My Heart Stopped Beating

There are certain calls that I wife should not have to wait for.  One from the coast guard, to tell you if your husband is alive or dead, is one of them.

Thursday, September 20th it was early evening and I was finishing up some computer work when I received a call on our DIY Watermakers 1-800 number.  I was asked if my hubby was on a plane with his friend flying from Texas to Florida and if he was that the coast guard had been in contact regarding an emergency on the aircraft.  The line disconnected and I was left with a feeling of disbelief and the taste of metal in my mouth.

I'm not sure why it happens, but when your heart and stomach feel like they're both battling for who gets to reach your mouth first, I taste metal.  From my early 20's the taste of metal and fear have been synonymous with each other.  Not the "I'm being chased by a bear" fear, or the "a big spider just landed on my arm" fear.  Not the fear that causes your adrenaline to spike and everything to become clear, but the fear that is accompanied by a deep seated knowledge that everything may NOT be OK.  

The next few hours were very surreal.  I had called the local Galveston Coast Guard office and they had put me in contact with their district office out of New Orleans.  After I rattled on about not knowing if the call had been real or a prank, the Coast Guard officer informed me that an emergency had occurred on the aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico and helicopters and boats were on their way.  He had no more information than that, but thanked me for calling and assured me that as soon as they knew something they would call me back.  

They also asked for physical description and photos.  I think it was then that it started sinking in that the helicopters and boats were looking for bodies, not people.  I stared at my phone for the next hour waiting for it to ring.  I knew that if the plan had gone down in the ocean that the chance of them surviving was very slim.  And even if they survived the crash, would they be found out in the ocean with no life raft and darkness approaching.  At this point all I could hope for was that the emergency beacon had gone off by accident, b/c I knew that if they crashed that the Coast Guard would be calling to tell me my husband was dead.  

At some point my brain starting clicking enough to call my parents and let them know what was going on.  Besides that I was in a fog, a haze just sitting and waiting for the worst.  

My phone rang a couple of hours later and I scrambled to answer.  The Coast Guard told me that he had "Good News" and honestly what he said after that didn't matter much.  The words "alive" and "very very lucky" were about all I heard.  I thank him profusely and he let me know that they would inform my husband to call me as soon as the helicopter landed.  I hung up the phone and cried tears of relief.  

As my Dad said "that's real grown up stuff to have to go through", and I hope it's not something either of us have to ever go through again.  He is OK, they floated for about 3 hours but I'll let him tell his side of the story more in depth later.  It is funny how things like this make you appreciate each other, and make you realize that every time you say goodbye to someone that it may be the last.  So don't waste your time on petty fights, whose right or wrong, and you can never say I Love You enough.  We've joked around about it a lot this past week b/c if you think too hard about it you just can't help but cry.

So in case y'all didn't already know.  I love my hubby and he's everything I could have ever hoped for in a partner, a friend, a soul mate.  

Ridin’ Along in My Automobile

My baby beside me at the wheel.  I finally got all of the things finished up in Texas and have head eastward to relocate offices, work on the new business, and cruise with the hubby up and down the east coast for a while. 

First off I do have to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has visited the new web page for DIY Watermakers.  The response this first week has been overwhelming (in a good way) and a lot of it has been coming from this blog’s readers.  So, a big virtual hug for everyone reading this!  And if we ever meet in person I’ll give you a cookie too.

Now, a cross country road trip could be boring for some.  But with the hubby, the princess, and Bella the “diva cat” in the car it’s been pretty interesting.  I am pleased to announce that Bella slept the entire first day.  Sometimes sleeping so deep that I did the “mom” thing and tugged on some hair or an ear until she moved just to make sure she was still alive. 

We have gotten to experience a seedy roadside motel where we stopped because it was beside the Waffle House we stopped at and we were both exhausted and it met our requirement of “had a deadbolt on the door and a bed we would both fit in”.  I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have stayed there alone, but the only safety issue we encountered were the ninja ants that kept biting us in bed but then disappearing before we could find them.  I knew it was ants because I saw a trail of them in the bathroom the next morning.  Sneaky little bastards. 

But it hasn’t been all possibly dead cats and seedy motels.  We had a flat tire too!  Not to worry, several southern gentlemen came to our rescue and helped us put a plug in and get along on our way.  Even the gas station attendants had “southern” hospitality and charm.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a more delightful roadside emergency experience!

