sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

What’s next...

May 12, 2019

Well, it has been too long with so much to share for all you followers (like the 4 of you!), where do I begin?

I’ll start where I left off which was heading to Texas… wow! Texas!  

I’ll start by sharing that after talking to several friends who have either lived in Texas or are from Texas that Bryan/College Station is different from many other areas. That being said it was not the place for me!

Some points to note: If you do not belong to a church there is nothing to do here. Literally this is a city of 220 thousand folks and there is (almost) no live music, no dance clubs, 1 movie theater, 2 museums, plenty of mediocre restaurants, lots of fast food and no Planned Parenthood (because you know Christian kids don’t have sex).

Football is as crazy as you have heard here… the coach of A&M makes 10 million dollars a year/10 year contract, the Blue Angels do flyovers for big games, A&M students are called the 12th man and MUST stand up at every game for the entire game with no excuses (they have people that go around to monitor this), they wouldn’t allow Whataburger or Hooter’s into College Station (why you might ask, too sexy?) oh no! Their logos are Orange and that is the color of the biggest rival of the football team. It. Is. Insane.

To counter some of the negatives there were some positives: HEB, the best grocery store in the country as far as I’m concerned (and I have used so many grocery stores in my travels), the absolute BEST tacos in gas stations everywhere, every place worth their salt make their own flour tortillas with lard, the least expensive place to live that I have experienced so far, Mexican and Latinos everywhere speaking Spanish and nobody thinks it’s weird, mild winter, gorgeous wildflowers and great roommates!!

After starting in January of ’18 and really liking the job I decided to go back for a full school year, hoping after that I could transfer back east, closer to NE. Things began going downhill when the house mother’s (who I needed to keep happy) role changed in Dec ’18. She became an employee of national Tri-Delta sorority instead of working directly for the girls and all her insecurities of the past (she would come to me crying, literally, that the girls hated her and she was going to get fired) fled with her new found power! In January she asked if I wanted to come back in September as an employee of the sorority (instead of the company I was working for) and when I said no, overnight she became a crazy bitch, I became her “enemy” and I decided that I am too old for this crap and gave my notice (after telling my boss what was going on I was told to suck it up… I don’t do that very well!)

Since I left the boat in Oct ’17, when I thought my boat life was over, I have still perused the billet bank where schooner jobs are listed. One caught my eye and in February I decided that I would apply for it and see where it led, if anywhere. Well it led to a job on a cool boat with a summer camp program teaching kids to sail a traditionally rigged vessel along with getting to cook on a coal stove, woowoo! New experience, new adventure and shorter season! I have been stoked (does that still mean what I think it means?).    

So leaving my job knowing that I had this other job to go to in June made the decision fairly easy (and even if I didn’t have the job I was not going to put up with bullshit, no matter what!)

I left the third week of March and headed to North Carolina where I have good friends and was going to hang there for a couple of weeks and check out the area to see if I might want to move there. I loved NC! I had been there a couple of times before but with a different mindset, it became more attractive the longer I was there. So my “plan” was set, I would do the boat job for summer and look to NC for a winter gig.  

I then traveled to Charleston SC again where other friends live. Stayed with them for a week and had another great time. They have children! I missed being with kids SO much in Texas! It was fun to play games, color, eat together and generally have fun! From there I headed north and decided one of the roads I had not taken was onto the outer banks of NC. Thinking of the ferry needed to get there, I thought it would be out of my spending range (I am very frugal with my limited resources) but found out that a ferry ride with my vehicle would only cost $15, so I was all in! And that is where the “plan” changed! Ha! Like so many things in life, one of my strengths (as I see it) is not being too hung up on “plans” and it is a damn good thing! I arrived on Ocracoke on a Tuesday night. As I was unloading stuff from my truck to get to my cooler, I stepped off the walkway awkwardly and when I tried to catch myself, I instead stepped on a garbage bag that has a large blanket in it, and went ass over tea kettle (what does that even mean?) and injured my shoulder pretty badly (NOW I know that, THEN not so much!). So here I am. Doing PT and not improving very well. I have an appointment for a shot of cortisone soon and probably an MRI (my PT thinks I may have a tear). I talked to my captain the day I went to the orthopedist and he pushed my start date three weeks later, so I am still hopeful but not convinced! I have not heard from the captain in over a week (I actually thought he may have had an anxiety attack when I called him L), so we’ll see. I felt I needed to give him as much notice as possible, schooner cooks (good ones) are very hard to find and I feel awful! Not much I can do at this point but continue with PT and go from there.

I am staying with the same friends I have lived with on and off for a few years (alternating with other friends, don’t want to be a PITA to anyone) and am planning (ha!) what’s next.

Oh the other thing I forgot to tell you all is I was totally into NC UNTIL I drove into Vermont… I’m not ready to leave here yet. I thought I was and then I came home and realized my story in Vermont is not done! I’m not quite sure what that means but as always my heart and mind are open to new opportunities and with my innate faith in the universe, things will work out just fine!

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

So in reading this long winded account I realized I pasted it twice! Of course I have no idea how to edit it out so just stop reading when it begins to repeat! Sorry~

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

November '17

November 4th, then November 10th and now I am finally finishing this post on December 2nd!

The last 4 day sailing trip was the most challenging of all my cooking/sailing experience and if I hadn't already decided not to do it anymore, well... good thing.

Our last trip we had Captain Dave (who is the owner of Manitou) and it was the wine trip. A 4night/3 day full boat and we immediately headed out to the lake. We were sailing with incredible wind and made the destination of Charlevoix in one day, whew! Last trip we made it on the second day.

We left early the next day and headed right back out into it... and we proceeded to have 2 full days of 15-20Knot winds which for those on deck it was amazing! For those of us down below (and in this case only Harriet and me) it was 8 solid hours of trying hard not to fall over or throw up. Actually H got sick both days and I never did but thought I was going to pretty much the whole time. H is a real trooper and rallied to do her part. Remember we still needed to make food for 31 folks, no matter what!

On a schooner, things in the galley are always on sticky mats, so that they won't fall while we are heeling (rocking side. Because this was a wine trip all hors d'oeuvres and dinners were paired with wines, our apps were a bit more "sophisticated" than normal. I had made lovely pear chutney to go with brie cheese for an app when I was overcome with major nausea and went up above for a bit of air and horizon. (For those that may not know, seasickness is always lessened by being on deck and looking at the horizon.

In the three minutes that I was on deck, we hit an enormous wave just right and crashed down and with that crash ALL things in the galley that were not literally tied down ended up on the sole in a pile with the chutney at the very bottom... wtf!!

The only "good" thing about all of this is guests are so accepting and happy for whatever can be done because they are so impressed that we could come up with anything let alone something that tasted good too!

So that was the end of that... had dinner with all the crew before I left and then headed into the rest of this adventure.

I took 6 days to drive to Port Townsend, WA... staying at Airbnb’s along the way. It is always interesting staying in people's homes and always a unique experience. Almost always really nice, I have been fortunate (although I do have a story for later).

Traveling through the west I was again reminded how incredible this country is. If you have never ventured on a road trip cross country I highly suggest it! I think because I am in such a different place than the last time I traveled (1998) my perspective has changed quite a bit. The flatness that is the Midwest was beautiful and much more interesting than before. The badlands of the Dakotas still takes my breath away, the Rocky Mountains as you approach from the east just stand up right out of the earth, so big and bold. And as I came into Washington, the eastern part of the state is a plateau with grassy land and mountains in the distance. Coming up the peninsula heading to Port Townsend, the landscape changed drastically to huge evergreens, rocky shore and the ocean! I missed the ocean, especially the smell~  

In Port Townsend I had a wonderful visit with my friends Susanna and Michael. They rent a very cool small cottage and I got to sleep in their landlord's granddaughter's playhouse. A bit of a hobbit house in the backyard and it was fun! We did a bit of the tourist thing along with a visit to the farmer's market and a hard apple cider festival. Ate some yummy food, played some games and had some great conversations. What more can you ask for?

I left S&M and drove to my friend Bev's house in Redmond Oregon. The trip there was just amazing, I left PT and went down Rt. 104 along the coast, rocky, damp and so very green and then I left the peninsula, drove into Oregon and… just like that I was in high desert with creosote bushes, rocks, sand and pretty much nothing else! Wow all in the space of three hours~

I ended up spending a week there and really enjoyed myself. Bev is an old friend and a fairly recent widow and still having a difficult time adjusting. We didn't do too much, went out to breakfast and lunch, I cooked dinner a couple of nights, spent an afternoon at her son's house playing a game with the family and basically just hanging out. Something I needed to do. Traveling is exhausting!

From there I drove to Oakland, Ca. where my friends Jess and Shannon live. I have known Jess since she was 4 and I catered their wedding three years ago. They own a lovely little house with an awesome backyard in the heart of the city. We ate some great food, went to the farmer’s market, ate more great food, went to a Day of the Dead festival that was pretty awesome, drank many whiskey drinks with this incredible mixer that was sweet and spicy and the drink was the best! Unfortunately the store that sold the mixer was closed when I left the area! L Maybe that was a good thing? L

After 4 days in Oakland I headed to central California… with no real plan and no more folks to visit. I was planning on camping for a few days hopefully in a free area (lots of free camping on National Forest land). That did not work out so well… mostly because the sites were so remote and vague that I didn’t feel comfortable staying so I ended up at an Airbnb or hotel. The one place I was sure I could camp in So Cal is a place called Ocotillo Wells, a state recreation area that has awesome free campsites in the desert with picnic tables, ramadas (a shade canopy) and fire ring. I stayed there for a week when I traveled the country 20 years ago. So off I went to OW, arrived on a Thursday (needed to be there early as it is a very popular weekend destination for off roaders) to find many open campsites and I was psyched! And then I got out of my truck and the wind was blowing about 15 mph, in the desert, out in the open with sand going everywhere. And I said to myself… self, do you really want to try setting up your tent in this? I talked to the campers next to me and they told me the wind was supposed to keep up until the next day, sooo… off I went to find another place to stay. I was bummed!

