Mid-Life Cruising!!!

MLC's Birthday!

2012-03-01T16:29:00.000-06:00

It's late afternoon, and I just realized that today is somewhat special! Two years ago today, Mid-Life Cruising, sometimes referred to as "MLC" was born! I can't believe two years have gone so fast! While we're no big web site, we're happy with over 79,000 views. We should hit 80,000 by this weekend! We are so thankful for your time and your comments. We love hearing from you, and it makes this tough journey towards our cruising dream much easier. It also makes us much more accountable ... LOL!

Ken and I have come so far with our cruising plans, yet we have quite a ways to go! Here's our very first post, called "Mid-Life Crisis"?!

Mid-Life Crisis?! That's the question my 18 year old daughter was asked by a friend of ours the other day when told of our plans to sell everything and sail away. Not an unusual response! It's interesting to watch a person's face when we tell them of our future plans to live on a sailboat and travel. Their eyebrows raise and they're thinking we've lost it. We've been told that there are pirates our there and it's dangerous, or that we'll be back in a few months because we'll get bored or tired of always being inside a sailboat. We grin and try to remain polite as we're thinking this person obviously has no clue of the vast cruising grounds and community that await us. We can not wait! So, we've started a Facebook page and this web site in order to learn from other cruisers and sailors as well as educate those that are not familiar with cruising. Also, we'd like to share our experiences with those that hope to live the same dream as ours. Continue to follow, as we have a lot to learn. We're familiar with boats, but are just learning about sailboats and how to sail and just purchased our own sailboat. Hasta luego ...until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

So, that's our very first post with a picture from our 2009 Hawaii vow renewal trip. Two years from now ... we should be in the Caribbean! Doesn't seem that far away now!

I mentioned earlier today that we have some exciting news ... what a great way to celebrate MLC's birthday! We couldn't have planned it better!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Exciting News!

2012-03-01T15:20:00.000-06:00

We've got some exciting news that I'm working on for tomorrow's "Frugal Friday" series! This photo is a hint. Can you guess where this is and what resort?

I'm giddy with excitement!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Cruise Scam!

2012-02-28T11:33:00.001-06:00

If you get one of these in the mail ... tear it up!

In a recent post, I mentioned a postcard that I had received in the mail about a free 7-day cruise. As I had also mentioned, Ken was told the we'd have to drive to New Orleans to attend a one-hour "presentation" about a buying club. We wouldn't have to join the club to get our free cruise, just listen to the presentation. So, we made an appointment.

Ken and I have been to several time share presentations, so we've experienced the high pressure sales pitch before. We've always been good at sticking to our guns and saying "No", even when we attended a time share presentation in Cancun that almost got really ugly. After an hour and a half of saying, "No thanks" to a revolving door of salesmen, we finally stood up and said that we were on vacation and would not be staying any longer. We were not interested in their time share and we wanted our free marine park pass that we had been promised. The "big cheese" guy got really angry and aggressive and said that there was no way that we could say that they weren't offering us a great deal! We again stated that we weren't interested, although it did sound like a pretty good deal. (They had come off like $4000 from their original sales pitch). We finally got our free marine park pass (which was awesome) and have never attended a sales presentation since. That was about 8 years ago.

Anyway, I started thinking more and more about this "free" cruise. When we made the appointment for the presentation, we were also told that we would have to pay a $50 transaction fee per person. That didn't sound bad to me for a cruise. I'd be happy to pay the $100 at the time of booking. However, Ken and I just didn't have a good feeling about this presentation that we were to attend. What if there was some other catch? Our work weeks have been crazy lately, and we really didn't want to spend the time or the gas money to drive about 45 minutes to New Orleans on a work night.

So, the day of the presentation it occurred to me to do a little research on this postcard. That's when "Google" came in handy! I pulled out my magnifying glass to read the tiny mailing address on the postcard and then proceeded to "google" it. There wasn't any company name on the postcard, which was a red flag.
After entering the complete mailing address, I immediately came across several links with the address and the word "Scam"! I clicked on a few of the links and quickly realized that Ken and I wouldn't be wasting our time attending the presentation. Basically, I found out that after attending the presentation the "attendee" would then be given a voucher to take home and fill out. The next step would require mailing the voucher to the address given, along with a $99 money order for the processing fee. There would be no phone number provided at the presentation or on the voucher to follow up on the cruise. If you had any questions or problems, you would only have an email provided as their contact information.

So, let me get this straight. We're supposed to go home, mail a $99 money order, not be given a phone number to contact anybody, and then just wait?! I don't think so! While Ken and I would have never mailed a payment to a place without even a phone number, we could have easily wasted a total of over 3 hours (presentation and driving) of our time.

I'm writing this not only to inform others about this scam, but also to remind everyone about how useful the internet can be. Whenever you have a question or doubt about something, just "Google" it. If there are complaints, you'll find them! In fact, here's a little video that I found about this cruise scam. Thanks to the internet, these kinds of crooks won't get away with near as much "stealing"!

So, Ken and I aren't going on a free cruise but I'm just thankful that I thought to look on the internet and do a little research. I also found out that those that paid the $99 fee never received their cruise information. In fact, one person went as far as to send a certified letter to the same address that he had mailed his money order to ... it came back to him as "undeliverable". Go figure!

The day after we missed the presentation, Ken received a call from a woman regarding our missed appointment. Ken was happy to tell her of my Google search and findings. Of course, the woman was suddenly in a hurry to get off the phone, offering her thanks and stating that she'd "make a note of it". She made no apologies or explanations for what I found ... hmmm.

I really hate that there are so many crooks out there these days. However, it's a sad reality and we all need to be aware ... and be cautious!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - A Little Patience!

2012-02-24T13:40:00.002-06:00

This week's "Frugal Friday" tip may seem like yet another common sense tip, but aren't they all? I mean, being frugal is just a way of life and it's really not rocket science. Anyway, my tip for today is ... have a little patience. It seems that today's society is always in a hurry ... too much of a hurry!

When you're in the market for something, do a little research and hold out if you can. For instance, I've been wanting a hammock for Nirvana for quite some time now and recently decided that I'd like to start actively looking for a hammock for the upcoming summer months.

I surfed the internet a little bit, only to find that most hammocks were a little pricey. Since we've not yet begun our cruising life, I knew that I didn't need a really expensive hammock ... just something to get us through a few seasons. So, I decided to hit the Wal-Mart, Target, and Academy stores to see what they had to offer. It turned out they didn't really have much either. Then, I decided to go where I should have begun my shopping ... the outlet stores.

As luck would have it, the very first outlet store that I went to had what I was looking for ... woo hoo! Yep, the local "Ross" store had four hammocks on clearance for just under $10 bucks! These canvas hammocks came in a variety of colors, and included a matching storage bag.

So, my find is just a reminder to be patient, be flexible, and shop around! Now, I'm not saying that in every instance you should give up quality for a cheap price. However, a lot of things do have an inexpensive substitute that will work just fine.

In my life, there have been many times when I knew of something that I wanted and managed to make it fit into my budget. No, I didn't stretch my budget! I just took my time (heard of island time .. get used to it!) and looked around for substitutes that would have the same or similar effect.

A great example is when I decorated our home that we moved into a few years ago. I saw really expensive "looks" in magazines and stores, thought about the effect I was trying to create, then found very similar substitutes. Now, if you insist on getting things as soon as the desire hits you, then this won't work for you. But I tell you, I am very pleased with the look and feel of our home. I don't think I'd feel much different if I'd paid $60 per curtain panel instead of the $8 per panel that I paid. The savings caused me to go without curtains for a little while, but I've learned not to stress the small stuff. If that was going to cause me to stress, than I was gonna have a rough road ahead of me .. LOL!

