Sunday morning, we awoke to rain. I’m not talking misty, shvitzy, stereotypical Seattle springtime rain. It was really raining. On cold, dreary mornings, we tend to crave a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. So, I decided to make waffles. Yup, waffles. Waffles aboard our boat. And they were damn tasty.

In hopes that we would not find ourselves overrun with things we didn’t need or couldn’t stow properly, we carefully sorted through our kitchen spoons, bakeware, and other soon-to-be galley gadgets before moving aboard. The last thing we wanted was to weigh down The Red Thread by hoarding unnecessary nonsense. “HOLD IT – doesn’t a waffle iron fall into the unnecessary nonsense category?” you ask. Well, I suppose it depends on how much you like breakfast!

Ironically, our waffle iron is a post-move-aboard addition to our galley (thanks, Mom!). Growing up, my family had a chunky electric waffle iron. In contrast, however, this waffle iron is extremely compact. It was made by NordicWare and measures 8 X 8 inches (plus a 4-inch handle). Because it is only 2 inches thick, it slides securely into a groove under our sink. So, although our storage capacity is a fraction of what we had even in our studio apartment (and by boat standards, we have our fair share of space), our craving for really good food is as colossal as it ever was! Believe me, our waffle iron is worth the tiny bit of space it occupies.

In addition to creating tasty waffles, I’m quite convinced that this dandy little gadget will help us make new friends in our travels. Who doesn’t like waffles, after all?!? So, if our paths cross somewhere between 48°N and 38°S in the next couple of years, by all means, invite yourself to breakfast!