If you have never stayed at an Airbnb it works like this: you look at all the offerings in the area that you want to stay within your price range (mine is always under $50) and needed dates, you then send a request to the homeowner that you would like to stay there and they get back to you fairly quick. If they accept your request Airbnb then charges your credit card and you are all set. Like yelp there are reviews for the place below the listing so you have a pretty good idea of what you are getting into… most of the time. This time, not so much… I followed directions and headed to the Salton Sea (in So Cal), took a left where I was supposed to and continued driving into the desert. So far so good and then I saw some graffiti on some rocks that said “The Slabs” and knew that was what I was looking for, so I continued to drive for another mile or so and realized that as I was wandering further into the desert there were more and more trailers, huts, hovels, RVs and general encampments and suddenly understood these folks were all squatters! I arrived at my camp and the first thing I asked was are you a squatter and he said yes he had lived there for 15 years. Oh boy. He showed me to my “room” which was a 12x12 wooden box, insulated and covered on the inside with blue plastic and no windows… in the desert! The man was very nice and was so proud that he had a generator and Wi-Fi along with a trailer facility that was the ladies room (he rented out three different spaces). It had a toilet with water in it and to flush you poured in a bucket of water and when I asked where it went he said into a hole in the desert floor. Let me be very clear the man was extremely nice and I got great vibes from him but I was pretty clear that I could not stay here… what to do, what to do? While the owner went to town, I set up my laptop to check messages and while online I heard scratching and finally a mouse came from the ceiling and into my “room”. And that was it for me, the way to get out. Mind you I am not afraid of mice, rats or any rodents really but I knew that this was my way to leave and get my money back. So I am waiting by my truck when he arrived back and I just sort of flipped out, said how I had seen mice (wtf?), was petrified and could not stay in a place that had rodents, he was very nice (I can only imagine what he was thinking in his head), I asked if I could get my money back, he said yes and I left… whew! Drove 40 miles or so and got a hotel.

After that experience I decided that I needed to head towards Arizona a bit earlier than planned but my friends MeiMei & Bruce were very gracious and told me to come on over. So this is where I have been since November 4th.

I flew to Vermont on Thanksgiving night for a retreat and meetings for Dinners with Love and arrived back this past Thursday. My plan is to leave early next week and head to Texas where my niece Michele lives and will spend the holidays with her and her husband. Mike (my nickname for her) is a Christmas freak and it will be a lot of fun spending time with her.

As soon as I reached MeiMei & Bruce’s house I started earnestly looking for work. I applied to 20 jobs or so with only one call back. I have been pretty bummed and am thinking my age is starting to work against me. The one call back I got was the only job I actually wanted and after a second phone interview yesterday I got the job, yay! So I start in January at Texas A&M University for a company called Campus Cooks. I will be the cook for a sorority of 48 young women making lunch and dinner M-F. It pays very well, the hours are no more than 43 a week, if school is closed, and I don’t work but do get paid. It is a national company and all they do is provide cooks for frats and sororities, so if I like it and they like me then hopefully I can stay with them for a few years and try out different campuses. If I don’t like it then the gig ends in May and I will seek another new opportunity.

 My plan is still to head to Europe in May and depending on whether I want to go back or not to A&M in the fall will determine how long I stay!

Wow, this is a long post, hope it is not too boring and I will again try to not wait so long and have to write a novel!

Happy Holidays to all of you, may the season be filled with love and light! xo

November 4th, then November 10th and now I am finally finishing this post on December 2nd!

The last 4 day sailing trip was the most challenging of all my cooking/sailing experience and if I hadn't already decided not to do it anymore, well... good thing.

Our last trip we had Captain Dave (who is the owner of Manitou) and it was the wine trip. A 4night/3 day full boat and we immediately headed out to the lake. We were sailing with incredible wind and made the destination of Charlevoix in one day, whew! Last trip we made it on the second day.

We left early the next day and headed right back out into it... and we proceeded to have 2 full days of 15-20Knot winds which for those on deck it was amazing! For those of us down below (and in this case only Harriet and me) it was 8 solid hours of trying hard not to fall over or throw up. Actually H got sick both days and I never did but thought I was going to pretty much the whole time. H is a real trooper and rallied to do her part. Remember we still needed to make food for 31 folks, no matter what!

On a schooner, things in the galley are always on sticky mats, so that they won't fall while we are heeling. Because this was a wine trip all hors d'oeuvres and dinners were paired with wines, our apps were a bit more "sophisticated" than normal. I had made lovely pear chutney to go with brie cheese for an app when I was overcome with major nausea and went up above for a bit of air and horizon. (For those that may not know, seasickness is always lessened by being on deck and looking at the horizon!)

In the three minutes that I was on deck, we hit an enormous wave just right and crashed down and with that crash ALL things in the galley that were not literally tied down ended up on the sole in a pile with the chutney at the very bottom... wtf!!

The only "good" thing about all of this is guests are so accepting and happy for whatever can be done because they are so impressed that we could come up with anything let alone something that tasted good too!

So that was the end of that... had dinner with all the crew before I left and then headed into the rest of this adventure.

I took 6 days to drive to Port Townsend, WA... staying at Airbnb’s along the way. It is always interesting staying in people's homes and always a unique experience. Almost always really nice, I have been fortunate (although I do have a story for later).

Traveling through the west I was again reminded how incredible this country is. If you have never ventured on a road trip cross country I highly suggest it! I think because I am in such a different place than the last time I traveled (1998) my perspective has changed quite a bit. The flatness that is the Midwest was beautiful and much more interesting than before. The badlands of the Dakotas still takes my breath away, the Rocky Mountains as you approach from the east just stand up right out of the earth, so big and bold. And as I came into Washington, the eastern part of the state is a plateau with grassy land and mountains in the distance. Coming up the peninsula heading to Port Townsend, the landscape changed drastically to huge evergreens, rocky shore and the ocean! I missed the ocean, especially the smell~  

In Port Townsend I had a wonderful visit with my friends Susanna and Michael. They rent a very cool small cottage and I got to sleep in their landlord's granddaughter's playhouse. A bit of a hobbit house in the backyard and it was fun! We did a bit of the tourist thing along with a visit to the farmer's market and a hard apple cider festival. Ate some yummy food, played some games and had some great conversations. What more can you ask for?

I left S&M and drove to my friend Bev's house in Redmond Oregon. The trip there was just amazing, I left PT and went down Rt. 104 along the coast, rocky, damp and so very green and then I left the peninsula, drove into Oregon and… just like that I was in high desert with creosote bushes, rocks, sand and pretty much nothing else! Wow all in the space of three hours~

I ended up spending a week there and really enjoyed myself. Bev is an old friend and a fairly recent widow and still having a difficult time adjusting. We didn't do too much, went out to breakfast and lunch, I cooked dinner a couple of nights, spent an afternoon at her son's house playing a game with the family and basically just hanging out. Something I needed to do. Traveling is exhausting!

From there I drove to Oakland, Ca. where my friends Jess and Shannon live. I have known Jess since she was 4 and I catered their wedding three years ago. They own a lovely little house with an awesome backyard in the heart of the city. We ate some great food, went to the farmer’s market, ate more great food, went to a Day of the Dead festival that was pretty awesome, drank many whiskey drinks with this incredible mixer that was sweet and spicy and the drink was the best! Unfortunately the store that sold the mixer was closed when I left the area! L Maybe that was a good thing? L

After 4 days in Oakland I headed to central California… with no real plan and no more folks to visit. I was planning on camping for a few days hopefully in a free area (lots of free camping on National Forest land). That did not work out so well… mostly because the sites were so remote and vague that I didn’t feel comfortable staying so I ended up at an Airbnb or hotel. The one place I was sure I could camp in So Cal is a place called Ocotillo Wells, a state recreation area that has awesome free campsites in the desert with picnic tables, ramadas (a shade canopy) and fire ring. I stayed there for a week when I traveled the country 20 years ago. So off I went to OW, arrived on a Thursday (needed to be there early as it is a very popular weekend destination for off roaders) to find many open campsites and I was psyched! And then I got out of my truck and the wind was blowing about 15 mph, in the desert, out in the open with sand going everywhere. And I said to myself… self, do you really want to try setting up your tent in this? I talked to the campers next to me and they told me the wind was supposed to keep up until the next day, sooo… off I went to find another place to stay. I was bummed!

