A Family Tradition

When my sisters and I were young, our family would gather together at bedtime and say a prayer together.  It was a prayer my father learned as a child.  Angela and Jeff grew up saying the same  prayer at bedtime.  The next generation also says the family prayer, and have added  laying their hands on each person's head, starting with the youngest to the oldest, asking God to bless that person.  Tonight, at the children's bedtime, everyone gathered on my bed, and we prayed that prayer together.  As the last (and oldest) person to be blessed I was overcome with gratitude for this opportunity for all my family to be together, sharing this prayer that has now been passed down four generations.  Tonight is New Year's Eve and I can't imagine a happier way to leave the old year!

Father we thank Thee for the night, and for the pleasant morning light; for rest and food and loving care, and all that makes this world so fair. In all we do in work and play help us to grow more loving every day. Amen

 Y

Up to the Snow!

There must have been a message there - both Angela and Jeff gave me warm gloves and packages of hand warmers for Christmas. Jeff even gave me an oven mitt for my bandaged hand! They know only too well my propensity to cold hands. But where we're those hand warmers when I needed them most? back in Basel!! On Friday, we walked the few blocks to the train station, boarded a train for Lucern, caught a boat across Lake Lucern to the small village of Weggis, hiked a considerable way up the mountain to the aerial tramway, where we were carried seemingly straight up to the mountain community you see in the picture, called Rigi Kaltbad. We were greeted there with powder fresh snow and the kids had a wonderful time! But my hands were getting COLD. After repeatedly climbing a hill and sliding down it in every configuration, and after flopping in the snow to make snow angels, the kids were gathered up for a little walk. Meanwhile my hands were getting COLDER. We walked down a trail and encountered the most remarkable sight. A narrow passageway between two enormous boulders revealed a good sized church built in the 1800's. Inside, the altar and it's surroundings we're constructed with ornate wood carvings, and the most beautiful manger scene was featured on one side. The church was lit with candles, and Christmas music played. Certainly a moment to pause in reverence.

Back outside, I was reminded again that those wonderful hand warmers were back in my room in the O'Connor household! Now my hands are PAINFULLY COLD! I headed to the station where we were to take a train down the hill. Once we were down off the mountain, we caught the boat back to Lucern, and the train back to Basel. What a wonderful day filled with beautiful scenery and great memories. We are packing tonight (New Year's Eve) for a trip to Interlaken where we will stay two nights in a lodge. Guess what was the first thing packed? HANDWARMERS!
love, Liz

Park and Ride - European style

Many hundreds of bicycles are parked in this underground storage area, awaiting the return of the equally numerous commuters who have travelled to work by train. What a concept - riding a bike a mile or two, then taking mass transit to locations far and wide. the trains are beautiful in their their modern day streamed design and paint jobs; roomy, comfortable and quiet on the inside; and conveniently scheduled.

Cities formed in the Middle Ages with no concept of wide roads make driving and parking a real challenge. Only the most compact of cars can navigate through these towns, so our family, now numbering eight here in Switzerland, will use the trains, trams, and busses.

Today we took Jeff and his girls back to Colmar, France to see this quaint city and the Christmas markets that stay open until the last day of December. We had a wonderful day - cold, but not raining or snowing. It is such fun to see my four grandchildren laughing and playing together, sharing this traveling experience they will remember all their lives.

Jeff and Angela are in the dining room planning tomorrow's excursion - to Lucern, I think, with snow in the forecast! Stay tuned! love, Liz

Lunch at the BIS

Why is the building owned by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) round? My guess is that in the 1950's or 60's when it was built its intent was to represent the full circle of its partnership: the Central Banks of most countries in the world. Security measures to enter the building are considerable. I was allowed to enter because Angela was sponsoring me, which meant her ID card, one she must wear visible at all times, and my passport were offered up for 10 minutes of scrutiny, my picture was taken, and I was issued my own ID card. Next, we had to scan the ID cards individually and in front of us before a green light allowed us to pass into the stall and through the electronic gate. The next barrier is a big glass circle. Standing in front of the doors, they electronically open, then must completely close behind us before the doors into the "inter chambers" of the building are opened. Meanwhile, one has ample time to read the "no photography" warnings.

