It has been a summer away from Lost Loon here in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. As our boat awaits our return in Grenada, we have been busy with our “land-life”.

We arrived back in the upper Midwest in mid May to await the arrival of our first grandchild in early July! We were notified of this miracle in waiting last November the day before we left Florida for the Bahamas and Caribbean waters. We have followed the pregnancy via emails and satellite phone calls.

Our family in Wisconsin welcomed us into their home with open arms. We have appreciated the hospitality and feel that the time spent has been an opportunity to get to know our family better.

We made our way to open our lake home in northern Minnesota for the summer as well. We have owned this property for nearly 20 years and have made only a few improvements over the years. We have however, promised ourselves when we get “the time” (which translated means more than short 2 ½ day weekend stays) we will make some changes. Mike will say it was the failure of the small apartment-size stove that started the renovation…I say it was just the right time. Well, as the pictures will show we have definitely transformed the cabin on the lake into a spacious summer cottage. We knocked out the original front cabin wall and opened it up to the porch. After adding windows across the screened porch and a new front door, we have a new usable space during inclement weather. We replaced the failing stove, gutted the ancient mis-matched kitchen cupboards and replaced them with a clean new cabinets…we even finally removed the old carpeting and laid fresh floors as well!

 

We spent may long days deconstructing and then reconstructing, but we still had time to get out and do some fresh-water fishing as well as just relaxing on the lake.

         

In order to keep myself a licensed Physician Assistant, I decided to work a few hours a week through most of the summer. It was a great return to my former work-life and great to see some old work companions as well as patients I know very well. Much of the summer, Mike stayed at the cabin working while I put the hours in at the clinic here in Wisconsin. We were very fortunate to be able to stay with family during our return to the area. We also made ourselves “at home” in a few locations. The summer would find us traveling quite often. We even took the time one week to count the number of different beds we had stayed in during the previous month. I honestly believe we came up with 13. It was then that we became known as the vagabonds of summer!

Our travels took us to North Carolina to visit the Ransdells and  build a fence at our daughters house…for the “grand dog” Ernie.

To Annapolis for the grand US Sailboat Show…..

 

Out to the far reaches of the Virginia coast to Chincoteague….

…To Florida for an early Fall, warm weather respite…

To Illinois for special family time

Somewhere in all our travels and labors of the summer the greatest labor of all happened on July 5^th. After numerous hours, our latest love, sweet Amelia arrived!

 

 

As new grandparents, we are head over heels…to the moon and back…and forever in love with this little baby girl. There is something very special that happens when you see your children having children. It rekindles memories of our own children as babies and toddlers. We continue to spend time remembering the sweet, funny, and touching moments. We cherish every minute spent with her and her parents as we know that we will truly miss her over the winter. Our hope lies in the reliability of frequent Internet service.

As we watch early snowfall here in Wisconsin, (slipping and sliding on the winter roads) we realize that in 2 weeks, we will be in Grenada. We have researched extensively the conditions at the various anchorages in the Leewards. It appears that many locations are ready for cruisers and vacationers. We are anxious to resume our voyages in locations we have previously visited and new anchorages such as Antigua, St Kitts, Nevis. We are also looking to helping renovation or restoration of the islands as may be needed. Shortly, our lives will be consumed with getting Lost Loon ready for launch . Our task list continues to grow daily…we have painting, cleaning and organizing to do. When we last left her, we had removed most of the exterior equipment. …sails, wind and solar energy components…we sanded “our bottom” in preparations for painting…and minor repairs ready for completion.

At this writing today, we give thanks for family, friends, happy babies, new houses, new boats, deer camp, good fishing, yoga, warm fires at night, beautiful sunsets, friendly farm animals, beaches, boats and the fortunate opportunity to be able to live out our dreams.

We wish you a good Thanksgiving.

May your turkey be delicious your pumpkin pie scrumptious, and your time spent with family or friends priceless.

Please come back and join us in the Caribbean!!