If you have never stayed at an Airbnb it works like this: you look at all the offerings in the area that you want to stay within your price range (mine is always under $50) and needed dates, you then send a request to the homeowner that you would like to stay there and they get back to you fairly quick. If they accept your request Airbnb then charges your credit card and you are all set. Like yelp there are reviews for the place below the listing so you have a pretty good idea of what you are getting into… most of the time. This time, not so much… I followed directions and headed to the Salton Sea (in So Cal), took a left where I was supposed to and continued driving into the desert. So far so good and then I saw some graffiti on some rocks that said “The Slabs” and knew that was what I was looking for, so I continued to drive for another mile or so and realized that as I was wandering further into the desert there were more and more trailers, huts, hovels, RVs and general encampments and suddenly understood these folks were all squatters! I arrived at my camp and the first thing I asked was are you a squatter and he said yes he had lived there for 15 years. Oh boy. He showed me to my “room” which was a 12x12 wooden box, insulated and covered on the inside with blue plastic and no windows… in the desert! The man was very nice and was so proud that he had a generator and Wi-Fi along with a trailer facility that was the ladies room (he rented out three different spaces). It had a toilet with water in it and to flush you poured in a bucket of water and when I asked where it went he said into a hole in the desert floor. Let me be very clear the man was extremely nice and I got great vibes from him but I was pretty clear that I could not stay here… what to do, what to do? While the owner went to town, I set up my laptop to check messages and while online I heard scratching and finally a mouse came from the ceiling and into my “room”. And that was it for me, the way to get out. Mind you I am not afraid of mice, rats or any rodents really but I knew that this was my way to leave and get my money back. So I am waiting by my truck when he arrived back and I just sort of flipped out, said how I had seen mice (wtf?), was petrified and could not stay in a place that had rodents, he was very nice (I can only imagine what he was thinking in his head), I asked if I could get my money back, he said yes and I left… whew! Drove 40 miles or so and got a hotel.

After that experience I decided that I needed to head towards Arizona a bit earlier than planned but my friends MeiMei & Bruce were very gracious and told me to come on over. So this is where I have been since November 4th.

I flew to Vermont on Thanksgiving night for a retreat and meetings for Dinners with Love and arrived back this past Thursday. My plan is to leave early next week and head to Texas where my niece Michele lives and will spend the holidays with her and her husband. Mike (my nickname for her) is a Christmas freak and it will be a lot of fun spending time with her.

As soon as I reached MeiMei & Bruce’s house I started earnestly looking for work. I applied to 20 jobs or so with only one call back. I have been pretty bummed and am thinking my age is starting to work against me. The one call back I got was the only job I actually wanted and after a second phone interview yesterday I got the job, yay! So I start in January at Texas A&M University for a company called Campus Cooks. I will be the cook for a sorority of 48 young women making lunch and dinner M-F. It pays very well, the hours are no more than 43 a week, if school is closed, and I don’t work but do get paid. It is a national company and all they do is provide cooks for frats and sororities, so if I like it and they like me then hopefully I can stay with them for a few years and try out different campuses. If I don’t like it then the gig ends in May and I will seek another new opportunity.

 My plan is still to head to Europe in May and depending on whether I want to go back or not to A&M in the fall will determine how long I stay!

Wow, this is a long post, hope it is not too boring and I will again try to not wait so long and have to write a novel!

Happy Holidays to all of you, may the season be filled with love and light! xo

November 4th, then November 10th and now I am finally finishing this post on December 2nd!

The last 4 day sailing trip was the most challenging of all my cooking/sailing experience and if I hadn't already decided not to do it anymore, well... good thing.

Our last trip we had Captain Dave (who is the owner of Manitou) and it was the wine trip. A 4night/3 day full boat and we immediately headed out to the lake. We were sailing with incredible wind and made the destination of Charlevoix in one day, whew! Last trip we made it on the second day.

We left early the next day and headed right back out into it... and we proceeded to have 2 full days of 15-20Knot winds which for those on deck it was amazing! For those of us down below (and in this case only Harriet and me) it was 8 solid hours of trying hard not to fall over or throw up. Actually H got sick both days and I never did but thought I was going to pretty much the whole time. H is a real trooper and rallied to do her part. Remember we still needed to make food for 31 folks, no matter what!

On a schooner, things in the galley are always on sticky mats, so that they won't fall while we are heeling. Because this was a wine trip all hors d'oeuvres and dinners were paired with wines, our apps were a bit more "sophisticated" than normal. I had made lovely pear chutney to go with brie cheese for an app when I was overcome with major nausea and went up above for a bit of air and horizon. (For those that may not know, seasickness is always lessened by being on deck and looking at the horizon!)

In the three minutes that I was on deck, we hit an enormous wave just right and crashed down and with that crash ALL things in the galley that were not literally tied down ended up on the sole in a pile with the chutney at the very bottom... wtf!!

The only "good" thing about all of this is guests are so accepting and happy for whatever can be done because they are so impressed that we could come up with anything let alone something that tasted good too!

So that was the end of that... had dinner with all the crew before I left and then headed into the rest of this adventure.

I took 6 days to drive to Port Townsend, WA... staying at Airbnb’s along the way. It is always interesting staying in people's homes and always a unique experience. Almost always really nice, I have been fortunate (although I do have a story for later).

Traveling through the west I was again reminded how incredible this country is. If you have never ventured on a road trip cross country I highly suggest it! I think because I am in such a different place than the last time I traveled (1998) my perspective has changed quite a bit. The flatness that is the Midwest was beautiful and much more interesting than before. The badlands of the Dakotas still takes my breath away, the Rocky Mountains as you approach from the east just stand up right out of the earth, so big and bold. And as I came into Washington, the eastern part of the state is a plateau with grassy land and mountains in the distance. Coming up the peninsula heading to Port Townsend, the landscape changed drastically to huge evergreens, rocky shore and the ocean! I missed the ocean, especially the smell~  

In Port Townsend I had a wonderful visit with my friends Susanna and Michael. They rent a very cool small cottage and I got to sleep in their landlord's granddaughter's playhouse. A bit of a hobbit house in the backyard and it was fun! We did a bit of the tourist thing along with a visit to the farmer's market and a hard apple cider festival. Ate some yummy food, played some games and had some great conversations. What more can you ask for?

I left S&M and drove to my friend Bev's house in Redmond Oregon. The trip there was just amazing, I left PT and went down Rt. 104 along the coast, rocky, damp and so very green and then I left the peninsula, drove into Oregon and… just like that I was in high desert with creosote bushes, rocks, sand and pretty much nothing else! Wow all in the space of three hours~

I ended up spending a week there and really enjoyed myself. Bev is an old friend and a fairly recent widow and still having a difficult time adjusting. We didn't do too much, went out to breakfast and lunch, I cooked dinner a couple of nights, spent an afternoon at her son's house playing a game with the family and basically just hanging out. Something I needed to do. Traveling is exhausting!

From there I drove to Oakland, Ca. where my friends Jess and Shannon live. I have known Jess since she was 4 and I catered their wedding three years ago. They own a lovely little house with an awesome backyard in the heart of the city. We ate some great food, went to the farmer’s market, ate more great food, went to a Day of the Dead festival that was pretty awesome, drank many whiskey drinks with this incredible mixer that was sweet and spicy and the drink was the best! Unfortunately the store that sold the mixer was closed when I left the area! L Maybe that was a good thing? L

After 4 days in Oakland I headed to central California… with no real plan and no more folks to visit. I was planning on camping for a few days hopefully in a free area (lots of free camping on National Forest land). That did not work out so well… mostly because the sites were so remote and vague that I didn’t feel comfortable staying so I ended up at an Airbnb or hotel. The one place I was sure I could camp in So Cal is a place called Ocotillo Wells, a state recreation area that has awesome free campsites in the desert with picnic tables, ramadas (a shade canopy) and fire ring. I stayed there for a week when I traveled the country 20 years ago. So off I went to OW, arrived on a Thursday (needed to be there early as it is a very popular weekend destination for off roaders) to find many open campsites and I was psyched! And then I got out of my truck and the wind was blowing about 15 mph, in the desert, out in the open with sand going everywhere. And I said to myself… self, do you really want to try setting up your tent in this? I talked to the campers next to me and they told me the wind was supposed to keep up until the next day, sooo… off I went to find another place to stay. I was bummed!

If you have never stayed at an Airbnb it works like this: you look at all the offerings in the area that you want to stay within your price range (mine is always under $50) and needed dates, you then send a request to the homeowner that you would like to stay there and they get back to you fairly quick. If they accept your request Airbnb then charges your credit card and you are all set. Like yelp there are reviews for the place below the listing so you have a pretty good idea of what you are getting into… most of the time. This time, not so much… I followed directions and headed to the Salton Sea (in So Cal), took a left where I was supposed to and continued driving into the desert. So far so good and then I saw some graffiti on some rocks that said “The Slabs” and knew that was what I was looking for, so I continued to drive for another mile or so and realized that as I was wandering further into the desert there were more and more trailers, huts, hovels, RVs and general encampments and suddenly understood these folks were all squatters! I arrived at my camp and the first thing I asked was are you a squatter and he said yes he had lived there for 15 years. Oh boy. He showed me to my “room” which was a 12x12 wooden box, insulated and covered on the inside with blue plastic and no windows… in the desert! The man was very nice and was so proud that he had a generator and Wi-Fi along with a trailer facility that was the ladies room (he rented out three different spaces). It had a toilet with water in it and to flush you poured in a bucket of water and when I asked where it went he said into a hole in the desert floor. Let me be very clear the man was extremely nice and I got great vibes from him but I was pretty clear that I could not stay here… what to do, what to do? While the owner went to town, I set up my laptop to check messages and while online I heard scratching and finally a mouse came from the ceiling and into my “room”. And that was it for me, the way to get out. Mind you I am not afraid of mice, rats or any rodents really but I knew that this was my way to leave and get my money back. So I am waiting by my truck when he arrived back and I just sort of flipped out, said how I had seen mice (wtf?), was petrified and could not stay in a place that had rodents, he was very nice (I can only imagine what he was thinking in his head), I asked if I could get my money back, he said yes and I left… whew! Drove 40 miles or so and got a hotel.

After that experience I decided that I needed to head towards Arizona a bit earlier than planned but my friends MeiMei & Bruce were very gracious and told me to come on over. So this is where I have been since November 4th.