The interior of the building is nicely appointed and the wide halls run in an inside circle, opening up to the offices, all along the outside of the circle, with great views of Basel. Angela's office is one of these, with two 4X7 windows, looking out over the city. Angela's title is " Member of the Secretariat - Monetary and Economic Department, Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems" Have you wondered why I have not attempted to describe her work?

I had come by myself (my first solo outing) to the BIS to have lunch with Angela. The dining room is elegant, and the offering of food is impressive! Another member of the Secretariat, a man named John, joined us for lunch. John is here from Turkey, and speaks French and English fluently. This workplace is so international! As I walked through the dining room I heard multiple languages being spoken, but English is the requisite language - lucky for me!

When I returned from lunch, I took a new route home. I need to start getting my bearings, as my phone does not work here, and all signs are in Swiss German. If I were to get lost, it would be a challenge! This is a wonderful city, and I hope to get to know it like I now know New York City.

Jeff and his girls are arriving any minute from Arizona. Needless to say, they will be experiencing a climate Change, and soon they will be enjoying this wonderful travel opportunity with the rest of us! Love, Liz

Zurich - Where the Elite Shop

It makes sense. In this city where the wealthiest of the world come to bank, the highest caliber of shopping is available. One travels everywhere by train. While in most cities in the United States, the railway stations are on the "wrong side of the tracks", the central railroad station of Zurich leads one right out to the Madison 5th Avenue of Zurich, exquisitely lit up for the holiday season. A 50 minute train ride from Basel drops us off right there - great high-end items at great post Christmas discounts. For me, it wasn't the buying so much as the looking that captured my interest. Shoppers in this district are dressed to the nines. My wonderfully comfortable boots are absolutely frumpy compared to the stylish boots running up long slim legs and ending in beautiful fur coats. No animal activist rights folks here: just the most beautiful fur jackets and coats I have ever seen. The Christmas decorations are remarkable. Not so much the window displays like NYC features, but the streets are decorated with real Christmas trees bigger, greener, and healthier than anything I have seen; all the building pillars are covered with pine boughs and lights and the lights cascading down all the tall buildings offer their glow to the festive atmosphere.

Back home again in Basel, I am babysitting the kids so that Derek and Angela can have a well deserved night out to dinner. David, Hannah and I read "Heidi" for our bedtime story. Jeff, Lauren and Katelyn arrive tomorrow night, and David already has his priority list of games to play with Uncle Jeff. We are so blessed as a family! Love, Liz

[Liziz Log] Basel!

Time has stood still in Basel since the 1600's.  The buildings and cobblestone streets curve, wind, go uphill and downhill.  The shops are all one of a kind, offering handmade soaps; custom made jewelry; one-of-a-kind fashions, bags and shoes; candles; and, of course, pastries and chocolates.  Renovated industrial factories  dating back to the turn of the century (1800 - 1900's) now contain a bicycle factory; a puppet museum; a stone carving workshop; a chocolate factory; a circus school, complete with the high wire; and a micro brewery.  Very narrow trams dominate the streets and the transportation system, they have the right-of-way, and cars, all understandably small, can slip in wherever they can.

Today we went to a movie - Alvin and the Chipmunks in English.  As an example of how expensive life is in Switzerland, Derek paid the equivalent of $100 for the five of us to get in to the movies.  Switzerland is on the honor system, so even though we bought our tickets in a building a block away, we walked into the theater, wandered around to find the right theater room for our movie, and went in - no one anywhere asked to see if we had tickets!  After the movie we visited the zoo for the rest of the day.  Love, Liz

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Liz Meyer <liz.meyer.920@gmail.com>
Date: December 26, 2011 8:02:54 PM GMT+01:00
To: lizmeyer920@hotmail.com
Subject: [Liziz Log] Basel!

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--
Posted By Liz Meyer to Liziz Log at 12/26/2011 11:02:00 AM

Basel!

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Colmar, France

Right out of Dickens' "a Christmas Carol", we were swept back in time as we we stepped off the train In Colmar. Dressed in its Christmas finery and featuring festive booths clustered in every square, this city immersed us in the excitement of the season. As we wandered through the streets, we thoroughly enjoyed looking at charming Christmas decorations and ornaments for sale and tasting the seasonal specialties: sauerkraut, sausage and spaetzel, French pastries, hot chocolate, and hot mulled wine - yummy! This Yule market lasts for the week after Christmas, so we look forward to visiting again when Jeff and his daughters arrive.

