Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ode to Paul and the Lady H

Here is a shot of LadyH with her spinaker out. Phillip took this picture - I was too busy hanging on - it was VERY rough out there. My camera doesn't have much of a zoom as you can tell.


Phillip and I were thinking and reminiscing about our times with Paul and Joyce and the LadyH and what a gift it has been having the LadyH to buddy boat with. We have had so many great times with them, great snorkeling, fabulous dinners, endless games of Mexican Train and too many laughs to mention. Yes, we know Paul gets worked up about politics and that we are on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to that sort of thing, but apart from that subject, which we steer well clear of if we can, Paul has been such a delight to travel with - helpful, patient, kind, good natured and able to laugh when we come up with constant nicknames for him (Slick, Big Paulie, and our current favorite, Minobio).

One memory in particular comes to mind. Joyce and I were snorkeling in Ave de Sotovento (the Aves islands) and we thought the men were right behind us. Phillip's mask had broken so while Joyce and I were in the water, we saw them in the dingy zooming back to Delphinus (to get a spare mask I thought). Joyce and I carried on snorkeling and assumed the boys were going to be getting in the water as soon as they got the mask. When we next looked up, we saw Paul and Phillip in the dinghy, hats on, sunglasses on, big smiles on both their faces, the dinghy drifting gently by us, and a beer in their hands. Talk about contentment - they looked like the cats that got the cream - so happy, just drifting on the dinghy near us (so they could be there for when we finished snorkeling), chatting away at times, other times just silent, both with smiles on their faces - I don't think I've ever seen them both look happier. (I didn't have my camera with me, fortunately Joyce did and took these pics, which I borrowed from her)

What more could they want? Their own company, on the water in a dinghy and a beer in their hands, they looked so happy. Every time I looked at them I burst out laughing, filling my mask with water, but I couldn't help it - it was the most delightful "kodak moment".. That image will always stay with me when I think of Paul. Phillip is so fond of Paul, as we both are, and I could completely understand this complete contentment, the "all is right with the world" feeling that they had....


What a fabulous cook Paul is too - I can't tell you the number of fantastic dinners we've had with them, the garlic bread, lobster, fillet steak, FAJITAS (Phillip's favorite), long cool cocktails in their cockpit, and let's not forget Paul's Salad Dressing. It's just fantastic - I love it SO much that I have it with everything pretty much - salad, toasted sandwiches, lasagna, left over cold fish or chicken, fajitas, hot dogs, garlic bread, humus on crackers etc. I have the recipe but we had a salad dressing evening when, on their boat and under his direction, I made gallons of the stuff so I can take it back up to the Chesapeake. The main ingredient of course is GARLIC (we all ate so much garlic that we turned it into a vegetable!)! I would say there was about a head of garlic in every meal, and we all just loved it.

There were many happy games of Mexican Train where they are constantly accusing Phillip (good naturedly) of cheating or trying to hide the tiles or taking to long to move, or pointing his train at them - really delightful evenings and memories we will treasure. I also have to mention what a fabulous baker Joyce is - the banana bread and banana muffings we have had that she's made, usually warm and dripping with butter - well, pure bliss, just pure bliss.

This photo below captures everything more or less - rum and beer on the table along with freshly baked banana muffins and a huge block of butter for the muffins and good old Minobio.


We are really sad to be getting to the end of the Caribbean trip. They leave from Curacao and head to the Rio Dolce where they will leave the boat for the summer and head off here and there and do their thing. Phillip and I leave for the Chesapeake, but our hearts will be with the Lady H and we look forward to meeting up with her again and some more sailing.

We send our love with you and safe sailing.