Learning to cook "boat" food

Cooking on our tiny boat presents it's own set of problems.  Not only is my only counter space also the step to get out, but the work surface is so low it's a back-breaker.  I'm a tall person, so a low work surface is a pain...literally.

I've decided that cooking on the boat is going to be only done when there's no other options~lol  I have purchased a nice electric burner that has 2 cook surfaces.  This can easily be used on the boat when the weather is too bad to cook at the pavilion, but easily transported for cooking outside the boat most evenings. 

Since everyone knows I have no patience for cooking big meals, my neighbor has thankfully introduced me to stir-fry and has even taken me shopping at the Asian market.  I can now make a mean beef stir-fry and am ready to learn a few new dishes.

Another crockpot dinner...Chicken and Biscuits

So I'm feeling well enough to cook again and I'm having a craving~lol  Tonight I'm going to try the Crock pot Chicken and Biscuit recipe I found a couple of weeks ago.  Hopefully, it's going to taste as good as the photo in the recipe book looks!

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can  cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans of water
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (I'm using 1 cube)
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 can of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Combine all ingredients in crock pot except the biscuits.  Cut biscuits into quarters and stir into mixture.  Cook on low 4-6 hours stirring occasionally.

Can't wait to see how it comes out!

The head is shot...



What my intake valve should look like...

So I'm tired of traipsing up to the bathrooms after dark and I've decided it's time to fix the head on the boat.  I thought it was going to be an easy thing, just run the hosing into a new holding tank since it looks like that's the only thing missing.  The new holding tank was easy to install, but unfortunately the water intake to actually flush the toilet is shot.  Someone decided to change the water intake valve to a regular house fitting like what's used to turn on your outdoor spiggot.  Turns out that it gets rusty in salt water (duh!) and no longer works properly. 

In order to change out this one fitting, the boat has to be pulled from the water since removing the fitting will involve putting a hole in the bottom of the boat.  Yet another example of working on the boat is NOT the same as repairs in a house.  It look's like I'll be taking after dark walks awhile longer.

This is what my intake valve does look like...only in worse shape~lol
This is not marine grade!

A good nights sleep...

So after the "new bed" fell off the braces Bob put the hinges on the bed for me.  It now folds out at night and stays where it's supposed to be without any slipping.  It's rather nice to have a stable platform to sleep on without worrying.

I have cut down the quarter berth cushion so there's a softer surface ( not soft enough though~lol) to sleep on for both Bob and I at night.  After I add velcro to the bottom of the cushion to stop it from slipping at night, I am going to buy a Memory Foam topper for the new bunk since the cushions are simply too hard to get comfortable.  I'll still have to figure out storage for the topper, but I think the comfort level will make it worth the effort.  Ah...I can finally have a good nights sleep.

It's still a small space since my single, fitted sheets has a little room left over at the top and fits perfectly at the bottom, we are still much happier with the new sleeping arrangements.  It's still a little short for us at 60", but it's still SO much better then the v-berth since we don't have to ight all night for "stretch room". (The average single bed is 39" x 74".)  Considering we've been sleeping on a bunk that's only 24" at it's wides and 19" at it's narrowest, this feels like a TON of space~lol

I'll get photos of the completed bed posted tomorrow...

Sleeping space is essential...

Putting in the foot braces

So we gave up the quarter berth to Max and Bert since Bob and couldn't both fit (we are too tall and I kept loosing foot space) and Bob and I have been sleeping separately on the settee's in the salon.  We are not happy with the arrangement, to say the least.  Today, we are extending one of the settee's with a removable brace system  and adding a piece of 1/2" plywood to have the bed slide out at night so we can sleep together again.

Sounds easy...right?  Well, it isn't!  There's actually only 3X5 of actual floor space to work with in the salon.  That means piling everything up on one settee to work on the other and Bob and I both bumping into each other as we attempt to work.  (Sounds like my friends story is now coming true for us~lol)  Add to that, I'm a girl.  Pretty obvious I'm sure, but I didn't "measure twice and cut once".  We are having to saw off 5" of the plywood since I measured the size of the settee cushion and NOT the actual space we needed to fill.  Oops:-(  Since we have no power saw here, that means Bob has to hand saw the extra off the plywood (not fun when sick).  Throw a confused German Shepherd (Sara) into the mix and it's a mess.  What we thought would take about an hour with Home Depot doing the actual cutting has turned into a 2 hour project.  Guess I'll measure twice next time...