This day we traveled on two trains, three busses, two trams, and walked over five miles. Angela is a master at navigating in new places in French, German and Swiss German, with Swiss Franks and Euros, figuring out train,bus and tram routes, and figuring out how to buy the tickets. Throughout all this travel, Hannah and David were little troupers!

Basel City Hall

Basel City Hall built in the 1500's. The streets and buildings remind me so much of the novel "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett.

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Liz Gmail <4mzliz@gmail.com>
Date: December 22, 2011 8:57:18 PM GMT+01:00
To: "lizmeyer920@hotmail.com" <lizmeyer920@hotmail.com>

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Arrived!

The domino effect applied to my travel plans - a delayed flight from Phoenix to Heathrow England Caused me to miss my flight to Zurich, which necessitated a three hour delay, which meant the the O'Connor family, all four of them, had to hang out in the Zurich airport for three hours, which seemed like a very long time for David (5) and Hannah (4). They had driven down in their new car, a Suburu. We then drove about two hours home to their lovely and spacious apartment in Basel. It is wonderful to be here!

What a wonderful country to experience at Christmas time! We journeyed to a Christmas outdoor market today, each booth so wonderfully decorated for Christmas, and such detailed and ornate crafts for sale! We stopped in a stall for hot mulled cider and fondu. To make the fondu, a half wheel of Swiss Cheese is slid under a flame burner to melt just the top, which is scraped off on the plate, two small boiled potatoes, a small dill pickle, and a few small pickled onions are added to complete the plate. Yum!

Basel is a very ancient city, all cobblestone streets and ornate buildings. the Rhine river divides the city. Our walking tour took us across the river, giving us the opportunity to see both sides, and the promise of wonderful things yet to explore! Love, Liz

The Next Big Adventure

Off I go for Christmas in Switzerland! A mishap 3 days ago is adding to the travel challenge. A bone injury and six stitches in my right thumb requires a half cast around my thumb and up to my elbow! Right now I am In the Phoenix airport, about to leave for
Heathrow airport in England change
Planes and terminals, then fly to
Zurichw, then, after going through Customs, I will be met by Angela, and we will take the train to Basel.

The airport is full of holiday travelers. I remember as a girl driving all the way to San Bernardino and taking the Santa Fe Railroad all the way to New York, a three day trip. I remember being dressed in our best clothes to travel. Not so today! But on the other hand (my GOOD hand) I am older than 90% of these travelers, and grateful I can travel with such ease. I am am so excited about this trip, and sharing it with you, my friends, adds to the pleasure! Love Liz

Carolina Coastal Cooking

I have been officially banned from the galley while dinner is being prepared.  Rightfully so, as I was heard  saying eeewww  as  Judith sautéed the Carolina shrimp, heads and all, for our shrimp and grits dinner last night. But never have I tasted a more sweet and succulent shrimp!  Tonight we are hosting Herb and Gayle, a couple we first met at the Deep Creek locks, saw their boat in our anchorage a couple of nights ago, have kept in touch by phone, and met again in the marina today.  They are a fun couple and we will enjoy sharing travel stories.  This is the yachting social life.  Time and again, Kev and Judith will see boats and meet folks they have seen in other places.  Imagine the adventures and stories they share!  Judith is preparing "Low Country Boil", a dish served in a large pan in the center of the table, with everyone serving themselves with large spoons.  The boil consists of small red skinned potatos, Old Bay seasoning, Bar  Bequed chicken with Jerk seasoning, chicken apple sausage ,and Carolina shrimp, all grilled by the grill meister Kev before added to the boil.  The side dish is creamy Carolina grits.  I'll be washing the dishes!
 

