The BAD news is that time flies.  The GOOD news is that YOU are the Pilot.

Ok, that is not me, but I liked how the picture expressed my thoughts - well, everyone’s, really.  I always hear “where does the time go” and there is no good answer.  And the older you get the faster it seems to fly by!  Sometimes I nearly panic because I think I have not “done enough of this or that”, especially when I read about certain people who seem to do it ALL.  However, as I write this, I’m already thinking this is also wasting time worrying about wasting time !  Geez.

After our return to Pittsburgh, Sewickley actually,  in June, we just concentrated on spending time with family and friends, attending weddings and reunions.  We did travel to Ireland for the first time, thanks to Erin and Megan giving us air miles for Ray’s big birthday.  We flew to Dublin and then traveled by train, bus, and rental car for 12 days to see so many beautiful sights.  Other trips were to Chicago,  Chincoteague Island, and of course to my brother Jim’s place on the Chesapeake Bay.  Plus, Erin, Megan, and I did a girls trip to Napa Valley for Megan's birthday - so much fun (and wine).  We are still living in the apartment so did a little more to make it homey this year - a flat screen TV!  We had been watching an old 19 incher for years but a quick trip to Best Buy and $300 remedied that.  

So right now we are at the hotel at Nanny Cay Marina until the boat goes in the water tomorrow, hopefully.  One of our thru hulls is broken and if we can’t get it fixed may have to delay.  Meanwhile, we are enjoying the pool here plus all the chickens and roosters running around the hotel grounds - NOISY!  And last night we had a uniquely fun time at Capt. Mulligans ringing in the New Year under starry skies and palm trees - no wonder time flies.

Christmas Eve at the Grand Concourse (sorry for the freaky eyes on some of us).
Front row - Charlotte,16, Gigi,11, Me (age unknown)  Middle row-Ray, Megan, Alyza,20, Erin, Jane,14.  top - Mac,18, Mark

Horse drawn carriage rides in Sewickley - no snow for the holidays this year

Beautiful Chesapeake sunset at Jim's

Girls trip to Napa for Megan's birthday

View of walkway along the Ohio River in downtown Pittsburgh last Sunday night.  The Steelers played the Bengals and we met Erin, Mark, Megan, and Jim at Jerome Bettis's restaurant before they went to the game.  We WON.

Cruising buddies Ann and Art traveled from South Carolina to Pgh. for a visit.  We also took them to Falling Water, which is always a treat.

Bridge in Dublin (forget the name)

Dublin and Galway were great but our favorite memories are of the countryside and coastline and the sweet little villages we would find as we drove around on the wrong side of the road.

Yes, it's a cemetery but what amazing stories are told about turbulent and sad events in this ancient land.   

The placement of these rocks actually means something in Celtic times.

Found these guys while walking down the road - some nice cows behind them.

Ireland's land is so rocky that the people had to remove them by hand before they could plant crops.  They had no where to put them so built walls with no mortar between the rocks, which divide all of their fields.

Close up of rock wall.  There are thousands of miles of these walls and the beauty of them is surpassed by the fact that they have lasted for many centuries with nothing to hold them together.  What an art form - all done by hand one by one.  I never thought I would be so interested!

Typical pub - we might have spent a little too much time in them but each one was OLD and interesting.  And served Guinness beer.  And played great traditional Irish music.

An old stone cross   The traditional Celtic cross is designed to combine the sun with the cross, as before they were converted to Christianity the people worshiped the sun.

Castle ruins

Cliffs of Moher - very amazing place.  It can be seen in one of the Harry Potter movies.  The winds were at least 40 mph the day we were there but luckily no fog

View from our room at the B&B in Dingle.  This is why it's called the Emerald Isle.

In Dingle we ran into a wedding and loved these ladies with their fascinator hats.

And this was taken today, January 1, 2015, at the Nanny Cay beach.  

Hurricane season along the Ohio River

To escape possible hurricanes and also follow the dictates of their insurance companies, cruisers go many places from June 1-Nov 30 every year.  Many go to Grenada/Trinidad, some to South America, but not too many come "back to the 'burgh" like we do.  Too bad, it's pretty good being anchored here about 1/2 mile from the banks of the Ohio.  We never have to worry about our anchor holding or filling up our water tanks at the fuel dock - we just turn the faucet on!  Then there are the stores - Target, Ikea, TJMaxx, Macy's - fun, fun, fun.  The weather report is only of mild interest, since it doesn't matter a whit to our landside lifestyle - a major change from the 3x/day obsession with wind direction and wave height.  But, uh-oh, better stop, because now I'm starting to miss all the things that go with the cruising life.  Which is why we think we have figured out the best lifestyle ever and are enjoying the best of both worlds.  And when we return to the BVI we will be SO ready.

Our beautiful boat in the BVI.  Right now she is in a cradle in the Nanny Cay boatyard.  This year was incident free as far as boat breakdowns go (knock on wood).  Even though built in 1997, she presents as a much newer boat.  Home sweet home January to June.

Our underwater world

Erin and family came for a vacation on Virgin Gorda, near The Baths.  The pool of the house they rented, called Toad Hall, replicated The Baths.  The house was awesome but he pool was amazing.  The boulders were already in place-they just built the pool within them.