As I mentioned earlier, having patience is also a big factor in living the frugal lifestyle. After all, the consumer's lack of patience is what the marketers are counting on! Why do you think they place all those "impulse" products at the checkout counter?

Shop around, look at the sales ads, and if you see something you want that's not on sale .. just wait. It will eventually go on sale, and if it sells out before then ... well it probably wasn't meant to be. Recently, Ken and I reluctantly accepted the fact that we needed to buy some new pots and pans. Our pots were peeling and scuffed up, and were probably a health hazard. I looked around for about three weeks before finally finding a set that was inexpensive, yet good enough to last a while. (This was one of those items that we didn't want to buy the cheapest of, only to have to throw it out in a few months). Anyway, the pot set at Target was $80 bucks, which we just hated to spend on something so "un-fun"! However, after shopping around I knew this was a reasonable price and that we'd probably just have to suck it up. But wait, this was a Thursday and a new ad would be out on Sunday. What if I just waited a couple of days to see if it went on sale? Sure enough ... it did! I saved $25 by being patient. That's a pretty significant savings to us!

Clothes are another thing that can easily be an impulse buy. How many times have you come across a great dress or shirt that you weren't even looking for, but had to have? Well, chances are that if you buy it the thrill will be gone in a day or two. If you don't buy it, the thought will be gone in a day or two. When I do find myself in this kind of situation, I always wait. If that dress is still in my head a week or two later, then I'll go back and check it out. Most of the time my desire goes away, and that dress becomes a distant memory. Also, I've learned to avoid the regular racks and only look at the clearance racks. I've managed to keep clothed and dressed pretty decent. I've survived and found some pretty great items on the clearance rack!

Of course, if you sew (unlike me) you can really provide some great substitutes for a lot of the things I've mentioned. I just can't bring myself to learn ... Speaking of patience, here's a great song by Guns N' Roses that I love called ... "Patience". Enjoy!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

*For those that missed the first four posts of this series, check them out below:

Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

Mardi Gras 2012!

2012-02-23T13:55:00.003-06:00

The "tacky tourist" with the Honorary Mayor of the Florida Keys, Sammie "Gonzo" Mays

The past several days have been a blur ... could it be because it was Mardi Gras here in New Orleans?! I'm having a hard time getting back into my normal routine. Thankfully tomorrow's already Friday and things should be back to normal by Monday.

Although Ken and I had been to the annual boat parade recently, the Mardi Gras celebrations didn't really start for us until this past Sunday. We kicked off the season by walking in the annual "Parade in the Pass" on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast. Ken and I were invited by Mayor Gonzo Mays to dress as "tacky tourists" and hold the banner that introduced the Honorary Mayor of the Florida Keys as this year's Grand Marshall. We were honored to be invited, and happily accepted the invitation.

I must admit that Ken and I were a little nervous the morning of the parade. The wind was blowing at about 20mph, the skies were covered in a thick mass of clouds, and it was freezing! We were going to be miserably cold while walking in this parade. However, I swear I'm not lying when I say right as the parade was about to start at noon ... the clouds parted, the wind died down, and the sun spread its warmth on us! Perhaps the two glasses of wine that I drank beforehand had something to do with it. Heck, I don't know ... I'm just glad we we didn't freeze! Ken and I ended up having a great time, and enjoyed meeting "the Mayor". She was a lot of fun, and I see why she's so adored throughout the Florida Keys. Mayor Mays provided us with a couple of "political favors" for our time, and we're saving them for our future visit to the Florida Keys on our sailboat! You never know ...

After the parade we headed home to meet Ken's dad, Ollie. He was coming for a quick Mardi Gras visit from Naples, Florida. We woke up early the next morning and took Ollie to the French Quarter for Lundy Gras, the day before Fat Tuesday. Since Ollie smokes cigars, the first stop was at The Cigar Factory, where cigars are hand-made and Cuban music is always playing in the background. I don't smoke cigars, but I always love walking into this place. I feel like I'm in Cuba!

Notice the stack of tobacco leaves behind the guy ... and all those cigar boxes!

After a good seafood lunch, lots of people watching and great music we headed back home that evening. The next morning our friend, Judy, joined us for a day in the French Quarter for Mardi Gras. Judy had passes to a private party at Acme Oyster House and at the Royal Sonesta hotel. What more could we ask for?! We started with free seafood and Bloody Marys at Acme Oyster House, then made our way to the Royal Sonesta for more free food, drinks, and beads to throw to the onlookers below on Bourbon Street. Every now and then we'd fill up our cups and walk up and down Bourbon St. to become a part of the crowd. Although I've been to countless Mardi Gras', they never get old. Piece of advice ... skip the parades and come to the French Quarter on Mardi Gras day! Lots of great people, crazy costumes, and good times!

Starting things off with Ollie at Acme Oyster House!

Ollie's first time eating grilled oysters ... he went back for seconds. Refilled the Bloody Mary too!

Me n Judy on Bourbon St. balcony ... we are so thankful to her. She shoulda told me to move the damn hat .. LOL!

The crowd on Bourbon St., and Ollie throwing beads to them. He had a blast!

We ran into our friend, James, who had nothing on but boxers and a robe ... hmmm. We saw so many sights, and some of them I can't post on our site. Needless to say, the weather was perfect and we say plenty of skin! We also saw sights like this "Pitiful Pirate" ... that's what I call him!

After a full day of Mardi Gras fun, we headed back home for the night. It was yet another amazing Mardi Gras, and we should be able to squeeze one more in next year before setting sail. Mardi Gras 2013 should be a real party, cause it's also gonna be the location of the Superbowl. Both of these at the same time in a city like New Orleans ... gonna be wild!

Sometime tomorrow (Friday) I'll have more Mardi Gras pictures on our Facebook page. Please check them out and feel free to share your own Mardi Gras pics. Haven't been? Perhaps it's time to start planning for next year!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - Happy Hour!

2012-02-17T11:11:00.000-06:00

"Happy Hour" is something we've all heard of, but I just wanted to remind everyone about this great deal. Of course, some are better than others and you need to know the difference between a real "happy hour" and nothing more than a marketing scheme.

Last night, Ken and I couldn't wait for the weekend to chill out a little bit. So, we headed to one of our favorite places for Happy Hour ... "Copeland's"! This restaurant chain was started in New Orleans by the founder of Popeye's Fried Chicken, and we love it. The food is great, as well as the atomosphere. There's always a lot of people around the dimly-lit bar, with good music playing in the background.

Every weeknight, Copeland's offers a glass of house wine for $2.00 and a bottle of beer for $2.50 ... not bad! On top of that, they offer $5 appetizers which include fried shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, spinach/artichoke dip, southwest eggrolls among many others. Last night we ordered the southwest eggrolls (one of our favorites), then after a while we ordered the fried shrimp. For less than $20 (plus tax and tip), Ken and I were able to hang out in a hip place for a couple of hours while enjoying great food and a couple of beers and glasses of wine. We were stuffed when we left, and had a great night out. Who says you have to drop $50 bucks or more for food and drink in a nice place?

This great tip isn't just for after work! Whenever Ken and I go on vacation, I look through the coupon books or the telephone book to find the local bars and their happy hours. Not only do we get to hang out with and meet the locals, but we avoid the high-priced tourist traps that don't offer any more ... and usually less! We found some great places in Hawaii and Jamaica when we were there, although I have no idea of the names at this point.

Whenever we find ourselves in Destin, FL we go to "Friday's" restaurant ... on Fridays! I don't know if the offer is still going on, but for years the Friday's in Destin offered a great happy hour and as an extra bonus on Fridays they'd offer a free buffet by the bar. We spent many Friday evenings meeting great people and enjoying brisket, steak, and whatever else they decided to put on the buffet. We'd walk out with full bellies and a "nice feeling" for less than $15 bucks!

