours are THURSDAY thru Sunday.....but chef Sally said if we could get 4 people who wanted to come up and eat, she would open......I said I would eat for 4 if that's what it took.....However, the other boaters were there to eat also, and we had a table of 8.  We were prepared to stay an extra day if that is what it took for me to experience the "world's best" catfish dinner.....I do believe I found it here!

Speaking of food, we are now torn as to whether or not to stay here for their "food festival" weekend that starts tomorrow, or to leave and secure a place at a popular anchorage for the air show in Pensacola, Florida.  I believe the air show is going to win out.