Thanksgiving Part 1

Our Thanksgiving Celebration lasted for several days.  We were so very glad to have spent Wednesday afternoon with Lainey, Katy & Matt.  I helped Katy make Banana pudding to take with her to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving with Matt and his family.  She says it was a hit.  Lainey was starving for cheese dip from our local Mexican restaurant--El Real.  It was real good and I ate too much.  

On Thursday we were fortunate to host both Steve's family (Poole & Springer) and my side of the family (Hunt/Lyle).  We had beautiful weather and enjoyed eating dinner on the deck.  Our sweet little Molly Caroline joined us for the first time.  Molly was born earlier in September to Scott & Megan.  Her grandparents--Ed & Martha are crazy, CRAZY about her!  

 Bob cooked the turkey this year.  He confessed this was his second time in his entire life to cook a turkey.  It was great.  Eve made the dressing and gravy.  Eddie cooked the ham--it too was good.  The delicious meal included but was not limited to Butter Peas by Faye, Cookies and Cakes by Suzy, Sweet Potato and Creamed Corn from Megan & Scott, Green Beans and Wild rice by Martha, Hash Brown Casserole by Janet, Apple Cranberry Bake by Janey and Salads and Hominy casserole by Maria.  

Daddy, Megan & Scott

Dessert Table 

Lainey and Molly

It is safe to say no one walked away hungry. We did miss our sweet Caroline who was in Utah and couldn't get enough days off to get home.  Sam & Laura were in Alabama with her family--but they have good news--they are expecting a little baby girl in the spring!

I wish I had more pictures, but I misplaced my camera several times and got distracted talking...

Joy

Why Am I in this Room?

Do you ever walk into a room and forget the reason you came into the room in the first place?  This happens to me frequently.  Since I am not proud and never mind asking a question of my good friend Google, I did in fact ask "Why did I walk into this room?"  Google always answers my questions.  

It seems that there is actually a term that explains this phenomenon.  The scientist Gabriel Radvansky spent nearly 20 years using both computer based and real word experiments to answer my question.  The experiments he used were to assess how one's memory responded to a change in environment.  The experiments determined that passing through a door seemed to make people forget.  The brain phenomenon is called an "event boundary."  It seems that the brain compartmentalize events and ties them to an environment or room so remembering what you intend to do when leaving one room and arriving in another room is much harder because of the boundary than just crossing from one side of the room.  

Now that I know I am not losing my mind and many people have this "event boundary" problem I am looking for a great Thanksgiving dinner.  We are expecting almost 30 people and lots of wonderful foods.  So thankful for those who read the blog.  

Love this sweet boy who came to visit me this week with Lainey.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Joy

29 Years of Adventure

Our life of adventure officially started 29 years ago on November 22.  Three children, three houses and three boats (that I know about) later and we are still enjoying the adventure.

Look at all the handsome groomsmen:  Tony Swann, Scott Springer, Bob Poole, Joe Brown, Rich Homick and Barry Hunt.

And of course the beautiful bridesmaids--Jan Sosebee, Tessa Shirley, Suzanne Womack Corley, Martha Layson, Jane Townsend

Looking forward to the next 29--especially next year--planning a big celebration!

Joy

A Brand New Un-used Saturday Morning

Every Saturday morning when we are at home in Bold Springs--the clock radio alarm goes off at 5 a.m.   Every Saturday morning for years.  We are awakened by the voice of O'Neill Williams welcoming us to "A Brand New Un-used Saturday Morning."   Raised in Atlanta and a graduate from Emory University with a degree in Economics, Williams is the host of the fishing television series O'Neill Outside.  O'Neill Outside Radio on WSB is broadcast every Saturday form 4 am to 6 am with an audience of over 400,000 reaching 38 states.  His wife, Gail, screens the calls and frequently adds to the show.  O'Neill has been helping those interested in fishing and hunting for years.  He doesn't just hunt and fish for sport but to feed the family.  The recipes he shares sound delicious!  

On our Brand New Unused Saturday Morning we plan to work out in the yard splitting wood for the fireplace  and cutting the grass one final time for the year.  We may have to take in a movie or play some tennis.  

Joy

The Peanuts Movie

A few days ago I saw something flying high above Bold Springs.  

I had to stop the car to determine what I was actually seeing.  Alas--it was a blimp advertising The Peanuts Movie.  Apparently there is a new movie in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and the rest of the gang are the stars.  Snoopy takes to the skies to pursue the Red Baron while Charline Brown has his own heroic quest.  Upon further research, I discovered that this movie is playing at our local theater.  I have to confess that I love all Charlie Brown specials.  