All five of them!  Alyza (19), Jane (13), Mac (17), Charlotte (16) and Gigi (11)

Waterfall at the pool

Mark, Ray, Mac at the wheel

Everyone loved snorkeling and even saw an octopus

Relaxing on Megerin at Marina Cay, one of our day sails with them.  We just bought that hammock there that day-I am predicting some great book reading there next season.

Part of the grounds of Toad Hall, the house they rented.

It's a dinghy full of family coming out to Megerin

Erin on the beach at Peter Island, another of our day sails.  This was the island she most remembered from our charter days and she really wanted to get back here.  Peter Island never disappoints - my favorite also.

We had Father's Day brunch at the beach bar on Peter Island.  Serving cookies after a meal plus being a general-all around-hospitality hostess is Jean Kelly.  She makes everyone feel special plus always has a flower in her hair.

Charlotte, Gigi, and jane at Miss Trouble's-a great little hut they could walk to for  a sandwich and drink.  Trouble's real name is Edith but when asked she always tells people it's "Trouble".  But almost everyone on Virgin Gorda has a nickname.

Picture worth a thousand words

Spring in the CaribbeanI

How can we tell it's springtime here?  First, the seagulls are back - we can't figure out where they go and even more interestingly, why?  It certainly doesn't get cold here and they're not leaving for hurricane season, since it ends Nov. 30th.  The pelicans are here all the time, as are brown boobies (yes-it's a bird!) and the amazing frigate birds.  On shore we have black hummingbirds with emerald green breasts and "sugarbirds", little yellow finches.  Anyway, I have no idea why I am going on about birds.

The second way we knew it was spring was all the PEOPLE.  Wow, everyone was ready to get out of the cold weather and have themselves a tropical party time.  We spent Easter weekend on Virgin Gorda, where they have a four day celebration.  Lots of LOUD music (why are they all not deaf?),  street fair, fashion shows, and our favorite,  a 2 day fishing tournament.  This year the winds and waves were both high and when the boats pulled up to the dock we could tell it was serious business for these fishermen.

Going backwards, we have had some company on Megerin.  Good friends and cruising buddies from Florida and the Bahamas, Ann & Art in Febuary, then Jim returned for a quick 5 days to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Cruz Bay,  Ray's friend Tom Landis from Carlisle and his son Jud from Oregon, and best of all, Megan came down for a week.  We are now on our own and just exploring some new anchorages with no set agenda - not bad.  I do a lot of reading and this is my recent favorite quote written by a fellow cruiser:

What do you learn about yourself cruising?  Simply, that you can do it.  Despite self doubt, if you try hard enough - you can do it.  All paths in life have challenges, you just need to figure out which one to choose.  

Tom - a rare moment of relaxation - he loves to sail

Top left - Jud relaxing on our deck, Top right - Jud & Tom
Bottom left - Ray and Tom discussing strategy?  And three guys on a dock.

Ann & Art are from Greenville, SC, but originally from merry old England.  Longtime sailors "think outside the box" kind of people, we always learn so much from out time with them.  Plus, the food is always delish!  Loved Ann's shepherd's pie and Art's yummy omelets.

So…..not to be outdone by other t-shirts hung up at Ivan's on Jost van Dyke, when Jim returned in March we headed there for a quick trip and he hung an Ohio University shirt and a Steeler shirt from the Baltimore fan club he started quite a few years ago.  The club grew to over 2,000 members, and though it is no more, the shirt and memories live on!

The shell encrusted  Ivan's Stressfree Beach Bar

The shell artwork that people make and decorate the inside of Ivan's.

Ray being "stress free" at Ivan's

Ivan turned 70 while we were there so we got to join the birthday party

St. Patricks Day in Cruz Bay, St. John.  Jim brought me the "Irish Steeler" pin.  At top is the crew of the Quiet Mon Pub, an "Irish Pub in the Caribbean" and gthe center of all the day's festivities.  Bottom left is their ceiling with the Heineken chandelier.

Scenes from the parade - it was crazy!  The only parade we know of when the drivers of the vehicles have a beer in one hand.  There was a beer keg in the back of the truck.  b otto picture is the "middle-aged majorettes"  -  turned out we knew one of them!

We can't forget to mention a special day when a family we knew in Sewickley spent some time with us on Megerin.  Pictured is Julie Frisch with more than cute daughters Heather and Megan.  We had so much fun having kids around, if only for a few hours.  Oh, husband Alex is behind the wheel having a pretty good time sailing along the coast of St. John.  After our sail we had a nice "spread" of food, then met "big" Megan McCoy at the ferry dock.  

Ray and Megan

Megan taking a "stern shower" - notice the hand gesture…maybe didn't appreciate me snapping this pic? - and generally being a great crew member.  Not to mention escaping Chicago weather

More pics of Megan's trip.  bottom is a Megerin spread ready to go up to the deck for happy hour

Sunset, Megan's last night.

Presently we are in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda but plan to head to Anegada, about 12 miles away.  Not a long trip but it is surrounded by reefs so care to avoid them is primo important.   It is called the "drowned island", as it is so flat,  really just a coral atoll.  Just thought I would show you what the chart looks like.  We have been there before, though not for a few years, so not worried about getting in - just follow the chart plotter and go slow!