Chilling Out with Family and Friends

The Laceys on Bavarian Cream

We were settled in at our marina and were planning on renting a car for a week, so we could visit Capt. Larry's 94 year old aunt and cousin in Roanoke Rapids, NC as well as sight see some of the historic places in the area. We spent the first couple of days in the marina doing boat chores that had been sorely neglected. Capt. Larry changed the oil in the engines and did some basic maintenance, while Jane did some major cleaning and organizing. We also arranged to have someone help us with our broken throttle cable. This was the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, and Jane felt that we should invite the Lacey's over for a Kentucky Derby party. Of course Jane and Lace wanted to dress up with their big hats while Dick and Larry just wanted an excuse to drink.

Mad Hatters!

We got together and watched the race and Jane's horse, Animal Kingdom, actually won paying 20:1! Capt. Larry's horse, Stay Thirsty, didn't make him the most interesting man in the world. We had dinner with the Lacey's and turned in for the night.

Christine, Larry, Ray, Lori & Barb

Capt. Larry & his favorite aunt

The next morning, Mother's Day, we took our rented car and went to Roanoke Rapids to visit relatives. Capt. Larry had not see his Aunt Gladys or cousin Barb and husband Ray for 5 years, and it was a real joy to be able to reunite at their beautiful home. We caught up and traded favorite stories and were treated to a great dinner that they had prepared. Afterward, Barb & Ray's daughter, Lori, and beautiful teenage daughter, Christine, came by. Capt. Larry was talking to Christine as if he were her uncle, and it wasn't until we left that he reflected and realized that she was actually his 3rd cousin! Young people will do that to you. Anyway, it was so nice to be able to get together with people that were so important in determining the course of your life.

Jane with Mr. Bubbles

Our permit to carry rum!

We left but didn't return to the boat. Being Mother's Day, Jane's daughters, Milana & Millette, had arranged for us to spend the night at a motel at their expense so Jane could luxuriate in a tub and bubble bath- something she had not done since we left home. We no sooner got checked in and Jane hit the tub. The next morning she got up early so she could take another bath, and Capt. Larry does believe that had she not needed something to eat, she would still be immersed in her world of bubbles. We left the motel and had breakfast, then made a run to a liquor store that we had spotted earlier. The rum locker was running low (already!). We decided to get a case of rum and when we checked out, the cashier asked Capt. Larry for his i.d. Seems that when you buy a large quantity of liquor in NC, you have to have a permit to transport it. They recorded all of our information and gave us the permit which we were told to show a state trooper if we should be stopped. They kept no copies of this permit and Capt. Larry found this whole process hilarious, because he had a dated receipt for the entire transaction. Anyway, they obviously don't want any rum runners passing through North Carolina! We got back to the boat without be stopped or detained as moonshiners.