Now that the board is cut, the braces are in place, all we need is a piece of foam large enough to cover the "new" bed.  We forgot to take the measurements to the store with us.  Grrr.  It's hard thinking of everything when you are just too sick and way too tired.

Edit:  So our neighbor suggested simply cutting down the quarter berth cushion that's in storage since it's already the proper thickness.  Since all the cushions need replacing, that seems like the easiest thing to do for now.  We are going to have to have all new cushions made sometime soon, since the foam was not the highest quality when they were made and they are all so "compacted" now.  When we do, we'll have a new quarter berth cushion AND the needed extension cushion for the new bed made then.  Now, if only I knew of an easy way to cut the foam...

Discovering the measurements are all wrong



Head Braces installed

Working in a tight space

Bob...fixing my bad measurement

Semi-finished bed

Necessity is the mother of all inventions (or in my case re-inventions)

This photo IS turned the correct way, it's the lamp that's up-side down

So necessity drives me to make up solutions to my little "boat issues".  I have no electric light on-board, only battery powered.  Batteries are SO expensive when you start running lights at night (they never last long enough).  There is no where to put a lamp, so I needed a solution.  Introducing my "up-side-down wall lamp"~roflol  There's wall space to mount a lamp, just not upright, so I have improvised:-)

The "Ugly Hammock"...what every boater needs!

My paper towels are always where I don't need them or in a hard to reach space so I decided to make a hanging hammock to keep them in.  It's not pretty.  I can't even think how to make it pretty~lol  But, it's just the right size for the paper towels and flashlights:-)  Introducing the "ugly hammock", every boater needs one (not).  It seemed stupid for me to go buy one for $10 when I can make my own for only $1.  I still have enough material to make 3-4 more~lol  OK, maybe now I see why it isn't so stupid to buy one (it wasn't easy to make!), but I can now say I've tried and conquered net hammock making:-)

Socializing and afternoon naps...

Since my husband works and Max is in school all day, that puts me on the boat with just the dogs or company much of the time.  I like to talk to my dogs, but 8 hours a day is a little much~lol  I send a large amount of time either on-line or socializing up at the pavilion in the marina.  There are so many boaters that live here, there always seems to be someone up there to talk to.

I love to talk (no comment on that one Ms B!) and will sit with almost anyone who wants to have a conversation.  That has turned out to work to my advantage lately, as I've been learning so much from other live aboard boaters!  But, most of the "talk time" is in the middle of the day.  That means it's hot, very hot.  The heat can sap the energy right out of you faster than a jog around the block I think, but have not attempted the jog around the block to compare the feeling...yet.  Let's be honest, I'll never jog around the block so just take my word for it, sitting in the heat makes you tired~lol  (See, you thought the convoluted title wouldn't go anywhere.)

After piddling on the boat, getting any actual work done before 9 am (that's when you start to get hot~lol) and getting inside work done before 10 am (how much inside work is there when your space is this limited), you get on-line until you get tired of your own company, that's usually around 10:30 am~lol.  That's when you start your socializing:-)  It's not simply sitting there and talking a few hours, it's sit and talk for about 15-30 minute, then go back to the boat (you're hot and gotta get cool) and work on something until you forget just how hot it is and you must go socialize again because you have to hear someone breathe, other than the dogs, of course.  You once again socialize for another 15-30 minutes.  Then retreat back to the boat.  This cycle is repeated anywhere from 3 to 10 times, depending on exactly how much you want to talk and how long your stamina can hold (climb out of the boat, off the boat and climb the gangway from the dock to land and walk to the pavilion, all in the heat).

After several trips, you start back to the boat, telling whoever you were talking to that you'll be back in a little while, gotta go cool off.  At this time, you get back to the boat and decide to read, sounds like a good idea at the time.  After reading one page...the nap starts~lol  The nap can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how many socializing trip you made and when you wake up...you get to go socialize again.  There's not too much tie left before it gets dark and we all know it's time to get on the boat at dark!  We are too tired from spending the day outside in the heat to even think about staying up late here!

Spare time and what do I do?

Living on a boat presents plenty of time to pursue other interests.  There are only so many things to occupy yourself with.  There's not much cleaning to be done and regular maintenance only takes a few moments.  Many live aboards in this marina have tv's since there's cable available (we do not), so they keep up with regular shows.  But, there's still plenty of spare time if you don't work full-time (many do not) and still time left over if you do.

