Here Comes the Sun....

We woke this morning to this strange orange glow in the eastern sky - we stared with wonder...could it really be the sun...we dared not hope! But then it continued to rise and our spirits rose with it.

THE SUN!!!!

After so many days of really rainy, cold weather we had almost forgotten what the sun looked and felt like. In fact, you know it's really bad when you see the seagulls lining up two by two at the door of Gypsies waiting to come aboard - we had contemplated rechristening Gypsies as The Ark. Doug certainly has the hair to play Moses!!! Seriously though it has rained basically nonstop since our friend Mary left Baltimore last Tuesday as one Nor'easter after another slammed through town (see I told you not to leave Mary!) On Tuesday night we broke out our foulies to make the trek to class and got there looking a little like a drowned rat - we had decided to forego the foulie pants being the slaves to fashion that we are - come on, we have to compete with the ghetto chic of inner city Baltimore riding the public transportation that we do to get to class. Thursday when it was still pouring out, we said screw it and donned our full foul weather gear, pants included, and reached the Red Cross fairly dry and toasty (other than my toes which were close to frostbitten in my flipflops since I still can't wear shoes over my mangled toe (even I think it might be time to go see a doctor on that one and coming from me that's really saying something!!)) When we decided to stay in Baltimore to take this first responder class for the month of October, we knew we were postponing our southern run with the boat to the warmth and figured we'd have some cool weather - but come on, weeks of 40 degree temperatures is not what we envisioned. It's been cold here, damn cold!!!! So we are counting down the days until class is over and we can head the pointy end of Gypsies, aka The Ark, south!!! We're coming to meet you September Song - as soon as class is over and as fast as Gypsies will move!!!! To say we were jealous when we saw pictures of you guys in Church in Charleston is an understatement - boy never thought those words would come out of my mouth (or fingers)!!! For all of you that know me and can't possibly imagine me uttering that thought, you have to realize that the Church Bob and Stephanie were in has been converted into this great little bar that we found together on our trip north this summer - how cool is that - drinking in church??? Now I know most of you are shaking your head and saying "now that's more like the Tammy we know!!" Have no fear I'm still as irreverent as ever!!

The rain didn't impact everything this past week though - it was still Beer Week in Baltimore which was fun although we didn't partake as much as we would have if we weren't so studious (yeah right!!) and it didn't stop the schooner races that played out in the harbor! We had a great vantage point from Gypsies to see these magnificent ships as well as a flock of sailboat watcher wannabes. We had a fun afternoon watching these spectacular ships circle the harbor despite the rain and fog although we could have done without the frequent cannon blasts (or more importantly the boat kitties could have done without them!!!)

The Schooner Races

The Schooners

By the way, Puss and Boots are LOVING the wet weather and the fact that we have to study - they curl up next to us on the settee in the pilothouse for hours getting petted and eating treats!!!

Our first responder first aid class has really been wonderful - we feel like we have learned so much!! It has actually been a little frightening to realize how little we knew all those months we were traveling far away from prompt medical care. But over the past two weeks we have learned not only CPR and how to use an AED which we have on board, but how to administer oxygen, insert breathing tubes, stop arterial bleeding, splint up all body parts, recognize and care for shock, cardiac and respiratory arrest as well as numerous illnesses we can't even pronounce and care for poisonings whether self inflicted (can you say big time hangover - we should charge for the O2 shots as a way to add to our cruising kitty) or not (no more fear of those nasty jellyfish, snakes or spiders- well maybe that's not quite true but at least we know what to do to ease the pain and swelling!!)

The Instructor, Jim Elliott, Demonstrates Bandaging Tammy

This week we are on to head, neck and spine injuries and childbirth...OK not like we're ever going to need that one, but..... This course has been a lot more work than we expected - we have had to read a 500 page book (and believe me this is no Harry Potter!!) and our big test is not this coming Tuesday but the following one so we are coming down to the wire. Lots of studying this week although I'm sure we'll find a way to throw in some fun too along the way.

In the spirit of all work and no play making Tammy and Doug dull people, we connected with one of Doug's former bosses and his wife, Ray and Denise Maskell, who live here in Baltimore for a great night of fun and laughter. They came over to Gypsies for a few drinks before we all headed out into Fells Point for dinner at a great little place called Peter's Inn.

Drinks at the Bar before Dinner

Dinner at Peter's Inn

Lots of red wine later (which came out of bottles so was a huge treat for us!!) we had to call it a night but not before making plans to get together again this week for the last of our mahi that we caught in the Bahamas (I thought we were out but in re-provisioning and moving stuff around in the freezer I found one more big package - yippee!!!) So we have that to look forward to!!

Yesterday after studying all day we decided we really needed a break so off we went to our favorite sports bar in town, Shuckers, where the bartenders really do know our names - funny how that seems to happen wherever we go!! While splitting a bucket of Coors Light (OK it's not the Kalik we usually get by the bucket down at the Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West but....), we had a wonderful time watching our Patriots demolish, crush, annihilate (you get the picture) the Tennessee Titans - let me put it this way, it was 45 -0 at halftime when we headed back to Gypsies - now that was a fun afternoon!!! But what made us feel even better than watching Tom Brady look much more like his old self (as if anything could - welcome back Tom!!!!) was seeing that it was snowing in Foxboro, MA where the game was played - as cool as it has been down here, we haven't seen snow yet!!! Soon we'll be headed in the right direction and that picture of white stuff on the ground just makes us want to head there even faster!!

Click here to see our location at Henderson's Wharf Marina.