Oriental NC

Would have been good to attend the Annapolis Boat Show and to trek up the Potomac to Washington DC but it just didn't work out that way.We have to get south and on the way we have to call in to Oriental,where our new lifestyle started,and see all our good friends and do 'stuff'.

So this is Oriental.Afternoon gathering to get a spot of sun and talk over the days work....or just tell lies etc.Some people ain't around anymore ,new people arrive and the non-transients,locals that is always make us feel like we're "from around heah".

Lucky for us John had Whampoa on the hard,fixing up a bit of rot,so we've been keeping his slip warm for him.The post Irene mosquito plague has kept socialising to daylight hours but we did have a great night at the Silos (that's a bar in some converted grain silos just down the road)open mike night.Perry and I did our thing,which was a bit of jazz this time,and then we ended up with having a great jam with with a couple of 'outoftowners' John on (great}guitar and vocals and Rich on harp and Chris,who runs da joint on guitar also.

That's pretty much what goes on 'round heah'plus getting all those dockside things done....carpentry,oil changes ,stuffing the the stuffing box and,of course,lotsa varnishing to keep Jabiru looking her beautiful self.
Ever since we first came here I've been amused by a Barber shop on the way to New Bern,that always has lawn mowers outside.Tough ,these North Carolinians.Anyway ,decided to get a photo this time and when we stopped we were lucky to catch the proprietor of the establishment.Ron.A nicer example of good ol'southern you couldn't meet.

He had to show us his barber shop,even though it's people like me who killed the barber trade.For a few years anyway........So he sat me down amidst all sorts of old barbershop stuff,including a large head of a black bear 'stuck 'up on the wall."Ma son shot him .Jus' over the road thar".

He had to give me a hair cut before we left so he carefully selected 'a hair' and ......cut it.
We'll be heading off tomorrow to hopefully catch some fair winds and following seas to Florida.Don't think we're going to get them even though we've been waiting another week for them!Still got to get a sail made before we depart these shores.Speaking of sails we couldn't wind up our 'summer blogs' without introducing you to our angel of mercy from Holiday Hill marina.

She lives on a large motor yacht with her two boys.Her husband is deployed in the mid.east.She drove us around and lent us a car all during our sail 'dramas' and generally mothered us.If you can be 'mothered ' by a 30 something girl!Thankyou Marlene.You're a gem.
Should be able to get another blog done before we leave....probably Miami to