I flew to Vermont on Thanksgiving night for a retreat and meetings for Dinners with Love and arrived back this past Thursday. My plan is to leave early next week and head to Texas where my niece Michele lives and will spend the holidays with her and her husband. Mike (my nickname for her) is a Christmas freak and it will be a lot of fun spending time with her.

As soon as I reached MeiMei & Bruce’s house I started earnestly looking for work. I applied to 20 jobs or so with only one call back. I have been pretty bummed and am thinking my age is starting to work against me. The one call back I got was the only job I actually wanted and after a second phone interview yesterday I got the job, yay! So I start in January at Texas A&M University for a company called Campus Cooks. I will be the cook for a sorority of 48 young women making lunch and dinner M-F. It pays very well, the hours are no more than 43 a week, if school is closed, and I don’t work but do get paid. It is a national company and all they do is provide cooks for frats and sororities, so if I like it and they like me then hopefully I can stay with them for a few years and try out different campuses. If I don’t like it then the gig ends in May and I will seek another new opportunity.

 My plan is still to head to Europe in May and depending on whether I want to go back or not to A&M in the fall will determine how long I stay!

Wow, this is a long post, hope it is not too boring and I will again try to not wait so long and have to write a novel!

Happy Holidays to all of you, may the season be filled with love and light! xo

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

an addendum...

On the six day, one of the places we went was Charlevoix, Michigan. A little city near the upper peninsula of Michigan. It has a canal and a large draw bridge that had to be opened for us along with a town geared towards tourists that was very user friendly. One of the coolest things there are homes built by Earl Young in the 20th century. Google him and his mushroom houses, fascinating! 

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

September 25, 2017

So many days gone by... again!

I am 10 days away from leaving this lovely area of Traverse City. Our day sails ended Labor Day weekend and we then began windjamming. Boy oh boy, now I remember why I didn't want to do "this" anymore. We have had 3 trips already with only 1 more to go. The first was a 3 night, full boat, that was followed by a full boat 4 night with only an overnight off and then we rolled into a 6 night, 16 guest cruise that was by far the most fun trip ever!! We had an incredibly diverse group of folks that really clicked (that does not always happen) and they (and we the crew) had a lovely enjoyable time.

I was lucky enough to get Harriet as my cooking assistant for windjamming. She has turned out to be a wonderful bread maker (which is good because, me? not so much), competent enough not to ask lots of questions, does all her work without a hint of complaint (and of course she gets all the crappy work) and does not need to be looked over… what more could I ask? The good for her is that she no longer has to go aloft, does not do any overnight watches and she gets a nap (if she chooses) every afternoon… and I am not a bitch (which believe me happens more often than not!). So a win-win for all of us J!

My days of 75 hour weeks are officially over after the 6 day! No more! This week nearly killed me ("somewhat facetiously" she said) and with only a 4 night left (which is a piece of cake considering I have had 2 full days off), the end is not only in sight but the feelings of bittersweet are beginning to bloom. But that's what memories are for, right? This has been the absolute best experience for my last as a schooner cook! I have been fortunate enough to work with a professional and serious crew who do their jobs well and like to have fun while getting the job done. This is really hard work folks, the life of a sailor and the fact that they do it with grace and good humor is a testament to Captain Brett. The captain sets the tone for a boat and the owner sets the tone for the company and in both instances I  lucked out!

And off I shall go… heading west to Port Townsend Washington and a friend I haven’t seen in 21 years. Looking forward to checking out this coastal enclave that is funky and very sailor friendly. After that it will be to Bend Oregon, Oakland, Ca., LA and then to the Southwest. Hoping to land a job somewhere warmish until May and the next adventure… I’ll keep you posted~

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

July 20, 2017

So 5 weeks since I've written... the season is now officially 1/2 over, yay

The last 5 weeks have been a blur of three trips a day with a growing number of overnight guests. The trips have often been full which means I get off the boat and shop, pick flowers (I do wildflowers on the three tables in the salon), hang in the office and surf the net or go out for a drink somewhere. Although I do not "officially" work during those times there is no place to rest so I feel like I am certainly still working!

So a month ago I bought my first droid phone (ok, 21st century here I am), figured out what I needed to and promptly killed it last week by leaving it on the table by my berth (where the port light was left open and it rained... on it...). So I now have a new droid (goodbye money, that was so easy!) and am having a hell of a time remembering passwords. Thanks to Eddie (my ex-husband for those that may not know) who this morning walked me through an online program that told me all my passwords, yay! Some of you that were in my phone have been lost to the internet haze, so please feel free to PM me with your info, especially if you don't hear from me anytime soon :)

Along with the phone went several pictures I had taken of the roof lines in this fair city. I have never seen the amount of unique, quirky houses that this town has with each vying for the most amazing rooflines. I will take more pictures and post them; right now I am off the boat and waiting to return so I can go to bed! Yesterday and today were my days off and I slept very poorly last night and had to get up early (for a day off) for a board meeting for Dinners with Love.

The captain is hoping I come back next year but I have decided that this is the last season for me as a schooner cook. He is relentless in his pursuit and I think he may think I am hoping for more money but that is not it. I am done. If I wanted to continue this would be the boat for me. It is a considerate place to work, the pay is very good and the stress very low. The reality is that I don’t want to work 60 hours a week anymore, I don’t want to be on my feet all day and I am sick of the general public! I am looking for options for the winter but I am inclined to be in the southwest or maybe the west coast. My plan (which can change at any time) is to try and find a temp job maybe for a non-profit starting in January. When I am done in October I plan to travel west and see friends in Washington, Oregon, California, New Mexico and Arizona.

Next summer I am looking to do workaway, it is like woofing but not always farming. For those that don’t know woofing (world of organic farming??) is an online place you can sign up to farm all over the world in exchange for room and board. This is the same kind of thing but it is not exclusively farming. You can care for sled dogs in Norway or help a single mother artist in Spain take care for her kid; maybe help a new hostel owner do online marketing or build a new barn for a farm. There is a plethora of opportunities to work 25 hours a week for room and board with stays being anywhere from a week to 6 months. You are immersed in their lives and the lives of those around them. It seems like a great way to travel and see Europe (or Asia, So American, Australia, etc.) for minimum money and to also experience something real and not a “tourist” thing. All listings are reviewed by past workaway folks and are rated, so you can see if you want to stay with someone with a 100% rating or a 65% rating. Like woofing it is designed for young people but hey you’re as young as you feel, right?

The weather here has been spectacular. I understand New England has been quite wet and cool with flooding in my town of Brandon, Vermont. It is 87 here today (which is a bit too warm for me) but being on the water makes a difference and I have bought two small battery operated fans for my bunk. It gets very warm in the galley area and it stays that way during the overnight. No real complaints though… cool when I get up in the morning and going on deck is still a joy.

My crew has proven to be very simple eaters so not much exciting in the way of foods: lots of roasts, chicken, pork, Mexican, potatoes, rice, salad and lots of bread! They inhale carbs like you wouldn’t believe. I will sometimes go a little wild and make a curry or last week I did a mid-east stuffed cabbage but it is regularly meat and potatoes. Easy for me but looking forward to our windjammers so I can cook a little bit more exciting!

That’s it for now, the boat is docking soon and I want to get on right away… still need to make my “bed”, which is a huge challenge, get coffee and everything else all set for the morning and then go to bed. 5 a.m. comes pretty early especially when I am already tired L! Be well everyone and until the next time…

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

Jue 11, 2017

Another 2 weeks have flown by... my time does not slow down a bit, does it?

Schoolship ends on Monday with our B&B starting Tuesday night so my life is about to change! I will go from cooking breakfast for the crew of 4-5 to cooking for guests and crew (up to 22 guests + crew). With my morning beginning an hour earlier with coffee and pastry on deck at 7am followed by a full breakfast at 8am.

Our day sails have also begun (on weekends only until this Tuesday) which means I start to make cash tips as well as my paycheck. This becomes a much better situation financially with me beginning to live off my tips alone and banking my check.

The schedule changes dramatically with breakfast at 8, lunch at 11 and dinner at 5... Our sails are 12-2, 3-5, 6:30-8:30pm. Right now we have been eating at 7:15, 12:40 and 5:45pm, quite a change for everyone. The crew needs to "turn over" the boat in the morning so we are ready for overnight guests in the evening. I do breakfast and then immediately prepare for lunch. The only sail I am required to be on is the 3-5 one so that dinner is ready when we dock. The other 2 sails depend on whether there is room for me (we can take 63 passengers inc. crew at a time) and if there is a full boat I am the first one to get "kicked" off. That time is my own, I can do whatever I need to do or goof off. When the boat is not at capacity I will more than likely go out especially on the noon sail so I can take a nap! With the days getting longer it is important that I rest when I am able to. It will be an adjustment but one I am looking forward to. It will be good to cook for the general public again. I have missed preparing the whole complete breakfast thing as my crew are light eaters in the morning and do not eat fruit or vegetables to any degree...ugh!

Our captain gets married this weekend and his "rehearsal dinner" is a sunset cruise on the boat Friday night. I have offered to prepare hors d'ouerves for the trip (as a gift from the crew) and he has invited all of us to the cook-out on the dock after the trip. He has been a bit on edge as they are doing all the work themselves and it will be good to have things return to normal after this weekend. Unfortunately the relief captain is unable to work the day of the wedding (his father is very ill) so the owner will have to do that day and miss the wedding. I know it is a huge bummer for all concerned...