Ken and I know so many people who never "go out" because they think they have to drop $50-$100 bucks to do so. These same people will spend almost $30 on a Ryan's buffet for two, $7 at Wendy's for lunch, or $8 for a mixed drink. If only they understood that with a little planning they could eat better, drink more, and enjoy a nice atmosphere for less than the Ryan's buffet!

So, take a few minutes and check out what the local restaurants/bars have to offer. A penny saved is a penny earned!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Oh, and last week I posted about "The Day After" ... now we have lots of Valentine's goodies for less than $8 bucks. This should last us till "the day after" Easter! A little piece of chocolate after dinner ... sweet!

*For those that missed the first four posts of this series, check them out below:

Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

Valentine's Surprise!

2012-02-14T12:16:00.001-06:00

Last night I came home from work with a package waiting for me at the front door. Hmmm ... had I ordered something? No, nothing for Nirvana had been ordered lately. I excitedly opened the box ... I love surpises! There were several items wrapped in tissue paper, and the first thing I unwrapped was the "Love Goddess" chocolate cake mix. Could this be the Patron tequila gift set that I had tried to win by entering a contest last week?

The next thing I unwrapped was a red candle, then some edible rose petals, a cheese cutting board, and then ... two Patron glasses. Woo hoo!

Yes, this was the Patron gift set that I was hoping for! Although I have to admit I was hoping to find a little bottle of Patron tucked in the box ... I was still stoked! I'm so easily amused and was grinning from ear to ear over my new prize.

To make things even better, we received a postcard in the mail stating the Ken had won a 7-day cruise from any port in the United States. Yeah, yeah ... I bet it's another time share presentation! We know better than to think we've just "won" a free cruise, like we won our Patron prize pack. That would be too good to be true! But, we figured that Ken should give the number a call to claim our "prize" and see what the catch is. Yes, we do have to attend a one-hour presentation, but we've been promised it's not a time-share. Evidently, this is some kind of new "club"... kind of like a Sam's Club. Soooo, this Thursday night we're headed to New Orleans to hear the presentation, expecting to claim our free cruise without spending a dime. We've been to some time-share presentations in the past and we're really good at standing our ground, frugal folks that we are. Ken and I have never been on a cruise, and the cruise ships leave every Sunday right down the road in New Orleans. We desperately need a vacation, so we hope this works out as promised.

So, the eve of Valentine's Day was pretty good and for once the mail didn't have any bills ... just these two items. As I mentioned on our last Frugal Friday's post, Ken and I don't do a whole lot for Valentine's Day. I find the day a great excuse not to cook, but we don't want to fight the crowds in the restaurants nor spend a lot of money so ... pizza tonight! I may even make the chocolate cake that came in the Patron prize pack so we'll have a little dessert. What more could a girl ask for ... LOL! Money saved now is money in the future for Nirvana and our cruising dream.

I posted this picture to the left last year and thought I'd post my "sweethearts" again. This is Ken and our daughter in Destin, FL about 19 years ago. I love this picture ... they are my heart!

Here's a little "gift" for ya'll on Valentine's ... a great little video that shows how to tie your own celtic heart knot. This would make a great necklace, and I hope to try this soon. Enjoy ... "Happy Valentine's Day"!

Tomorrow I'll be in the stores stocking up on all the half-priced Valentine's candy!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - The Day After

2012-02-10T08:52:00.000-06:00

With Valentine's Day only a few days away, I thought this would be a great time to talk about the "day after". Yes ... the day after Valentine's Day, or any holiday for that matter. Being the frugal couple that we've always been, Ken and I have looked forward to the "day after" for many years. What's so great about the day after a holiday? The huge discounts on all the candy and other holiday items. I'm talking 50% - 75% off!

After every Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas I'm at the local Wal-Mart, Target, etc. filling up on candy. While I try to eat healthy, I believe in moderation and I'm not giving up candy! So, I buy a few bags of Ken's favorites (Reese's, Hershey's Minis) and a few bags of mine (Candy Corn, Chocolate Covered Cherries). For less than $10 bucks we have enough candy to get us through for quite a while. Of course, some self-discipline is necessary, or all the candy would be gone in a matter of a week and we'd be a few pounds heavier! We just recently ran out of our "Christmas" candy, so Valentine's Day is just in time. Then, Easter's right around the corner.

If candy isn't something you'd buy anyway, it's still a good idea to check out what's on sale the "day after". One year, I found a great lamp with a red shade at Target after Valentine's Day. I had already planned on buying a red-shade lamp, so finding one for less than $8 bucks was a deal! There's usually also things like flags, lawn ornaments, and all those other holiday decorations to make the season festive. Easter is a great time to find brightly-colored plastic cups and plates, which are great for a boat! Christmas wrapping paper .. always bought the "day after".

While I'm talking about Valentine's Day, I'd like to give another piece of advice ... don't buy the roses! Do you realize that the price of roses double for Valentine's Day?! Give your sweetheart roses another time of year when they're a lot less expensive. Also, doing it "just because" instead of for a heavily-marketed holiday means a lot more! Truth be told, purchased flowers of any kind are a very rare thing for us. Some of my favorite flowers were wildflowers .. picked by my daughter or my husband. What could be better?

Also, Ken and I usually stay home for Valentine's Day and our gift exchange usually consists of a $1 card from the dollar store and a $2 heart-box of chocolate .. also from the dollar store. We figure, why fight the crowds at a restaurant and why spend a lot of money on candy when there's the "day after". It's also kind of liberating to us cause we feel like we haven't been "sucked in" by today's marketing pressure. Of course, we do acknowledge the day (I guess we've been "sucked in" a little) cause it would seem kind of weird to totally ignore it. But, it's not a big deal in our household.

I tell ya, all of these little things add up! I wonder how many of us will be in Wal-Mart on February 15th ...

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

*For those that missed the first three posts of this series, check them out below:

Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

Boats n Floats!

2012-02-07T12:32:00.001-06:00

After a couple of stressful weeks, Ken and I were able to finally have a weekend off. Actually, Ken still had to work Saturday morning, but the rest of the weekend was ours! To kick off the weekend, we went around the corner to our friend's place to watch the annual Krewe of Bilge boat parade. Although it was a cloudy day, the temps were in the 70's .. making for a pleasant afternoon.

Our friend, Ted, lives on his boat and the parade passes right by his "Squatter's Park". The parade consisted of about 20 decorated boats, and the boat pictured above was one of my favorites. I can't wait to sail to Cuba in the next few years.

Spending the afternoon near the water with boats, friends, plenty of food, and some wine (beer for Ken) was just what we needed. The only thing that could have been better was if we had been on our own boat, but I don't think neither of us had the energy. We just kicked back and enjoyed the day.

Our friend, Dennis, was cooking up some chicken wings while me and Judy visited.

Ken and friends ... the host, Ted, is in the middle with the blue shirt and that's his sailboat .. Liberty.

The three guys to the right of Ted are all liveaboards, and the one in the middle with the black shirt (Charles) has been cruising for over 5 years and happened to be in town for a quick visit. We had been hearing a lot about Charles from Ted, and were glad to finally meet him. He said cruising is "addictive" and once we left, we wouldn't be back soon ... sounds great!

"Squatter's Park"

On Sunday, the weather was a lot colder and cloudier ... a great day for getting some rest. We drove to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for another jazz brunch buffet at the local casino. We had to visit the carving station, and pile our plates with beef and horseradish sauce. Then, it was on to the crabs! All of this while enjoying the music of a live jazz band. The best part .. it was all free! I'll be posting how we got this feast totally free in one of our upcoming "Frugal Fridays" posts.

When we got home, we put on our pajamas and got ready to watch the Superbowl. We needed an evening on the sofa!

