Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays:

We are slowly recovering from a pre-Christmas Blizzard here in frozen Rhode Island. The Rose is snug in her slip at Wharf Marina thanks to Drew our trusted mechanic. Connie and I checked her immediately after the storm and she's riding high and dry. There was quite a bit of snow, but it looks like there was little accumulation on The Rose herself.

Connie has finished a mountain of cookies along with the shopping and we are getting ready for our annual Christmas Eve fish dinner. Our children Paul, Tom and Pamela have been in charge for the past several years and are making ready to feed all of us.
The cookie baking takes place at our house in RI and we were also able to spend time with three of our grandchildren. Sofia was happy to help with decorating pine cones for our dinner table centerpiece.

Below is The Rose in her slip for the winter

Yes, the snow was deep in the marina

One last comment.....the 6 month MRI/MRA that was performed on 12/15/09 showed that the Gamma Knife performed as intended and that the AVM is shrinking. Good News! This will be a Merry Christmas, one year after my original surgery.

We hope you all have time to enjoy family and friends wherever you are.


Paul and Connie


m/v The Rose, GH37

Mike, Ed and Steve Bailey were in Orlando and visited.

Steve enjoys the surf!

Robin Evans and her husband Bill are our friends

and guides to Charleston

 

Gene and Judy present the Fickle Finger of Fate Fender Award.

This award I could have done without!

Right off the condo, R/V Amelia hunting treasure.

Barbara and Dave Bluto stopped in Melbourne Harbor and shared dinner with us.

December 4, 2009

After about a 6 week stay we've flown to RI where we'll remain for the Christmas Holidays through January 1st.

As we expected and despite being grounded for the winter, Telemar Bay Marina in Indian Harbor Beach, FL was a regular stop for us this fall. Some of the boaters that we've cruised and been friends with over the past 5 years stopped there to reprovision food and fuel. We spent time with Dave and Barbara on "Chablis", Wink and Wilma on "John Henry", George on "Time Out", Lois and Carl on "Puffin" along with Gene and Judy on "Lo Que Se A". It was a pleasure to see these folks again since our cruising schedule was changed due to my hospital visit.

As I mentioned in the last email, Gene bestowed the prestigious, "Fickle Fender of Fate Award" during his visit. It was all in good fun and I am looking forward to being able to pass it on to a deserving Great Harbour owner next spring.

We also had a chance to spend a day with friends from our marina in RI. Ed, Melissa and sons were visiting Orlando and spent a day with us at the condo. They all enjoyed the beach and pool.

Here are a few pictures from the visits.

Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year to all.

Paul and Connie
Warwick, RI