December 6, 2011

Mouse and Valkyrie "rafted" in Deltaville, VA

Another Thanksgiving with Ryan and Kari and family!  What a coincidence - back in Deltaville, VA again this year to share the holiday.  Thanks to Kari, Kari's Mom and family who included us in the family feast and festivities when they heard we had arrived.  The food was fabulous and the entertainment.......novel.  I'd much rather watch the history channel and alligator hunting than football any day!

How to make apple pie on "mouse": Little Space, Big Mess, Neighbor's Oven

Back to Valkyrie and the painting...........

Ryan and Haley (Kari's daughter) hard at work.

 After sharing Thanksgiving, boat jobs, stories, lots of laughs, dinners........we headed south on Route 17.  Destination: Oriental, NC.  The weather was good for the passage - a little wind on the nose but sunny, clear, and warming.  The boat and trailer take up all of our half of the road and then some in a few narrow sections of the highway.  Jerry is pleased with the way the truck and trailer tow.  He's a pro!  We followed the Dismal Swamp Canal for part of Route 17 - the Dismal Swamp at 55 mph! 

Our friends Donna and Jerry Luh welcomed us to their piece of paradise on Broad Creek.  "mouse" again, near the water, but not yet in it.

"mouse" on the trailer, "Bluejacket" (Donna and Jerry's sailboat) at their dock.

For the past week our hosts have been spoiling us rotten!  Gourmet meals served on their dining room table looking out over the water, games in the evening, shopping trips to New Bern, visits with friends, and so much more.  Donna organized a sea glass jewelry party at her house so I could display and sell my work.  Thanks Donna!

Here's Donna with the orange blouse at the party.

We also took everything to the Farmer's Market and spent a chilly morning trying to work clasps on necklaces with frozen fingers.  Oriental also means visiting friends Don and D and cousins Dick and Georgette and others.  And you have to go to the "Bean", Oriental's coffee stop when in town.  It's odd and kinda sad looking at the town dock and the boats that come and go.  We're supposed to be doing that too - as we have for the past 10 years! 
Jerry and Jerry have been busy all week on boat projects -

Jerry and Jerry working on the "Bluejacket's" rubrail.

For the past 3 days we've planned on leaving to head further south........we've named Donna and Jerry's place here Luh's Landing Marina and Inn.  They make it so easy to stay just one more day!