Tying up loose ends

Where did the last 10 days go? It’s April 2nd! We’ve been in a whirlwind of family visits along the waterway. We invited Dad and some of his closest N. Ft. Myers friends to join us for an hour’s cruise up the Caloosahatchee Rr. starting just above the Franklin Lock. We picnicked aboard Summertime upon our return. We all had a great adventure! Word arrived from our Capt. Chris and his Admiral Karen that they were moving their Fisher 25 motor/sailer from the East Coast to the West Coast and would arrive at the Franklin Lock that evening. We dined together in the salon and caught up on our news. As our instructor from the November yachting classes, Capt. Chris was duly impressed with our progress as captains and new boat owners! As soon as we completed the West to East crossing of Florida on the Okeechobee Waterway, we visited Stuart, then settled for 3 days into the Ft. Pierce City Marina where my sister and her husband keep their boat from November to April. Val and Rick had family members from Arizona visiting that week and we also had a reunion with friends from Deer Isle who winter nearby. Whew! Each day we all enjoyed daily walks around the downtown. We have now made our way north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to Vero Beach. It was here that we realized that we are exactly across from Largo where our PT Cruiser has been parked at Wally’s mother’s condo since February 2nd. She has always been a sweet ride, but a car does not fit into the life of boatsmen! Erin and Brett suggested selling it at CarMax and then we could stop fretting about how to get it to Maine...and sell it we did. A three-hour trip in a rental car got us to the West Coast and within an hour and a half the PT was sold. We got to relax at the condo for one day...hot tub...ahh! and great neighbors having us for dinner...then back we came. We now have one less piece of rolling stock to register and insure and store. Tomorrow we head for Melbourne.