Life "on the hard"

First family supper on Kiawah - Mexican!

Well, if you've been following Riley and Wren's blogs, you already have a pretty good idea of what's been going on in our lives since Thanksgiving. They seem to have more time to write than we do.  After spending two days in DC at the National Zoo (leafcutter ants and naked mole rats my personal faves), the Smithsonian Natural History Museum (wanted to spend weeks there), and a peruse of monument row, we high-tailed it 14 hours to Ft. Pierce, Florida.  Late Sunday night, the girls and I finally got to meet our boat, Kiawah.  She's as lovely as we expected. Right now, she's in the yard up on jack stands, or "on the hard" as they say in boat-speak.  Scott has prepared an extensive "to do"  list before she goes in the water; bottom paint, install radar, macerator pump, re-plumb head, are just a few things at the top.  He'll inspect every hose clamp and through hull before she touches the water.  While we do this work, we are able to live on her quite nicely.  There is certainly more space than the RV, and much more charm.  Cracker Boy Boat Works is a pretty laid back place that advertises themselves as a "do-it-yourself" boat yard.  Lots of folks working on their own boats (like us) and some working on other people's boats.  There seems to be a direct correlation between boat size and who's doing the work.  They have showers here, and spotty internet connection, and no one seems to mind the little blonde and red-haired children exploring every nook and cranny of the yard perimeter searching out any new wild thing they can find. Nor does anyone frown on fairy house construction or fort building.  The girls are so thrilled with their new tropical environment that I can't even imagine what kind of excitement the Bahaman out-islands will bring.  Until then, Scott and I will keep checking things off the list, looking forward to the day we set sail.   Hopefully he won't suffer a concussion from hitting his head before that day comes.  Boat living definitely favors people of small stature.

Wren and a green anole lizard

Riley, teasing the ant lions hiding at the bottom on their lair 

Name those tracks!

 

Riley discovers Bromeliads.  She named him Fred

Fairy zoo