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24 Hours at sea

As the sun sets we have been six hours at sea - so far a very rough and cold ride.  Winds are blowing steadily at 15 to 20 knots, giving us a choppy sea with 4 - 5 foot waves - and did I mention COLD?  what seems like  many  hours ago we prepared for going to sea by putting on our safety harness - over the overalls and foul weather jacket, that was over the several layers of long underwear, sox, gloves and a hat for warmth.  The safety harness has an inflatable life vest and an electronic locator, and is snapped on a leash as soon as we step out of the cabin.  The leash snaps to jack lines that are installed from bow to stern on both the port and starboard sides.  Another set of jack lines runs in the cockpit.  By now movements are slow and deliberate due to the clothes, restraints and choppy sea.  But there is the upside to all this.  The sunset at sea is always a moment of awe, and the moon rising, only one day waning from full, was even more spectacular.  As the night wore on, the winds subsided and as the sun rose the sea was glassy, adding to the spectacle of the event.

We are now in Charleston, South Carolina, and what a city it is!  Kev and Judith have lived here, and know it well.  Judith and I took a 5 mile walk around this beautiful and historic city yesterday. My next log entry will share what we saw!

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Bridge to Figure 8 Island

The day's journey was from Swansboro to Wrightsville Beach NC. As is often the case, timing the opening of bridges determines the length of time we will be traveling. The charts tell us the opening schedules of the bridges (every hour on the hour, or every hour and half hour) We got lucky with the first two bridges today, had a half hour wait for the third bridge, but missed the fourth bridge opening by three minutes, and had to wait an hour! depending on the current, waiting around a bridge, often with other boats, can be tricky, so it is easier to figure the timing and just slow down, and keep moving forward, than to hurry up and wait. A lesson in living here??

As I am writing this, Kev is studying the weather, tides, and charts for tomorrow's journey. We are hoping to find all elements favorable to go out into the ocean, and shoot down more directly to Charelston. If we go out, I will be "off the air" for a couple of days. stay tuned!

Along the ICW

Ten days and about 300 miles into our journey from Deltaville, MD, we are over half way to Charleston, where I must fly back to the West. Experiencing the South for the first time has been a pure pleasure. There is such history throughout this region. The Southerners are rightfully proud of their history, and diligent in preserving it. White open-shuttered houses with front porches have lined the Intra Coastal Waterway throughout our trip, but every day seems to bring us into warmer weather by about two degrees. As I write this, I am wearing a long-sleeved shirt, but I am barefooted. Compare that with two pairs of sox, rain boots, full foul weather gear and multiple layers beneath, and you get an idea of how the climate has changed as we journey south.

Southern hospitality, however, remains consistent throughout, and is such a joy to experience.
Tonight, after arriving in Swansboro, NC, we walked though the town, entering houses that have seen the Revolutionary war, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Now housing art galleries, craft stores, book stores, etc., one can enter the two worlds of today and yesterday. Add the hospitality of the shopkeepers, and you are experiencing the best of the South.

Sunset over Beaufort Harbor

Beaufort is a wonderful old, yet well preserved, seaport town. As a safe harbor for both boaters on the ICW and those coming in from the sea, It is at one a very popular anchorage and tie up location, and a wonderful place to eat out and shop for nautical items. Marinas usually have one or more free cars that boaters can borrow for an hour, which was just enough time for Judith to do some banking, and for us to make a stop at the fresh fish market, to buy what was fresh. Yesterday's purchase was a trigger fish, at only $4.50 a pound. For that price we photographed the fish, got a demonstration of how the "trigger" worked to release and lower a mean-looking spike on the fish's back, got detailed instructions as to how to cook it, and watched him filet the fish and bag it in ice. Such a deal! The best deal, however was how wonderful it tasted after Judith followed the cooking instructions and spun her own cooking magic on that fish. Out of this world! Our dinner was topped off by this beautiful sunset!

>
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Liz enjoying the Locals at "The Bean"

The Coffee Bean

Kev, Judith, and I are sitting in this  gathering place, thoroughly enjoying the camaraderie of all the locals as they walk or ride their bicycles to meet and greet and catch up on the news.  We are by no means ignored - rather welcomed by everyone, asked where we are from and where we are headed, and made to feel very much a part of the community.  The "Bean" is used as the example if the 9 feet of water that rushed in with Hurricane Irene.  Came up to the middle of the door handle on the Bean, we've been told several times.  

Looks like a great day for sailing.  The weather report says "abundant sunshine" - a first!  Off to Beaufort NC today!

