Fun day...

Yesterday, Florie, Max and I went on a "hunt".  No, we were not hunting beast or fowl...we were hunting at Hobby Lobby for fabulous little gems we can turn into great pieces of art or jewelry~lol  This was Florie's second trip into a Hobby Lobby and we spent hours wandering around and looking at everything and had so much fun.  I have to say, Max was great fun, but I he'll most likely think twice before he asks to go on a shopping trip with us~lol

I ended up with all the supplies to make a light box (see Coastal Bangles and Beads) except for the lamps, which I'll pick up later this week.  For now, I have a heavy duty Halogen portable light that I can experiment with:-)  I also snagged a few items for artwork, which I'll be busy making late this afternoon/evening.

After our shopping trip, we had a late (read very late) lunch and then it was back to the marina to set-up the light box and make plans for today.  We'll be hitting a few of the tourist spots today that she's missed.

Last night, the other boaters with the 2 German Shepherd Dogs showed up for a few days and Bert finally got his play date with their 1 1/2 year old female, Lady.  It was love at first sight~lol  They ran for about 30 minutes non-stop.  They had so much fun last night, that we set-up a play-date at the dog park this afternoon to let them really let loose (Lady stayed on a long leash last night, so today she'll get to have a good run:-).

The weather's going to be around 66 today and sunny with a light breeze, so I'm going to pack as much "outside time" into my day that I possibly can.

~Pamela

My new Etsy catalog is here...

So, I've decided to place a few items on Etsy and to see how I do.  So far, lot's of "lookers" but no buyers yet.  Anyway, I decided to make a catalog of items (found a nitfy little app I wanted to play with~lol) so here's what I have so far...  It's not much, but it's a beginning!

Accidental Sailors December Catalog

Weather update...

So Christmas was an absolutely beautiful day.  I was comfortable in a tee-shirt and jeans for most of the day and moved into a light jacket for the evening. 

It started raining after dinner, so we headed back to the boat.  By 2 AM the wind was really blowing with gusts up to 45 mph (it was a noisey night!).  This morning, we are right back into the miserable weather:-(

You'll notice the Hard Freeze Warning covering us up...

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 26, 8:58 am EST

Currently:  39 °F
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Wind chill values as low as 39. Breezy, with a west wind between 21 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Wind chill values as low as 17. Breezy, with a west wind between 16 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 50. Wind chill values as low as 16 early. Breezy, with a west wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Wind chill values as low as 22. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. North wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 63.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.

New Year's Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.
Looks like New Year's may be pleasant:-)

Hard Freeze Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-262300-
/O.NEW.KJAX.HZ.A.0017.101228T0200Z-101228T1500Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.HZ.W.0021.101227T0200Z-101227T1400Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.LW.Y.0034.000000T0000Z-101227T0200Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...TRENTON...
GAINESVILLE...PALATKA...PALM COAST...OCALA
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS
EVENING...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING
TO 9 AM EST MONDAY...
...HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...

AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WILL
PRODUCE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS TODAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE 20 MPH
TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH AT TIMES.

AN ARCTIC AIRMASS THAT IS MOVING INTO THE AREA WILL BRING MUCH
COLDER AND WINDY CONDITIONS. A HARD FREEZE IS EXPECTED TONIGHT.
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE 20S OVER INLAND AREAS
TONIGHT AND LOWER 20S MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL
ALSO PRODUCE WINDS CHILLS IN THE TEENS TONIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN
27 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO
25 MPH OR GUSTS OF 30 TO 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SMALL BOATS WILL BE
ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING. BOATERS IN THE ADVISORY AREA
SHOULD AVOID OPEN WATER AND STAY CLOSE TO SHORE IN WIND PROTECTED
INLETS. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING AS WELL.

A HARD FREEZE WATCH MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 27 DEGREES
ARE POSSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

&&

$$

---

Hazardous Weather Outlook

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
357 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-271030-
ALACHUA-APPLING-ATKINSON-BACON-BAKER-BRADFORD-BRANTLEY-
CAMDEN (COASTAL)-CAMDEN (INLAND)-CHARLTON-CLAY-CLINCH-COFFEE-
COLUMBIA-DUVAL-ECHOLS-FLAGLER-GILCHRIST-GLYNN (COASTAL)-
GLYNN (INLAND)-HAMILTON-JEFF DAVIS-MARION-NASSAU-PIERCE-PUTNAM-
ST JOHNS-SUWANNEE-UNION-WARE-WAYNE-
357 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY TODAY...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING TONIGHT...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY TONIGHT...
...GALE WARNING TODAY AND TONIGHT...

NORTHWEST WINDS AT 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED
TODAY.  PLEASE REFER TO THE LASTEST URGENT WEATHER MESSAGE.

VERY COLD AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA TODAY WILL PRODUCE A HARD FREEZE
TONIGHT. ALSO...STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS.
WIND CHILL VALUES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TEENS BY EARLY MONDAY
MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST URGENT WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE.

