12/31/15    Thursday  Catch-up day since I've been away for a couple of days.

Taking it from 12/29/15  Tuesday

After a pretty short day we DID moor at Vero Beach and we DID raft up with one other boat and our raft mate, Mike, was lovely. We'll look forward to meeting up w/him farther down the ICW, maybe Marathon. We were convinced to stop by Sheldon who mentioned the beach, the park, the art museum. And, when will we be this way again?

Just your average house on Barker Island, similar on John's Island

The bad news - I had a bout of vertigo and didn't get off the boat. Had some old drugs for the event but David insisted I call my doctor. Okay...she recommended a new script for same drug. Okay...David, being my knight in bicycle gear, took off to the CVS to fill the prescription...but only after my throwing up lunch convinced me that it might be a good idea. The odd thing was that after some food and a nap I felt fine - no symptoms. But later, dizzy again. So LOTS of water, drugs and recovery...but no Vero Beach excursion. Sigh. Another time, if it still seems important.

A decent night's sleep and an early morning departure to....

12/30/15   Wednesday

A long day of traveling but this time there were nearer to sandbar islands, some with campers or sun bathers on them, small boats pulled up to shore. So many interesting opportunities to be "on the beach." Just remembered that I was in a dance piece when living in NYC by Satoru Shimazoki (spelling could be all wrong but I remember him with pleasure) or maybe the dance was by Laura Foreman??? but there was a sentence the women said..."on the beach" as we made various sunbathing poses. Another reason to be partial to being on the beach!

As we got closer to Stuart the water was wide and shallow again...and boring but required attention. Turning up toward our "gift marina" there were LOTS of smaller power boats, and some BIG ones, going too fast for our comfort. Gnats and mosquitos buzzing around everywhere. We DID arrive at Sunset Bay Marina in ample time to find our slip, get tied up for the couple days, and get showers before meeting cousin, Nancy,...our limo to her house for dinner.

What a delight to meet her husband, Scott, her daughters, Alison and Jillian, Alison's beau, Grant and the dogs whose names I can't spell (a very old beagle and a younger, furrier Australian shepherd). Dinner was great, food delicious. Getting to know this family was the real treat.

Hoping to share some time w/Nancy's older sister, cousin Kathryn, who I've not seen since teen years (? could it be???).

Home to hot boat, hotter kitty who had thrown up (copy cat!) and was glad to see us. Our blessings continue. More about today later.