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Oriental, NC

We had a good passage today, with a good wind and motor sailing with the Genoa sail up most of the way. the sailboat ahead of us in this picture is from Basel, Switzerland! One of the best
Parts of sailing is meeting all the interesting people and sharing tales of their travels and their traveling plans, Today's sail took us into the heart of the destruction from Hurricane Irene, which passed through here in late August of this year. All along the way we have been seeing uprooted trees, some that had fallen on houses, flattening them! many houses are boarded up, or just destroyed. Here in Oriental, the marina is opened, but there is still no electricity, and about 1/3 of the finger docks are missing, so those slips cannot be used. In town, the water rose 9 feet - it rushed in, stayed for three hours, then was sucked out again, but the damage left behind was incredible. FEMA brought in trailers to the displaced families to stay in, and many are still living in them while they repair and rebuild. Along our way today we passed by a town called Hobucken, NC, where there is a passage out to the ocean. There, a wall of water 14 feet high rushed in on the land and then was swept out again. Lots of "For Sale" signs in front of beautiful old waterfront houses here!

Tonight's fare

Fresh fish caught this morning.

Caught Today

Dinner tonight was this Spanish Mackerel Caught by this Bellhaven fisherman, who goes out early, and sells his days catch in his fish market.  Judith spun her magic, and we enjoyed this fish for dinner, with enough left over for fish tacos tomorrow.  Judith added a wonderful red cabbage braised in Apple cider with capers, to make a most memorable meal.  the next  picture will show our on- board fare for the evening . 

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Judith Paixao" <judith@commandmediacorp.com>
To: "Liz Meyer" <lizmeyer920@hotmail.com>
Subject: photos - 2 Belhaven fisherman with fresh spanish mackerel from Swan Point NC

Elizabeth City to Belhaven, NC

We awakened to the sound of rain - a wonderful sound when you can snuggle down and spend the day reading - but today's travel  plan had us pulling anchor at daybreak to make it through the Alligator River/Pungo River canal.  The goal was to get into a marina in Belhaven where we will lay over a day to wait for some gale-force winds to blow through tomorrow.

It rained all day today, and going through the canal of the Cypress Swamp was much more dismal than going through the Dismal Swamp two days before.  We are tied at a beautiful marina, the first to open back up following the devastating effects of Hurricane Irene, which flooded the town 47 inches above street level.  Most of the town is closed, as the stores all needed to be drained and repaired.  We can still see the water line of the flood on some of the buildings.

Southern hospitality overflows!  We peeked into a large old store, wondering what it might have been, and the lady working on renovating it came to the door, gave us the history of the building (which I gathered her family had always owned),  described the damage of the hurricane, and her dreams for starting over.  Where are y'all from?  She quiried , and  after explaining we were off a boat, she offered to loan us her car to drive around.

We are looking forward to eating out tonight, even though it would be difficult to beat Judith's cooking.  it is always fun to eat where the locals do, and try the local food.

Looks like tomorrow will be the day to hunker down and read in bed! 
 

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Elizabeth City

Our cab driver greeted us warmly saying in his very North Carolina drawl, "I can see by your happy faces that you are loved by the Lord!" Indeed, it was a love fest for God all the way across town to the grocery store for provisions. Mr. Riddick ran a quick errand (to take Miss Evie to Senior Day Care) then was back to pick us up. On the way back to the marina, Judith asked if he could drive us through the old part of town so that Mz Liz, from California and visiting the South for the first time, could see the beautiful homes of the Old South. Beautiful they are! What remarkable remnants of earlier days and Southern living.

Yesterday, as we tied up at the free marina, we enjoyed a lawn outlined with beautiful rose bushes, still in full bloom. A granite memorial explains the history and honors the founder of the Rose Buddies, who welcome boaters to their city with a rose for the first mate, and often a wine and cheese party. After the founder died in his 90's, the town transplanted his rose bushes down at the marina, and the Chamber of Commerce has continued this 40 year tradition. Boaters leave this harbor of hospitality with fond memories.

We are in the Alligator River right now, and will be anchoring out, to get an early start for tomorrow's travel. We will be entering the Alligator River/Pongo Canal, which is very narrow and 20 miles long. There are no tie-ups or anchorages available until we come out on the Pongo River side. Weather has been beautiful all day, but high winds are expected tomorrow.