THERE WILL BE AN ELEVATED FIRE DANGER TODAY OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST
FLORIDA DUE TO LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH TONIGHT
WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KNOTS EXPECTED.


.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...

...HARD FREEZE WATCH MONDAY NIGHT...

ANOTHER HARD FREEZE IS EXPECTED OVER THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT.  WINDS
WILL BE LIGHT ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO FALL INTO THE LOWER 20S OVER
INLAND AREAS. A LIGHT FREEZE IS POSSIBLE INLAND TUESDAY NIGHT.

THERE WILL BE AN ELEVATED FIRE DANGER MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.

$$

MZ

---

Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
322 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-262200-
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE
322 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...FIRE DANGER STATEMENT...

COLDER DRIER AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA ON GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS TODAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 35 TO
40 PERCENT RANGE DURING THE AFTERNOON. WHILE THIS DOES NOT MEET
ESTABLISHED RED FLAG WARNING CRITERIA...THE COMBINATION OF DRIER
AIR...MUCH BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS THIS MONTH...AND
WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH COULD RESULT IN AN
ENHANCED FIRE DANGER THIS AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LOCAL BURN PERMITTING AUTHORITIES ON WHETHER YOU CAN BURN TODAY. IF YOU DO BURN...YOUR ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION.

&&

$$

---

Fire Weather Watch

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
315 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-262200-
/O.CON.KJAX.FW.A.0104.101227T1700Z-101227T2200Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-
315 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT MONDAY AFTERNOON...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT MONDAY AFTERNOON.

A COLDER DRIER AIRMASS WILL SPREAD IN ON WINDY NW WINDS TODAY.
LOWEST RH`S ARE FORECAST TO FALL TO 35 TO 40 PERCENT WITH
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH.

ON MONDAY...LOWEST RH`S ARE FORECAST TO FALL TO BELOW 35 PERCENT
MOST AREAS FOR 4 TO 6 HOURS ALONG WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15 TO
20 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$

---

Wind Chill Advisory

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
304 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010


FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-262300-
/O.NEW.KJAX.WC.Y.0014.101227T0100Z-101227T1500Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...TRENTON...
GAINESVILLE...PALATKA...PALM COAST...OCALA
304 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM
EST MONDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A WIND
CHILL ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 AM EST MONDAY.

STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS TONIGHT WILL COMBINE WITH TEMPERATURES
FALLING INTO THE 20S TO PRODUCE DANGEROUSLY COLD CONDITIONS. WIND
CHILL VALUES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TEENS BY EARLY MONDAY
MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN
FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS...MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND
GLOVES.

&&

$$

---

Lake Wind Advisory

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-262300-
/O.NEW.KJAX.HZ.A.0017.101228T0200Z-101228T1500Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.HZ.W.0021.101227T0200Z-101227T1400Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.LW.Y.0034.000000T0000Z-101227T0200Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...TRENTON...
GAINESVILLE...PALATKA...PALM COAST...OCALA
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS
EVENING...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING
TO 9 AM EST MONDAY...
...HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...

AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WILL
PRODUCE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS TODAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE 20 MPH
TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH AT TIMES.

AN ARCTIC AIRMASS THAT IS MOVING INTO THE AREA WILL BRING MUCH
COLDER AND WINDY CONDITIONS. A HARD FREEZE IS EXPECTED TONIGHT.
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE 20S OVER INLAND AREAS
TONIGHT AND LOWER 20S MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL
ALSO PRODUCE WINDS CHILLS IN THE TEENS TONIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN
27 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO
25 MPH OR GUSTS OF 30 TO 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SMALL BOATS WILL BE
ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING. BOATERS IN THE ADVISORY AREA
SHOULD AVOID OPEN WATER AND STAY CLOSE TO SHORE IN WIND PROTECTED
INLETS. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING AS WELL.

A HARD FREEZE WATCH MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 27 DEGREES
ARE POSSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

&&

$$

---

Hard Freeze Watch

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-262300-
/O.NEW.KJAX.HZ.A.0017.101228T0200Z-101228T1500Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.HZ.W.0021.101227T0200Z-101227T1400Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.LW.Y.0034.000000T0000Z-101227T0200Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...TRENTON...
GAINESVILLE...PALATKA...PALM COAST...OCALA
254 AM EST SUN DEC 26 2010

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS
EVENING...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING
TO 9 AM EST MONDAY...
...HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...

AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WILL
PRODUCE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS TODAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE 20 MPH
TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH AT TIMES.

AN ARCTIC AIRMASS THAT IS MOVING INTO THE AREA WILL BRING MUCH
COLDER AND WINDY CONDITIONS. A HARD FREEZE IS EXPECTED TONIGHT.
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE 20S OVER INLAND AREAS
TONIGHT AND LOWER 20S MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL
ALSO PRODUCE WINDS CHILLS IN THE TEENS TONIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN
27 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO
25 MPH OR GUSTS OF 30 TO 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SMALL BOATS WILL BE
ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING. BOATERS IN THE ADVISORY AREA
SHOULD AVOID OPEN WATER AND STAY CLOSE TO SHORE IN WIND PROTECTED
INLETS. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING AS WELL.