Our landlord troubles have already started looking better! We rented the house this past Thursday night to a man that's been transferred here by the railroad system. He's renovating the trolley tracks along the New Orlean's Riverfront in preparation for next year's Superbowl. The best part is that he rented the place for February instead of March, which means our losses will only be half of what we anticipated. Hallelujah!

Of course, taking the weekend off and getting the house rented right away meant that Ken and I had to work late last night. After our regular jobs we headed to the rental house to clean the carpets and the house. However, having this behind us is such a great feeling! Hopefully, our tenant troubles will stay quiet for a while. Although .. as soon as we signed the lease we received a letter from our other tenant that she was leaving her spouse and vacating the premises. Really?! We felt good for about 30 minutes. At least we received February's rent and we'll have the next few weeks to find out what's going on.

Never a dull moment around here! I only wish I was makin' this stuff up. Gonna think positive and as always ... keep on movin' on!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - Goodwill

2012-02-03T09:20:00.000-06:00

With Mardi Gras just around the corner (we can't wait) I needed to start working on this year's costume. As always, whenever I need a costume the first place I look is my closet. If I can't find what I need there, then it's off to the Goodwill store! I know a lot of people that just drop $50 to $100 on a pre-made costume at the local party store, but I just can't bring myself to spend that kinda money for a one-time outfit. Plus, I think that most of my past outfits have looked more authentic.

Here's my pirate costume from Mardi Gras 2011. I borrowed the sword and the hat, which was a little big but what the heck, it's only for a day. This was nothing fancy, but it all came out of my closet except for the red sash that I picked up at the fabric store for 99 cents! Oh, and my friend and I met Charlie Sheen .. LOL!

I'm sure most of you have heard about the Goodwill store, but I just wanted to send a reminder to you. Yes, you have to go through the all the clothes, but the Goodwill stores around here are really organized, breaking down the clothes into shorts, pants, tops, skirts, etc.

After scanning my closet for this year's costume and not finding what I needed, I headed to the Goodwill store yesterday. I not only found some great clothes for my outfit, but I also found a couple of other shirts that I had to pick up for $3.49 a piece. One shirt that I got "just because" is a lime green t-shirt with 3 reggae guys on the front and "St. Thomas, USVI" underneath. It looked brand new and I had to get this, as it's my inspiration for getting there someday!

I also picked up two drink holders (and in the perfect color for our outfits) with hooks on them that will be perfect for Ken and I to hold our "spirits" around our waist. I was also tempted to pick up a bright and new-looking backpack, but I refrained for now.

Goodwill isn't just for costumes and odds and ends. Recently Ken and I were invited to a really nice engagement party in the French Quarter, and Ken had nothing to wear. After years in construction, his wardrobe pretty much consists of blue jeans and t-shirts. Being frugal, we didn't wanna drop $40 bucks on a nice pair of slacks and another $30 on a nice shirt. I looked for something less expensive, but that was about what we were going to have to spend if we wanted something new. So, off to Goodwill I went where I found a really nice pair of designer slacks and a shirt ... all for less than $15 bucks! The picture on the left is the outfit, and I thought Ken looked great.

I know that there are some people that wouldn't be caught dead in a Goodwill store ... what if somebody saw them?! I'm just the opposite. I'm proud of the fact that I don't waste money, and I tend to think that saving money is a smart thing. If you're a little leary of walking into one of these stores, just think of it the way I do. Again, a penny saved is a penny earned!

So, take a look at your local Goodwill or thrift store. You never know what you might find there. Our local Goodwill also carries furniture, and we've seen some pretty good deals on that as well. I just wish they'd carry boat stuff .. LOL! Gotta find one of those around here .. I've been looking.

Please feel free to share the deals that you've found. We'd love to hear them!

Oh, and what are we gonna be this year? Tacky, tropical-style tourists! More to come about this and what we'll be doing. We're excited about it!
Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

*For those that missed the first two posts of this series, check them out below:

Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

Frugal Fridays - The Internet

Stronger?!

2012-01-31T13:37:00.001-06:00

If the above saying is true, than I should have nerves of steel and be one bad chick! The past two weeks have been crazy, stressful, and finally getting to the point of comical. It's either laugh or cry ... so, I'm trying to find the humor here.

For those of you that have been following along for a while, you know my nightmare called "rentals". This nightmare just keeps on creepin' in every 3-4 months, and it's back! Remember Pearl?! Anyway, I'll try to sum it up like this ... several ignored phone calls regarding January's rent, three trips about an hour away to the JOP (Justice of the Peace) to file eviction, go to eviction court (she didn't show up), then file claim for lost income/damages. Finally get a response after eviction (go figure) via email about how cruel I am to expect payment from a single mom (how could I?!), get a call from the local sheriff (he apologized for having to call me) cause the "wacky woman" considered my eviction harassment, "wacky woman" steals the furniture she was renting (and not paying for), rental company contacts me and I tell them "wacky woman's" whereabouts, rental company shows up at her office and she proceeds to tell them that she left the furniture with me in the house (are you kidding me?!), rental company calls her a liar and informs her that they've been speaking with me, "wacky woman" goes nuts and her manager asked the rental company to leave, then I get another email from "wacky woman" telling me to please return her furniture to the rental company cause they're looking for it ... Stop the Insanity! As if sticking me with her rent wasn't enough?! Now "wacky woman" is so desperate to keep her material possessions that she's stealing them, then blaming me. I have a houseful of furniture that has no place on our boat .. I don't want any more! Come on woman ... just give the damn furniture back or pay your bills! All of this makes me say, forget getting stronger ...

Anyway, I've followed the law and have to hope that "wacky woman" doesn't have a violent streak in her. In today's world ... one can never be too careful. So, I feel like I've aged about 5 years in the last two weeks, and a good sleep sounds so far away, but I am "standing strong" and doing what I have to do. Since I know this indeed is a "wacky woman", I'm not stressed about her actions near as much as I'm stressed about what she's cost us ... over $3000! Do you know what we could buy for Nirvana's cruising future with that?!

I'm standing strong!

So, as we've done before, we're sucking it up and moving forward. After all, do we have any choice? Screwing people and not paying our own bills because someone screwed us ... not an option for us. We like to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and know we're "living right". I just really wish more people felt that way. Heck, over the years I've sold my own jewelry, cleaned offices, pulled weeds, rolled newspapers in the middle of the night, delivered pizzas ... all while working full-time to keep my word and my financial obligations to others.

What makes it even worse ... when cleaning the dirty house she left behind I find a ton of Starbucks coffee cups in the trash can .. a TON! That really pissed me off cause I've only had Starbucks about 3 times in my entire life, and that was a treat. At about $5 a pop, I make my own coffee every day. Now, here's this woman who can't afford to give me a buck but she's buying Starbucks every day!

Anyway, it's another setback for having the funds and the time to fix our own house but that's all it is! We're still moving forward with our plans, no matter how many obstacles get in the way. We've been working every day lately between our "normal" jobs and the rental. Luckily my "normal" job as a real estate agent is in an office and not stressful lately (that's why I have the time for this site and Facebook). However, no stress at work means ... no income! Ken, on the other hand, is making enough to pay the bills, but he's working his body and his mind hard every day in the renovation/construction business. I don't know how he's holding it together, when I barely can!

We're feeling a strong desire to spend some time with Nirvana soon. There's nothing like being on the water with our sailboat to escape from the stress of our landlubber life. I just hope "soon" isn't too far away!

While I know that jerks are everywhere, and they'll be a few in the cruising world, I look forward to getting out there! The thought of no longer having to rely on others (tenants) to pay their bills and therefore our mortgages, no longer having to comply with the crazy and growing home insurance rates, and for the most part only relying on ourselves ... sounds like paradise, no matter what our surroundings look like!

Anyway, I hope you found this interesting and entertaining ... as I'm not trying to bring anybody down, just share our life's experiences. We're gonna get there ... oh yes we will! Now if we could get just one rich childless man (or woman) to find our blog and make a nice donation to those "hard-working kids" ... LOL!

