jaz06

Good Morning Everyone!!

Jimuk, congrats on day 17! You're well on your way again. Way to go my friend! Bit more than a hop, skip & a jump from Rhode Island. Take a left & meet me in Michigan! Vacation or business? Staying long in the states?

Just like Jim, I'm feelng good as well today. Tons & tons of crazy, vivid dreams last night, but I think that's more because I've got a lot on my mind lately.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe & sober day!!
Jaz

Jimuk

Hey Jaz, I too had some unusual dreams last night. :-)

I have signed up for a challenge to sail solo from uk to Rhode Island single handed next year. Now, I'm not sure the boat or i will be ready to go or have the money to be away so long.
Still trying to get my GF to agree fully to my adventure or it could stay a dream for a while longer, but here's hoping.

benice

Jim, I'm just about with ya! Today is 19 for me! Look at us stick with it...I'm proud to be on this journey with you. (and the rest of the great folks on this September thread!) I'm in the Midwest...farther than Jaz...

Jaz, you sound well. I'm happy for you!

The funeral I went to was actually uplifting. All about a positive attitude, living right, having faith, embracing family and friends. The church was more crowded than any Christmas Mass! Not a parking space left. Clearly she was an exceptional woman.

Hugs all. Embrace the day!

benice

Jim, I'm slow at posting and didnt see your last one. Are you kidding? That's FABULOUS! What an adventure!!!! So cool......

jaz06

WOW Jim!! That's AMAZING!! I'm sooo excited for you! Hopefully your GF will climb 'on board'...but ya can't blame her for being a bit nervous. That is quite the adventure! But talk about making memories! I've never sailed on the ocean, only on the Great Lakes. Have to be honest and say the ocean is a bit intimidating to me. Although I'm told that it's a smoother sail than any on the lakes. A 5 ft. wave here can beat you up way more than a 20 ft. wave out there. When time & money allow, one day I'll do it! All I have to do is give the hubby word, and he's there!! He's the sailor of the family. I'm going to have to tell him about your plan...guaranteed he'll be jealous.

Benice, again, sorry for your loss but so glad to hear all went well. Congrats on 19 days!! You & Jim always seem to be neck and neck. Happy for you both, you guys rock!!

Jimuk

Sounds like you friend had a great send off Benice, what more could she have wished for than to be remembered by so many.

The challenge has been on my mind for a long time now and already done lots of planning. I need to really work hard to stay sober to get anywhere near to the start. On the other hand if I can't make the start my boat will be in tip top passage making condition for smaller adventures. I'm seriously hoping to get across though and maybe raise some money for a good cause on the way.

Jimuk

The Great Lakes sound beautiful Jaz, I will google them when I get home tonight. I will keep you posted on how things are going, I have 15 months to get ready. Yikes.. :-)

Congrats on 19 days Benice, lets do this for keeps. X

jaz06

What a goal to have!! Definitely keep us posted. Mind me asking what the cause is??

When you google, steer clear of the Lake Erie side...East coast is not so impressive. That's actually where i grew up...I keep moving further & further North and am as far West as I can go. We sail on Lake Michigan. Absolutely beautiful! Furthest I've gone is from Frankfort to St. Ignus. Took us about 10 days to get there, but made many stops along the way. Best vacation I've ever had! Now if only we could figure out a way to win the lottery, we'd just live on the boat. Oh to dream!!

Jimuk

Sounds wonderful Jaz. I've not decided on a cause yet, I have been thinking of raising money for a charity set up in memory a young lad killed by a polar bear last year whilst on an adventure. His father was my spinal surgeon, a truly sad thing to happen to a young gifted lad. My other thoughts are for our local hospital neonatal unit but I'm still undecided I would like to be able to help them all.

I work in the marine industry currently building a 22 million pound Superyachts haha a vast deference to my 28 footer. I also need to win that lotto Jaz. If we ever do perhaps I could sail the lakes with you :-)

jaz06

That's a deal my friend!!! 22 million pound superyacht?!! We could fit both of our's in the cockpit alone!! Even with the lottery, I never want one that I need a crew to run. I can't single hand yet...but I make a great first mate!

Jimuk

Cool, this one has no sails so no good to us Jaz. It's being built for Eddie Jordan the formular 1 race car dude. More money than sense no one has told him the wind is free. :-)

jaz06

Too funny!! Our motor boat friends tease us constantly about having a 'blow boat' (as some call it)...but we get the last laugh when we're sailing out on a beautiful day & they're still docked because the fuel is too dang expensive! Sucks to be them!

benice

Jaz, we used to vacation at Frankfort every summer when my kids were little! We used to stay on Crystal Lake. BEAUTIFUL!! Sleeping Bear Dunes...Mackinac Island...Leeland...Traverse City...beautiful...

jaz06

Wow Benice!! How cool is that?!! This was our vacation spot too until some job offers brought us to this part of the state for good. You can guess that we weren't too disappointed...absolutely LOVE it here!!

hope22

Jim / Benice congrats on your days!

Jim / Jaz count me in on the boating My ex had a motor boat (I know no needling please lol) We talked about doing the great loop. So Jim, once you get to Rhode Island keep going, pop in to see Jaz in Michigan, I'm meet you on the other side of the lake michigan in Illinois Jim thats awesome what your doing!!!

elihoping

Just have to vent about my brother for a minute. He lost his job late last year ultimately due to drugs and alcohol. In December, I got him some work at the restaurant where I work because I was starting to get worried about him. Now he is driving me nuts! He does no work, he has a really bad attitude and he clearly doesn't want to be there. The manager is talking about getting rid of him, which might be a good idea. He's so ungrateful, I really regret getting him work and should know better by now than to try and help him out.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to get that off my chest!

Ozarkcowboy

eli,
Rant all you want here. Thats a tough spot to be in. I always thought that working with family was difficult. If he is not wanting to do the job, he should be let go. If you were not his brother and it was someone else, you would probably hold the door for him on his way out. Jobs are getting harder to come by these days,if he can't see you are trying to help him there is not much else you can do. Don't let it drag you down too. Just my 2 cents worth.

hope22

Eli sorry to hear about your brother, ozark is right. Working with family can be challenging enough without the alcohol and drug issues! Hang in there and vent all you want

elihoping

Thanks Ozark. It's true, if he weren't my brother, I'd be even harder on him. It's interesting to see how essential a rock bottom is for everyone. He'd be far more appreciative of a job if he'd had to go a bit longer without work and if he'd had to get the job himself. I shouldn't have interfered with the process. I hope he one day realises that most of his problems with work are a direct result of his drinking.

I have to laugh at myself though and how I'm STILL trying to self-sabotage. I drank a lot with my family and as part of my sobriety, I made the decision to distance myself a little bit from them. But then I go and get my brother a job with me! Am I crazy?! Lol. One step forward, two steps back.

elihoping

Thanks Hope!