As many of you know Dinners with Love is the non-profit I started in VT and we are ready to expand out of Vermont. We just passed 8,000 meals in 8 years and our program manager has been promoted to executive director. As with all good things, serendipity is intervening and it looks like part of my reason for "choosing" Michigan is about DwL!  Since I have been here I have made more connections to hospice than I could have imagined... from sincere interest with my friend Debbie in Metamora to meeting 2 women (retired Methodists ministers) that are mucky mucks in the Elks Club here in Traverse City (and thought the program was something they could help with), to the local hospice agency booking our boat every year for their Memorial trip (which happens tomorrow night), to meeting Deb's friend last week at the graduation party who has become a hospice nurse! So many directives pointing to Michigan. So tomorrow night I will introduce myself to the hospice reps, make an appointment soon (because starting next week my days off are M/T) and hopefully get some positive response for our program. I can just feel it happening… and I am so thrilled. When I started DwL, I (naively) thought we would be nationwide in a year or two (Ha!). Learning that we had (and still have) many obstacles to overcome has taught me patience but as I already believe perseverance will get us to where we need to go, that and a clear vision which becomes clearer with each step we take! If you are not familiar with DwL, check out our website at: dinnerswithlove.org and consider making a secure donation if so inclined!

Time for me to get my butt out of here (I am at “my” Airbnb), so I will close for now. As always until the next time, be well my friends! xo

I know June is spelled wrong in the title but the damn program won't let me fix it!!

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

May 29, 2017

Another two weeks have flown by with the schedule becoming routine although that will change in another two weeks.

We have had consistently filled schoolship days with kids anywhere from 8-17 on board doing the Inland Seas program. And what a program it is. Their goal is to educate kids to become stewards of the Great Lakes and thoughtful, ecologically minded adults. They have docents who set up "stations" on the boat and teach different aspects of the program. They trawl for fish, trawl for micro plastics, take soil and water samples, identify plankton and other life, test for oxygenation and acidity of the water, learn a bit on seamanship, raise sails and generally have an experience of being on a sailing vessel doing scientific research. And real research it is, all the findings go to the community that oversees the health of the Great Lakes. Most of the volunteers are retired and educated folks in the fields of science (biology, ecology, and engineering) and do an unbelievable job of getting the kids to understand how important it is for all of us to participate in the wellbeing of our planet.

Those days for me consist of cooking breakfast for the crew, lunch for crew and educators that do both morning and afternoon programs and then dinner for the crew. Mondays we have no schoolship so that is my provision day in-between cooking meals. The crew is awesome as far as helping me get everything on board, stocking me with ice and general assistance. I am by far the oldest cook they have ever had and allow me the privilege of asking for physical help whenever I need it.

Let me tell you a little more about the crew: Captain Brett has been on the boat since 2010, beginning as a deckhand and making his way up the ladder (so to speak), becoming 2nd mate, chief mate and then captain. Most people in this world do it just this way. In order to get a captain's license you must have sea time (along with a written test of course) and that is accrued by paying your dues and learning the ropes along the way. He is also a fabulous artist and marketing guru and designs all promotional material for the boat. He is about to be married in two weeks and will have his rehearsal gig on the boat for a sunset cruise. He is a very bright, funny and thoughtful man and it is a joy to work with him.

Lily is our chief mate and our new captain. She received her license over the winter and will drive the boat on Brett's day off. This is the first time I have worked with a woman mate and it is interesting to watch her interact with her crew. She is strong, tough and fair with an intensity about her that is sometimes palpable. She is very stoic but the more I get to know her she is warm and caring as well.

Last week I came down with a miserable cold and Monday I was really feeling it. After breakfast the captain and mate came to me and said if I wanted to take the day of I could... what!?? That has never happened before and I declined at first because it is my busy getting ready for the week day. I provisioned, made lunch and did all my stuff and by 4pm I was wiped. So I decided to take them up on their offer, ordered pizza for supper (which of course to the crew was a treat) and went to bed. No repercussions or recriminations. They even ate their pizza in midship area so they wouldn't disturb me! How is that for thoughtful consideration?

Ryan is our 2nd mate, which means he is first mate when Lily drives or is otherwise off the boat. He is a "real" sailor and has taken to this life... well like a fish to water! He plays the mandolin. He is serious and a rule follower and he has kicked my ass in every game of cribbage we have played so far! He is also thoughtful and caring and does all his jobs incredibly well.

Sasha is next... he is our youngest right now at 19 (we have a new deckhand starting next week who is 18) and is new to the whole sailing world. He is a professional ski instructor in Montana and also a professional organ player along with several other instruments. He was adopted by his parents from a Russian orphanage when he was 2 months old (along with 3 other adopted kids) and is a good natured young man. Always willing to help, always in a good mood and takes a lot of ribbing from the captain.

Harriet came on board two weeks ago and she is 24. Her past experience has been on Navy ships as a non-military sailor. She has travelled all over the world and this is her fist schooner experience. She is very sweet and insecure but is finding her way and fitting in quite well. Harriet also plays instruments and I'll tell you I come into conversations with these three young people and they are talking Bach and Beethoven and different fugues and such... last week I said to them, do any of you even know who Led Zeppelin is? Sometimes I feel like I am in some time of time warp, it’s weird!

Then we have Amber who is the new captain of Scout (a 42' sailing yacht also owned by Dave) and lives and eats on our boat. She is from Key West, is 29 and is the person I socialize with more than anyone else. Both Brett and Lily live off the boat, so there is no socializing there, they have their own lives. The other three don't have anything in common with me and their time off is different than mine. Amber and I go out to eat and have a couple of drinks once a week. It is fun to go out with someone instead of alone and I enjoy her company. Her boyfriend is a captain on a boat in Alaska this summer and she has worked schooners for the last 4 years.

That is it for crew, we have the owner/captain Dave who just turned 53 the other day and comes on the boat most days for lunch. He is from Jersey, is plain spoken, smart, a good businessman and appreciates his staff! Wendy is our office manager, works hard, is incredibly efficient, also comes on board most days for lunch (always at my request, neither "have" to have lunch on the boat but you know me, the more the merrier!) and was the cook on board for 3 years in the late 90's.

Dave’s 16 year old daughter will be joining us as soon as school is out to be a PT deckhand along with the young man who starts this week. I think that pretty much covers everyone.

Today is Memorial Day and I am off! I didn't even know I had it off until last week when I saw there were no trips today. So I provisioned yesterday (in the pouring rain), got the galley all set and have an extra day off this week, yay! I will meet up with Amber this evening for an early dinner and have a short week filled with trips.

I go to my friends Deb & Dave on Friday night to help facilitate their daughter’s graduation party on Saturday, looking forward to it!

That’s it for this installment of Sheri’s Incredible Journey, stay tuned for more… be well my friends and until the next time~ xo

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

May 14, 2017

So I am about to begin my second full week cooking on the Manitou. Let me catch you up~

I arrived on Friday the 28th of April and checked in to the Airbnb I rented. It is a lovely home on a hill overlooking the bay with incredible views. I had a nice room with a double bed and bath. The folks are very nice, friendly and easy to talk to. So off to a good start.

I went to the boat to find no one there and spoke to someone who said they are always there so I just caught them off the boat doing errands. I called the office and found out they were moving the boat the next day to our regular berth. I went on Saturday and met the crew that was there: the captain named Brett who is in his early 30's, a woman first mate named Lily who I guess to be late 20's, Ryan, the second mate also in his late 20's and Sasha, a 19 year old first time sailor. Nice folks. Of course I always forget coming into an already working crew is a bit weird... the captain and first mate have worked together for 5 years and the second mate was here last year. I was told I would be ready to work on Wednesday so I stayed one more night at the bnb and moved onto the boat Sunday afternoon.

  I spent the next couple of days checking out Traverse City, a really lovely little city situated at the bottom of Great Traverse Bay which is part of Lake Michigan. There are a huge variety of restaurants, resorts and stores all catering to the tourist trade. I am glad to be here now before the craziness begins (and I understand it is really crazy!). There are numerous stores to provision with Sam's Club, Aldi's, Gordon Food Service (Sysco type) and Meijer’s (think Stop n Shop or Price Chopper) as my main go to places. Food prices vary again from NE especially in the meat department... I bought pork loin last week for 1.49 and it wasn't even on sale! So my budget will be ample and they will eat well.

For those of you that don't know I fell in Detroit the week before I left for TC and got a radial head fracture of my left elbow (ouch!). It was minor and I did follow up with an ortho dr and it is now 3 weeks later and almost all healed. I just have to be careful lifting anything too heavy but my crew is great and will do anything I ask of them.

The first three days were spent cleaning and setting up the galley. It is a nice space with a dining room attached (three tables that hold up to 22 folks total) and is also where all the crew sleep.

I am in a captain's berth which is 3' wide and 68" long and maybe 50" high, a bit like a coffin but with a curtain. Now you understand why it is imperative that I get off the boat on my days off! The mattress is comfortable and with my own blankets and pillow I do feel at home.

The wood stove works well and I am still getting used to everyone’s wants and needs as far as food goes. I do not have big eaters (except for Sasha who is 6'4" and 19) and the work so far is easy but the days are long. I worked 65 hours last week. Not all of them "working" per se but I can't leave the boat because of the way the schedule works for schoolship. I must have lunch and dinner ready right when we dock, so I have to stay on bored. Very different from the other boats I have been on and a bit boring but that will change in 4 weeks when we go to day sails and the bed and breakfast.

For lunches this week I have done soups and sandwiches (tomato rice and grilled cheese, vegetable and tuna melts, Mexican chicken and pork burritos) and chili. For dinners we have had meatloaf, roast pork, chicken stir-fry, roast chicken and pasta with sausages. I will get more creative as I get to know them better but for now the captain wanted me to stay simple and that has been fine. Making desserts almost daily although it is not a requirement and the only food thing at the moment is the captain can't have whey... so last Monday was his birthday (and my first cooking day) and I made him a chocolate almond dairy less cake that was really good! He loved it and he doesn't eat a lot of cake so was very appreciative.