"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" will be aired on Thursday, November 26 at 8pm on ABC.  A celebration "It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown" will air on Monday, November 30  at 8 pm followed by "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at 9.  You can bet that I will be watching these.

Happy Weekend!

Joy

Invasion of the Ladybugs

Today was beautiful in Georgia.  I am hoping for another beautiful day like today in exactly 1 week.   That's right.  I want a beautiful day of weather on Thanksgiving Day!  It seems that every time we have good weather here we get an invasion of Ladybugs.  

The Ladybugs have been here all along but are residing outside or under the siding of our house.  Apparently they are going in the wrong direction when they come inside because of the variation of temperatures from the interior of our home and the outside.  They are confused...

We have had a ladybug infestation for years but I did not know what this was about.  I really don't mind except that they usually leave marks on the walls or window sills and they smell.  I learned that the marks on the wall are an excretion of blood as a defense mechanism that smells bad.  

Fun Facts about Ladybugs for Trivia Night

• a lady bug can lay up to 1000 eggs in its lifetime
• not all have spots
• Ladybugs come in many colors: pink, yellow, white, orange, black
• many countries consider the ladybug to be good luck
• spots on the ladybug fade as they get older
• gardeners use ladybugs as a form of pest control because they eat aphids

Joy

Hauling out the boat--more pictures

Steve has returned from Jacksonville and has more pictures of the haul out.  I always enjoy looking at these pictures.  Happy Day!

Joy

(1 week till Thanksgiving)  

Mum is not the word

Mum is not the word. Sometimes I get a little tickle in the back of my mind telling me something is not quite right.  I had that tickling when I bought the yellow chrysanthemum.  That same niggling was there when I wrote about the chrysanthemum.  Sometimes I wish that little tickling would be more demanding.  I might pay a little bit more attention if the voice in my head sounded more like the robot in Lost in Space--- "Danger, Will Robinson, Danger."


This is a chrysanthemum
  

This is what my chrysanthemum looks like

They are both a sunny yellow which I was hoping to use to brighten up my front porch, but clearly they are very different plants.  My chrysanthemum is actually a Marigold.   

Marigolds are the very FIRST flower on a list of plants Peafowl LOVE to eat or destroy while looking for bugs or just for fun.  I should have consulted this list prior to any purchase.  Other flowers peafowl love include:  pansies, daffodil, petunias, alyssum.  They also love broccoli. 

The good news is that the Marigold also called a Calendula is an herb used for the treatment of skin problems including inflammation.  According to Best Herbal Health there is no skin disease the marigold cannot help.  More good news is that marigolds can be an indoor house plant---if one is not offended by their strong odor.


Joy

High & Dry

Just after lunch on Monday MJ was lifted out of the water at Lamb's Yacht Center.  It was discovered that in the spring just 1 coat of Interlux Micron Black.  It has been determined that it is better to have two coasts.  This antifouling paint wears away at a slower rate than others and uses less copper more efficiently than other higher copper paints.  It takes about 16 hours to dry.  

Another project aboard MJ has been to replace the dryer.  It was old and unfortunately the front panel fell off recently and presented a little bit of a challenge to  determine which buttons to push to operate correctly.  Steve found one and managed to get it installed.  He is soooooo handy!

Joy

Bottom Paint & Haul Out

Meandering Joy is scheduled to be hauled out today at Lamb's Yacht Center to have a look at the bottom paint.  Boats which stay in the water year round or for most of a boating season usually require bottom paint.  Painting the bottom of the boat which is underwater is a technique used to discourage aquatic organisms, weeds, and barnacle from attaching themselves to the hull.  Mariners through out the ages have tried every imaginable mixture to prevent these critters from attaching to the hull.  Some of these mixtures have included: tin, arsenic, pesticides and even chili powder.  Many of these have been banned due to environmental concerns.  Most paints today include copper as a deterrent.

The picture below is from the haul out at Embry Marine in St. Petersburg.  Steve should be sending some pictures today of the haul out in Jacksonville.  

Joy

Mum's the Word

Chrysanthemum.  Say that three times really fast.  We are 12 days away from Thanksgiving.  Most people are counting down to Christmas--not the Poole Family.  Back home for a while, we are getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner at our home.  Steve and I love a good party and we love hosting this dinner.  We have always said we need a party to help us get the house clean the yard picked up.  

