Saturday - June 19

 Not one of my better nights.....around 2 AM, fireworks started going off?    What in the world?  We could hear them but didn't have the energy to get out of bed and see them - this went on around 1/2 hour.   Mark slept thru most of the loud noise!!

The sun was out very briefly this morning and then breezy, cloudy and 77.   After breakfast sandwiches we tidied Catrina up a bit and then went for a windy walk (short) to beat the rain.    We have seen C.A.L.M. gold loopers (like us who have completed the loop but they're doing it again) at various other ports but never got a chance to meet them.    This morning they were on their way to the showers and we had a nice chat with Larry and Joyce originally from Mississippi (loved her sweet Southern drawl) and now Georgia.    Their boat is named after their 4 granddaughters......Catherine, Amanda, Lisa and Madeline.    Always fun to hear these interesting stories.

Back to Catrina and hunkered down with our laptops and books.  The rain time kept getting pushed back as the day went on,

When we talked to Larry and Joyce, they mentioned they had eaten at Shoreline (Marriott) and highly recommended it.    The Bayfront in the Sheraton and Oliver's at the Hampton Inn got good ratings, too.    Around 1:15, we walked to the Marriott - near the Sheraton with a 4th floor skywalk across the water (where Catrina passed thru).    It was crazy windy again today and cool, so everyone was indoors, but a nice view of the lake.    Mark had the walnut crusted walleye with crispy brussels sprouts and bacon and a brown sugar vinaigrette.   Oh My!!!!!!   I had a delicious salad with arugula, strawberries, feta cheese, avocado, etc. topped with blackened walleye .    Both big hits!    Their specialty dessert got rave reviews so we got that to go.....ooey gooey butter cake for tonight.

Neat view from the walkway connecting the Sheraton and conference center

Catrina off in the distance in the middle of picture.

Our waitress, Kyleen told us that a new restaurant is soon opening across the street; however, they can't find enough workers, so???

 Walked back to Catrina with happy tummies - rested a bit and then walked 4/10 of a mile to St. Patrick's for 5:00 Mass.    That's when the rain started but we had rain coats and umbrellas.    What a magnificent church built in 1837.    The architecture was just breathtaking.    Monsignor Henry Kriegel presided and they had a phenomenal soloist.    Before the final blessing, Monsignor said to think of all our Dads (living and deceased) and then this soloist sang The Our Father and shook the rafters.    Spectacular voice....so as I'm shedding a few tears thinking of my Dad, Mark's Dad and Patrick....and sooo enthralled with this rendition of the Our Father, they then ended the Mass singing the Irish Blessing.    More tears.

When we came out of church, it was just lightly sprinkling but oh my..........the heavens opened up soon after and we had a real gully washer.    So glad to be back on Catrina and dry off as the rain is to continue for another hour or so.

St. Patrick's in Erie, PA

Our IL grandsons are enjoying their NC cousins...

      Liam, Brady, Blair, Connor  

Tomorrow we are back cruising with Cleveland as our destination.    PA has only about 45 miles of Lake Erie shoreline with Erie as their only port.   This is a really nice spot and definitely plan to return.   One of the ports we would've checked out (just in passing to meet Mark's goal) was Barcelona, NY but they had a very narrow entrance with rocks on the starboard (right) side going into the harbor, so we decided we had "been there, done that" and kept on.    There are other ports in OH we want to visit but we'll check them out later this summer.   

The ooey gooey butter cake was *****