The boat is well maintained and much loved. I thought it was owned by a nonprofit but I was wrong. It is owned by one family and the company is run incredibly well. We have an office manager that is amazing and has been with the company since 1999 and started as the cook. They also own another smaller boat that does longer day sails and you can stay overnight on it as well. I supply breakfast to them every morning as part of my job when the season begins.

That’s it for now, I must head to bed. Monday is shopping day and no sails so we eat at 7:30 instead of 7am, so I get to sleep in a little! Until the next time… be well friends!

[sheri-s-incredible-journey-blog]

April 22, 2017

I left Vermont 14 days ago... drove the first day to Erie, Pa. to an Airbnb that I had reserved a few weeks before. This is first time using Airbnb that I have had any problems. The man renting had told me he would be out of town. My friend Cheryl (my friend I visited last fall) drove down from Gasport (near Buffalo) to hang out and spend the night. I arrived and the key was supposed to be hidden in a little gazebo by the pool. I walked down to it and searched all around and could not find it, so I circled again looking under the benches and still no key. I have to say that when I am supposed to find something and can't, I always assume that I am somehow mistaken (why do I do that??). It wasn't there and Cheryl was going to be later than she thought so I went to a grocery store to pick up supper and I left a message for the owner. After an hour I still hadn't heard from him (and was getting a bit worried) but headed back to the apartment, looked again (just in case!) and called him again. He got back to me right away, called his brother (who had an extra key) and he ended up coming to let us in. Cheryl had arrived by then; we sat in her car and chatted until the brother showed up. It ends up he was incredibly apologetic and he thought I was coming the next night, so no there was no key in the spot! After all that angst, we had a very enjoyable evening and Cheryl turned me on to the TV show Frankie and Grace (or is it Grace and Frankie?) anyway, fun and poignant show if you haven't seen it. And wow does Jane Fonda look amazing for 79!! I guess all her workouts worked!

Next morning I did my taxes and finished them with Cheryl's supervision (she does taxes), we had breakfast and then I left for Indiana and she left for home.

I arrived in Indiana after driving through Ohio (yawwwwnnnn) arriving at my friend’s house around 6p.m. I was running early so I decided to get off the highway and “see” Cleveland. I saw a sign for International (?) Gardens, so that is the exit I took. Wow! They have a different garden area for a great many countries that are right on the side of the road. You can walk them (but it was not clear where to park) or drive by. I did the latter and then explored a little by going across the street into obviously the poorest section of the city. Lots of boarded up houses that used to be beautiful, it was quite sad especially since the gardens and great homes were just across the street! I was ready for lunch by then and drove onto the boulevard heading towards downtown looking for somewhere ethnic to eat. I drove by a Chinese restaurant that was filled with cars, turned around, went in and found myself in a place filled with Asian folks, so I knew it would be good and it was!

Kathy and Keith are friends that lived in Brandon and we met when Kathy worked for me in my diner. They have a black lab named Otis and live in a very nice subdivision in Elkhart.

I stayed with them for a week, visited a wonderful art museum called Midwest Museum of American Art. It was filled with Indianan art along with other American artists and is known for a large room filled entirely with Norman Rockwell paintings. It was an awesome place, spoke to the curator for quite a while (it was Monday and I was the only visitor) and could not believe it only cost $5 for admission. Which brings me to the cost of things. Wow, do we pay so much more for almost everything in the northeast. The cost of most food (especially meat and dairy) is a third to half of what we pay in Vermont. The produce is a bit less but not a huge difference.

I also went to a town called Shipshawana, which is an Amish tourist community. Very cool with lots of antique shops and restaurants, again the prices were crazy good. I had lunch in an Amish bakery and had a bowl of chicken noodle soup, 1/2 of a tuna sandwich, a bag of chips and a pickle for $6. All homemade and yummy (except for relish in my tuna which I don't particularly like). I met an older gent who gave me the history of the area after asking why Vermonters settled in this part of Indiana. I went through Middlebury and Goshen as I was driving around. Well in the early 1800's the volcano Krakatoa erupted (of course folks then didn’t know “why”) and changed the summer in Vermont (and I assume all of New England) to winter, they were not able to plant anything and eventually many gave up and moved west... to Indiana (and elsewhere) along with the town names where they had lived. He was fascinating and a font of knowledge.

I did a lot of cooking at Kathy and Keith’s and had a lovely Easter with them. I met several neighbors whom we had for dinner and all in all it was a great start to my adventure.

I left them this past Monday and headed to Metamora Michigan where I am staying my friends Deb & Dave. Deb and I became friends when I lived in NH and figured out we met in 1982. We took a nutrition class together and have remained friends ever since even though she moved back to Michigan (where she is from) in the late 80's. I am looking forward to tomorrow when her last daughter (they have 3) has her senior "prom" (she goes to a Baptist school and there is no music/dancing) but she will get all dolled up and will wear a beautiful dress, and her date will come by and there will be pictures, etc. Her oldest sister is flying in tonight (from Georgia) to do her make-up and to be part of this special event. Because of having no kids and actually not going to my prom, I have to say I am getting caught up in all this fun! In fact she and her Mom are at the nail salon as I write this.

Again I have been cooking quite a bit here, Deb is a "stay" at home Mom but we all know what that means, volunteering at the school and busy in the business of moms and it has been a pleasure to be able to provide this gift that I so enjoy sharing.

We went into Flint the other day and went the their indoor farmer's market and today we went to Frankenmuth, a town built by German immigrants and looks a bit like old Bavaria. I bought some sausage (what else do you buy in a German town?), had lunch and now I write this before I start dinner.

I leave here on Monday or Tuesday and will head to Traverse City and eventually the boat. I start work on May 2nd and will get on the boat probably next Friday. I have an Airbnb reserved and will see where life takes me... until the next time!!

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2017- a new year!

So it has been an interesting 3 months since I left Maine...

I left the coast with colors galore happening and arrived at MeiMei and Bruce’s to one of the most beautiful autumns that anyone can remember. Funny about autumns, they are all pretty while they are happening, but sometimes, like this year they are magnificent. And I just can't believe how lucky I am to live in such a place.

I spent those couple of weeks doing the app for the Coast Guard, getting my physical, having papers notarized and sending out the packet... and then waiting. It ended up taking about 3 weeks to get my credentials and then on to applying for tugboats (or actually they are called ATB's/articulated tug barges). I missed the job opening by a few days and now I am on a list and... I wait again.

I drove to upstate NY and had just the best visit with my friend Cheryl. I was graciously invited last minute to a wedding she was going to and had the best time! It was a roaring 20's theme wedding and almost everybody was dressed in costume. Great food and venue.

We spent a day in Buffalo, driving through Forest Lawn Cemetery (wowser!), going to a lovely museum, eating at a superb Middle Eastern restaurant and going to the Frank Lloyd Wright complex.

We spent another part of a day going to Niagara Falls on the NY side. I had been to the Canadian side in 1996 and my how it has changed. That side looks like a mini Vegas and the US side is just a visitor's center. Nothing else! The US side is right next to the falls with nothing but a regular fence that anyone could climb right over and jump! I wondered how many people have done that so far. It is pretty cool though being that close (as long as you are not suicidal).

While I was in NY, MeiMei & Bruce left for their annual migration to Arizona for the winter. When I got back to Vt., I moved into my friend's Catherine and Donnie's house. They are renting me a lovely room in their old renovated house on a quiet dirt road in the very small town next to Brandon (Sudbury). I spent a week getting settled, visiting friends and catching up and then I was on the road again!

I headed to Mass. to visit family and friends as I didn't get there on my way home from Maine. It was a busy week! Spent much time with many I loved.

This directly correlated with my friend's Karen & Rich offering me work the week before Thanksgiving (they visited this summer and took me to Primo you might remember). They own a bakery in Weare, NH and were picked by TV Channel 9 while I was there as the best bakery in NH! So I left Mass and went and helped Karen and her crew. Finished on Thanksgiving eve and went to my friend John's house where I helped with dinner and had an enjoyable day with a family that I have grown very close to.

Then, I drove back to Mass. for my niece's son's one year birthday party. I have not been around to attend any events with my family and it was important for me to share it. I then drove on Sunday afternoon to Wells, Me. to a speaking engagement I had for Dinners with Love. I made a connection this summer with a former Rotary President who thought Rotary might be able to help somehow... and it may very well be the connection we have been looking for.

Back to Vermont and three weeks of hanging, trying to conserve my money and a bit more visiting.

I sometimes go to a friend's game night at a local tavern and they took me up on my offer to do a dinner for them. We had that the week before Christmas at Deb's house and it was a lot of fun. I did an Antipasti Display followed by a dinner of a Tuscan Seafood Stew over Quinoa, Caesar Salad, Crusty Bread and Chocolate Tiramisu for dessert. Yum!

I went back to Karen's (Just Like Mom's Pastries) to work the few days before Christmas. I am so grateful to friends who allow me to work for them during this in between time.

I drove back to Vermont on Christmas Eve to spend Christmas morning with my close friends Lisa, Jon and their daughters Stella and Eva. I was in the Bahamas last winter and missed the ritual that they have lovingly included me in for the last 10 years or so. I mean I got fart putty... how blessed am I?

I drove back to NH to visit friends that were visiting from the west coast the day after Christmas. It is always so comfortable being with “old” friends.

