meet-ups – Roaming About

Karmen and Tom in Marineland

I’ve mentioned it before, 2020 couldn’t have been off to a better start for us – at which point, it did cross my mind that it could only go downhill from there. But the first week of January comprised good times with our old boating friends Tom and Karmen, who finished renovating a new-to-them catamaran. We met many years ago sailing in the Bahamas and stayed in touch, crossing paths throughout the country. They swung by twice in their converted camper van while we house sat (in Santa Fe, NM and San Diego, CA) and we visited them in Monmouth, Oregon to learn first-hand – and with all our senses – how they created the successful and innovative pizza restaurant, Yeasty Beasty. Don’t you love that name?

Beach walk in the town of Marineland

Mark hauls Tom up the mast of his catamaran – reminiscing old times.

Our friend Karmen is creative, and not only with her camera.

Game night on SV Sauvage

Giving Karmen and Tom a ride into St. Augustine – Maya happily shares her space

Happy hour with the pizza girls!

Sailing friends reunited!

We also met up with communal sailing friends Dan and Jaye.

Going out for drinks and tacos with sailing friends Dan and Jaye

Marian and Cliff in Jacksonville

Also in January, I finally met blogging and memoirist friend Marian Beaman. She and her husband Cliff graciously invited us into their home for a yummy chili lunch and hours of conversation. Marian, a Mennonite until age 24, blogs at Plain and Fancy and recently published her heartfelt, well-written memoir Mennonite Daughter – The Story of a Plain Girl, which offers a glimpse into 20th century Mennonite life and documents her experiences and life-altering decisions as Marian Longenecker.

Cliff and Marian in front of their comfortable home

Marian and I honoring the hibiscus flowers in her yard

From the heat to the cold…

One of the reasons Mark and I moved into our camper van Zesty in July, was to experience the freedom we so desire. Being free to go and stay where we wanted, for as long as we pleased. And, being free to adjust our route to incorporate visiting people dear to us, whether we hadn’t seen them in years, in months, or ever!

And so, one of the highlights of our travels this past summer and fall has been meeting up with friends old and new. What a blast it was! While Mark and I enjoy our “us-time”, socializing with people we connect with, have things in common with, or share interesting conversations with cannot be matched.

John and Andre in Rollinsville, Colorado

We house sat for this amazing couple and their dog Oscar, in the fall of 2017. As we headed north from Santa Fe, where our latest RV adventure in Zesty started, we made it a point to stop by and say hello. They welcomed us with open arms, John took us white water kayaking, we hiked together, and we shared a couple of nice dinners.

Then (2017):

Hike with John, Andre and Oscar, before the house sit

Now:

Dinner out with our Colorado friends

Oscar had stitches from a wound this time around

The first time for Mark and I to go whitewater kayaking.

Rachel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Mark and I met Rachel in the South Pacific. She and a friend were sailing the area on SV Namaste, just like we did on our 35’ catamaran Irie. We spent many enjoyable nights together on either boat in French Polynesia, shared adventurous hikes and celebrated two Christmases and New Years together. We visited her in Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, where she and her sister Nina’s family invited us to stay in the house for as long as we wanted. Rachel also took us to Whistler. We ended up staying four days, since we all got along so well.

Then (2014 – 2015):