LET'S GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? - The whole time we were in Columbus from Nov. 27th thru the 15th of December we may have seen the sun 3 times. Every other day it rained and temps were in the low to mid 40's. On Monday the 14th our galley remodel project was coming to an end and we knew we would have to hang around until New Years for miscellaneous parts and pieces to arrive so 1st Mate suggested - " I want to go home for Christmas" at which the Captain replied "why don't you do that - get a ticket and fly home." "No, I mean I want the three of us to go home for Christmas" (slight hesitation) and then the Captain said "Sure, why not!" We left on Friday the 18th driving 17 hours straight and stayed thru the 26th returning to Columbus on the 27th. Temps were mild, we got 8" of snow on Christmas Eve and the whole week was like living in a Christmas Card - priceless.

Izzy's packed and ready to go home for Christmas

Got the decorations out and got a tree up even though we knew it would be only a week (kicked it to the curb on the 26th) - look Mom - the blockhead snowmen you made with your own two loving hands are adorning the fireplace (I accidently said to her this year that I thought Dad had some part in making them - boy did I hear from her on that one).

Get the shovels out - 8" of snow Christmas Eve and it's the lite fluffy stuff.

Izzy loves it!

Christmas Day turned to rain and the lite fluffy stuff became snowman making material. Izzy helped make this one.

The week was great - lots of visits with kids, grandkids and neighbors and Christmas cheer (maybe too much cheer). Izzy got to hike in the woods, on the lake, play with kids, her sister Kelly, dog friends, Buddy, Cisco, Abby, Tucker, Daisy and Etta and it took several days to recover once we got back to the boat.

UPDATE ON FRIDGE/FREEZER REPLACEMENT - After extensive research, we settled on an upright fridge/freezer combination made by a company out of Italy called Vitrifrigo. Rick likes it because it operates on a danfoss compressor/evaporater coil system and 12-36Volt DC or 100-240 volt AC. Deb likes it because it is pretty, shinny and new. We originally wanted it in black, but the dealer made us an offer we couldn't refuse on a stainless steel unit and we could get it right away.

This is the old Refrigerator Freezer side by side with the microwave in a cabinet down below it.

The hole where the old fridge/freezer sat - now the cutting begins. It's one thing to cut into a little cabinetry - it's another to cut into the fiberglass superstructure which was required in order to put in a vertical unit versus horizontal and, of course, all those hidden wires!

The top secret project underway - it was probably best not to know what was happening in there.

The new fridge in it's new space with the microwave/convection oven in it's new higher up cabinet - and more importantly -A NEW STORAGE CABINET (we all lust after more storage) - Deb called dibbs - sorry Rick - no tools allowed.

We found a wonderful cabinet maker in Columbus - cheap and he got what we needed done in three days! Face frame and doors for our new storage cabinet.

Bye-Bye - we talked about a burial at sea, but Jimmy and "T" (dock managers at Columbus Marina) offered to take them to recycling center for us.

Our new galley, still needs staining and varnishing, but it's functional - it certainly was not on the list of things to get done before we headed south, but, that's life. Nice job Rick, Love Deb

IT'S NANA'S BRAG BOOK TIME - School pics are out and here are four of my favorites

Cooper Campbell Smith - Age 6

Kindergarten

Georgia MacKay Smith - Age 9

Third Grade

Margaret Elizabeth Smith - Age 12

6th Grade

Jordan Ellsworth Smith - Age 16

11th Grade