I had set the first of the year as my time frame for just "getting" a job.

So I went and got a job. Literally it was offered to me this today. A low end position (which suits me just fine, I just need a little cash flow) in a local restaurant because they couldn’t turn me and my experience down (especially for the money they are paying me!). And then what do you think happens this afternoon? I got a message from the tugboat company!

So life really does work on its own schedule doesn’t it? I spoke to HR at the tugboat company and have learned (there is no place for this info to be found) that I need two more endorsements for my credentials before I can work for them (or anyone for that matter). One is an 8 hour class and another is a 5 day class… both which are mandatory before I can work. Of course they cost as well! The 5 day program that is closest (RI) is $1300 or I can go to Florida for $1000. And I can’t even find the 8 hour classes anywhere near me! So more investigating, more time, more money. I have decided to continue on this path but with no clear timeframe. I will work the restaurant job right now, save more money, continue trying to find closer locations where I can take these classes and still plan on taking the job in the Great Lakes for the summer. I forgot to tell you about getting another schooner job (just in case) on Lake Michigan. It is an educational boat (day sails with students/public), offering a very different schedule than the boats in Maine. A real work week with 5 days on/2 days off and varied food needs. Sometimes I will just be cooking for the crew, then it becomes a B&B for the summer and I will cook for guests, then it becomes a charter boat for September and then back to educational sails in October. Something different and I have wanted to try the Great Lakes since starting this path.

Well I think I have got you all up to date on my semi-exciting life. I hope that this New Year brings you all health and happiness. I know it is going to be awesome!

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Early October~

Well to say that time has gotten away from me would be an understatement.

It is now the first week of October and I have lots to tell you!

  So I have finished the sailing season picking up the last four trips on the Evans. Captain Owen and his brother Greg have been the sailing team with Patrick and me as cohorts. We have had some awesome sailing, cold but beautiful weather and cribbage games galore. Captain Owen is very laid back and Greg and I have had some serious conversations about life, god, aliens and politics (not in that order!). It was a nice way to finish the season and now I am off to another kind of life (which I will get to in a moment)

  In between trips we have had over a week off and I went to both Acadia and the Common Ground Fair.

  Acadia National Park is an amazing place for all of you that have not been there. The coastline incredibly different form the rest of Maine with Cadillac Mt overseeing the Atlantic in such a way that you feel like you are truly seeing things for the first time.

I camped at Acadia for one night (and had planned to stay two) but ended up going home at the end of the second day. I camped in my truck for the first time and I neglected to measure the air mattress along with all the crap I had in the truck, so along with not filling the mattress with enough air, I also was at an odd angle for the night and slept really poorly. Knowing that I wanted to sleep in my truck for the Common Ground fair, I came home rearranged the truck, took out some stuff I decided I didn’t need and refilled the mattress with olots of air and slept in my comfy bed before leaving early for the fair.

  The Common Ground Fair is a MOFGA (Maine organic farmers and gardeners association) event with this summer being the 40th anniversary. I have wanted to go for quite a while and glad I finally got there this year. I decided to volunteer (the fair is manned by 1500 volunteers) and volunteering gets you in the fair ($! 2), camping, a Tee shirt and a meal each shift you work. I worked in the kitchen and it was a trip! They feed over 400 people per meal each day and all the food is donated. I went in (not knowing what to expect) to an amazing fully equipped commercial kitchen. When I signed in the person “in charge” asked what I could do… I gave him my background and he said: Can you bake? I said yes and he said, okay, make desserts… so he showed me around, told me I could use whatever I found and I said: do you have recipes? And he said no… so I proceeded to make (in 2/4 hour shifts) 1800 pieces of dessert, winging it as I went. Some came out great and some, well they were edible let’s leave it at that. I made: Gluten free PB cookies, chocolate cookies, oatmeal bars, applesauce spice bars, granola bars, Chocolate hazelnut (organic Nutella) cakes, blueberry bread pudding & pumpkins spice bars (I may have forgotten a couple, hard to remember). Most everyone is not a professional cook and it was a fun and relaxed atmosphere although there were a few, hard core “compost Nazis”. Who would go around digging into the compost saying: why was this thrown away, you can use these, etc... I found it pretty amusing and I know their hearts are in the right place but oy!

  The fair itself is quite incredible! MOFGA owns a huge track of land that has a big building (where the kitchen is along with many other rooms), animal stalls, barns, windmills and open space that is filled with all manner of vendors: food, fiber, art, tools, garden stuff and a myriad of other stuff. They offer workshops (herbal medicine, etc.), lectures (how to manage a forest sustainably, how to raise bees), live music, food and animal demos along with lots of things I didn’t even get to see! If you are the least bit outdoorsy, gardener or self-sufficient it is worth driving to. They average over 25,000 people daily and do know how to manage it quite well. I am glad I came and volunteered on Thursday (they open on Friday), got there before the crowds, set up camp, met my neighbors and got comfortable before all the masses arrived. It was a great experience and I hope to do it again in the future.

      So on to the next step in my journey (if it all works out). I am in the process of getting Merchant Marine credentials so I can cook on a tugboat. I learned about the opportunity from a neighbor, her son is a MM and we were talking about me looking for work and she said she thought her son’s boat needed a cook. I have since met with the son and he told me there was a huge shortage of cooks on tugboats (it is a three week on/3 weeks off schedule). His boat has had a horrible cook for 2 years and he is transferring to another boat so that is one opportunity. But he said they are looking for cooks for several boats just in his company.

In order to get the job I need these credentials and also a TWIC card (transportation worker identity credential from homeland sec). So I am going for it… they pay very well and I could be anywhere probably on the east coast (but they often go to the Gulf of Mexico). I can live anywhere because they fly you to and from wherever you live. I have already applied & paid for the TWIC card, will set up an appt for a physical at my drs., send in paperwork with more money (of course) to the Coast Guard and wait until I get my MM card… folks tell me it is anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months.

Then I will call back Chris (the son) and he will be my “in” to the company (he is open to a bonus for bringing in someone to his company, so we both win!). Hopefully I will be employed by mid-December, fingers crossed x.

  I left Maine yesterday, am visiting friends in NH and will be heading back to Vt. on Tuesday. Living with my friends Andi & Alex in Union (and their 1y/o son Daniel and 3y/o son Bruin) was a highlight to my summer. Even though I am ready to move on to my next, it was difficult to leave my friends and the warmth of their home. I had a most wonderful experience there, a lovely room with company when I wanted and privacy when needed.

  I will head back to MeiMei and Bruce’s (in Vt.) for a couple of weeks and then I am going to see my friend Cheryl in upstate NY for a few days. Cheryl and I have been friends for over 33 years and she is one of those friends that it doesn’t matter how long it has been since we’ve seen each other (it has been… maybe 12 years? Cheryl?), we will be there again… immediately, you know what I mean, right? I can’t wait.

  Wow this is a long rant tonight (it has actually been written in two parts) but I will close for now. I will keep you all appraised of my situation but until the next time… love to you and yours!

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Mid-August

Well another month is gone and here I sit hoping to remember all the things to tell you. Having more time off and not living on the boat makes my life seem more "normal" and I honestly forget this blog, sorry to all my followers and I will try to do better!

Summer continues with time on the Evans along with some time off to do some fun things.

We sailed a 6 day trip to Acadia for the 100th birthday celebration. That was a great week! We sailed (incredible weather) north and went into Somes Sound which is right in the middle of Mt Desert Island. It is the only fjord on the east coast and though I thought that meant huge cliffs on either side (and was disappointed that there weren't), it was still very awesome. We sailed only 15' from shore (which NEVER happens) but it was 60' deep... so the "cliffs" were below the waterline. We tacked over 20 miles that day up and down the sound (we were early) and then met up with the other windjammers at the head of the sound and paraded down to the piers at the end. The roads were lined up with people watching, hooting and hollering and having a wonderful time. We did as well! 

We docked instead of anchoring (which in itself is quite a treat) and had guests for dinner (all the boats hosted someone). We had the owners of Wooden Boat Magazine which coincidently is the logo I have tattooed on my upper arm. The owner not only liked it but took a pic and sent it to me as well. I will try to post it here if I can figure it out!

After a day off I then did a 3 day pirate trip which was fun. 5 kids, 6 adults and lots of ARRRRRGGGSS!

I had my first (of 2) phone interviews with the boat I'd like to sail for the winter. I think it went well although I don't speak Spanish and that could be to my detriment (we go to Mexico for two months). We'll see, I certainly think my experience was a huge plus and the next interview is with the captain. Crossing my fingers!

I then had a space of 11 days off, which I left intentional hoping to pick up a new boat gig and I did! I leave this evening on a four day with the Angelique. One of the prettiest boats in the fleet and I am really looking forward to the experience. They also use a kerosene stove, so a new skill to add to my repertoire.

My friend's Karen & Rich messaged me that they were coming to Rockland for an overnight to go to a restaurant that I wanted to go to last year but didn't want to go by myself. So of course I invited myself along and we had a wonderful dinner! Foie Gras, Oysters, Duck Confit, Swordfish, Pork and Halibut respectively. We all shared each dish and I was surprised and very grateful that they picked up the entire check! Thanks again Karen & Rich, what a wonderful to treat to not only eat at Primo but to share it with you both! It was great seeing them. Karen and I have been friends since we both worked at Bedford Village Inn (NH) in 1988(?). They own a very successful bakery/deli in Weare, NH (Just like Mom's) and work very hard all the time and play harder when they are on vaca!

