House is almost done - just one more month!

Here's the latest picture of our house - approximately one more month until "CO" day!  CO means "Certificate of Occupancy" that is issued by the town stating the house meets local codes - complete to move in!  On Monday, they installed the front door and pavers on the lanai.  There is still a "Punch List" (builder term) of things to be done, but the builders are working to complete it.  We expect the counter tops in the kitchen to be installed this week and some of the sprinker system and sod in back.  Very exciting - we can't wait!

Hot, Hot, Hot

Southwest Florida's summer is hot, hot, hot.  We sailed down Charlotte Harbor with wind 15 kt SE yesterday all the way to Burnt Store - Nice on the water but drenched in sweat at the dock.  While we were on the water, the roofers placed tiles and the solar panel on the roof.  Back on the ground, graders moved dirt around. Concrete will be poured this week to support the paver driveway. Inside, work continued on the molding, interior door and kitchen cabinets.  See pictures.  Maybe will add more each day as construction progresses.

Notice, I have added link to The Blog That Ate Manhattan.  Somebody at Google picks a few blogs every day or so as Blogs of Note. So I have been checking them out. That's how I found the Manhattan blog. Another well done blog is the Crow Hill Almanac. Want to snoop on the inner and outer workings of a twenty something South Beach girl?  If you answer Yes, Google search for Red Means Go Blog.  Interested in sailing stuff? Click the Punta Gorda Sailing Club link on the left and scroll through the long, long webpage. New stuff shows up frequently.

So Well, So Well, So Well

 The time honored response, So Well, So Well, So Well  belted out by the crowd shook the IYC dining room walls.  The usually sadate club members were wired alive as Jim Morris performed solo for three hours without a break last Saturday night.  

They surprised me, these IYC folks. I never would have guessed so many not only knew the classic Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother lyrics, but also knew how to participate.  We did because Jerry Jeff Walker always includes this song in his annual performance at the Galveston Grand Opera House.  Joanne & I were fortunate enough to attend twice. What's the Redneck Mother doing down here? Don't know?  Review the  Redneck Mother Lyrics  so you can join right in next time you get a chance.  If you are interested in a little history, click UAW/MF.

Back to Jim Morris.  Some of his songs are about drinking; some are a little risque; and some - well just beautiful! Jim really knows the local Charlotte Harbor waters.  (Joanne rated the event an A+.)  We are looking to acquire some of his CDs and maybe head out to the Nav-A-Gator where Jim plays on a regular basis.    

SlideMoors & Update on Building Our House

This week Eagle's Wings moved to our new dock so that Ron Parr
Marine could install SlideMoors.

 
What the heck are SlideMoors?  Our stern cleat ties tight to a slide mounted on an aluminum track secured to the piling.  A second slidemoor system keeps the bow tight against another piling. To add a SlideMoor for the bow, Ron had to move a piling away from the dock.  

As the tide comes and goes, the boat remains tight against the pilings as it moves up and down. Click  SlideMoors if you want to learn more.  The SlideMoor system is popular here in Punta Gorda.  In Hurricane Charley, boats secured with the system fared better than those secured in other ways.

Of course, Charley didn't generate much of a storm surge and people here steadfastly believe that a storm surge as high as Ike's surge can't happen here.  As one who has looked out on the vast expanse of  Galveston Bay and then up at Ike's high water mark on old Jimmy Walkers pilings, I am not convinced.
So we will take additional measures to secure Eagle's Wings as we move along through the hot, hot summer.  Mainly, we keep our insurance paid up!

 Our house number plaque ordered over the Internet by Joanne arrived this week. We hope to have it mounted on our new house early September when we move in.  This week cabinets arrived. The outside was painted. The floor was prepped for tile. Some of the crown moulding was installed. The sewer was connected. a landscaper proposed a plan for plants and trees.  The A/C should be running next week.  Click the Building Our House link on the left and scroll down to see the latest photos.  Stay tuned for progress!

Walking the Boston Freedom Trail and Visiting Harvard

We've always wanted to see some of Boston's historical landmarks and what better way than to partake of the Freedom Trail.  It was a drizzly day with temps in the 50's as we walked 3 miles to visit such sites as the Cradle of Liberty, Faneuil Hall (circa 1742), where Sam Adams, James Otis and others spoke encouraging independence from England.  We also were thrilled to walk the bridge over the Charles River to Bunker Hill and visit the Old North Church and the old graveyard where Paul Revere and other patriots are buried. 

In the afternoon, we visited Harvard University and took a student-guided tour to learn about life as an undergraduate and were lucky enough to participate in the "quintessential" experience of dining at the perfect pizza restaurant, Pinocchio's.   We were told that this place has the best pasta in the Boston area and we had to agree.  The next day we boarded our flight to Punta Gorda.  Great vacation!

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Visiting Amy & George at Faith Valley Farm, Jefferson, NH

After attending the wonderful Cape Cod Wedding, we drove approx 4-1/2 hours north to Jefferson, New Hampshire to visit our dear friends, Amy & George.  What gorgeous countryside!


They purchased a 160 acre farm near the White Mountains (only about 45 miles from the Canadian border) with Amy's daughter, Claudia, and son-in-law, Bob.  They told us that it was done as "an act of faith" that they could afford the place and the renovations needed to make it a working income-producing farm - hence, the name "Faith Valley Farm."  They hope to make hay a "cash crop" and Amy is also doing organic vegetable farming and hopes to sell her produce  with the help of a local farm co-op.


We had a wonderful time touring the local area and checked out the historic Cog Railroad and drove the scenic "Kanc" highway.  Amy is quite the cook - she treated us to wonderful homecooked meals and her yummy pancakes were just exceptional - probably the best we've ever eaten!


Hope you enjoy the photos below.  Just double click the underlined word Photos below and then click "slideshow".  We'd love to read your comments!


Photos

Summer Wedding on Naushon Island

Joanne's brother's son, Brian married Zoe,  member of  a Forbes family that traces its roots back to sixth century Scotland.  The family trust owns Naushon Island, the wedding site, near Woods Hole.  We were invited!

Years ago,  Joanne, known as the Squid Lady then, worked at the Marine Biomedical Institute, UTMB, for Roger Hanlon.  They were young, spirited and hard working. Roger moved on to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Joanne moved on to management positions at UTMB. We saw Roger on CNN and also noted an article he authored in National Geographic in the last few years - but had not visited since he left Galveston. So we arranged to visit Roger during our trip.

Roger has come a long way since he and his family inhabited Fish Village on Galveston Island!  He treated us to dinner at an "off the beaten path" restaurant down Sippewisset Road.  (I love these Indian place names - here is another one: Mashpee), and tours of his house and lab.   Click these links to learn about Roger's research and view a Cuttle fish video.

We rode the private ferry from Woods Hole to attend a barbeque on Friday aftenoon on Naushon Island.
The island is all woodlands and pastures surrounded stone and wood rail fences.  The ferry docks in
Hadley Harbor.  I learned that the moorings are free when not in use by a family member and that the harbor is filled with a hundred or so boats in the summer. I guess June is not yet summer in New England! 

The McDermott clan rented a house on the water in East Falmouth, another beautiful location for our stay.

The wedding happened on the grounds of the Stone House on Naushon Island on Saturday afternoon. After dinner and dancing we all, including Marie, walked down the rural road with Al leading the way with a lantern for the ferry ride back to Woods Hole.

Please view our Photo Album.