Elizabeth City

Our cab driver greeted us warmly saying in his very North Carolina drawl, "I can see by your happy faces that you are loved by the Lord!" Indeed, it was a love fest for God all the way across town to the grocery store for provisions. Mr. Riddick ran a quick errand (to take Miss Evie to Senior Day Care) then was back to pick us up. On the way back to the marina, Judith asked if he could drive us through the old part of town so that Mz Liz, from California and visiting the South for the first time, could see the beautiful homes of the Old South. Beautiful they are! What remarkable remnants of earlier days and Southern living.

Yesterday, as we tied up at the free marina, we enjoyed a lawn outlined with beautiful rose bushes, still in full bloom. A granite memorial explains the history and honors the founder of the Rose Buddies, who welcome boaters to their city with a rose for the first mate, and often a wine and cheese party. After the founder died in his 90's, the town transplanted his rose bushes down at the marina, and the Chamber of Commerce has continued this 40 year tradition. Boaters leave this harbor of hospitality with fond memories.

We are in the Alligator River right now, and will be anchoring out, to get an early start for tomorrow's travel. We will be entering the Alligator River/Pongo Canal, which is very narrow and 20 miles long. There are no tie-ups or anchorages available until we come out on the Pongo River side. Weather has been beautiful all day, but high winds are expected tomorrow.

Fall Colors on Deep Creek.

Deep Creek Lock, Chesepeake, VA.

And that, Ma'am, is called Southern Hospitality. Robert says to me with a touch of a salute as we begin to pull out of Deep Creek Lock.  He is referring to the most delightful past hour we have spent as the water was rising in the lock.  For starters he and his dog met us as we entered the lock, welcomed us to his lock and handily assisted in tying us up, As the lock began to fill, he casually asked if we happened to have a conch shell as a horn. of course Kev and Judith did, so we rummaged around to find it.  Something tells me you can blow one well !   I said, and he modestly offered to blow our conch.  After being treated to an unequalled conch performance , and a demonstration on how to trill on the conch, as well as make it sound at higher and lower pitches, He took out his own conch, and entertained us with his talent. Following our musical entertainment, Robert proceeded to give us a fascinating history of this lock and waterway which dates all the way back to George Washington.  The Dismal Swamp played a key role in the Civil War, as an essential water route.  He directed us to the beautiful free dock we are tied up at tonight, and said he is also the Deep Creek Bridge Master, and the bridge will open at 9:30 in the morning.  He invited us to tie up at the bridge when we get there, come in to have some coffee and Danish, while he does the first lock passage, then he will come to answer any more questions about the area we may have.  By now, he knew I was from Southern California, and as we thanked him, he responded, And that Ma'am, is Southern Hospitality.

.ng I  

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Viagem in front of a warship

Right across the river from where we are tied is the Norfolk Naval yard. We passed several aircraft carriers at close range yesterday. We tried to imagine being a jet pilot and landing on such a seemingly short runway!

Sunrise in Mob Jack Bay

Mobjack Bay to Portsmouth

The sunrise, according to Captain Lombard , who was willing to go out in the cold to photograph it, was beautiful. Judith and I stayed warm(ish) in the salon and enjoyed the picture. We hauled anchor and headed out of the bay and back into the Chesapeake Bay, where the wind was brisk, and raised the genoa for a wonderful all-day sail south to Portsmouth. We are tied at the marina, which means showers tonight, electricity to recharge all our Apple books, iPads , and iPhones, and heat in the salon!

Portsmouth is a wonderful historic town, established in 1752 when William Crawford took 65 acres of his plantation and laid out streets (with names such as London, King, Queen, and High) and half acre lots. He named the new community Portsmouth after his hometown in England. Tonight we will stroll down High Street (very close to our marina) to dine in a unique and historic restaurant, of which we hear there are many! Rain is predicted for tonight, so when and if we depart in the morning is up to the weather. We are right at Mile Marker 0' at the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay and the beginning of the Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW). At mile marker 10 we make a choice - to follow the Dismal Swamp or take the Virginia Cut. Stay tuned! love, Liz

Raising The Flag

Deltaville to Mobjack Bay, VA. The first day of our journey began with the raising of the flag that was presented to Kev and Judith as a tribute for the work they are doing for the wounded Marines and soldiers. The flag was flown in Afghanistan, presented to Sgt. Daniel Jamal, one of our wounded Marines, and subsequently presented to Kev and Judith. We first raised the flag in Twentynine Palms on my flagpole, and we stood with the men around the flagpole in a prayer circle. Today was its second raising. We fly it with pride!

