Our buddies left and we are still here...by choice!

Our buddies!!

I mentioned this in my previous blog and it appeals to me in an emotional way... someone said to me that you will make friends on this trip and may only know them for a couple weeks yet you will feel like you've known them forever. How true this remark has become for us!
Typically when you first meet someone you may have them over to your house or meet for lunch to get to know them and find common interests. On a boat the time you spend together tends to be much more in your face. You tend to get to know someone quickly when you are rafted off their boat for a couple days, every time you go outside, there they are. Small talk goes out the door and usually you are sharing stories reserved for those close to you. One thing already established is the common interest of boating and Looping. And for most Loopers we have met, that is the stepping stone to beginning a conversation.
.

Ben and I are younger than most of the Loopers we have met, some ignore us, some come right out and ask our ages or what we did in our past life to get here, others want to talk about our boat, but the ones we have made connections with want to talk about where we are going and where we have been. They don't see an age, or care how big or small our boat is, they see a couple with a love of adventure and boating just like themselves. There is something to be said about having the boat community near especially if you may need help or need an extra part or need an onion or a dinghy ride for you and your dog to go ashore, and trust me you will need something someday.

Since it is just the two of us together ALL THE TIME, we welcome great conversations with great people. Finding people that you can travel with, laugh with and just enjoy spending time together has been a special treat for us. So, when we had to go our separate ways it was a little emotional. We trusted each other, we planned our trips together, we ate most meals together, heck we even took our dogs to potty together! We won the lottery with these guys (Liz and Bob on Knot Sew Easy). Now we have to do it alone and it feels a bit odd. Wow! I sound pathetic I know. Call me emotional! After all, we are only going to be apart for a couple weeks with a plan in place of meeting back up after our side trip to Nashville and their trip to Alabama.

So, while I text them daily since they are on the move (and we are still here at Green Turtle Bay Resort for a week), Ben and I are hanging out and it feels great! Ben surprised me with a couples massage one day...totally did not see that coming, have I mentioned how sexy he is?!!?

Jade and Earth Spa

Dockers open for breakfast and lunch

View of the transient slips

Friends from our Grand Banks cruising club (GLGBA) back home, Julie and Tom on Sum Escape, happened to come in and were slipped right next to us. It was a treat to get to know them better over dinner and drinks, and my nosey self got a tour inside their gorgeous GB 46. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality! They are already on the move again (and we are still here) but we will probably meet up along the way somewhere.

Sum Escape next to Jammin Jane

Sum Escape leaving with Julie at the helm

We did something we probably wouldn't do back home. We saw a Branson-style variety musical with fellow Loopers, Clark and Eve on Sea Moss, put on at the Badgett Playhouse located here in Grand Rivers, KY. Boy were we surprised! The show was spectacular! Lots of talent exploding on that stage. Some fellow Loopers caught the show last week and made a comment that maybe we are too young to know the songs, as this particular show was a trip down memory lane with music performed from the 50's on up in a variety of genres. Well, we knew every song!

Crocket has been meeting lots of people while being here, I swear most people know us because of Crocket. He just has a way of saying hi with his cute face and winning peoples hearts. He is really happy having us with him everyday (unlike it was back at home with us both working) and I think it's keeping him young. No one believes us when we tell them his age (one of the first questions people ask) of 10 years. He's a happy, spoiled dog!

We've enjoyed meeting our other slip mates, Sid and Evelyn on Something Special who completed the Loop in 2012 (making them Gold Loopers, they get to fly the coveted gold burgee) and liked it so much they are doing it again! Through them we met another fun couple Dan and Sue on their Grand Banks Tranquility. Even Crocket knew these were great people, he jumped right on Tranquility and made himself at home...they were trying to steal him, I just know it! haha! We had a few meals with these wonderful, interesting, silly people. They too are now on the move, (and we are still here by choice) it feels weird to stay put while watching everyone leave. But a couple more days and we are out of here too. The town is having their fall celebration with a parade and parties (I kinda wish we could stay so I could check out the party) so we have to leave since there are a number of transient boats arriving soon and our slip is probably spoken for. O'well! This will give us 7 days to get to Nashville when it will only take 4 days at most. We will take it slow and enjoy our run.

Evelyn sure is Something Special!! Probably not the first time she's heard this!

Sid the Gold Looper with Ben

Can not wait to fly that burgee!!

Sue and Dan, these two are a hoot!! Both worked in prisons for years, what a thrilling career, I had lots of questions about shanks!

Their Grand Banks 36 classic, just like the boat that Ben's grandparents owned and the reason we own our Grand Banks!

Sitting still has given me time to finally get all our laundry done and with our new vacuum arriving the other day, the floors are now dog hair free. It feels good to do a major clean.
The staff here have been most accommodating and extremely friendly. It is one big happy family here, really they are terrific! We have met almost everyone and I tend to make my rounds checking in with everyone each morning. Carrie was able to order me my Doterra essential oils and even made a few new recommendations. Our boat smells amazing and we are benefiting from it too! Tommy has been very helpful with every question I have and helping me stay stocked with turtle food (have I mentioned I'm a bit obsessed with checking on and feeding the turtles?). Bill is the owner and has been most accommodating with our last minute request to stay the second week...I hope the strawberry rhubarb pie we ordered for them helps with the logistical problem we may have caused.

The adorable and funny Carrie...wish I could take her with me!!

Tommy, the soft spoken sweet man that is there to help all the time!

Bill, the owner, knows how to keep us here!! OH! His gorgeous wife, Machelle runs the spa and she is wonderful too!

We are enjoying our time here and highly recommend this quaint and lovely spot to relax after a trip on the river! Heck, you may even make some new friends while you are at it, we sure have!