And yes, as the song says ... "I am woman, hear me roar"!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - The Internet!

2012-01-27T09:26:00.000-06:00

The internet has got some great web sites that offer really good discounts on restaurants, attractions, services, and even vacation packages. For the past year or so, Ken and I have rarely eaten at a restaurant without a coupon. We still eat at some of our favorite places, and for quite a savings! Most of the coupons are $10 for $20 or $20 for $40 ... pretty significant to us.

The sites Groupon and LivingSocial seem to be the most popular sites that I'm familiar with. To take advantage of their discounts you just need to go to their site, set up an account, and then make your purchase. Sometimes, you may have to wait a day or two until the minimum amount of people make the purchase before printing the coupon (you'll get an email), and sometimes you can print the coupon right away. Also, it seems that most of the time when a coupon can be printed right away, it's not valid until the next day. Other sites that I get coupons from are BargainBee and DoubleTakeDeals. I believe that these are also national, allowing you to choose the city that you live in.

We've saved quite a bit of money with these sites, and we've also been able to do some things that we would not have ordinarily done. For instance, we bought a 4-pack at the New Orleans Zoo for the price of two .. allowing us to treat our daughter and her boyfriend soon. We've also purchased the same kind of deal for the local wildlife center. We haven't taken advantage of the vacation packages, but some of them at LivingSocial look pretty great!

Now, if you're thinking that you've never been one to take the time to clip coupons ... this is so much easier! What makes this easy is that you just have the site e-mail you their current deal. If you're not interested, just delete it. If you are, just make the purchase and the site will keep track of your purchases until you're ready to print them or use them. Lose a coupon? No problem .. just reprint it from your account on the site.

It really is so easy and worthwhile to set up these accounts because ... A penny saved is a penny earned!

Missed the first post in this new series? Here it is: Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Pearl's Back!

2012-01-25T14:37:00.001-06:00

If you've been following our blog for a while, you know what this video means. If you haven't been following, well ... let's just say that Pearl's presence is not a good thing! That's all I'll say since this is not supposed to be a blog that brings you down, and if I get started I may not stop! I only mention this because I gotta post the bad with the good, and once we're finally cruising hopefully our followers with the same dream will think, "If they were able to cruise with all those setbacks, then so can we".

While I love this video and suggest you watch it, it's starting to hit home a little too often!

I understand why Pearl's an alcoholic ... lol! I've been losing sleep and my stomach is in knots, but I'm determined to keep a smile on my face and not let anything (or anyone .. like a tenant) hold me back from my dream. This is yet another obstacle, but I won't be stopped! =)

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Survival on a Boat?!

2012-01-24T09:44:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday morning, Ken was working (poor guy .. he needs a break) and I found myself watching a documentary about Nostradamus. Among many horror stories that he predicted, was massive flooding. The documentary went on to say that with global warming, melting icebergs, and polar shifts the oceans would rise three feet and cause widespread flooding. The Southern and Western USA would be under water!

After the documentary was over, I surfed the web a little bit just to see what I could find about this prediction. Not only did I find a bunch of web sites about Nostradamus, but I also found a bunch of sites about "How to Survive 2012". Yep, more doom and gloom!

Anyway, both the sites about Nostradamus and the end of the world in 2012 mentioned the flooding. What did I get from all of this? Well, since Ken and I live in Southern Louisiana ... run for the hills! At least that's what these sights encouraged. They said that the mountains of the USA should be a safe place. Well, Ken and I don't have a mountain home and I don't think we could find the quick cash to buy one. But, there's hope!

According to these sights, among having extra food, water and plenty of guns and ammunition, an "unsinkable boat" was listed on the list of "survival goods". Well, I don't know that there's such a thing as an "unsinkable" boat. However, we do have a boat! Hallelujah .. we may survive!

I'm having fun with all of this, but seriously ... it is nice to know that we have a boat in case all of Southern Louisiana disappears. You never know. If the USA goes down, (could be from the economy or politics too) then we may no longer be considered crazy, but smart! The show went on to say that with widespread flooding would come violence, due to the lack of food and resources.

The idea of living a pretty self-sufficient life on our sailboat, with solar and wind power and the ability to catch food (easier said then done, I know) and be mobile sounds pretty good. You never know ...

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Frugal Fridays - The Rest Stop!

2012-01-20T14:19:00.008-06:00

Since it is January, we're not doing much sailing lately, and I've completed my NKOTB series, I thought I'd start another Friday series .. "Frugal Fridays"! I believe that most cruisers are like us ... not rich and having to sacrifice and plan to reach the dream of cruising on a sailboat. For us, making this dream into a reality means living a frugal lifestyle. A frugal lifestyle requires patience, hard work, discipline, and not wasting a penny. It means delayed gratification instead of instant gratification. We're keeping our eye on the prize!

Ken and I have always lived a frugal lifestyle, so it's nothing new for us. We've become pretty good at stretching a dollar. So, I thought "Frugal Fridays" would be a great way to share a little tip with our followers. Sometimes we'll just being sharing a little motivational quote or video, cause the frugal lifestyle ain't always easy! Whether you have the dream of saving for cruising, buying a home, going on vacation, etc. we hope these posts will help you get that much closer to your goal!

So, today's "Frugal Friday" tip is about rest areas. Yes, I'm talking about those pit stops along the interstate. There's much more to a rest area than dog walkers and creepy guys! Did you know that most rest areas have all sorts of coupons for nearby attractions?

This past Sunday Ken and I were craving the seafood buffet at one of the Mississippi casinos. The casino has a great Sunday champagne and jazz brunch, but it costs about $24 per person .. ouch! We don't gamble enough to get their coupons, and we were wondering how we could get our hands on one of their "buy one, get one free" coupons that we've seen others with. Then, it occurred to us that the Mississippi rest area was nearby (we live in Louisiana) and maybe they'd have some coupons. We drove to the rest area and were greeted by a very friendly lady. She gave us free juice and asked if she could be of any help. When I told that we were locals and looking for casino coupons, she grabbed some brochures from several casinos (including the casino we wanted to go to) ... all with "buy one, get one" buffet coupons! I love getting a deal, so I walked away with a big smile on my face, excited like a little kid. We were going to the casino for brunch ... woo hoo! We just saved $24 bucks, plus had more coupons for the future!

Ken and I headed to the casino, and had a great brunch consisting of eggs benedict, boiled shrimp, king crab legs, roast beef, dessert, etc. while enjoying live jazz music. This wouldn't have been possible without the coupon, because we would not have gone to the casino.

I know some rest areas are closed, and some are better than others. However, why not check out your local rest area and any other rest area that you happen to be near? You never know what you may find. In fact, we also picked up a great little seafood cookbook!

We'd love to hear of any tips or experiences that you may have regarding a frugal lifestyle.

A penny saved is a penny earned!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Roll Me Away!

2012-01-18T08:42:00.000-06:00

Not much exciting happening lately. Unfortunately, football season is over here in New Orleans and we haven't spent any time on the water. I've been working with Ken the past several days painting the inside of a client's house. I don't mind painting, as long as I don't have to paint trim or cut in ... just roll! After several days of "rolling" while dreaming of the day we become cruisers, the song "Roll Me Away" by Bob Seger kept running through my mind. After all, this song is about hope and choices! Plus, before Ken and I bought a sailboat we spent a lot of time on our motorcyles. They've been neglected for quite a while now .. time to clean them and go for a spin soon!

Here are a few of the words to this song ...

Stood alone on a mountain top, starin' out at the Great Divide
I could go east, I could go west, it was all up to me to decide
Just then I saw a young hawk flyin' and my soul began to rise
And pretty soon My heart was singin'!