The drive through the mountains has been beautiful and I can’t wait to experience the east coast.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah!

Today’s post has been brought to you by my favorite drink and slightly embarrassing fact about my childhood. 

The other night I was introduced to possibly the most genius idea since the invention of the iPhone.  A Bloody Mary…..(wait for it)….garnished with a Slim Jim.  This bar had taken the Sunday Bruncher’s excuse to drink alcohol before noon and made it EVEN BETTER!  Let me break it down for you – how to make this amazing drink.

Start with an empty glass and “salt” half the rim.  But instead of using salt, use a Cajun seasoning called Slap Ya Mama.  Then fill with Ice and pour in about 2 fingers of your favorite vodka.  I like Ivanabitch in my Bloody Mary, and just this weekend learned that the bottle also fits in my wine bottle Woozie.  Pour in about 1 finger of Lime Juice, a splash of Olive Juice, and fill up the rest of the glass (about an inch and a half below the rim) with Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix.

Now it’s time to garnish.  Take a Slim Jim and cut it in half so that you have 2 shorter beef jerky sticks, place one in the glass like a straw.  Take a piece of celery and do the same thing with it.  Stick a toothpick/plastic sword thru 2 large green olives and drop on top along with 1 pickled okra.  Then sprinkle about 4-5 “hot” green beans on the top and you have the ULTIMATE Bloody Mary. 

So at this point you have my awesome drink recipe and you’re probably waiting for me to fess up about the slightly embarrassing fact about my childhood and where this blog’s title came from. 

When I was about 7 I learned that cartoons were not real and had to find human versions of my childhood crushes.  Robin Hood the Disney character was a bit difficult, but my other crush was He-Man.  So when you’re 7, who looks like He-Man?  Hulk Hogan, that’s who.  So at 7 I started watching wrestling every chance I got.  I grew up around arm wrestlers, body builders, power lifters.  So these guys didn’t look that odd to me.  And I watched Soap Operas (go Days of Our Lives) with my mom, so the WWF and WCW were a pretty natural fit. 

Another one of my favorite wrestlers was the Macho Man Randy Savage - also known to younger generations as the “snap into a Slim Jim” guy.  So, I have to admit, that I’m taking slight pleasure every time I have a Bloody Mary in the cockpit, slipping in an “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeeaaaaaaah J

Introducing the Most Affordable Watermaker in the WORLD

And it's made by our new company!!!  (insert Happy Watermaker Dance here)

www.diywatermakers.com

I've been a little blog quiet lately, and that's because the hubby and I have been "heads down" the past couple of weeks getting this new company online (and yes, I did create a Happy Watermaker Dance that hopefully will be catching on at dance clubs across the world very soon).

It's probably no surprise to anyone, but one of my big wants with a side of pretty pretty please and a cherry on top, has been a Watermaker.  I begged and pleaded until the hubby figured out a way to get me one.  After that it was like a snowball rolling downhill as we talked to more and more cruisers who wanted Watermakers too, but they just couldn't justify spending the money that the other brands on the market were costing.  And even if they could get together the money to buy one, they would never be able to afford replacement parts.  So, with building this company, it became our goal to build a product with the same high quality that has become expected of the other brands on the market, but without the high profit margin built in.

Oh, and the naysayers chimed in with their "It's too good to be true".   But to be honest, it shouldn't be.  We've created a system with high quality components, easy to install, and finally solves the problem that smaller boats have had in the past with trying to find a place to put a Watermaker with an output high enough for the serious cruiser .  Oh yes, our smallest producer is a minimum of 15 gallons per hour, with our "Big Boy" pumping out a minimum of 60 gallons per hour.  All the while being able to run off one of the little bitty Honda Generators.

But the hubby couldn't stop there.....  He had to ensure that there was no possibility of any of those tiny microorganisms ruining the Princess's otherwise heaven on earth.  So he did his research and found a sterilization system to add after the water has exited the Watermaker.

Then it was the Princess's turn to put up a bit of a fuss over the distinct "distilled" water taste coming out of the sinks.  So the hubby went in search of a system to rejuvenate the water back to the taste you would expect of your "spring" bottled water.  We are the only Watermaker company to have both of these add-on systems available for our Watermakers!

