Almost Christmas!

SHIP'S LOG:

I have successfully avoided "It's A Wonderful Life" for the 47th year in a row . . at least. I am not sure if I have ever seen the film but from all that I have heard, I have no desire to do so.

Over the past couple of days, I have continued to visit people on "the List." The visits for the most part have been short as most are hip-deep in their own Christmas Celebration preparations and I didn't want to tie them up too much for too long. All though have made me promise a longer visit in the weeks ahead. Sounds good to me.

A year ago, I was ensconced in the Cocao Village Marina freezing. I had gotten past the point of being amazed at just how cold the winter was in Florida as the weather had been positively arctic for nearly a month.I can remember thinking that as bad as it might have been for us northerners wintering there, it had to be, and was, far worse for the poor locals. The concept of "winter clothes" and having " a furnace" were completely alien to them. It has been far warmer here this year than down there last year, and so far, no snow. That will undoubtedly change but so far, so good.

Come the first of the year, I will go pay a visit to ABISHAG in her winter quarters basically to see that her deck and cockpit drains are clear so there will no build up of water leading to ice, leading to water getting inside and thus to a whole host of troubles. It will also be an opportunity to sit down and visualize the projects that need to be done come spring. It is not too soon to begin that process as we are, as of today, one day closer to launching. Ah, what a wonderful thought.

I hope you all have a holy and Merry Christmas!