Whether on two wheels or on the waves of the water ... just "ROLL ME AWAY"!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

A Goose Triangle!

2012-01-13T12:28:00.001-06:00

Gracie, the white goose, with my brother and his grandson ... and the "other goose"

On New Year's Day, I was standing in my mom's backyard when I noticed a large white goose swimming across the lake. It was accompanied by a smaller brown goose, and they were headed straight towards me. About that time, my mom walked outside and I pointed out the geese to her. My mom got excited and said, "I think that's Gracie"! The geese continued swimming towards us, as if on a mission and my mom soon realized that yes, it was Gracie!

So who is this goose named Gracie, and why was my mom so excited? Well, Gracie is a goose that has been coming to my mom's backyard every winter for several years. In fact, like clockwork, she shows up on New Year's Day. This year was no different! Aren't animals amazing? I mean, they make their way thousands of miles across the country every year, and on a consistent schedule. I wish I had their built-in GPS!

Anyway, Gracie and the "other goose" made a bee-line to my mom's backyard and started marching straight up the hills towards us. It seems they were making themselves at home, and were immediately looking for us to feed them (which we did). I asked my mom if the "other goose" was George, and she said it wasn't. It was the "other goose".

Before I go any further, let me explain. You see, this is a sad story of love, betrayal and a goose triangle!

Last year, Gracie was residing in my mom's backyard along with her mate of many years, George. The two had been co-habitating for years and my mom would often talk about the couple. Like years past, goose life was going on as usual ... until the "other goose" arrived. Yes, a younger male with an eye for Gracie!

George seemed to be very aware of the threat, and did not like the company of this younger male. After all, two's company .. three's a crowd! In fact, it's my understanding that like humans, geese pick a partner for life ... most of the time! After a few weeks, Gracie seemed to fall for the charms of the "other goose" and began swimming with the younger male and spending more and more of her time with him. As time passed, it became evident that Gracie had left George for the younger goose!

I remember my mom telling me about what she had been watching unfold, and how sad she was for poor George. It seemed that Gracie and the "other goose" were now doing everything together, and poor George would follow behind the new couple, only to be shunned by the two. In fact, it got so bad that while the new couple would be enjoying a swim, George would be on land ... crying! Yes, he would look at the two and just make terrible, sad noises. His heart was broken, and so was ours when we heard about this goose betrayal.

As time passed and the weather became warmer, the geese had disappeared. Now the new couple is back, but there is no sign of George, the heart-broken goose. I wonder what happened to him, and I hope that he has gotten over Gracie, the goose hussy, and found a better goose to love.

While I truly think this is a very sad story for George, I'm writing about this because I also think wildlife and their interactions are amazing! Sometimes we humans seem to forget that we're not the only ones with feelings. I know some of you are thinking that a goose doesn't have feelings, but I don't know about that! In my opinion, the world's creatures are much more complicated than we give them credit for. I can't wait to get a close-up view of the wildlife the waters and the islands have to offer!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Winter in Louisiana!

2012-01-10T10:45:00.000-06:00

Ken and LSU fans waiting for pep rally!

Even though it's winter, living in Louisiana makes it easy to get through the cold season. There's always something going on in the city! This past Saturday night we watched the New Orleans Saints beat the Detroit Lions in the Superdome. The next day, we were in the French Quarter at the BCS National Championship "Fan Fest". This was a huge gathering of LSU and Alabama fans, all partying and anxious for the big game Monday night. With the Saints game and the LSU game playing in the Superdome the same weekend, the French Quarter was packed! It was full of purple and gold (with a little bit of red in the mix) and it was fun to be a part of the excitement. As you can see from the picture, this winter day was warm and we had a tough time choosing between stealing a day on the water or joining the fans in New Orleans. Since our daughter goes to LSU and the local news kept tempting us with clips from the city, we chose to join the LSU fans. As we drove towards the city and over Lake Pontchartrain, we started doubting our decision when we saw a sailboat on the lake. However, we had a great time and hope for another warm winter day soon to go sailing.

The bars were full of purple and gold!

Last night turned out to be really disappointing for us LSU fans, but we still love our team and they had a great season.

The Saints will have another play-off game this Saturday (against the 49er's), and hopefully they'll make their way to the Superbowl on February 5th! Mardi Gras is also just around the corner, with an early date of February 21st. That means the parades start in just a few weeks. By the time all of that is over .. winter should be almost over and we'll be spending more time on Nirvana.

I love this picture, showing LSU and Saints colors .. with one red Bama sign!

New Orleans is "Our City, Our Home"!

It's hard to be productive when living so close to so much fun! However, life is short and we're enjoying the journey while working on our goals. When winter is over we will be spending more time on fixing up our house for resale ... and sailing. We're taking one step at a time!

Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

A Great Start!

2012-01-05T09:39:00.001-06:00

New Year's Eve from our friend's cockpit!

The year of 2012 started off well ... watching fireworks from our friend's sailboat! Ken and I are thinking that starting the new year off in our friend's cockpit is a good sign. We're thinking positive!

This year Ken and I decided to visit our liveaboard friend, Ted, for New Year's Eve. Ted lives just minutes away, has a great spot on the water with a fire pit to sit around (my donation), and he's just two doors down from a local bar that is known to have a great fireworks display. After a big plate of spaghetti, Ken and I headed over to Ted's place. Our other friend, Natalie, was there and the four of us sat around the fire, had some "spirits", listened to some good tunes, and enjoyed each other's company while hoping that the layer of thick fog would go away. As luck would have it, the fog lifted around 10:00 that night and we had clear skies for midnight! Another good sign?

Around eleven, the four of us moved to Ted's boat (just a few steps away) for a great view down the canal. Our neighborhood is known for a huge amount of fireworks on New Year's Eve. The first year that Ken and I lived here we were in awe! I'm not lying when I say the fireworks display in the Eden Isles area is every bit as good as our beloved New Orlean's display! There seems to be a lot of people in this area that like to "blow" a lot of money on explosives around here. You wouldn't think there's a recession going on! So, the poor folks like us just sit back and enjoy! Around 1:00 in the morning, the fireworks finally slowed down and we headed home safely.

New Year's Day is usually just another day for Ken and I, but this year was different. My mom (who also lives in our subdivision) decided to cook and have the family over for a good meal and to watch the final Saints game of the regular season. With plenty of good food, family, and another Saints victory we had a great first day of the new year!

My mom and step-dad New Year's Day, and everyone looking too serious watching the Saints game! I think they knew I was taking a picture and tried too hard to look casual ... lol!

My mom's backyard ... it was a beautiful day!

My step-dad, my brother, his grandson and Ken enjoying the day!

These pair of geese arrived today, just like past years ... right on schedule!

There's an interesting (and kinda sad) love story about these geese that I'll post about soon.

We made sure to eat our black-eyed peas and cabbage, so that should mean good health and wealth!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

2012, End .. or Beginning?

2012-01-02T13:18:00.001-06:00

Well, it's another new year ... 2012! I can't believe it's been 12 years since the big Y2K, and that we're already in the year that some predict is to be the last for all of civilization. All I can say is ... I hope the Mayans just got lazy with their calendars! Others predict that the Mayans weren't predicting the end of the world, but a "New Beginning" ... I'll focus on this theory! In fact, around December of 2012 (end of Mayan calendar) we should really be headed towards our "new beginning" of full-time cruising.

With another year behind us, I went back and read last year's post to see what goals Ken and I had for 2011 and how successful we were at reaching them. Well, I must admit that we only did a "fair" job, and hope to accomplish much more in 2012.

