Into the Wild Blue Yonder: June 2012

Howdy all- hope summer is treating y'all well. Does it seem to be flying by to anyone else? Last week of June what?! Ya don't say!

Things have been going splendidly here, this place is definitely full of adventure:)

When I first decided to move to Annapolis and the boat, I knew that I would be in small(er) living conditions than I was previously used to. I am now living in a space that I am pretty sure could have fit in my walk-in closet in Memphis. It was pretty humorous packing my apartment in Memphis into separate piles of clothes, some to home, some the the beach, some staying in Memphis, and some to Annapolis. Thank God for Sam and Kaila helping me minimize the piles down from 5-6 boxes, to a small carry-on and one large suitcase. Smart thinking there, because I have so little room that I am pretty much living out of the back of my car, great thing about that is- I always am prepared! Weekend trip spur of the moment to Iowa, no problem; go to the gym after work, always have clothes; spill coffee on myself during crazy rush hour traffic, easypeasy fix when your whole closet is in your backseat;)

A few weeks after moving onto the boat, I finally got used to the rocking. While some might think its peaceful, it is also kinda hard to get used to. For the first few days, I would wait outside in the hallway at work and still feel like I was moving. Sometimes, after quick weekend trips home, I have to regain my sea legs!

Anywho- here is an little impromptu tour of my home...the Like Eye Care, named by my dear Mom. When my Dad was contemplating buying the boat, he was trying desperately to get my Mom's approval. When I was a baby, they owned a boat (the Jessie Caitlin after yours truly:), and things on that little boat didn't always go so swimmingly well, for example, the Coast Guard had to come tow my parents (and lil' me) off a sandbar during a storm. My Mom could write books about all their crazy boat stories, so it was understandable that she was less than enthralled by the idea of another boat. In an effort to get my Mom involved, my Dad offered to let my Mom name the boat, and being already frustrated, she said "William, like I care what we name the boat." And there ya have it folks, Like Eye Care was born (with a little play on I's since we are an eye doc family).

Old school picture--funny how everyone is so grown!

This is the deck of the boat...kinda (our boat has carpet, and I tried to take a picture but it was too dark) so here is a replica;) The stairs right in the middle are a door that opens to the living space.

Here is the door! Off the the right there is where I sleep:)

Here is my kitchen! I have a small fridge, sink, stove top (under my coffee maker), and microwave.

The bathroom situation:) I mainly use it for brushing my teeth, as there is a larger bath house a few feet away from my boat.

Here is my kitchen table!

And Josh's bed at the front of the boat!

And this is Annapolis City Marina, my boat is that one on the left. Pretty!!

More of the Marina. There are always ducks and sailboats roaming around, and about 15 feet off my deck is another deck for a restaurant that overlooks the water. It is pretty fancy, but I do enjoy hearing their live music and smelling their food!

So you might be wondering what I have been up to around here lately, well here it goes:

I've been collecting little tokens of appreciation from patients...:)

That top picture has a challenge coin, and it is usually given by a high ranking official to a service member who has done an exemplary job. Here is some military trivia for ya: long ago during wartime, officials would give out these coins as morale boosters. Servicemen would collect these coins, and often could "challenge" other servicemen by seeing whose coin outranked the others depending on the position of the official that gave them the coin. If you were challenged in a bar, and lost to another serviceman, you were required to buy them drinks the rest of the night:) Not too shabby!

This little blue fellow below was knitted for me by a solider who creates these little creatures as "Traveling Mercies." He distributes them to children of soldiers and soldiers themselves so that they can carry them with them and remember that someone is always thinking of them, and praying for them. I thought it was quite sweet:)

I have been taking full advantage of only being 6 hours from home! This guy's license tag said Home to NC, even though the plate was from Virginia. :)

I've been pretending like I live on the Titanic!

I have been eating Italian water ice and custard...a treat that seems to be a Northeastern kinda thing.

I have been beasted by a kneeboard, and reminded through bumps and bruises that I am 25:(

Kneeboard:1, Jessie: 0

I have been hanging with old friends, and making new ones:)

I have been actively trying to steer clear of coffee shakes from this little joint up the road!

I have been seeing patients!

I have been taking long walks by the water, and appreciating how pretty this place is!

I have been flooded! Don't worry, nothing too serious, just had a leak in the fresh water tanks that supply water to the boat. All under control now;)

I have been stuck in ALOT of traffic, to work, from work....I have been listening to books on CD or talking to Mr. Sam Johnson to pass the time. Commuting is no joke folks!