During this time off I had wanted to go to Acadia (we only saw the water part) and camp but the weather was supposed to be crappy and I am over camping in the rain (unless I HAVE to). So talking with Andi (my housemate) and telling her that, she said why don't you stay at my father-in-law’s place? So that ended up happening and it was better than I could have anticipated! He owns a small island and 2 acres at the very end of a peninsula about 30 miles from Canada. I drove to his house (he lives about 10 miles from the property) and he took me to the spot and what a spot it was! There is an A-frame cabin there with comfy furniture but no services. The house is on a cliff facing the ocean and all you can see is water, it was spectacular!! I read two books, cooked yummy food and did a bit of exploring. I hope to get back there sometime and will take a trip to Acadia in September. When I was driving back I started down the road to Bar Harbor and I couldn't believe the traffic. So my plan now is to go for a few days after school starts and before foliage when it should be fairly quiet

Well I think I have caught you up pretty good on the happenings of my life! The next 3 weeks are very busy with the 4 day starting today on the Angelique, then I am back for an overnight when my friend John and his family are renting a house for a week about 40 minutes from here, so I will go there to see them all. Then I do a 6 day Old Salts trip (some of these folks have been sailing with the Evans for over 20 years), off for 2 nights and then another 5 day trip with the Mary Day again! I will be pooped but hopefully will have made some serious money. Unfortunately the money has not been that good this summer and I am behind on my "plan", so this should help me to make up the shortfall.

Take care and be well and until the next time... love to you all! xo

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Mid July

Wow, time continues to fly! It has been almost a month since my last rant, where do I begin?

I have continued to work on the Evans, although I did have four days off over July fourth which was relaxing and fun. Andi & Alex had their first ever cookout on July 4th and it was a smashing success. Good food, conversation and company.

The rest of the time, I wandered around my new home area, driving back roads and falling in love. Maine is a beautiful place and I can see me living here when it is time for me to "settle down" whenever that may be. Union, the little town I live in is one of the oldest (originally settled 1629) and has a lovely downtown consisting of a historical society, grocery store (the best private one I have ever been in with great meat and amazing prices!), a library, fire station, pizza place and pub. There is a wonderful town common in the middle and is host to many things happening over the summer. I have eaten in the pub (was excited to see the menu and disappointed with the execution) but will give it a try again. Have had a reasonable pizza from the pizza place and shop regularly at the store. I have yet to make it to the historical society (only open on Sat from 10-12) or any event actually happening in town but I know I will get there. Population about 2300

The town of Warren (which is right next door) is also incredibly historic and equally as lovely, set right on the St George River and used to be a huge mill town. There is a quaint little restaurant in town that was yummy and I met a local artist who has a gallery in her front room open to the public. Population about 4700 but I think that includes East and West Warren along with the state prison that is located within the boundaries. It must be, because the downtown is much smaller than Union yet has a much larger population.

I spent last week on my first gig as a relief cook on the Mary Day, a schooner out of Camden. I wasn’t really a relief cook as they had hired a new cook and I was really her boat cook guide. It was interesting and I don’t think I will do that particular job again. A beautiful boat, newer and bigger than the Evans but very different in the tone. One of the things I love about the Evans is the level of joyfulness that we have on the boat. It is very laid back with crew playing instruments and singing regularly (when not in sailing mode); the captain loves to sing as well, there is a lot of laughter and general good vibes. The guests comment on it regularly and it is apparent as soon as you walk on the boat. In contrast, the MD was very serious, everyone did their job (and did it very well, I may add) but there was no laughter, no smiling, no joyfulness! The guests certainly had a good time (especially with nothing to compare it to) but from my perspective it was "dry" and a bit tedious. Don't get me wrong the crew was friendly, the captain astute and we sailed far and wide... but it just felt very different. I guess that's what I will learn as I work on more boats with this business of mine. I have signed on for another trip with the MD in August, as an actual relief cook for the new cook to have a trip off, so we'll see if it is different then. They did have a very bad cook (who was fired right before I came on) along with other discontent, so maybe with those things being over the vibe will change when I return.

I have applied for a boat on the west coast for the winter transiting to Mexico and the Sea of Cortez and they have already asked for a phone interview, so wish me luck! I want to try my skills at full-on ocean traveling and I would like the opportunity to drive across the country again.

I board tonight for a four day on the Evans. I still have to provision and load everything, so I will take my leave for now. I hope you are all having a great summer. Hot from what I gather, another blessing of this schooner life is cool breezes and temps no matter what it is like on shore! So my tan continues to darken without me feeling I am just baking in the sun.

Be well and until next time! xo

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Mid to late June

Well the Dinners with Love event was a huge success! After all is said and done we will have raised over 11 thousand dollars, woohoo! I am thrilled. That happened on the 12th.

My plan was to leave on the 14th but I was so beat from the event that I cancelled meeting two friends on the 14th and had an extra day to get my shit together! On Wednesday the 15th, I left early in the morning and drove to my friend John's house in NH, where I had committed to being with his folks for the day. Their regular caregiver was on her honeymoon and both he and his sister work, so I stayed with them and had a lovely day. His folks are both quite elderly and his father has dementia, so they cannot be alone. I love his Mom, she is a wonderful woman and it is always sad to see people decline. His Dad (who has always been a handful) was charming and delightful and had to have asked me 50 times where I was from. I admire both John and Kari for their patience and fortitude as they go through this journey with their parents. Losing my folks at a fairly young age has been an unknown blessing as I watch my friends deal with elderly parents.

On Thursday, I drove to Maine. I arrived at the house that I am staying at around 2pm, unloaded and got settled. On Friday I headed into Rockland for my drug test, stopped by the shipyard and said hello to a few folks. It’s nice to be back! Saturday I met the boat at docking, shopped and met a friend from last summer for supper.

My first trip was last Sunday and it was good to be back on Penobscot Bay! The Bahamas were lovely (and warm) but there is nothing to me like seeing the mountains when you are out on the ocean. The weather was pretty nice and I agreed to do the next 3 day trip as well. So we docked on Thursday, I shopped, ran home and got fresh clothes, took a shower and was back to greet new guests for 5pm. We had beautiful weather with the captain that previously owned the boat (Capt. Brenda had plans), sailed all day each day and had an all-around good time.

For menu items, some of what I served: Roasted Lemon-Thyme Chicken with Rice & Broccoli, Lobster & Spinach Frittata (from leftover lobster from our Lobster Bake), Chili with Cornbread, Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Lobster & Shrimp Provencal over Cheesy Polenta, Breakfast Burritos… you get the gist.

My new business venture seems to be taking off… I have already had two calls from prospective captains. I think I may do a week aboard a new (to me) schooner as a relief cook for their regular cook who is having some issues. This idea may really work! I am excited~

I am looking at a job on the west coast for the winter, a schooner going to Mexico and the Sea of Cortez for three months. When I traveled North America in ‘98/’99, some of my fondest memories were spent on the Baja peninsula. I will send my resume in the next few weeks. We’ll see what else comes to light~

I leave again tomorrow for three separate overnights… fairly easy because they each do a Lobster bake on the boat, so I can prep all three trips at once and then just have some fun!

I will write again soon. Until then my friends continue to enjoy summer and be well! xo

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Part III

So as summer begins I want to catch you all up on my journey.

I spent 6 weeks in Florida, all the while looking for a new gig. What I discovered is I was too early for summer and too late for winter. As a result I spent 6 weeks visiting friends and family, camping, making new friends, exploring and realizing that I liked Florida a lot more than I ever thought I would. The times I had been there (and there were many times), I just flew in to one place for one event and then flew back home. The state is quite lovely and I am glad I had the opportunity to see all that I did.

I spent a week coming back up north with a three day layover in Charleston, SC. What a beautiful city! I have friends that live there and were able to connect with them. I also ran into good friends from Brandon there! On the first day, in the first 10 minutes of walking in the city, what are the odds of that? They were there for a wedding and we spent two days hanging out and walking around. What fun and by then I was needing to see familiar faces, so it was wonderful on several levels. My friend that lives there is a chef at a very nice hotel and he invited me (and my other friends) to lunch on him and what a treat! It is a very traditional southern place and we had shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, fried soft shell crabs and strawberry shortcake for dessert... yum! And so good to see him and his family!! It is a city that I would contemplate living in... We’ll see~

As I was driving back I began formulating a plan for the summer. I have decided that I do love being on schooners but working for one company for the whole season seems to be a game changer for me, so I have come up with a new business. Ready About Relief Cooks for the coast of Maine (that's where I will start). I have been in contact with my last year's captain (in fact it was her idea for the name... ready about in sailing terms is when you are getting prepared to change course) and not only did she think it was a great idea, hopefully we will eventually become partners and make it a full service relief crew business. For now, I am plying the coast of Maine with my service, have sent out an introduction to all the schooners in Maine (there are 18 of them) and now will wait and see. Captain Brenda has hired me for 8 trips so far, so I know I will have some money coming in and I will rent a room from my friends that used to live in Brandon and now live in Union (which is about 14 miles from Rockland, the hub of schooner activity). I leave for Maine in 12 days and I am very much looking forward to it. One of the things that I realized as I drove back up the coast was I missed Maine this winter and not Vermont! It has surprised me a great deal but is true none the less.

While I have been back I have been working a great deal on Dinners with Love, Inc., the non-profit I started in 2010. We are having our major fundraiser on June 12th and I have also been working on corporate sponsorship (which has proved to be a huge challenge). Please check out our website dinnerswithlove.org for more information and please consider buying a raffle ticket for our event or just donating because it is a great cause!

I think that is it for now. I am home sick with a virus going around and I want to go rest, so until next time… be well and happy, because we only live this life once and it is short! xo