midlifecruising Profile

Latest Blog Posts

• Christmas Gift Ideas!
  on Dec 8, 2016 in Beginning Gifts Holidays Products
  It's Christmas time again and if you're like me, you find all sorts of cool stuff for yourself but nothing for everyone else on your list!  Ken & I rarely shop for ourselves throughout the year, but in December we cave in .. there's so many...
• Back Together ...
  on Aug 30, 2016 in Beginning Catalina30 Projects
  Just like Humpty Dumpty, we're slowly putting Nirvana back together again.  Wait, I think Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together again ... even with all the King's Men!  We're hoping Nirvana isn't as difficult as Humpty ... especially...
• Perspective ...
  on Aug 17, 2016 in Attitude Beginning Life Louisiana
  As I watch the news and the Louisiana flooding just 30 miles away in the Denham Springs/Baton Rouge areas, the hardships that we've experienced with flooding are still fresh and my heart goes out to those affected.  If you haven't experienced su...
• Gettin' It Done!
  on Jul 19, 2016 in Beginning
  Yet another month has gone by since our last post.  I wish I could say we've been "gettin' it done" on Nirvana, but that would be a lie.  We haven't done anything more than wash Nirvana a few times since her new non-skid.  We have been...
• Pensacola Getaway!
  on Jun 22, 2016 in Beginning Destinations Family Florida Museums
  When Ken's helper informed him that he'd be on vacation last Wednesday through Friday, we quickly thought that we should take the opportunity to get away ourselves ... until guilt set in.  We're still working on our one vacant rental, and Nirvan...
• Nirvana's New Non-Skid
  on Jun 7, 2016 in Beginning Catalina30 Maintenance Projects
  As Ken and I pulled the green tape off of Nirvana's deck, we felt like we were pulling off a layer of stress.  We're finally done painting!  Isn't she pretty?!When we finished spraying the white glossy paint (Interlux Perfection - Oyster Wh...
• Our Life In A Month!
  on May 20, 2016 in Beginning Catalina30 Projects
  Celebrating Mother's Day with crawfish ... known as "mudbugs" around here!It seems that I've let another month pass by since my last post.  Time flies when we're having fun ... and even faster when we're working a lot! The last week of Apri...
• Sailor In Progress!
  on Apr 22, 2016 in Beginning Goals
  If you've been following our blog for a while, you know that we've been prepping for cruising for ... um, a really long time!  This blog turned 6 years old last month, and I've had to change our " The Plan" page several times since then.  I...
• Nirvana's New Home!
  on Apr 5, 2016 in Beginning Family Food Haul-Out 2 Louisiana
  I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post, especially since I've been having some exiting news for about 3 weeks.  On March 10th, we FINALLY put Nirvana in a lift and got her back in the water!  After being in the boatyard...
• Let Go .. or Drown!
  on Mar 8, 2016 in Beginning Goals Life
  We were floating down the Tickfaw River on a tube, soaking up the sun while drinking cold beer.  As we floated towards a bunch of fallen trees near the bank, we slowly started paddling away from the bank and the trees.  We've done this many...
• Boatyard California!
  on Mar 1, 2016 in Beginning Haul-Out 2
  If you read our last post, you know that we've been having some delays in getting Nirvana out of the boatyard.  Well, it's happened again!  Last Saturday morning, Ken and I grabbed the dock lines, fenders and other gear that we needed to pu...
• Bottom Paint And Dry Land
  on Feb 23, 2016 in Beginning Haul-Out 2
  I hate to admit it, but since our Miami getaway we haven't done much with Nirvana.  The plan was to have her back in the water before going to Miami, but with the unexpected strut issue that didn't happen.  We then expected to finish up the...
• Miami Hostel Experience
  on Feb 5, 2016 in Beginning Firsts Miami Resorts
  During our Miami escape in January, Ken and I stayed at a hostel just a block from the beach and Lummus Park.  We'd never stayed at a hostel before but our budget couldn't accommodate a Miami hotel near the beach, so we figured we'd gi...
• Miami Escape!
  on Feb 2, 2016 in Beginning Destinations Miami
  After a very wet December and headaches at the boatyard, Ken and I needed to escape for a few days to somewhere a bit warmer.  When I saw non-stop round-trip flights to Miami for only $139 for both of us ... we were going to Miami!After booking...
• We Almost Splashed ...
  on Jan 19, 2016 in Beginning Catalina30 Haul-Out 2 Maintenance
  We started 2016 with high hopes to put Nirvana back in the water the first week of January.  At just over a year in the boatyard, we were past the point of being ready for a slip in the marina.  Boats and boat work seem to have their own sc...
• 2015 At A Glance ..
  on Jan 12, 2016 in Beginning YearlyReview
  I can't believe I'm writing another post about the past year's events.  Can the years go any faster?!  Anyway, it is indeed another year and if I don't stop and write this post today, it may be July before I get around to it.The year starte...
• Giving Nirvana The Shaft!
  on Jan 8, 2016 in Beginning Catalina30 Haul-Out 2 Parts Projects
  Ken took advantage of one of the few dry days between Christmas and New Year's to install Nirvana's new shaft.  This meant also installing a new coupling, stuffing box with packing and hose kit with clamps.  Once installed, new zincs and ou...
• Wrapping Up 2015
  on Jan 5, 2016 in Beginning Family Gifts Holidays
  I can't believe another year has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday when everyone was worried about the year 2000 ... sixteen years ago!  We wrapped up 2015 the way most folks probably did ... enjoying Christmas & New Year's.  ...
• My Christmas Wish List!
  on Dec 10, 2015 in Beginning Gifts Holidays Products
  Ever feel like this cartoon?  Instead of running all over town trying to find gifts for loved ones, how about the internet?  Online shopping has increased tremendously the past few years, and I can see why.  I've never been one to enjo...
• A Fresh Bottom!
  on Dec 8, 2015 in Beginning Catalina30 Haul-Out 2 Projects
  Since getting the shaft and other boat parts, we decided to break away from that project and give Nirvana's bottom some attention.  It's been "exposed" for almost a year now and we were finally ready to wash, sand, prime and paint it.  This...