To The Mainland! Longer Than Expected ~ But Not Forever.

It’s been just short of forever since I wrote our last blog…. Frank and I were visiting family, friends and doctors in the U.S., so our boating was non-existent for a bit. We anticipated a visit of 5 weeks, but due to some issues, our trip ended up being twice the length we expected. Thankfully, all appears well and we are back on board Ticket to Ride, enjoying the beauty of the Society Islands and the restorative waters in which we float.

Rather than become mired in the details, this blog will be mostly pictures with a few bits of information….

Sadly, there is never enough time to see everyone we want to see when we go back to the U.S. and I often forget to take pictures of the friends I do see. There are several very special friends whose pictures I don’t have including at least three who generously allowed us to stay in spare bedrooms and even lent us cars!

One highlight was attending the wedding of one of my brothers. Though I did find it slightly ironic that the Justice of the Peace was right beside the jail visitation center…. Freudian slip? The ceremony was short, but very nice and the party afterwards was joyous and filled with laughter.

While I was at Jeff’s wedding, Frank took the opportunity to visit Tommy, our Hawaiian friend, ambassador and crew member, who is currently living in Newport, RI.

Frank’s mom and sister made a trip to North Carolina and it was delightful to spend time together. As you can see, it was a bit chilly and we had to wear jackets in the evenings.

It isn’t a Stich Family Gathering if there aren’t projects somewhere in the mix. Frank, Clayton and Hunter worked on getting Hunter’s skiff cleaned up, including removing and replacing the bottom paint. A little engineering was required to lift the boat.

After a lot of elbow grease, the skiff was completed and relaunched. My three handsome men were happy with their success.

In addition to boat work and gardening, quite a bit of house work was accomplished as well. The projects were beneficial for improving the boat house but were especially helpful in keeping Frank busy. When away from Ticket to Ride, keeping Frank involved and productive is very positive.

Combine wind and water and somehow my family will find a way to be on the water and usually that means kiteboarding. This trip was no exception, especially since we were in the Outer Banks of North Carolina; one of the best places to kite in the whole US.

Hunter recruited me as the “Worm Specialist” this trip. After several YouTube videos, I prepared a worm composting system for his garden. In this picture we are discussing the merits of the worms just prior to filling the compost bin and depositing the “red wigglers.” In case you are unaware, red wigglers are sort of the “goats of worm composting.” Apparently they will eat just about anything! Actually there are things that don’t agree with them, but all in all using worms is a pretty great way to compost.

One super fun part of our trip was visiting with the Suggs Family – or at least a few of them. We had a chance to reconnect with Jimmy, Elizabeth and their darling children. Plus I met up with Jimmy’s mom, Roxanne, while in Dallas.

We also had a chance to visit Frank’s brother and his wife, Carolyn, in Michigan. This was a special opportunity to spend time with Ellis and Carolyn and see their charming home town of Holland.

As luck would have it, Tulip Time was in full swing and the flowers were gorgeous.

As if visiting Ellis and Carolyn during the tulip festival wasn’t great enough, by coincidence, one of my favorite friends and tennis partners from DFW was in Holland at the same time we were. We met Tanya and Lance for breakfast and a stroll through Carolyn’s beautiful store. Carolyn is a fabulous artist and has a darling store on the main street of Holland!

Frank and I also took a little time to explore some parts of North Carolina, including a small place called Brevard. Brevard is at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest and is known for its albino squirrels, which are harder to capture than you might think. In the righthand photo I have circled one that was splayed out on a tree branch.

Happily, we were able to celebrate Hunter’s birthday while we were visiting. He was a good sport to wear a birthday hat, and relinquish the kitchen so I could make dinner. WHICH turned out to be for more friends than expected, so a very special thank you to Emma, JM, Drew and others who jumped right in and helped me cook. Without their help, dinner would never have happened!

Everywhere we visited we managed to find some beautiful scenes. I appreciate the diversity of the beauty in the various parts of the United States.

While visiting Hunter, we even managed to get in a few sunset yoga sessions. I cannot describe how peaceful it was to have a cool breeze coming in off the water while practicing yoga as the sun set. Such a blessing!

Although we spent longer than expected in the States, the visit was fruitful from the standpoint of seeing family, reconnecting with friends, seeing new parts of the country and having health check ups. I am sorry I was unable to go back to St. Louis and see my other brothers, but time and appointments simply didn’t allow it. Hopefully that will happen soon.

After a long time away from Ticket to Ride, we packed the two bags and two backpacks we had brought with us, plus THREE more we acquired from thrift stores and headed for the airport….

Weighed down with parts and a few things we cannot find in French Polynesia, we settled in for 20+ hours of travel back to our boat. As always, I was very sad to leave my family and I felt the tear in my heart as we said goodbye. This nomadic life is so interesting and rewarding, but the toll exacted on my heartstrings is tremendous.

As we travel, I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to see new places and experience different cultures. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t express my regret that I miss out on the moments that reinforce family ties and friendships. I especially wish I could be closer to my sons. But considering that they live 3,600 miles from each other, it is unrealistic to think I could spend time with both of them very often!

A very special thank you to Amelia who took care of Ticket to Ride while we were away. We are very grateful that she was willing to adjust her schedule and stay on board much longer than we expected. We are so lucky to have such a competent and caring person on our boat and in our lives!

As always, thank you for stopping by to read our blog, especially one so focused on our family and land travels. If you want to hear from us more often, please visit us on Facebook or Instagram. Wishing you good health and fun adventures.