New year, new cruises!

Well, it's 2011 (when we were 16, did we really believe that some day we'd be ALIVE in 2011?), and Nellie is ready to go. We will leave day after tomorrow for two weeks in the South Sound. We haven't been down south since 2004, so it's probably time we did it again.

I am of mixed feelings - the South Sound is crowded - all those Seattle and Tacoma and Olympia folks - and the fishing isn't all that great....but there are restaurants and grocery stores, etc., etc. So it's probably a wash. We're joined by Steppe and Mary on Saratoga Sue, The Huletts on Sapphire, John Hudson and Anita Columbo (my Mehlville friends may recognize that name - Anita was 4 years behind us at MHS) on Gopher Baroque, the Lundstroms on Saratoga, Monem and Judy on Time Out and the Munns on Pearl Jem - a good crowd. Only 5 boats will stay on the entire cruise, the others will join when they can and leave when they must.

When we return home, we'll stay for a few days, then head out again to the District 16 USPS rendezvous in Poulsbo. I love Poulsbo! For my flatland friends, Poulsbo is a Norwegian town that embraces its Scandinavian-ness with both arms! A great bakery, terrific marina with a lovely waterside park, and all kinds of fun little shops. Also, an absolutely fantastic quilt shop (my personal favorite)! We may head north to Nanaimo, BC, for a week or so after the Poulsbo trip, along with a few other boats from other USPS squadrons.

So, this year will be the first time that we're cruising almost completely with other folks. A new thing for us.....and I'm looking forward to the camaraderie and new friendships.

We are only going to be on the boat for a month - we'll be leaving to drive back to Chicago around July 29th. Naomi's 2nd surgery will be August 5, and we want to be there this time around. We hope to be able to take up some of the slack for Rebecca while Naomi spends her 6 weeks in the body cast. Bob will spend a lot of time taking Miles to the beach and riding bikes with him...no more training wheels!

So, here we go again - I'll remember how to blog daily again and hope that somebody, somewhere, reads this stuff. A cruise is the perfect way to begin my 66th year!