A HARD FREEZE WATCH MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 27 DEGREES
ARE POSSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

A new favorite photographer...

So, for those who don't know, I have a few items for sale on Etsy.  I have found a photographer that has some fabulous items available and I wanted to share a link to her site...

BeccaVonne Photography

Colder weather is back...

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 24, 3:58 am EST
Currently:  Fair and 39 °F
Today: Sunny, with a high near 57. Wind chill values as low as 32 early. Northeast wind between 9 and 11 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Christmas Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Wind chill values as low as 40 early. Calm wind becoming southwest between 6 and 9 mph.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Breezy, with a southwest wind 5 to 8 mph increasing to between 13 and 16 mph.

Hello all...

So I took a brief rbeak from the blogging while friends were in town.  I'm so glad Jim and Kathy made the trip up from Nettles Island for the day.  We did have the honor of watching Jim present Kathy with her new to carrot (yes, I did spell that correctly) ring this morning.

Jim called me last week and asked if I could make a 2 carat ring for Kathy...I told him no.  At least until he explained that he wanted a ring with two tiny carrots~lol  I did warn him that I would attend him funreal after he gave it to Kathy and he assured me that Kathy would love it, so I agreed.

Of course, I bought the ring blank, two tiny doll house carrots and plenty of glitter and resin and set to work.  Thankfully, she laughed like crazy when Jim gave it to her this morning.  (You really dodged the bullet on that one Jim~lol).

I would like to say that the ring went over much better than I ever thought it would!  So far, I've taken a few orders for identical rings~lol  Who would have thought that this little joke would go over so well?!?!

Thanks again for the visit Jim and Kathy!  I really enjoyed seeing you again and can't wait for the next round of visits.  This time, I think I'll drive your way for the day:-)

Today's weather update...

So now that I have a day to spend outdoors...it's projected to rain~lol  I don't think it will be too bad though.  So far it's just slightly cloudy and comfortable outside:-)

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 18, 6:58 am EST
Currently:  56

Today: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind becoming north between 7 and 10 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Wind chill values as low as 42 early. Breezy, with a north wind between 10 and 15 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. North wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Oh the weather outside is sunny...

Marine Advisory...NO Freeze warning!!!

Oh the map is RED for us!  Thank you Mr Weatherman!

So I woke up HOT last night and had to turn the heater off:-)  I even went so far as to open the aft hatch to let in a little fresh air and cool the cabin down.  I am so glad we are getting a little rbeak from the freeze warnings and frigid air!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Saint+Augustine&state=FL&site=JAX&textField1=29.8949&textField2=-81.3151&e=1

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 17, 7:58 am EST

Currently:  56 °F
Today: A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south between 4 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. *I can handle a little rain as long as it isn't frigid outside..
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 48. Calm wind becoming north between 8 and 11 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy, with a north wind between 11 and 15 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny and breezy, with a high near 61.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear and breezy, with a low around 42.

Thursday: Sunny and breezy, with a high near 58.

Weather Update...

So it looks like today and tomorrow may turn out rather pleasant once we got through the morning...

 


Still have a freeze warning right now...


http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Saint+Augustine&state=FL&site=JAX&textField1=29.8949&textField2=-81.3151&e=1

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 16, 6:58 am EST

Current Temp:  37 °F
Today: Sunny, with a high near 67. Wind chill values as low as 31 early. Breezy, with a south wind between 6 and 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind around 10 mph.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. West wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Busy day...

Fountain in downtown St. Augustine this morning...

Today has been a busy day of letter writing, web design (for yet another person) and label printing.  WHEW!  I'm finally finished for the day and am back on Mystery with the heater cranked.  Hopefully I'll be able to find a good movie and we'll settle in for yet another night of frigid temps.  There is a promise of warm weather on the horizon though (brief, but warm). 

Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful evening...

~Pamela

NOAA Weather Update...

So the cold weather is still around, but it looks like it will be warmer Thursday and Friday.  I know the warm weather won't stick around for long, but it wll give us a chance to get the outside of Mystery taken care of.  It's a never-ending cycle of clean, clean and clean again~lol  It's surprising just how fast the cockpit gets dirty!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Saint+Augustine&state=FL&site=JAX&textField1=29.8949&textField2=-81.3151&e=1

Almost all of Florida is under a hard freeze warning now...

St. Augustine Airport
Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33   Elev: 10
Last Update on Dec 15, 6:58 am EST

Currently
 29 °F
(-2 °C)

Today: Sunny, with a high near 52. Wind chill values as low as 16 early. North wind between 9 and 11 mph.

Tonight: Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 34. Light west wind.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67. Wind chill values as low as 32 early. Calm wind becoming south between 11 and 14 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Southwest wind around 8 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 7 and 15 mph.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70.

