Vacationing with Rick and Lynnie

We're in Cary NC (near Raleigh) at Rick and Lynnie's house which, as Norm says, has a whole room just for laundry!  We're enjoying being in a home with lots of room and being with our friends whom we haven't seen in person for a year.  We've seen movies, played dominoes, ate KFC and Indian and lots of good food at home, jazzercised, walked, shopped, and just hung out.  Every moment has been a delight.  And tonight, Vicki is conscripting everyone to watch 'Dancing with the Stars' with her.  What could be more fun?

Tide Hiker is having her bottom painted at Bock Marine and will be ready to be splashed again tomorrow.  At one point we thought we might be staying with Rick and Lynnie until Christmas, but no such luck.  Norm had to get an xray after lifting something heavy from an awkward position.  The doc said he was very lucky not to need surgery -- had a severely strained bicep -- it's much better now.   

We made a couple stops on the way here that were new to us...  Smithfield VA up the James River is a delightful town and home to the famous "Smithfield Ham".  River Dunes Marina off the Neuse River was delightful.  We stayed at marinas on the way here because those anchoring were getting deluged with Chinese mosquito's or 'blind' mosquito's that excrete yellow stuff on the boat which takes hours to clean. Luckily, we avoided that fate.

So, it's adieu to Cary, NC tomorrow.  We'll splash the boat, wash her down, reprovision, return the rental car and try to get a good night's sleep aboard Tide Hiker.  Then, on Wednesday, it's off to meet up with Joe and Julia aboard Sea Pearl at Morehead City, NC and south to the Mile Hammock anchorage (near Camp Lejeune, NC).