My husband works full-time and I work part-time, so I invariably have plenty of time to try and fill during the afternoon's when it' hot.  I read, listen to music and get my cleaning/straightening done after 10 am when the temperature is starting to rise.  Let's be honest, I love to read, but I can only read so long before I need something else to do.  There's always the internet, but after awhile you need something else to occupy not only your mind, but your hands also.

Thankfully, I have a neighbor who has taught me to make beaded jewelry.  I now have several beaded rings and I'm moving on to bracelets and necklaces now.  What am I ever going to do with all these beads~lol  The artists are no longer welcome to sell their wares on St. George Street or in the Plaza, so I have started to accumulate a rather large collection of jewelry (which I do not wear~lol).

I've been asked to organize a "Mariner's Flea Market", so I guess I'm going to have to so I can sell everything I've made to date~lol   I hope to organize the flea market for sometime in October, when the weather is cooler.  Lot's of the boaters here have hobbies that produce large amounts of artwork from beaded jewelry to photography to bicycle repair.  I can't wait to see what everyone else has to offer.  Who knows, maybe I'll pick up another skill:-)

My first attempts at beaded rings...

Good Boatkeeping

My new favorite book!

My neighbor has loaned me a book called Good Boatkeeping.  Now, I'm not exactly "Susie Homemaker", so I started my first impulse was to say Thanks anyway.  She must have seen that "look" in my eye because she insisted.  Thank goodness!  Good Boatkeeping has become a valuable source of information!  I must find my own copy ASAP!

This book tells you how to do everything from keep your head (bathroom) running efficiently to finding storage solutions for almost any item.  It covers cooking and cleaning (did you know you can wash laundry in a bucket with a plunger~lol)  It even has a solution for tea stains on mugs (who knew toothpaste could be so handy).

I love this book!

Storage found~lol

One of my four "found" storage compartments

So this is how ignorant I am~lol  I can laugh about it because it IS funny:-)

I made the settee and pulled down the back cushions to put sheets on them (covering the scratchy wool fabric) 2 weeks ago and didn't notice the storage compartments BEHIND the back cushions.  Yesterday, I pulled the sheets off the back cushions to wash them and still didn't notice the storage compartments~lol  I must be going crazy here because storage is at a premium now.  I noticed that they needed painting, but NOT the big storage compartments (two behind each bench!).  This morning I pull the back cushions off because I wanted to see make sure the wood wasn't rotted anywhere ansd see how hard the paint job is going to be and what do I finally see?  STORAGE!

Oh my, the depth of the storage isn't that much, but it's almost 6 full feet long!  I now know where to put canned food~lol

Easy solutions to easy problems...

My family can only be called Accidental Sailors (thus the name of my blog) because we were not ready to live aboard when the Mystery found us.  Now, we spent years living in a Mini-Winnie (a class-C Winnebago), so we do know a little something about getting the most out of a small space.  I did live aboard when I was in St. Thomas, but my time was divided between a 145' three masted schooner and a 36' Beneteau.  There is no comparison other than they float~lol  There are a few solutions to problems and issue in all boats that are the same though, here's a few of them...

Salt water does not produce suds in soap.  Not matter how much you try, unless you are using Joy dish soap, you won't get a bubble.  Joy can be used to clean almost anything on a boat.  Decks, dishes, yourself, etc.  Joy is my friend:-)

That door or hatch board that is sticking only needs a little spray of Pledge.  The wood swells when it's hot and humid.  It's amazing what a little Pledge can do:-)  Pledge is my friend (couldn't get the hatch boards out yesterday).

When storing cereal (flour, oatmeal, basically anything dry), remove it from the box and store it in a screw top plastic container with a little plastic wrap under the lid.  It keeps the moisture out and keeps the cereal fresher longer.  I lost 2 boxes of Life cereal before I remembered:-(

Dog food must go into a sealed container and NOT kept in them bag.  Soggy dog food isn't good.  Just ask Bert, he'll turn his nose up at it~lol

Also, the most important thing of all...if you think you won't need it, then you probably will.  Stock your boat to accommodate for all possible scenarios~lol  If you think it's a personal necessity, leave it behind~lol  You'll probably never take it out of the box;-)

My tarp is my friend!

We've suffered with just the small bimini (sun shade) over the cockpit for the past few weeks and I want some shade!  Maybe a little protection for when it rains?  Talk about a pain in the fanny when it rains!  You can't open the hatch without it raining inside the cabin!  Ugh!  We have a tarp that can be used as a cover, but it's around the hatch where the air conditioner is to keep the rain out of the v-berth.   We need a solution!

