We're Cool Again

Day 111

Miles today:  0    Total miles: 2,537.5

Hours today:    0

Locks today: 0.    Total locks: 34

Boaters really appreciate refrigerators- especially those huge side-by-side models with ice and water on the doors sitting in their kitchens at home. <sigh>  Most boat refrigerators are considerably smaller and do not have ice makers. Many are a bit "warmer" then their land-based counterparts. We cynically refer to one brand of boat fridges as "NeverCold." We use our refrigerator, 2 Coleman coolers, with blue ice packs,  and an Engel portable fridge/freezer to chill our stuff.The Engel and one cooler full of beverages are up on the flybridge, while the second cooler is in the aft shower, which we use for storage. I usually know where different things are being stored, but that was shot to heck Monday when our 19 year-old fridge gave up the ghost after a gentle defrosting. We reminded ourselves (often) that this was an inconvenience, not a tragedy. Still, trying to prepare meals with ingredients stored in four different locations is majorly frustrating. It never fails that the ingredient needed is located at the very bottom of whichever cooler. So, take everything out, find the required item, and put it all back in.  Arrrgh!

Dr. Research  (aka Mark) immediately set to work to find a replacement and uncovered two options- one cost twice as much as the other and would take four weeks to ship. Not an option. Thankfully we have connections- we have Mike, who is originally from our hometown, is married to our daughter-in-law's cousin, has a boat business, and lives a few miles away. Jackpot! Mike drove over with our new fridge, removed the old model and installed the new one. He made it look easy. Thank you, Mike!!! (And Mark helped.)

The grandkids could have made a cool house out of the box.

Out with the old

In with the new

Mike connects the 110 and 12 volt

Love it!

Yesterday (Saturday) our marina hosted its monthly brunch for boaters at Pier 22 restaurant. What a delicious treat! Thank you, Twin Dophin Marina. We shopped the Farmers Market is spite of the howling wind, and bought more Royal Red shrimp- they are awesome with drawn butter. We were craving Grouper again- I think that Grouper is addicting. We ate supper at O'Bricks on Old Main, a short stroll from the marina. We WILL be going back there- the food and service are excellent.

We are happy to be tucked into the marina during these several days of strong winds and big waves on the Gulf. We watched three footers on the normally calm Manatee River yesterday- out in the open water the waves are as high as ten feet- yikes!