Hard Freeze Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
415 AM EST WED DEC 15 2010

FLZ024-025-032-033-037-038-160115-
/O.NEW.KJAX.FZ.A.0029.101216T0600Z-101216T1300Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.HZ.W.0019.000000T0000Z-101215T1500Z/
NASSAU-DUVAL-CLAY-ST JOHNS-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...
GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...PALATKA...PALM COAST
415 AM EST WED DEC 15 2010

...HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS
MORNING...
...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A FREEZE
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING. A HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST
THIS MORNING.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S THIS MORNING WITH
UPPER TEENS POSSIBLE WELL INLAND. A HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN
EFFECT.

TONIGHT...LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ARE EXPECTED WITH
PATCHY FROST EXPECTED. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE NEAR THE COAST AND
ALONG THE ST JOHNS RIVER WHERE LOWS MAY ONLY BOTTOM OUT AROUND 32
TO 35 DEGREES. A FREEZE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN
27 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. APPROPRIATE ACTION
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE TENDER VEGETATION...OUTDOOR PETS...AND
EXPOSED WATER PIPES HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM THE COLD
TEMPERATURES. YOUNG CHILDREN...THE ELDERLY AND THE HOMELESS ARE
ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO THE COLD. TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT THEM.

A FREEZE WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE FOR
AT LEAST 2 HOURS. PRECAUTIONS MAY BE REQUIRED TO PROTECT PLANTS...
PETS...PIPES AND THOSE SENSITIVE TO THE COLD IF A FREEZE WARNING
IS ISSUED.

Record low temps and a warm boat...



St. Augustine is breaking records with the low temperatures now.  I'm so glad that Bob went and bought the heater yesterday instead of putting it off another day. 

Last night, we were able to maintain the temperature inside Mystery at 74-76 degrees.  With the old sheet stuffed between the hatch cover and the hatch boards, we didn't have any drafts coming into the boat.

I also put Sara's old quilt on the sole of the cabin to insulate the floor from the cold water a little more.  I think the addition of some carpet scraps and the quilt ill help in coming our feet much warmer.  (My hand-knitted socks from Jim also help a lot!).

We decided not to pull out our bed last night and Bob and I slept on separate settee's so we could keep the heater on the floor.  We were nice and toasty even if we both woke up looking for the other~lol  I think we'll experiment with where to place the heater this evening so we can pull the bunk out.

Sara and Bert snuggled up

Sara and Bert both slept in the quarter-berth last night and neither moved all night long~lol  I think that now that it's warm, they are content to pick a place and stay there:-)

Thank goodness for new heaters, old sheets and helpful friends...

Sara, refusing to move any farther from the new heater

So with today's low temps and the wind playing havoc outside, Bob was nice enough to run to Target and bring me back a new heater.  All I can say is thank you!  It's hard to believe the difference this heater is making!  It must be a good 10 degrees warmer inside Mystery now than it was an hour ago:-)

Since I decided not to make the trip out today, I have added a folded up old sheet to my companionway between the hatch cover and the hatch boards.  This is keeping those chilly gusts out of the Mystery and me much warmer!  I guess I'll make a run for another insulation blanket tomorrow maybe.  With the new heater, it isn't nearly as urgent as I thought.

It's 75 inside~lol

I'd like to send out a HUGE thank you to Electric Pat from CYS Marine for his help in getting me out of Mystery earlier.  I had been stuck for about an hour with no possible way of exiting without a little outside assistance~lol  Bob forgot to tie down the kayaks and a huge gust sent one sliding into the hatch cover...effectively closing me in until help could arrive.  It was shoved so tight that I couldn't even get the hatch boards removed and with the insulation/wet proof mat tied over the forward hatch, there was no getting out without a little help! 

NOAA Weather Update...

Gale Warning

 

Wind Chill Warning

 

Hard Freeze Warning

Posting this as an FYI for all you people in the area.  Bring in the dogs and cats and leave those faucets dripping!  It's going to get worse before it gets any better.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Saint+Augustine&state=FL&site=JAX&textField1=29.8949&textField2=-81.3151&e=1



Today: Sunny, with a high near 44. Wind chill values as low as 20. Breezy, with a west wind between 16 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 24. Wind chill values as low as 13. Breezy, with a northwest wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Hard Freeze Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
439 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

FLZ033-038-140000-
/O.UPG.KJAX.HZ.A.0014.101214T0300Z-101214T1500Z/
/O.NEW.KJAX.HZ.W.0018.101214T0300Z-101214T1500Z/
/O.NEW.KJAX.LW.Y.0032.101213T1300Z-101214T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KJAX.HZ.A.0015.101215T0300Z-101215T1500Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.FZ.W.0033.000000T0000Z-101213T1400Z/
ST JOHNS-FLAGLER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ST AUGUSTINE...PALM COAST
439 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING...
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM
EST THIS EVENING...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM
EST TUESDAY...
...HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

A COLD ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL SETTLE INTO THE AREA ON WINDY
NORTHWEST WINDS. A HARD FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL
10 AM THIS MORNING.

THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN A MAJOR STORM SYSTEM NORTH
OF THE AREA AND THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH BUILDING IN WILL GENERATE
WINDY NORTHWEST WINDS AT 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH.

EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TUESDAY MORNING AND AGAIN
WEDNESDAY MORNING...WITH A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE EVENT FORECAST.
TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO FALL INTO THE LOWER TO MID 20S. A
HARD FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY NIGHT AND A HARD
FREEZE WATCH IS IN EFFECT TUESDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN
27 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. APPROPRIATE ACTION
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE TENDER VEGETATION...OUTDOOR PETS...AND
EXPOSED WATER PIPES HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM THE COLD
TEMPERATURES. YOUNG CHILDREN...THE ELDERLY AND THE HOMELESS ARE
ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO THE COLD. TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT THEM.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO
25 MPH OR GUSTS OF 30 TO 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SMALL BOATS WILL BE
ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING. BOATERS IN THE ADVISORY AREA
SHOULD AVOID OPEN WATER AND STAY CLOSE TO SHORE IN WIND PROTECTED
INLETS. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING AS WELL.

A HARD FREEZE WATCH MEANS THAT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 27 DEGREES
ARE POSSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.

Hazardous Weather Outlook
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
525 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-141100-
ALACHUA-APPLING-ATKINSON-BACON-BAKER-BRADFORD-BRANTLEY-
CAMDEN (COASTAL)-CAMDEN (INLAND)-CHARLTON-CLAY-CLINCH-COFFEE-
COLUMBIA-DUVAL-ECHOLS-FLAGLER-GILCHRIST-GLYNN (COASTAL)-
GLYNN (INLAND)-HAMILTON-JEFF DAVIS-MARION-NASSAU-PIERCE-PUTNAM-
ST JOHNS-SUWANNEE-UNION-WARE-WAYNE-
525 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

...HARD FREEZE WARNING FOR INLAND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND IN
NORTHEAST FLORIDA IN NASSAU COUNTY AND THE SUWANNEE VALLEY
UNTIL 10 AM THIS MORNING...
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR REST OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA UNTIL
10 AM THIS MORNING...
...HARD FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR ALL AREAS TONIGHT...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT ALL AREAS THIS MORNING
AND AGAIN TONIGHT FOR WIND CHILLS AS LOW AS 10 TO 15 DEGREES...
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM...

COLDER ARCTIC AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PLUNGE INTO THE AREA
ON WINDY NORTHWEST WINDS. FURTHER DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN
THE URGENT WEATHER AND WINTER WEATHER MESSAGES.

THE DRY AIRMASS WILL BRING DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ACROSS THE AREA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...

...WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE EVENT POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT WITH
NEAR RECORD LOWS IN THE UPPER TEENS AND 20S...

THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HARD FREEZE ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY
NIGHT. RESIDENTS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS AND
PRODUCTS.

THE DRY AIRMASS WILL BRING DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS
THE AREA THROUGH MID WEEKS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.

Wind Chill Advisory
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
447 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-140000-
/O.NEW.KJAX.WC.Y.0013.101214T0000Z-101214T1500Z/
/O.CON.KJAX.WC.Y.0012.000000T0000Z-101213T1500Z/
HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-
ST JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JASPER...LIVE OAK...LAKE CITY...
MACCLENNY...FERNANDINA BEACH...JACKSONVILLE...LAKE BUTLER...
STARKE...GREEN COVE SPRINGS...ST AUGUSTINE...TRENTON...
GAINESVILLE...PALATKA...PALM COAST...OCALA
447 AM EST MON DEC 13 2010

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS
MORNING...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM
EST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A WIND
CHILL ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 AM EST TUESDAY. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
10 AM EST THIS MORNING.

NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WILL CREATE WIND CHILLS FROM
15 TO 20 DEGREES THIS MORNING. WIND CHILLS TONIGHT WILL BE
FROM 11 TO 15 DEGREES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN
FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS...MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND
GLOVES.

&&

My "weather obsession" continues...

So, the sun is shining even IF it's horribly windy outside and Bob has to go burst my bubble.  The weather is supposed to be nasty today.  Rain, wind, cold...  UGH!  Why can't the weatherman realize that we are in FLORIDA?!?!  Conjur me up a nice, warm, sunny day?  It's not asking for too terrible much, really.  I don't even mind if the temps stay in the upper 60's/lower 70's with a breeze... Please Mr. Weatherman... try to cooperate with the Floridians that have no tolerance for the cold...

NOAA Forecast...

Lat: 29.97   Lon: -81.33

Today: Showers likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 17 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Wind chill values as low as 21. Breezy, with a west wind between 14 and 16 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Wind chill values as low as 20 early. Breezy, with a west wind between 14 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Wind chill values as low as 15. Northwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 48. Northwest wind between 11 and 13 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Happy Birthday...

