Catching up with Jack the Boat Kitty

I realize it has been a long time since last wrote. There is not a lot of action to report so you are not missing much! We travel every day but going about 8 mph it takes a while to travel this distance.

Here is a day on the road with Good Karma traveling at 8mph watching butterflies pass us by. We get up at 6am, get ready before dawn. Days are so short that we have to be on the road early, especially when you go this slowly. We pull up anchor or unhook between 6:30 and 7am. Have breakfast on the road, either something toasted if the generator is running or yogurt and berries if the generator is off. 

Kermit drives most of the time while Katherine works on the computer or with clients. Lunch is a sandwich or maybe something bigger if we turn on the generator. Lately we like eating our big meal in the middle of the day. Kermit takes a nap every day to keep up his strength. Driving takes your full attention and after a while it is exhausting. I am not being sarcastic. You try it sometime!

We stop running between 3pm and 4pm which is usually about 50 or 60 miles. Remember it is fully dark by 5:30pm so we need to be set up safely well before 5pm. Katherine runs the boat while Kermit sets the anchor. Surprisingly few arguments... so far. We have a light dinner, read for a while and go to bed by about 8:30pm.

It is a calm, relaxing way to live. We are not stopping much to enjoy the sites but we are noting them as we pass. We are really focused on getting to our winter destination in Fort Pierce FL.

Jack the cat is very well adjusted. He has his little routine too. He gets up before we do so he can annoy me by pulling on the covers. I feed him first thing because he is so insistent – yelling and stamping his feet to let me know that he is shrinking away to nothing for lack of food. I clean his litter box every day, sometimes twice so everyone is pleased to share quarters. 

Can you see the seagulls?
Jack does!

Fascinated with the windshield wipers

After breakfast Jack comes to the helm and takes his morning nap either under Kermit’s feet cuz why not or lately on the seat next to Kermit. After the morning nap he explores a little on the deck in front of the helm before settling down for his second and often third naps of the day. He might chase a bug or talk to the seagulls if he feels adventurous. We are trying to convince him that he can sleep in the sun on the deck above the helm but he is not yet convinced. 

After we anchor we often sit on the front deck with a glass of wine and cigar for Kermit.  You can tell from these photos that the weather varies a bit. Sometimes we sit on the front deck in shorts and t-shirts (or in Kermit's case no shirt!) and sometimes we are bundled like Ohio. It is nice to get out of the cabin and catch some fresh air before heading down below to make dinner.

Jack follows us up to the front to hang out with the family.

This scares us to DEATH because the little guy is not very sure footed (never has been) and we don't have any provisions for fishing him out of the drink. 

Jack the cat learned a new trick at Osprey Marina. One evening Kermit came back to the boat to discover Jack on the DOCK! He shooed the little fellow back on the boat. This proves Jack is so comfortable on the boat that going down the back stairs and expanding his adventure off the boat is no longer scary for him. It is terrifying for us! We have to keep the doors shut so he doesn’t leave town.

Jack is ready for bed at about 8pm so he goes and sits by my side and yells until we head to bed. That is a cat’s life on the boat! He is such a good boat kitty!!