The view from below decks

Well, it can't be said that necessity doesn't breed solutions!  Bob took our inflatable air mattress and sealed in the v-berth hatch around the a/c unit.  Not only is it thicker and provide better insulation, but it's heavier and doesn't rustle when the wind blows.  Hey, that was a good idea!  Thanks baby!!!

The air mattress covering the hatch where the a/c is installed.  Taken from the main hatch.

The a/c unit is actually better insulated now and the boat is cooler. 
Necessary now that the refrigerator is heating us up so much!

Now, I had thought that I would purchase a couple of long PVC pipes and attach (read tie here) two sides of the tarp to a piece of the pipe, drape the pipe over the boom (that's the long thing that sticks over the cockpit where the sail is attached Ms. B) and then anchor the PVC to the sides of the boat.  That would provide a "bowed" effect and keep the tarp nice and tight while providing shade and rain protection. 

Bob decided to drape the tarp itself over the boom and tie it down like a tent.  I have to admit that it works just fine this way and the results are the same.  It doesn't leave as much space to get into the boat, but I didn't have to do the actual work, so I'm pleased with the results~lol

He finished just in time for a nice rain storm:-)  I left the hatch part-ways open and had a wonderful nap listening to the rain.  Not one drop of water inside the cabin.  I think it may stay like this!

My sun shade tarp from the front of the Mystery.

Where we board is a little limited on space, but we ARE in the shade and we ARE dry when it rains!

Changing the oil...

Working in close quarters

Now I have to admit that this post is a story my neighbor told me the other day.  We have no engine on our boat and when we get one, it'll be an outboard.  I will never have "this" problem aboard the Mystery, but I'll have some that are pretty darn close~lol

A typical task on the boat is changing the oil.  Now that sounds easy until you realize that the engine is under the v-berth.  So here's how my day goes...

My husband and I remove everything from the v-berth and put it all on the settees in the salon.  Even the v-berth cushions go (now is a good time to change the sheets, so much easier when the cushions are out!).  He pulls the storage cover off and starts checking out the engine. 

He asks where the philips head screw driver is.  I (being the wife) asks him where he put it last time he used it.  He replies that it's under the starboard (that's right for you land lubbers) settee.  I turn and stare...at all the items we just piled on top of the settee.  I ask if he's sure, but of course he is.  Why didn't we get that out first?

I move everything off the starboard settee, making the pile on the port (that's left) settee and putting some items into the cockpit.  I empty out the settee storage onto the chart table, pull the settee cushion off (now's a good time to change the cover on it!) and locate the needed screwdriver.  I hand it to him (he's now tapping his foot and wondering what's taking so long) and ask if he can think of anything else that he might need while I have everything out of that storage locker.  He replies with a no. 

I start putting the items back into the storage locker.  About 10 minutes later (after everything is put back and the settee is finally back together) he asks for a wrench.  I ask him where it might be.  Of course, in the starboard settee.  I sigh and start to once again pull the settee apart. 

Thirty minutes later, the settee is back together, but I'm not putting anything on top just in case there's something else he may need.  Meanwhile, he's busy cursing the tight quarters in which he has to work and complaining about scraped knuckles.  He asks for the new oil he bought last week.  I ask where it's at...under the port settee.  Now I have to move all the items I had piled onto the port settee onto the starboard settee, remove the cushion (change the cover) and pile the rest into the cockpit to give me room to get to the port storage locker.

According to her, this is how they normally work in their boat.  She says that no matter how prepared she tries to be for any small job, it's never enough.  I have also be warned that when you start what you think is a minor repair and start inspecting what has to be done, you will invariably find 3 more repairs that have to be completed before you can actually start the original repair you wanted to do~lol

As she told me this story, I realized that I am not the only one who must take things apart and try to logically put them into an order by necessity.  ALL boaters must do this.  My days are going to be filled with pulling out and putting back.  I do know one thing for sure, I'll keep the tool bags handy and the oil in the cockpit storage~lol  That's the easiest place to reach!

Sara and Bert, dogs on a sailboat

Bert

Now, I dearly love my dogs.  Both are rather large German Shepherd Dogs and they are settled in their ways.  I can't complain about the dogs themselves.  I love them pretty much the way they are.  But... well... I wish it was a little easier getting them out of the boat.  It's not they they don't jump up and down from the cabin by themselves because they do.  They even get on and off the Mystery just fine by themselves, thank you very much.  It's that they try to do it all at the  same time.  Two big dogs simply don't fit through the hatch at the same time~lol 

I really wish I had my camera a little while ago.  They both tried to go out at once and, in the blink of an eye, they had their butts stuck in the hatch together~lol  Tails wagging, tongues hanging out, perfectly happy to have half their heads out in the cockpit stuck.  Not fun when you have to push their fannies out~lol

Bless their hearts they SO want to do things at the same time.  Gotta start setting rules as to who goes first now because I don't want a repeat of this morning performance!