Don't let the blue sky of the picture deceive you - it was FREEZING cold and windy, Yesterday's nor'easter was sending whitecaps and five foot swells. With coaching from Kev and Judith, I was well prepared to stay warm in such conditions, wearing multiple layers from my toes to the top of my head. Our Judith has actually slipped overboard twice in the past two days! (She claims it was due to the rain and wearing shoes, after spending too much time going barefoot in the desert.). But actually she climbs over this boat like a monkey, the very able First Mate to Captain Lombard, who is the most accomplished sailor I have ever had the pleasure of sailing with.

By the time we dropped anchor tonight in this picturesque bay, the wind and waves had dropped, and we enjoyed a warm and hearty soup for supper, and, as always, our laughter and good company. love, Liz

Highest tide!

As a nor'easter blankets the East with snow, we here in Deltaville VA are only experiencing rain -but LOTS of it! The addition of all the rain caused the high tide to be really high, flooding over the docks. Skip, who lives aboard his sailboat on our Starboard side, loaned me his truck to drive into Deltaville to buy some serious Sperry Topsiders rain-boots, the first time I have ever needed to own a pair! On the way back to the marina, I stopped by the fish store for a pound of fresh lump crab. Crabcakes tonight!

Provisioning

While we had the rented car, we did our provisioning for three weeks. Starting tomorrow, we will no longer be connected to the land. Our travels will be dependent on the wind and the weather. four boats down is a family gearing up for a year's cruise, down into the Carribean, through the Panama Canal, and down to Guatemala, then beck to Boston, where thet are from. Their two little girls are being home schooled. We were visited by the girls today, and invited to sign a petition for everyone to go barefoot. Being a barefoot aficionado myself, I was enthusiastic to sign the petition, but also being a teacher and former Mayer,we had to discuss the petition in regards to the jurisdiction (state, county, city, etc) and they decided it would be a maritime jurisdiction reaching to 1/4 mile from the high water line. Contented that the petition was now correctly defined, Judith and I became the fist signers of the petition!

Fall Colors

Today we rented a car and drove around the Richmond area, visiting wonderful old small towns, all adorned with beautiful Fall colors. The South Is unique in America, with it's Southern dialect (I've discovered that y'all is the plural "you"). Most enjoyable is the Southern hospitality. Everyone goes out of their way to be helpful.

On my way!

Off on a new adventure! On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, I drove to Phoenix for a brief overnigqt visit with Jeff, Lauren and Katelyn before flying to Richmond Virginia. Good friends Judith Paixao and Kev Lombard have invited me to join them in their continuing journey down the Chesepeake Bay, and south down the Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW). We Invite you to join our journey on my blog site. If you go to lizizlog.spot.com and enter you email address, you will automatically receive my log entries. Stay tuned! Love, LIz

Annemarie Gardens

A Trip to Fairy PARK

Ewell, Smith Island

Viagem - our boat

We are motoring up the Patomic to Saint Mary,s City.

Personal Hygene

Solomans Maryland

So much to explore and so little time! leaving the South River, we motor sailed 40 miles South to the most delightful bay town of Solomans, arriving at the perfect time to enjoy the small town 4th of July festivities. The route into the marina featured great southern mansions along the waterfront. One can just imagine the summer family gatherings in these great houses over the generations. After tying on to a mooring in the bay, we lowered the inflatable skiff and motored in to the dinghy dock, borrowed three bikes (free from the marina) and took off for a delightful tour of the town, complete with fresh seafood salads on a pier. We biked to a West Marine store where I bought an inflatable kayak, which, along with Kev and Judith's identical kayaks, gives us a fleet of three. Having travelled to the store by bike, we had the kayak delivered to the marina. Kev returned to the marina, while Judith and I enjoyed a tour of the maritime Museum, and bought fresh tomatoes and corn just picked that morning from a young Amish family. Back at the dinghy, I inflated my kayak, launched it (it only weighs 32 pounds) and the fleet took off for an evening kayak ride, past several marinas with their beautiful yachts and the great houses. Our destination was a small shell beach to search for treasures from the sea. The evening ended with those freshly picked tomatoes and ears of corn - a perfect summer repast!
Sent from my iPad

Fwd: Blog photo

Here is a photo taken by Kev,an Emmy Award cinematography recipient, several times over.  I love keeping a log on this iPad !