Oh and I almost forgot!  We also have a fully functional Facebook page.  So come "like" us and watch for pics we post as we have a booth at our first boat show!

www.facebook.com/DiyWatermakers

Princess Aboard NEEDS your opinion!!!

So, there will be a BIG announcement coming soon!  And part of that announcement will mean that the Princess will be at an upcoming boat show.  I want to take this opportunity to debut my logo on a few select items to sell.

Here's where I need YOUR help.....

If you were to come upon me in a boat show in all my tiara wearing and scepter holding glory, but I only had 1 product to sell with my logo on it, what would you want me to have?

• Woozies (they're koozies for your wine glass)
• T-shirts
• Tank Tops
• Bumper Stickers
• Vinyl Clings (for your back windshield)

(feel free to reply on facebook as well)

Holy Hand Grenades Batman

Not your typical title for a blog about date nights, but we’re not your typical couple. 

After a week in Miami that left us wishing we were back in Key West, the hubby surprised me with a date night.  I don’t have your typical “girl” taste in movies, so getting to see the new Batman movie was right up my alley.  I won’t lie, I got a tad excited and it made me want to pull out my old Batman movies and TV shows and cuddle up with the hubby for a marathon on the salon floor.   

You may laugh but it’s a bit hard to cuddle on a settee in the salon, so every now and then I make us a pallet with pillows and we like to settle in with a few drinks.  Or we break out the Wii and go head to head with some Super Mario Bros 3.  Heck when it’s too hot at night to sleep in the cabin, I’ve been known to crash on the salon floor.  I can sleep anywhere…..it’s a gift. 

But I digress…back to date night.  The movie was awesome and my date was the best.  We even munched on some popcorn coated in movie theatre butter and topped with jalapenos.  Hey, don’t knock it till you try it.  Then we took a stroll around the complex and headed back home. 

The next night we headed to New Orleans for another date night.  Not on the boat though, we actually jumped in that crazy metal thingy with wheels and sped down the interstate at lightning speed (or 80ish mph).  This may sound like a crazy thing for cruisers to do, but I had hotel points and we deserved a night out just enjoying each other.  We spent most of the night walking up and down Bourbon Street people watching, checking out the sites, doing the normal “budget cruiser” thing.  But the hubby did buy us 2 hand grenades because I had never had one before and they came with these neat Jell-O shots in syringes for free.  And who amongst us can really pass up free drinks?

He Gets Me Wet On Purpose

AKA Dinghy Butt

We’re at dinner with our friends Scott and Natalie the other night giving them our top 5 tips for cruising.  Now while the hubby has important tips like – know your dinghy engine inside and out, be able to take apart and rebuild said dinghy engine at night (blindfolded with both hands tied behind your back).  My tips were more along the lines of – baby powder is your friend, and consider having a special “dinghy riding outfit” if you’re going somewhere nice.

I have come to the conclusion that my hubby gets great joy out of soaking my bottom every time we go on a dinghy ride.  His may get wet every now and then, but every single time I have a wet soggy bottom.  I swear he does this on purpose.  I do understand that a wet soggy bottom is a potential hazard for a good number of dinghy rides….but every single one? 

Many of you couples may position yourselves while riding in the dinghy much like we do; my hubby sits further back by the engine and steers, while I sit on the opposite side in front of the halfway point.  Yes, I realize I could use my feminine power and steer the dinghy myself.  But if I’m honest I like to enjoy the ride and let the hubby do the work.  Yes ladies and gentleman, there are reasons he calls me Princess.

Normally the drenching occurs when we have to cross the wake that another boat so politely leaves in our path.  He maneuvers the dinghy so that “according to him” it’s best for the dinghy.  Which conveniently causes a big splash to come up over the side and thru the fabric protecting my bottom.  Coincidence?   I think not!

I have gotten to where I either wear sundresses, with swimsuit bottoms underneath, and take the ride with my sundress pulled up and tied around my ribcage or I wear one outfit in and change clothes in a bathroom.  This may sound like I’m being prissy or taking extreme measures, but a wet bottom means more than just an unsightly dark spot “down there”.  If you’re walking around in 90 degree plus heat, it means “Hello chafing, here I come” – hence the need for baby powder.