Sara

Have refrigerator...will make room!

Sara, in front of the refrigerator and over the storage compartment.

Now I have made it no secret that we live in a "sardine can", so it's should not be surprising that adding a tiny, 1.7 cubic foot refrigerator is a HUGE production.   I have removed the cushion in the quarter berth (thus kicking Sara and Bert out of their "bed") and have decided to extend my "galley counter" by adding the refrigerator just inside the entrance to that space.  The new refrigerator is narrow enough that the dogs can still pass by and get to the back, where they like to sleep.  So, I have everything ready to now install my much missed refrigerator (I hate hauling ice for the cooler!).   This should be an easy thing to put together, right?  Well....

Now that I have removed the quarter berth cushion, the door to the refrigerator won't open.  The cushion to the settee is in the way.  That's a fairly easy fix, I can get some of the scrap out of the lumber pile and raise it up.  Wow, this is going a little easier then I thought it would!  So, I now have my scrap wood, my refrigerator door opens and closes with no problem and all is good.  Wait, now Sara and Bert won't go into the quarter berth and they are sleeping on the settee?  What's up with that?!?!

Evidently, the new refrigerator puts off so much heat that we will never need to buy a heater for the boat:-(  This isn't good.  The dogs won't go back into that nice, cozy space I saved just for them!  It's too hot back there now!  Grrrr...time for yet another plan...

Bob has now been recruited to help me.  My refrigerator is now back about half way into the quarter berth (I've lost my extra "counter space", but can now access the storage compartment...sort of).  Sara's bed is now at the entrance to the quarter berth, right at the foot of the settee, which she seems to approve of.  Bert has taken to sleeping in the v-berth with Max and the dogs are situated.  Except for Sara when I actually need to get into the refrigerator.  She has to move then.  Or when I want something in that handy little storage compartment that I found.  She and her bed BOTH have to move then. 

Yes, my refrigerator has become something of a pain in the fanny, but I don't have to haul ice anymore (unless there's beer in the cooler), so I guess everything has turned out a little better than it was~lol

Now normally, I'd be a little miffed at myself for not having a better set-up, but Bob has come to the rescue, yet again:-)  While working, Bob took it upon himself to make the space around the refrigerator a little "friendlier" for me.  I've worried about where to store items so they are more convenient and easier to grab when needed.  He's put all the electrical cords (to charge the camera, cell phone, etc) into a cigar box with a drop front lid on top of the refrigerator (that's pretty nifty since it fits just perfect) and he placed a piece of wood in that wasted space where the boat has the molded cockpit seat to store my much "lost" towels.  Ahhh, the search for my misplaced towels is at an end.

We still have a decent amount of space behind the refrigerator.  I have not decided what I can use it for, but I'm sure there's going to be some little-used item stuffed back there before too long.  Maybe that electric griddle will fit there....

Sara's bed covers the storage compartment.

The refrigerator is held up with scrap wood.

Bob's improvised towel storage.  Not exactly pretty, but it works!

All my cords and cables fit into the cigar box on top of the refrigerator.

The electric outlet still needs a little wok, but it's better than sitting on the galley counter!

My still unused space behind the refrigerator (notice the dent we found when unpacking the blasted thing!)

Where are all the towels?

I am finding that no matter how well you plan where everything will go, it's never going to be enough.  I have attempted to arrange the boats storage into a logical fashion, but nothing seems to work.  Let me tell you how it actually works...

I'm looking for the coffee creamer.  Its in the very bottom of the cooler, so I must remove the bottled water, wrapped sandwich meats, etc (plunging my hand into ice and water as each item is removed).  I now have my coffee creamer, but must decide how to "logically" put the items back.  Of course, creamer should be on the bottom since I only use it in the mornings.

Wait, now I need to shower so I must find the towels.  I remember putting them into the bottom of the storage locker under the bench in the salon.  Of course, Bob has now added a few items also.  So...once again I must got through the process of removing everything from the storage area just to get to the towels.  Now I must decide how to put everything back, putting in what I think we won't need that much first.  As I finish, Bob wants to know where I put the screwdrivers...  Didn't I put those on the bottom?  GRRRR!

