"sailing family"

March 15, 2011
Wednesday

Hi All,

Tonight we sit in Round Bay, St. John. There isn’t much here except smooth, clear water, a couple small beaches & cottages and two other boats. There are no sounds short of the lapping water and an occasional gust of wind pushing it’s way through our port holes. Maybe that’s why I’m awake at 1:30 a.m. I miss the periodic sound of goats, donkeys, and roosters that don’t know they are supposed to wait till daybreak to crow.

We are eagerly awaiting our next set of guests; Rosemary and Paul, Karen and Rick (Tom’s parents, sister & hubby). They’ll be here Wednesday afternoon. Savannah can’t wait to go treasure hunting with her Paw, Paw Paul and metal detector Santa brought for Christmas! I have a feeling it will be a crazy week ahead for the whole Speaker clan.

Our friends Holly & Larry Klaas are also here in Round Bay with us anchored about 100 yards away. Not only are we enjoying their company, but Savannah has taken another step into independence with our friends being, “right next door.” Tuesday afternoon while we enjoyed a glass of wine on, “Electra” (Holly & Larry’s boat) Savannah asked for permission to stay home by herself. We fired up the walkie-talkies, went through a list of don’t use this, don’t use that and dinghied next door. The dogs cried as we deserted them on the boat again and Savannah smiled big grins! Mommy said to daddy as we slowly motored away that I am just not ready to her to grow up yet.

Savannah enjoyed her hour or so of time alone and tonight asked if she could try it again. Holly cooked spaghetti for us all (she’s a great cook) and after we finished Tom motored her back home. We chatted periodically again on the walkie-talkies, but this time as it grew dark, we heard this little voice talking. As anything with batteries go, they aren’t always reliable and her transmission wasn’t coming through & thus, we were not answering our radio. Finally, when it came through it was, “When are you all coming home? Mommy, I miss you badly.” What changed? It was almost dark. And I have to admit it was good to feel needed and know, well maybe, she’s not growing up that fast yet.

As I spoke of before Savannah is now getting allowance each week ($ 5.00), working at Joe’s Bar
($ 1.00) for sweeping sand off the patio and requesting other “jobs” to earn money (beware Memaw & Paw Paw). Last week while shopping she got a wallet and guess what happened this week? She lost her wallet and the $ 6.00 that was in it! Savannah & I were roaming through the Office Max (located next to the K-mart of course) when she panicked and said, “Mommy, my wallet is gone!” It was last seen attached to her belt loop & in the taxi so we back tracked, but of course, no pink, white and blue Roxy wallet was to be found. She wrote her name and phone number inside the wallet, but so far it has not surfaced. Chalk up another hard life lesson.

Speaking of lessons, Slugger, at age 13 is still learning a few about gravity. A couple days back Tom stopped by Larry & Holly’s. Slugger & Lexie were with him in the dinghy. “Electra” (their boat) is about a 75 ft. monohull and to board their boat you must climb a ladder (straight up) with about 6 steps. Tom went aboard, but the dogs did not. Apparently, Slugger did not like this arrangement because when Tom came back about 10 minutes later Slugger was swimming (again) below the ladder with that terrified look he gets in his eyes. Tom said he had no idea how long Slugger had been in the water, but when he put his arms around Sluggers middle, Slugger just stopped moving from that point on and let Tom do all the work! Total score to date for accidental swims… Slugger 3, Lexie 2 and Rhonda 1.
Tom and the grill have finally bonded and he’s put together some awesome pork chops and chicken on a few evenings. I think this coming week he’ll get to put more of his culinary skills to use as we grill for seven of us on it’s 12 inch round surface. Tom likes a good challenge though and as past experience has shown whenever this bunch gets together no ones ever comes close to starving!

Lastly, this week I was offered a job! Joe (yes, the owner’s of Joe’s Bar on Honeymoon Beach) asked if I’d like to bartend a few days a week. Now I’m thinking, job… work… no way. But all Tom heard were the dollar signs clinking inside his head. In addition, isn’t that like putting the wolf in charge of the hen house? A bank robber working as a bank teller? A convicted sex offender hired as a baby sitter? Well, you get the idea.