So today is my daughter's 19th birthday.  I'm sitting here feeling a little sorry for myself since I have not spoken to her in just over 7 months now.  Our argument was nothing but a drop in the bucket of life, but she's taken it to a level I would never have dreamed of.  It's painful and sad that such a huge part of my life was yanked away.  It's like having a huge, gapping wound that there's no "fix" for.  But, enough feeling sorry for myself...

I truely wish you a happy birthday Emily.  May all your wishes come true today.

Love,

Mom

Seasonal musings...

OK, it's the Christmas Season (you can also read Hanukkah, Kwanzaa...whatever you believe in) and everyone is supposed to be cheerful, but where ARE the cheerful people at?  So here's the story...

Stopped at T@&g*t to pick up a few things for Max's Christmas and had a woman actually yank a toy out of my hands...

Me:  "Merry Christmas to you too"

Her {mumbling under her breathe}:  "bitch"

Me:  "It's obvious that you need that more than I do.  Enjoy"  {as I walk away}

So, I wasn't a very happy camper after that little episode.  I proceeded to the check-out, only to be told that an item I had in the buggy was "not on sale".  Wait....stop just a minute...

Me:  {pulling out the weekly ad}  "It's listed right here at XX.XX, can you check the price again"

Check-out girl:  "My register scanned at XX.XX"

Me:  "Can you please call a manager to check the price"

Check-out girl:  "Seriously?"

Me:  "Never mind, just put everything back.  Thanks anyway"

Check-out girl:  "Seriously?"

Me:  "Merry Christmas"

You see where I'm going with this, right?  Why does everyone seem to be in such a bad mood right now?  I thought Christmas was supposed to be a happy time of year. 

~Completely unrelated to the above, but still seeming to fit the theme~

So I've been trying to tell Max about how Christmas was when I was a child.  I can remember barely being able to go to sleep because I was SO excited on Christmas Eve and sneaking down the steps to see what was under the tree before anyone else in the house was awake.  Even as I get older, I still carry that strange feeling of expectation that I experienced as a child. 

Mom on Christmas morning

It wasn't always the presents that I so looked forward to, though they did play a big role (more on that later), but spending time with my family.  Daddy and I sneaking cheese straws and sausage balls from the dining room when we thought mom wasn't looking.  My family spending time together (and actually enjoying it).  Christmas movies and James Bond adventures (a post-Christmas event).  My daddy (and everyone else, except mom I think) trying to hide presents and be the last one to open a gift.  I have to say, daddy took the prize on that one~lol  He found one he had hidden and forgot where he'd put it on Easter one year.

Daddy and the Stetson Susan gave him.  He loved that hat:-)

Bob, my brother and his ex-wife. 

My mom and dad

Mom, admiring her present

The "stuffed to overflowing" tree

It's 8:15 PM on Saturday night, why is it I only want to crawl in bed?

So I'm sitting here wondering if it's too earl to go to bed.  Yes, it's too early for most of you, but for me, is it to early?  It's cold, my belly is stuffed full of the ham I grilled (yes, I had another hankering for ham again) and I may have dreams of that green bean casserole and pumpkin pie smothered in whipped cream.

You see, I'm only wondering because it seems not that long ago, I would have laughed out loud if someone had suggested going to bed at this early hour... especially on a Saturday. 

I think that I am officially getting *gasp* old.  That ugly, nasty thing that we never think we will ever achieve.  I can hear some of the other (read younger) boaters up at the bonfire laughing and telling jokes and I'm sitting here wondering if they will maybe be a little quieter so I can just pull out my bunk and go to sleep, and then...I look at the clock..crap, it's only 8:15!

It's been dark for hours and the cabin on Mystery is feeling almost comfortable (read that as warm) and Bert's already asking for his paw to be held.  Can is only be 8:15?!?!  How can I feel this tired, this worn out and this drowsy when last year I would have been asking Bob if he wanted to go out about now?!?!  Of course, Bob has been asleep for the past half hour, so maybe he's feeling old tonight too.

Yep, I can only surmise that I am getting ... *gasp* old. 

Please, don't misunderstand, I will not be old tomorrow.  Nor will I be old next week.  I am only old tonight because it's been such a long day~roflol  I am going to be young again in the morning.  After I have a good nights sleep...

Running water and leaking pipes...

So, for those of you who dont already know, last week we got a new battery charger.  Having the battery charger meant we had running water (electric water pumps on the faucets) for the first time since moving aboard Mystery. Talk about a celebration~lol

This morning, we noticed that the settee next to the sink was wet.  Well... not really wet, but soaked.  Bob immediately went on the search for the source of the water.  Turns out that the fittings under the galley sink are cracked.  That means that the galley sink is simply pouring water into the cabinet (and everything else) around it.  Grrrr. 