My day seems to be spent finding what I need in the bottom of the storage lockers and rearranging everything.  There HAS to be a better way.  Think I may buy a label maker and start putting labels on the inside of each storage locker until I figure out exactly what needs to be where.

My crock pot is my friend...

Since the Mystery has only a small camp burner and no microwave or toaster on board, cooking is usually done at the pavilion area, where gas grills are made available to all the residents.  Now, since we lived in a Winnebago for a few years, we are very familiar with grill cooking, but I wanted to cook on the boat.  My solution?  A crock pot.

I was surprised at the number of crock pot cookbooks available on-line and at Barnes and Noble!  Who knew crock pots were so popular?!  Two cookbooks and about an hour pouring over recipes has netted me a couple of surprisingly good dishes besides the old standard of beef stew, soup and chili.

My first attempt at new dishes proved to be rather good.  Gratin potatoes and ham in one crock pot and peach cobbler in the other (I have both a large and a small crock pot now).  I've found several other dinner recipes that I'm rather anxious to try out, especially that chicken and tortilla soup.

Last night, I found a recipe for "Hearty Breakfast Cereal" and thought I'd give it a try.  It consists of oatmeal, sliced almonds, diced apples and cinnamon.  Sounds yummy right?  The reality was not what I expected though.  The oatmeal was rather bland and needed "something" to give it a slight kick in the fanny to get it moving.  Sugar helped, but that wasn't right either.  Bob and I have decided to try the recipe out again later, but adding raisins, walnuts and honey to it.  Maybe it's like a friend of mine always says... "A recipe is nothing but a guideline."  We'll have to make this one a little different, but I'll let you know how it comes out.

Converting the quarter-berth...

Quarter-berth before the refrigerator

So I've gotten the cushion pulled from the quarter-berth and picked up a blanket for Sara at the local Goodwill and I'm ready to get a refrigerator.  Bob and I will head out to WalMart this evening and bring one home.  I'm so excited!  It almost feels like Christmas~lol  We'll still keep the cooler for a few things (bottles of water, Gatorade and other drinks), but our food will be easily accessible from inside the boat now.

Sara doesn't seem to be overly please that the comfy cushion is no longer available to her, but she will hopefully take to the blanket fairly well.  I've placed her food and a small bowl of water in the back so she knows this is still "her space".

When I removed the cushion, I found yet another storage compartment that we hadn't found yet.  WOO HOO!  More space to put things!  I don't know if I'll be able to open it after the refrigerator is in place, so I'm not going to put anything there yet.  If we can't open it easily, then I'll store our non-season clothes stored in zip bags.  That way we only have to move the fridge twice a year...we'll have to wait and see.

Money, storage, food and all our "stuff"

When moving onto The Mystery, we choose to rent a storage room locally to keep everything we "might" need while living aboard, but didn't have room for.  I have to say, after 2 weeks I don't think we need nearly the amount of things we saved.  Most of the items there are slowly going to be sorted and we'll only keep the essentials.

We are learning a whole new simpler (and frugal) way to live.  We only buy food that we are going to eat within 2 days (limited cooler space), so our food bill is slightly smaller because I'm no longer buying those bargains I couldn't pass on that sit in the pantry for weeks on end.  We are eating healthier foods since I'm no longer buying precooked items that need to be stored in the freezer.

We've been living out of a cooler, but have decided to remove the cushion from the quarter-berth and install a small, dorm size refrigerator to cut back on the ice expense.  Since the opening to the quarter-berth is fairly wide, Sara and Bert will still be able to get into the back of the quarter-berth to sleep, I'll just have to give them an old blanket to use as a bed.

I've found that I carried way too many towels and sheets than we actually need onto the boat.  All the extras are being given away to other boaters that need them, so our linen storage is half what I though I'd need (leaving more room for other things).  I'm also going to replace our regular towels with microfiber ones.  My neighbor has some that have a terry finish and they dry quicker and more efficiently than regular towels and take up much less space when put away. 

Clothes seem to take up most of our extra space.  With 3 people on-board, that's a huge amount of clothes even IF we only keep 1 weeks worth here.  I've started buying travel bags to store 2 days worth at a time.  Since the travel bags are clear, you can see what's in each one.  I simply pack our clothes into them as I do laundry, squeeze out the air and carry them back to the boat.  They are much more compact, water tight (in case of a leak we still have not found) and easier to store.