One of the main goals that we didn't reach in 2011 was fixing up our house and getting it sold ... we still don't have that sign in the yard! In our defense, Ken has put a good bit of time on our home and we faced some major obstacles in 2011 ... mainly deadbeat tenants. Three different times in one year! Trashing the rental and bailing on the rent ... that really sucked up all of Ken's extra time, as well as any extra money that we had for our house projects. Oh, how much easier our life would be if others would take responsibility for their own commitments! Anyway, we THINK we have good tenants that will not be a thorn in our side this year. If all goes well, Ken will be taking some time off in March to finish up some lingering projects and get the house on the market. This is our main goal for 2012, as we really don't have the funds to move any further on our cruising dream until our house is sold.

We did "okay" with our 2011 goal of sailing, and we sailed a few times to Mandeville (about 30 miles away) for an overnighter. However, we never made our "shakedown" cruise to Ship Island in Mississippi. This is another goal of 2012 that we must reach this year .. we will! In fact, we are now much more prepared for a sail to the Gulf Coast than we were this time last year. We recently purchased a Lowrance chartplotter/GPS, a dinghy, and a Tohatsu motor. Without a GPS, we really couldn't venture out too far. We would have surely run aground, and perhaps met the same fate of those on Gilligan's Island .. out for a 3-hour tour! The dinghy and motor will also make a trip to Ship Island much better, because we'll now have a "car" to take us to nearby restaurants and beaches.

So, while 2011 was a little more stressful and difficult than we had planned it was still a pretty good one. Heck, we didn't think we could afford a Lowrance until the house sold .. much less a new dinghy and motor! In addition, we replaced the ports on Nirvana, Ken refurbished the hatches to look like new, we refinished the teak, and I won a new sail pack from Sailrite in a contest (my talented step-mom will be sewing this for us)! None of these things were planned for 2011, so we can't complain!

When we look back, Ken and I are just grateful to be able to pay our bills during this tough economy (we're both self-employed in the housing industry), stay in good health, and have a beautiful and independent daughter! Our daughter, Erica, has just finished her third semester at LSU while working part-time and living with three other college girls. She also has a great boyfriend of almost two years that we love because he's also going to college, is in the Air Force Reserves, and treats her really well. Life is good! We've added pictures from the highlights of 2011 on our "Pictures" page .. check it out!

So ... much like 2011, our goals for 2012 are to fix up and sell the house, enjoy a "shakedown" cruise to Ship Island, and continue enjoying time on the water with Nirvana while learning how to sail. Yes, we still have a lot to learn about sailing! We've also added four more goals to 2012 ... take an insurance adjuster course (a good source of part-time income), install dinghy davits on Nirvana (we admit we're too lazy for any other option), take a navigation course, and take a tropical vacation. We haven't had a vacation in over two years and our Discover miles have been adding up! (We really don't like how much our society relies on plastic, but we pay off our balance every month and use the card for the perks of the miles). Those miles will allow us to take a vacation for practically nothing. Good thing, or we wouldn't be taking a vacation. Every extra penny goes towards our cruising goal.

By the end of 2012, we see ourselves either living on our sailboat or in a small apartment. From then, it's "smooth sailing"!

Ken and I wish all of you a prosperous and healthy 2012, and we thank you for following along!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

2011 In Pictures!

2011-12-29T09:40:00.003-06:00

Well, Christmas is over and we're facing the end of another year ... already! Ken and I had a great time with our family on Christmas Day, but we're ready for the New Year and warmer weather! Ken and our daughter, Erica, have been sick since Christmas Eve and hopefully they'll be feeling better soon. I've been lucky enough to stay well, but I've been feeling like a bear ... wanting to hibernate on the sofa during this cold weather. I guess things could be worse, cause I'm spending winter in Louisiana instead of somewhere like Minnesota. I don't know if I could survive living in a Northern winter! So, while I know things could be worse I find myself wasting away the winter days longing for Spring and time back on the water.

I know the warm weather will be here before I know it, because once again the year has flown by faster than we could ever imagine. I've chosen some pictures that best reflect 2011 - Our Life! The picture on the left is Ken and I with our daughter, Erica. We are so proud of her! The next post will cover the things we accomplished in 2011 ... and the things we did not. I'll also post our goals for 2012 ... we've got a lot to do in this upcoming year!

I've also added the above link to our "Pictures" page, which also includes pictures from 2010, Nirvana's haul-out, and other pictures from years before the cruising seed was planted.

We hope that everyone had a great Christmas, and that all of you have a fantastic 2012!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Christmas Lights?!

2011-12-22T08:33:00.002-06:00

Nirvana, lit up for Christmas ... for a little while!

The past few weeks have been crazy, and now I find that Christmas is only 3 days away ... wow! Luckily, I had gotten most of our Christmas shopping out of the way at the beginning of the month (love that internet shopping), as well as the Christmas decorations.

Being frugal, Ken and I have never gone crazy with the credit card during the holidays. In fact, we don't use the credit card unless we can pay it off immediately. (We do like racking up those travel miles, and we should have enough to finally take a vacation soon). So, other than a couple of small gifts to buy .. we're done.

With most of the shopping complete and the decorations up, I should be free of the stress caused by the holidays, right? Wrong ... cause I put up Christmas lights! I swear, every year I bring the Christmas lights down from the attic with excitement ... ready to light up something. I used to go all out and decorate the front steps, the porch, the patio, the front door ... but, it never fails. I plug in the lights, make sure they're working, then break my back putting up the lights. That night, I'm plugging in the lights and I'm lovin' Christmas! Less than seven days later ... some of the lights don't work. Every year! The beautiful pre-lit Christmas tree that Ken surprised me with a few years ago ... we had to buy our own lights after the first year cause the ones on the tree no longer worked. What is it with Christmas lights?! Come on, man ... aren't you charging enough to make the damn things last at least one season?!

Needless to say, I haven't put up any Christmas lights the past few years. In fact, I delegated the chore of putting the lights on the tree to Ken many years ago. I would have thrown the tree through the window! However, with Nirvana sitting out back I figured that I'd decorate her for the holidays. After all, she's been neglected lately and it would be really nice to look out back and see her all lit up through the back windows.

So, a few weeks ago I dragged the lights down from the attic and before doing anything else .. I plugged in the lights and made sure they were working. I was pleased to see that all was well .. no problem! So, after spending at least 30 minutes untangling the mess, I spent way too long running lights around Nirvana. With my back killing me (and no more lights) I wasn't about to tackle putting lights on the mast or rigging, but I was pleased with the results. That night I plugged in the lights and was lovin' Christmas! We could see Nirvana through the windows and her lights reflected on the water. All was good ... till about a week later! Should have known! As luck would have it, the night that Ken and I were having a few friends over for an early Christmas gathering ... a large section of the lights weren't working. As it was getting dark and we were expecting our friends to arrive at any minute, I plugged in the lights. Damn it! So, I decided to keep them plugged in anyway, with a large black "hole" on Nirvana's side. Instead of stressing about it, I poured a glass of wine!

Since that night, I haven't plugged in the lights once ... until last night. Now, none of the lights work! That's it! As much as I love Christmas lights, especially on sailboats, I'm done! I'm just gonna have to enjoy everybody else's lights and be thankful that other people are more patient than I am. So, poor Nirvana is dark again and we're the only house in about a group of 8 that isn't decorated for Christmas ... can you blame me?! I think I need another glass of wine!

I wonder how long these lights will last at our neighborhood's entrance?

I do love these ornaments that our daughter gave us in 2009, one month after we bought Nirvana!

At least we know how to keep a fire going! We will miss this when cruising.

Anyway ... Ken and I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here's a pic from our first Christmas in 1983! The things Ken would do for me back then .. lol!

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

Coming Together!

2011-12-20T11:25:00.001-06:00

Riding the ferry down the Mississippi ...

If you read our last post, you know that a good friend that Ken and I practically grew up with passed away unexpectedly. While this was a very sad occasion, it also brought us together with our life-long friends. Why is it that it takes a wedding or a funeral to get together with everybody? Such is the hustle bustle of the landlubber life!