As always, living on the boat is a challenge and changing the fittings is not going to be as easy as I thought.  It's going to involve several small pieces being fit together to make the "big picture" work properly~lol  Thank goodness Bob seems to know what we'll need to get the sink usable again:-)

A warm, dry boat...

This is what we feel like right now~lol

So I am obsessed with keeping warm the past few days.  Yes, I know that we live in Florida and that it isn't nearly as cold here as up north, but I'm cold and 27 degrees is simply more than my bones can stand.  Add to the cold, everything in the boat seems to be damp.  Clothes, the walls, etc.  I know that condesation is the problem, but what is the solution? 

I started doing searches on the internet about heating a boat and found an article that  thought was informative and thought I'd repost it here.  It's from Loose Moorings and was posted by Nathaniel.

~Pamela

a warm dry boat

Posted by Nathaniel at 12/23/2007 5:47 PM
Categories: uncategorized

I bought this book that this post is named after because we had problems with moisture, problems that in the end we were able to cure on our own with a little thought and experimentation. i don’t like spending money because as an artist i don’t have much to spend, and because it’s a philosophy of mine to minimize the need for external resources. but water dripping onto my face at night from an aluminum hatch frame seemed to be a problem worth paying for a solution.

as usual when I put my mind to the problem I can usually figure it out myself, but sometimes it’s hard not to be lazy and pay for someone else to find solutions to my problems; it’s what makes the world go around, at least in this economy.

anyway, I got the book last week, and it was a waste of money. the solution to achieving warm, dry boat is good ventilation and a good heater, (and in the author’s mind your heater and stove should be diesel), which wasn't exactly a revelation.
I did learn about the energy content of various fuels, and some details of different appliances on the market, but that’s not what I was looking for.  all the author's examples are for large power boats, and the physical arrangements of these boats are very different from a sailboat. the principles are the same, but I already knew the principles. oh, well. if anyone wants the book I’ll gladly pass it along, but I recommend you work on your own solutions.

I already guessed that tracy and I put out a lot of moisture via breathing, and that cooking and boiling water also pumps a lot of water into the boat. warm air holds a lot of moisture, and when that air comes in contact with cold surfaces like hatch and port frames, and uninsulated hull surfaces inside lockers, water will condense out.
since I can’t heat these objects, I can either insulate them from the interior air, move that warm moist air outside, or both. of course it’s raining out and the humidity is 100%, but 6 degree air at 100% humidity has a lot less water in it than 22 degree air at 80% humidity, so fresh air in and warm, moist air out, is key to fixing the problem.

the v berth was the worst for condensation because it is small, far from the heater in the salon, and we were both in there for 9 hours out of every day.
1st problem to deal with was that the locker had no insulation in it and our clothes were getting wet from condensation. i lined it with the bubble wrap used for hot water tanks and no more wet.
the next issue was being dripped on at night and wet hull. opening the hatch meant getting rain inside, so we experimented with different objects, and found if we put a clothes peg in the hatch frame, it left it open enough to let our breath dissipate but kept rain from getting in. the final step was getting the 120 outlet in the v berth working (the po had wired it incorrectly to the gfi outlet in the galley). I then put in a small cube-type heater on low, which is sufficient to keep the space warm; I can’t tell you how cold those sheets used to be when we crawled in there at night; it would take an hour for my feet to finally warm up.
this got rid of 95% of the moisture. there is still moisture accumulating in the bed foam where it touches the hull, and I think the only way to get rid of this last bit is to install a vent in the v berth, because we can’t open the hatch further without getting rained on.

we now slide open the companionway hatch when cooking in the galley, and judging by all the water on the inside of the enclosure, we are keeping a ton of moisture out of the boat itself. remember that propane releases 1.5 lbs of water for every pound of propane burned. that’s just shy of 1 ½ gallons of water!
we also have a small portlight that opens into the cockpit, and we usually open that to varying amounts depending on the outside temps; a lot of air comes in through it despite the full cockpit enclosure.
a po had installed a muffin fan and vent above the galley, but the way the vent was installed, the passage was effectively blocked and the fan didn’t do anything but churn air around. I changed the install and now the fan blows out a lot of the moisture while we are working on the stove.
I also occasionally turn on a small fan we have mounted on our ceiling to circulate air through the boat and push the warm air towards the cold sole.
before these few steps, we would have moisture beading up on all the portlight frames and locker hull surfaces. not any more. once I put an additional vent in the v berth I believe that we won’t have any problem at all with moisture.

To summarise: circulate a lot of fresh air inside the boat, find a way to duct moisture out that is produced by cooking and showering, and provide enough heat to warm all parts of the boat. pretty basic. the details will depend on your own boat, so you will have to find a custom solution for your own unique living environment. the interesting part to the above is that it didn’t cost anything, just a bit of thought and experimentation.

Photo Fridays...

So maybe I'm getting a little lazy, who knows?  But, I've decided that Fridays seem like a good time to post a few random pics (either new or old) from now on:-) 

Enjoy!