Bath articles are also a storage problem, but I have not figured out an efficient way to deal with that yet.  Everyone has their own "bath bag" with soap, shampoo, etc.  Unfortunately, the bags themselves take up way too much room.  I bought them large enough to fit a change of clothes and a towel for the walk to and from the bathrooms, but I'm thinking about simply buying smaller bags and forgoing the convenience of the larger bag.  I'm also considering buying travel bottles of shampoo and conditioner (a must for the salty-air for me) and pouring what is needed into the travel size bottles and not keeping a separate shampoo for each bag.

Now to the big "storage" problem.  The dogs food takes up a huge amount of space.  Since Sara and Bert are so large, I have been buying dog food in large bags to save myself a little money and trips to the store.  I need to come up with a storage solution for the food...fast.  During the day, I have been keeping it in the galley sink (it's very deep) with the cover over it, but this is turning into a pain when I actually need to use the sink.  I considered a large storage container in the cockpit, but our living area above decks is already very limited, so I don't see that that will be a good solution.  My neighbor suggested a deck-box.  Since we won't be going cruising, that may be the way to go.  I may get one large enough to hold all the food and still have room left over for any over-flow items that stray this way as I empty out the storage room.

Cooking utensils have been pared down to a minimum now.  I seem to need the crockpot (easiest way to cook here), 1 large pot and a skillet.  I am going to get my cast-iron skillet from storage since it can be used on a burner or placed into the grill with the grill closed (cornbread that way is fabulous).  I may even go so far as a cast-iron dutch oven for use on the grill, but have not decided for sure yet.

I can see that this may be a never-ending task, but have already decided that if something else comes on-board, then something on-board must leave.  That means no more shopping for that extra top or pair of pants unless we are willing to donate an item.  Talk about putting a spending limit on yourself!  Once we're settled in, we should be able to save enough money to up-grade to a larger boat quicker than we thought.

Dinner and drink is nice. Nasty comments are not.

Last night one of the wonderful "marina ladies" made fajitas for many of the boaters and dinner turned into a small party before we knew it.  The fajitas were absolutely wonderful, if a little hot.  She made the sauce with the drained juice of a jar of jalapenos, so no one was expecting as much "heat" as we got~lol  There were no left overs, so they were a huge success.  Needless to say, after a little "heat" from the fajitas, we were all had a few beers (or in my case wine) for hours afterwards.

I'm finding that marina life has it's up and downs.  I am fairly laid back, but I can't abide someone talking about me, my family or my dogs (go figure, they are part of my family).  One of the party-goers last night made a rather nasty comment about one of my dogs in front of the entire group.  Now, I did not take my dog to the little party, my husband brought him out to take on a walk.  This person was not asked to even be near the dog, so I felt the comment she made was a little excessive and completely unnecessary.  I am rather pleased that I was able to hold my temper and not let on that I had even heard the remark, but I will have a private word later to let her know I was offended (and more than a little embarrassed) by her thoughtless remark.  I guess that it's going to be a process learning to live so close to such a diverse group of people.  All of us are so different.  We come from different backgrounds, ethnic groups and we are all rather "set" in our beliefs.  Hopefully, once we adjust to this life, we will learn to let the little things pass us by without taking offense.

Marina life is never boring...

This is not MY mooner, but this guy is running a close second!

Many people that live aboard do not have cars, so it's a little interesting getting around for them.  We are one of the few people who actually have TWO cars at the marina, so I end up taking someone almost everywhere I go.  Now, I am not complaining because I love having the company, but it does make shopping and errands interesting.  I took a trip to the local WalMart to pick up supplies the other day and had 2 fabulous women from the marina with me, which made for a very eclectic shopping trip (we all needed different things). 

One of the ladies is a stand-up comedian, so I should have known it was going to be an interesting trip, but I was in no way prepared for what I saw while checking out!  Both ladies were waiting for me in the front of the store near the Service Center and as I looked towards them...my comedian friend actually dropped her pants and mooned me!  Talk about shocked~lol  I'm not a prude and I've been mooned before (I've even mooned), but never did I imagine that I'd be mooned in the check-out lane at WalMart! 

The amazing thing was no one even seemed to notice what happened.  How can someone dropping their pants in WalMart go un-noticed?  My thoughts...WalMart gets such strange people that anything goes~lol  I've seen shoppers in their pajamas filling their shopping carts in this store before :-)

Next week, we're taking on Winn Dixie, I can't wait to see what kind of trouble she can cause in there!!

To see some real craziness in WalMart, check out the website People Of WalMart!

