Saturday, October 9, 2010

Inventory and provisioning...

...are not exactly exciting things to write about, but that's how I spent the majority of my day yesterday! Ron was out and about with other errands (mail forwarding service, bank, etc) in the morning, while I pulled out my trusty clipboard and inventoried the pantry foodstuffs before bagging them for toting to the boat next week. This time, it's harder to estimate how much we need to bring since we think we will be gone longer...but then again, through experience now, we have a somewhat better handle on what foods we eat frequently and what foodstuffs are a luxury and not really practical to have aboard.

For example, even though we lived aboard most of the time when we were on the Chesapeake, we had a grocery store nearby and yet didn't really think about what type of foods we ate more frequently during the course of 6 months, or what items we only used once in a blue moon in a new recipe. Prepping to go farther afield, we tried to stock up accordingly, yet we found we still ran out of favorite items sooner than expected during our travels this past winter and spring. It's something to be considered while cruising in the islands, since some things are harder to find than others! Specialty items like capers or good olive oil, marinated artichoke hearts or balsamic vinegar...hard to find if not impossible, while other items are plentiful. We also found we preferred to use local fresh vegetables where ever we were, and so with a few exceptions, we use our freezer space for meats. We now know a bit better which things we definitely need to stock up on, and what items we can do without. Or...at least, I hope so!! Itemizing and inventory continues!!

 Ron with Paul and Muriel aboard Tingum in Manatee Pocket
We also have our friends Paul and Muriel in for an impromptu weekend visit, so we are taking a bit of a hiatus from boat chores while they are here. The weather was exceptional -- sunny, calm, and glorious, so it was out on the water! We went out in Tingum, cruising to Manatee Pocket for lunch at Shrimpers, then up the St. Lucie River, then back east and out through the St. Lucie inlet onto the Atlantic for a bit of fun in the sunshine. It was a great time, albeit a short one, since I'm heading to Wisconsin tomorrow to be with my Dad and family for a few days. He's still rehabbing after his back surgery, and a lovely chance to be together prior to our setting out aboard Equinox. So...a busy, busy, busy few days...but we'll just keep at it, and try to keep all the balls in the air. Or, oars in the water, so to speak!





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