~Pamela

Bert, too lazy to keep his eyes open

Are we leaving?

I SO love this little lamp at Pirates Plunder!

The simple things...

Be still my heart...we're getting new picnic tables!

So I went to take a shower and was floored when I saw the new picnic tables being assembled.  Seriously, the tables we use in the pavilios are about 8 years old and are murder on your elbows (ok, who doesn't put their elbows on the table at some point?).  The marina is having all new tables built y the resident wood-worker.  Talk about feeling spoiled!  Hand-built tables just for us?!?! 

Pitted and falling apart old picnic table

I know this sounds like to stupid thing to be so thankful for, but trust me, splinters, wood pitted from one to many power-washes and stains that defy the most stringent scrubbing and bleach have plagued me since we moved here.  New, beautfiul picnic tables just waiting for me to eat (and bead) at are big news here~roflol

Like I said, it's the simple things...

~Pamela

Stains that defy elbow grease and straight bleach...I really don't want to know

New picnic "legs" waiting and ready for assembly

BONUS!  Scraps for the bon fire:-)

Our top 10 reasons to live aboard...

So with winter sweeping in and making us all miserable, I need to remind myself of exactly why we live aboard now~lol

1. Saving money!  Moving out of the house and onto Mystery is saving us money (in theory still, but give us time).  Our monthly expenses were cut by 75% and with me cleaning, by closer to 85%.  Of course, we are still catching up on bills and such, but we are getting caught up and are actually able to put more into the 401 than before.
2. Spending more time as a family.  Yes, we all lived under the same roof in the house, but Bob, Max and I are much closer now.  We actually spend more time and do more together than when we were in the house. 
3. No more yard work.  Yep, we no longer have a pool to maintain (if we really want to swim, we'll jump over the side~lol).  No more grass to cut.  No more worrying about tree limbs or that poor dead oak in the side yard. 
4. No more clutter!  Well, there's still some clutter on the boat, but it was SO liberating to get rid of a house FULL of things and just let go.  I have to admit, I really don't miss anything that was given away or put into storage...except my winter coat~lol
5. Beach property without the hassel of a house:-)
6. We can pick up and go anywhere we want...after we get an engine of course *sigh*
7. We can live our deam instead of just "thinking" about what we want.  How many people actually just "do it"?  Not as many as you would think!  If we had waited until the "timing" was right, we'd probably be waiting still in 10 years.
8. Life is simplified and we appreciate the small things (like running water~lol) instead of searching for the next "big thing".
9. We have a better appreciation for what we have.  There's really no need for the tv, dvd player, etc.  We can actually read a book and enjoy it just as much.
10. We leave a smaller "foot print" now.  Not only has our use of power and water gone down severly, but we now use less of almost everything:-)

~Pamela

FYI all you "late" readers from the library...

Food for Fines at the Library – The Library System kicks off the 3rd annual “Food for Fines” program on Monday. Food for Fines permits patrons to bring one sealed, non-expired, non-perishable food item to the library in exchange for each $1 in overdue fines. The program will run November 8 – December 22. Last year, more than 10,000 food items were collected, surpassing the 8,000 items collected in 2008. All food collected during Food for Fines will be given to the Health and Human Services food pantry for local distribution to those in need. While Food for Fines is a great way for overdue patrons to balance their accounts, the food drive is not limited. The general public is also encouraged to drop off non-perishable food contributions at any library branch through December 22. The Food for Fines waiver is for library fines only and may not be applied to fees for printing or lost items, nor may it be used as credit against future fines. For more information call Library Administration at (904) 827-6925 or visit http://www.sjcpls.org/.

VHF radio...

So Bob and I have been talking about getting a hand-held VHF for the boat.  I like to listen to all the reports on the radio and, to be very honest, I sneak a listen to a few of the conversations too.  OK, what can I say, I'm a little nosy sometimes~lol

We have a radio on the boat that we can use now, thanks to our new battery charger:-)  But, it's a little clumsy to use since it's in a most inconvenient spot.  We are thinking about getting a spiffy little hand-held vhf that also can be used as a GPS unit.  Anyone have any recommendations they can make?

QwickCast.com...

So I'm checking out average temps and record high's and low's for the area and I'm a little disheartened to see that QwickCast.com has the average temp for St. Augustine as 58 degrees with the average low at 48.  That means that we are running slightly cooler than normal...again.   I'm really "stuck" on the temps lately~lol  I guess that I'm a warm weather type of girl and I'm stuck in a cool weather environment right now.  I promise to stop obsessing over the weather...as soon as it gets a little warmer...

~Pamela

St. Augustine, FloridaElevation: 10 feet      Latitude: 29 57N   Longitude: 081 19W

Sea turtle and peacocks...

So I was sorting through photos and found all these pictures of the peacocks and hens at the Fountain of Youth and a couple of shots of a sea turtle in the Mission Nombre de Dios lake.  Anyway...enjoy

~Pamela