Marina Life

Moving Mystery into the marina was probably the best decision we've made so far.  We are happy (for the most part) with all our "neighbors" and we found that feeling of "community" rather quickly here.  We've only been on-board for just over a week, but I think that after doing our homework, we made a good decision to stay here.

When we were living in the house, we barely knew our neighbors well enough to wave when seeing them on the street.  We actually only knew the names of TWO of our neighbors.  It was a rather singular and insulated way to live.  Now that we are part of the marina and are on the boat full-time, we know most of the people that are on the boats around us.  There is a nice pavilion with picnic tables and grills set-up for us to use and that is the gathering place for most of the live aboard's.  Every week there are scheduled get-togethers that help promote a community feeling also.  Saturday morning's it's coffee and doughnuts and Wednesday evenings we have a cook-out with everyone contributing something.

It's nice to actually slow down enough to get to know your neighbors and always have someone nearby that you know you can ask for help if you need it.  I like knowing who lives next to me, it makes me feel like I actually "belong" here.

While I love the feeling of community, I do have to admit that there are a few people I simply don't care for here.  Not that they have done anything, but our personalities just don't mesh well together.  I don't feel obligated to socialize if I don't want to, so I don't foresee any problems being able to get along well here.

The downside of marina life...your neighbors are very close.  If you want to have a private discussion, then don't do it above deck or on-land.  Otherwise someone is going to hear you!

We lived for a long time in a Mini-Winnie (Class C camper) and are used to having close neighbors, so we are fairly used to living close to others, but we have been "out of practice" for almost 4 years, so we are still adjusting.  We''ll see how well it's going in a month~lol

Getting Settled

V-Berth

For those of you who don't know us, let me tell you that my husband and I are both tall people.  There isn't much head-room on a 26' sailboat, so we are having to learn to adjust. 

The biggest obstacle so far is sleeping.  We were so happy to move into the v-berth, but after 2 night I was miserable.  Where it is long enough for one of us, we cant both fit our legs and feet into the "v".  Time to change our sleeping arrangement!

Quarter Berth

My son has been sleeping with his lower half in the quarter berth (Sara and Bert have to deepest portion for themselves) and we are trading with him now.  I sleep on the small starboard berth and Bob gets the port berth (with the dogs at his feet).  I have plans to purchase thick plywood that will be cut into 2 portions to make a larger, full-size berth, between the 2 smaller ones.  I did this in our Minnie-Winnie with the 2 twin beds in back, so I am going to try the same principle.  The only difference is that I will have to store the ply-wood pieces under the settee cushions during the day.  I'm also getting foam to cover the plywood, so it will have to be rolled up and stored when not in use.  Not sure how this is going to work out yet, but it'll be better than sleeping away from Bob every night!

I am considering getting one of the memory foam pads to help with comfort, if I can find one at a reasonable price.  The foam in the cushions is SO hard, it's almost like sleeping on bare wood at night!

Living Aboard with Dogs

Luna, watching our neighbors

The first comment I hear whenever I tell friends we moved onto a sailboat is "With the dogs?".  Yes, we are slightly crazed and have moved our 2 German Shepherd Dogs (Bert and Sara) and the Belgian Tervuren (Luna) onto the boat.

We had a feeling that Luna, who was pack-raised and practically feral when we got her, would have a hard time adjusting.  I had made previous plans for her if she couldn't adjust, which she isn't.  Luna does extremely well on the boat, but walking her through the marina is a nightmare.  Every person she sees is a "threat" to her and she is simply not settling down.  The kindest thing we can do is take her to my friend Brandon, who already knows Luna and is comfortable with her little "quirks".  After a full week of painfully watching her try to become "invisible" to everyone, we are making plans to take her to Brandon's where she can be much more comfortable.

Bert and Sara have settled in nicely.  Both are extremely social dogs and don't know what a stranger is~lol  They are happy being below decks and have both worked out how to get on and off the boat with very little problems.  I don't think we'll ever be able to get them into a dinghy, but we'll worry about that when the time comes.

Bert and Sara have taken over a portion of the quarter-berth as "their place" and happily nap there between walks.  Since they are both older adults, they actually don't require as much walking as you'd think.  They are both very happy with 2 decent walks a day and a couple of extra "potty breaks" in the afternoon.

Both have decided where they want to eat and the only problem we are having right now is that of keeping enough water out through the day.  With the limited floor-space, we can only leave out a small bowl, instead of the large bucket we used in the house.  As the days go by, I am certain we will get this problem worked out, but if anyone has an ideas, please let me hear them!