Friends and Food

We've been here at Green Turtle Bay for a week and have found it to be very enjoyable.   We'll be attending the Looper Rendezvous later this month and are a bit ahead of schedule so we've decided to stay here another week and work on a variety of boat projects.  Yesterday Bert is worked on gel coat to stop the few remaining leaks we have and Hilary tore apart the v-birth headliner material in anticipation of putting the new headliner back in once the leaks are finally fixed.   Hilary is also working on new curtains for the porthole windows and did some canvas repair for Our Bubble earlier in the week.

Sewing project in progress

Bert's parents gave us powdered peanut butter before we started the trip so Hilary used it to make cookies. Once water is added to the dried peanut butter, it turns out to be quite good and had a lot less fat and calories that the typical peanut butter.  Only 45 calories per serving vs. a typical 190 calories per serving.

Mmmmm.......cookies!!!!

Back in Grafton, IL we had a wonderful evening with friends from Jet Stream and The Zone and saw a really neat glass mobile.  I had forgotten to post the picture and video of the mobile when we were in Grafton, but I will post it now.

Crew of Jet Stream, The Zone and Took the Plunge
at dinner in Grafton, IL

Still Shot of a very intricate glass mobile

Our friends Phil and Carolyn from Loopy Kiwi were still here at Green Turtle when we arrived and we were fortunate to get to spend several days catching up with them.  They hosted us for an impromptu omelet breakfast our first morning here.  Green Turtle Bay has a nice gazebo where loopers gather in the evening for docktails to get to know each other and share stories.  Last Saturday, we shared a memorable evening of docktails celebrating the sale of Carolyn's Kindy back in New Zeeland.  Phil is a very talented singer and guitar player and entertained the group late into the evening.  Phil knows over 150 songs by heart and a good time was had by all.   Phil even played Your Song by Elton John which Hilary recorded as it is our wedding song.  The video is too long to post, but a shorter video clip of Phil playing is below.

Loopers at the gazebo

Phil is a very talented guitar player and singer

A bottle of bubbly to celebrate the Kindy Sale!

Earlier this week, we hosted Phil and Carolyn for dinner and Hilary prepared a homemade meatloaf and warm peach cobbler for desert.  The next evening they hosted us for dinner and Phil prepared a delicious pork roast with all the fixings including crackle.  Pork crackle is a snack made from the pork rind.  The rind and fat are fried and it is very crunchy and delicious.  Phil also made gravy, potatoes, cabbage, squash and desert.  It was like Thanksgiving to us and we really enjoyed all the time we got to spend with them during the past week.  Sadly, they tossed off the lines and said goodbye yesterday morning and are continuing on with their journey south.  They had been here three weeks and it was time for them to move on.  We look forward to the next time we get to see our very dear friends.

Next post we'll share some details about the local areas restaurants (yes more food) and share a story about a fascinating man we met last evening who is from England.  He is riding his bike across the United States from Washington to Key West - 5000 miles!