Now we are in a healthy NE wind with plenty of sunshine but chilly air! Just to think 24 hours ago we were swimming!

According to the GPS, we should be arriving at  the shipping separation lanes tomorrow morning, about 8:00 our time. Which is good because it will be daylight.  And then it’s another 30 miles to our first Portugal stop, a town called Cascais.  Which has a good sheltered marina and is a short train ride to downtown Lisbon. It’s actually a suburb of Lisbon.

So tonight will be my final West to East Ocean Dinner. (Pasta and Azorean sausage ) and after that my last middle of the night watch, which I’ve grown to really like.  Again with the stars, and moon, I will never get tired of that!  When we motor, I do pilates and other workout routines on the back deck, under those stars and moon.  When we are sailing (and tonight we will be sailing) the steering keeps me awake, and it alone is a workout.  Not that it’s always   a workout, It either is a workout or I make it one, (you all should know me well enough by now that I’m going to make Cockpit Wave Riding a competitive sport somehow.) The workout part, silly or not,   certainly helps keep me awake in the middle of the night.   I will miss that! But will be doing it again on the way back!!

Once in Lisbon, we’ll be checking out the sights, and talking to locals about other sailing destinations along the coast. I will be scoping out some outdoor murals there and have  begun the process of talking about mural jobs. I already have 2 possibilities. But I won’t jinx it by talking about it more!!!!   Also, may look into renting a “garagem” (Portuguese for garage) to possibly rent to do one big painting for the Spring ABTC show. Already have leads on this as well.  Or we continue sailing towards Madeira and Canaries and home.   We’ll see!!  What I’d REALLY love is to revisit the Azores in the Spring, And then head to Madiera etc.  I feel like I’m not done with that place. Like I’ve left unfinished business.  If we don’t go back in the Spring, we either have to spend another 6 and a half million dollars to sail ALL THE  WAY back to the Azores from the United States  AGAIN, or simply winter over in Europe and bop over in the Spring? Is this a hard decision? ( just kidding about the 6 and a half million dollars but it sure seemed like it)

But that is for later to decide. Right now, I need to relish being out here, curl up with my latest book, make dinner, stand watch, wobble around the cabin, enjoy the salty air on my face, the sea critters, the amazing sunset, the big waves, each with character enough to name them (there goes Leroy!) the sound of the water wooshing by under the power of the sails, instead of the engine. ALTHOUGH we LOVE OUR ENGINE!!!!!!  That thing goes and goes and goes...I expect to open the engine room door and see a big pink bunny banging a base drum in there!!! (kudos to Jeff at Bay Shore Marine for a terrific rebuild!!)

Today we cranked up lots of music. I turned Al onto Eva Cassidy!  He turned us onto some very cool music from Turkey , a CD called” 360 Lounging’ from Istanbul. For those of you who know me, just the title alone is my style of world lounge music!!

So, next stop, “The Continent”.   Maybe dinner out. I’ll dress up! I have the shoes!