Anyway, our high-school friend (and best man at our wedding) flew in from Florida, while others drove in from Tennessee and Northern Louisiana. We had a few friends stay at our house, and it felt like a slumber party. I can't remember the last time we had a house-full of overnight guests.

So, after coming together to pay our respects we all thought it would be appropriate to celebrate our friend's life. She brought a lot of laughs, and we know she'd want us to have some fun in her honor.

We all hung out at another friend's home after the service for some good fun and catching up with each other. We felt like we were in high school again, and it was great to just get crazy for a while. Boy, did we get crazy, but I'll do everybody a favor and keep those pictures private!

Us with our friends since high school .. the stories we have!

The following day we took advantage of the fact the one of our friends is into old bicycles. He has about 20 of them in his garage! He packed his truck full of bikes and we all headed to the French Quarter for the day. While Ken and I have ridden through the Quarter a couple of times, we'd never done it with a group of 8 friends ... it was a great time. We felt like we were on a field trip! We were all still recuperating from the night before, and it was slow goin' at first! We figured our first stop should be for Bloody Marys. After a drink we were on our way around the city. We then hopped on the ferry that took us down the Mississippi River then dropped us (and our bikes) off across the river. This was about a 20 minute ferry ride, so it was a really nice trip down the Mississippi. Again, we felt like tourists!

We're gonna start our own movement ... Occupy French Quarter!

The shot above is with our daughter. We were so glad she was able to spend the day with us and our friends. They're like her aunts and uncles, and some haven't seen her since she was a baby. After getting off the ferry, we rode about 3 miles on the levee (after a hangover .. what were we thinking)! The path took us back to another ferry terminal, which then brought us back to the French Quarter. This was a first for all of us (execpt our cycling friend), and it was a blast. The weather was sunny and in the 70's ... perfect!

Views of the city from across the Mississippi River, including the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter.

Once back in the French Quarter, we had to stop at Margaritaville for lunch. We were still beat from the night before and we needed food! After lunch, we found Santa Claus and had to get a picture! We then rode through the Quarter and on to Bourbon Street. We figured that was the best way to end our day in the city!

We lost two from the night before (one lives in town and had to work and the other had to go back to Northern Louisiana). The guy on the left with Ken and our daughter was our best man. The two in the middle ... they grew up in Panama (before moving to the States in high school) and they're moving back in a few months. I see a trip in our future! The two guys behind me ... they still live here in Slidell.

We all said our goodbyes the following day, and vowed to get together more often. While we're all like family and have kept in touch by phone, it's just not the same as getting together. We tried to remember the last time that we were all together at once ... probably about 15 years ago!

We had a great time, and we think Liz would be happy to see us all together and smiling. While there was lots of laughter, we all have an empty place in our heart and we'll never forget our friend. This post is dedicated to her!

Hasta luego ... Mid-Life Cruising!

A Reminder!

2011-12-14T10:00:00.003-06:00

The past week has been a blur, and we've been doing all those daily things that seem to consume the life of a landlubber.  You know ... cleaning the house, paying the bills, going to work, running to the grocery store. It seems there's not much time for the things we'd really like to be doing!

In the midst of all life's responsibilities, Ken and I have had a cruel reminder of just how precious our time is. Last Friday, one of our close friends from high school passed away unexpectedly.  She was only two days older than me (45), and that is way too young!

I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to write about our friend's passing, but I figured I would remind you ... LIFE IS SHORT. MAKE IT AMAZING! Don't put off your dreams ... start working towards them today!

Some of our friends from high school are coming to town today, and we'll have a house-full tonight. We were a very close group at one time, but people grow up and move on.   Ken and I are excited about visiting with our long-time friends the next few days. We just wish it was under better circumstances. But, we'll catch up with each other and we will celebrate our times with our dear friend, Liz. We all had a lot of great (and crazy) times together.

All of this makes me think about our future, as well as what I want when my time has come. While that is a subject many do not want to think about, I think I'll write about that soon. Maybe if I put it in writing, I can feel assured that my wishes are fulfilled. I want something different, not so serious, and appropriate for my cruising dreams!

"I dropped a tear in the ocean. The day you find it is the day I will stop missing you"!   Author Unknown

Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!

A Sailor's Christmas List!

2011-12-08T09:42:00.002-06:00

Well, Christmas is around the corner which means you'd better hurry up and buy those gifts! Wondering what to get? Well, if your friend or family member likes boating, than here's some ideas that we think are good basics for the boater and/or cruiser. In fact, most of these items are on our "wish list" too!

Every time Ken and I go out on our sailboat, we're reminded how bad we need this drinks/binoculars rack. We don't have anywhere to place our drinks, so this is a real must! Plus, this holds other things like binoculars.

Speaking of binoculars ... waterproof binoculars are also a great gift for a boater. Binoculars are great for using when trying to see that island from afar or those dolphin that are just a little too far away.

Caframo 12v cabin fans are a must when living in the hot and humid South! We hear that this brand is pretty good, and we'll be getting a few of these next year.

Hatch covers with mosquito screen ... these are something that we'd like to have. Mosquitos are often called the "State Bird" here in Louisiana!

Leatherman Multi-Tool - Ken has one of these and loves it! It's small and handy!

Gear Hammock - This is another item we don't have yet, but will be a must when cruising to hold all those odds and ends. We'll need a few of these!

Beer Making Kit! - Now this is something that sounds pretty interesting to me. Ken loves beer and this may be a cheaper option.

GoPro® HD HERO2 Camera - I should have a star by this one! I don't have one of these waterproof video cameras yet, but it's definitely something I want. I've heard a lot of really good things about this camera.

Oh, and SailorBags ... any of them! I was lucky enough to win a contest they were having, and they provided me with a large duffel bag. I LOVE IT! I knew there products were good, but I was really impressed when I received my bag. Now, I want more! I'd especially like the large tote or the messenger bag.

Books are always a great idea, and I think these books cover a little bit of everything ... a story written by a female cruiser about her experiences, learning to sail, learning the boat's electronics, learning a new language, and cruising on a budget. While we don't own "The Motion of the Ocean" and "Spanish for Cruisers", they are on my list. The other three books are great, and I often refer to "The Complete Sailor".

While I'm mentioning books, I want to recommend a "non-sailing" book that is a crime drama. It's called All Rise and it was written by my step-mom. The story takes place on the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and it's a really good read! In fact, my step-mom is currently working on the publishing of her upcoming second book. We're really proud of her!

Movies are always a great idea! Many cruisers watch movies on their boat instead of watching television, which draws a lot of power! There are tons of movies out there, but here are three of my favorites! First, is a classic for boaters (and even non-boaters) ... the comedy "Captain Ron". Ken and I saw this movie for the first time last year, and it was as good as we'd heard! Martin Short and Kurt Russell are really funny.

Another idea for a more dramatic movie is "Seven Years in Tibet". Not only does this movie feature the great-looking Brad Pitt, but it's based on a true story about the Dahli Lahma as a child in Tibet. There has been an ongoing battle between China and Tibet, and this movie really educated me about what has been happening. I love the Buddhist teachings, and this was a real eye-opener, Also, the scenery is beautiful!

Since most sailors like to travel, "Eat, Pray, Love" is also a good option. The character takes a break from life and travels to Italy, Bali and India. I loved the scenery and life's lessons that the character learned.

Of course, there's also our pirate products that we've created. We have t-shirts, waterproof backpacks, lotions, shower gels and soaps. Most are around $15, so check them out at our store!

Need more ideas? A while back I created a page full of links to books, music, and bling. You're sure to find something there! Santa, are you reading this?!

*Yes, we will make a few cents if you buy any of these products from our site. But hey, you'll be paying the same and giving us a gift too ... pretty cool!
Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!