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Judith Paixao" <judith@woundedmarinecareers.org>
To: "Liz Meyer" <lizmeyer920@hotmail.com>
Subject: Blog photo

Ring side seat!

This is how close the racing teams were coming to our boat last night, as they raced to the finish! We are now at anchor in Selby Bay at the mouth of the South River. This small bay reminds me so much of Hatch Haven, our Island in Michigan. Beautiful old f amily summer homes line the shore, while there is a marshy grassland at one end ov the cove, where we are anchored. Kev and Judith are out exploring in the kayaks, and when they return we,ll go swimming. The next post will show a picture .

A Night To Remember

Tonight we are moored in the bay right off from the Annapolis Academy. General Les Palm (retired) and his wife Suzanne joined us by water taxi for a wonderful dinner of Rockfish, a delicacy Fish in this region, prepared by Judith. The special part of this evening was that Les and Suzanne are long time friends of mine, dating back to when Les was the General of our Marine Corps base. They introduced Kev and Judith to me, thus initiating the good friendship that finds us on this cruise together. Wednesday nights in Annapolis are the sailboat racing events, and all the races came in to the finish very close to our boat, so we had a ring-side seat. Good friends, good food, beautiful weather, and exciting racing events truly made this a night to remember!

After a night of being rocked soundly to sleep, I began the day by looking for the sun-the orb to which I have always sought my bearings. Our boat is in Annapolis Landing - a beautiful 40 foot cutter rig, an Island Packet 380. Her name is "Viagem" (pronounced via jean in Portuguese) and it means "journey". Kev and Judith and I took an interesting trip to Quantico to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps art archive warehouse. The Wounded Marine Careers Foundation, directed by Kev and Judith, is providing an opportunity for Wounded Warriors to be trained in art preservation. Following an impressive tour of the warehouse, we lunched at the Globe and Laurel Restaurant, which is a museum in itself of Marine history.

I am writing this in the cozy confines of the salon, while a raining deluge is pelting the boat, offering the raining, thunder and lightening sounds that thrill me. Being back on a sailboat again dredges up memories and delights I have not experienced in a long time.

Sent from my iPad

Liz's Log: A Special Update

Liz at Starbucks "blogging" on her new Ipad

I'm Excited to tell you about a new update for Liz' Log! We are moving to the blogosphere with a dedicated site just for Liz's Log. I'd like to invite you to visit http://lizizlog.blogspot.com to follow future posts and pictures. Once you are there, you will have three different options to see future updates. You can bookmark the site and visit from time to time to read current updates; you can hit "Follow" to subscribe and read updates in your favorite blog reader; or you can enter your email address to receive an email whenever a new post is added. There's a section at the end of each blog post for your comments, and I look forward to seeing what you have to say.
Today I am starting my next adventure, which will be a two week sailing trip down the Chesapeake Bay. My good friends Kev and Judith have invited me to be their "third mate" on their sailboat which they live on full time as they make this voyage. I have not been sailing since Dave died, and I look forward to getting my sea legs back. I am in Phoenix now, and Jeff will take me to the airport tomorrow. I have him to thank for stepping up my technology level with an ipad and the new log site. Love, Liz

A New Home for Liz's Log

They say you can't teach an old doq new tricks. I am attempting to disprove this theory. Tonight I am sittting next to my coach (my son Jeff) with a brand new iPad, a new Blog site, and a new opportunity to share my travels and my musings with my family and friends. The learning curve for me is at once daunting and exciting. For those of you patient enough, I hope to bring you along On my adventures. My next adventure begins a week from today, when I fly to Baltimore MD to be the Third Mate on a sailing trip down the Chesepeak Bay. My good friends Kev and Judith have invited me aboard their sailing vessel for this trip. I look forward to your joining me! Love,Liz Meyer