The plants on the front porch look like they have been taking steroids over the summer and fall months.  The hanging baskets of bleeding heart have almost withered up but the Asparagus ferns must weight 10-20 pounds.  It is time to take these plants out and replace with fall colors.  I chose to plant beautiful yellow Chrysanthemums in our beautiful blue planters.   Blue and yellow--not typical fall colors but pretty any way.  

Steve and I got them planted and watered on Thursday.   On Friday morning I noticed that half of them had been pulled out of the pot and tossed on the sidewalk.  You don't want to know what I said--Let's just say I didn't learn these words in Sunday School at Lawrenceville First Baptist.  It turns out the peacocks (both of them) like to did up the plants and pull the heads off.   

After the several hours it took me to calm down, I went out and repotted the plants and decided to bring them inside the house.  It turns out--mums can live inside. According to experts, mums are ready for interior grown with some important notes.  Position the mum so that it receives bright light during the day but no light at night.  Regular watering is also important. I think I can accomplish these tasks.  

As for the peacocks, I am thinking about roasting them for Thanksgiving, mums the word though I don't want PETA coming after me.    Wondering if eating peacock is legal in the United States then click here .   Interested in buying a pound or two of Peacock-- can be purchased here. 

Joy

Radio Communication Systems or DID YOU HEAR ME?

We have been boating on Meandering Joy for three years this month!!! Happy Anniversary!  Now that we are three years older, we sometimes have trouble hearing each other.  So what? you might say--this happens all he time at my house.  Mine too--but the issue becomes larger when trying to dock the boat.  My job is to be Steve's eyes on the starboard side of the boat and the stern while docking because he can usually see the port side.  

We have avoided purchasing a hands-free radio communication system for a couple of reasons.  Number one--you guessed it--the cost.  Number two--we get mixed reviews from users.  There have been times when I have had to yell over wind and sometimes my normally kind voice sounds stressed and a bit frustrated.  It can be embarrassing but usually brings out tons of extra dock hands to help us.  

Steve noticed on the Fleming owners website a suggestion to use the app Walkie-Talkie Wifi & Bluetooth by Torchlight.  It works well for us.  I can use headphones and put the phone in waist pack in the hands free mode.  This allows us to talk without screaming and since it is handsfree I don't have to worry about dropping my phone while throwing the lines to the dockhands.  

It takes a little patience to get it going and I would advise getting it adjusted and set long before untying or tossing lines.  Other uses are for those on ATV's or motorcycles. At 99 cents per phone we feel pretty good about  Saving about $300 on the Eartec Sumultak 24G.  

Joy

Jacksonville

We decided to make the trip to Jacksonville outside rather than on the ICW because of tides and shallow water.  As much as I like traveling the ICW, it is really much easier on the Captain to travel outside.  The views are greater on the ICW but the turns and the constant lookout for shallow water and shoaling areas is a pain.

Entering the St. Johns River at Mayport can be exciting.   Naval Station Mayport is located in this well protected harbor.  Many aircraft carriers ready for action as well as those in need of maintenance can be seen.  A military airfield with a paved runway can also  make things interesting with plans flying overhead. We just try to stay out of the way of the big boats and get on out of here.

A few of the smaller US Navy water craft came zooming by us heading to a nearby marina.  Glad they waved at us and went about their business--leaving us alone.

Interested in gambling while in Mayport? Enjoy  a cruise on the Victory Casino for just $10.  The cruise line operates 5 days a week, twice daily.  If you can't make it to Mayport--they have an online gambline site just for you!

A ferry service for the St. John's River crossing at Mayport has been operating since 1894.  This service provides a vital transportation link between the north and south banks of the St. John's alone the A1A.  The ferry service charges $10 for buses and RV's, $6 for cars, & $1 for bicycles and pedestrians.  The ferry departs every half hour making the almost mile long trip 2.5 miles from the rivers mouth.   As the third largest non-military business in Mayport, it saves travelers 24 miles driving.  

The area from the mouth of the St. John's to just before Jacksonville Landing is highly industrialized but finally we see the city beyond the bridges. 

Joy

Heading to Jacksonville

We said goodbye to Fernandina on Friday morning and set out for Jacksonville.  We plan to leave Meandering Joy for a while at Lamb's Yacht Center on the Ortega River just off the St. John's River.  Time for some service and this marina is a great place to leave her for a while.  The covered slips offer much protection from the elements meaning fewer calls for maintenance. 

This shrimp boat gave us a big "GOOOOO DAWGS" after seeing our Athens, GA hailing port for all those Florida fans to hear.  Glad for the enthusiasm but now we really had to get away from the Gator fans.

Joy