a christmas for 2

Well Christmas this year was a big change from Turkey Day. Instead of 39 people together it was just Sam and I. We had decided to just have it be the 2 of us this year and hang out at Lake Chelan enjoying ourselves. I have to say there are arguments for both sides but it is great to have a balance - 39 people on both holidays would have been too much and just 2 for both holiday might have seemed a bit lonely.

Instead of the craziness and bustle and 3 tables at Thanksgiving and a houseful of people and children running about it was Sam and I just relaxing and hanging out. We had planned to go skiing on Christmas Day but instead went on Christmas Eve with my sister and nephews. On Christmas Day Sam decided staying put was a better idea though I think this may have had something to do with his quads and how they were feeling after the previous day of skiing though he never fessed up to it.

Instead he said he wanted to just hang out together and go for a walk and spend most of the day eating. Of course our best intentions to just make it a total hang out day didn't quite pan out since I can't actually seem to sit still that long but we were actually able to just sit down for a few hours together over dinner and go for a walk though we didn't have the white Christmas Sam had been hoping for. Have to say an 8 pound ham goes a long ways with only 2 people eating it. Ham sandwiches and ham and eggs will be served for quite a few meals to come.

I did find out this year the absolute best time to hit Costco is on Christmas Eve just before they close - who knew? Since it is such a zoo the rest of the year I might just have to make this my new holiday tradition. While others may have more traditional holiday traditions I think my new one of hitting Costco may be the best one yet. Walking up to the cash register and having them just waiting for us to show up was a whole new experience and the front row parking without having to circle the lot a few dozen times was almost surreal.

So no matter where we end up for Christmas next year I am going to make sure there is a Costco close by.

i am grateful for . . .

With Turkey Day coming quickly it is a good time to reflect on things I am grateful for this year. It should go without saying but I will write it anyways that I am thankful for Sam, my family, and health so this will be about the other little (sometimes big) things I am thankful for.

1. A long sunny Seattle summer - though when it ended I wasn't ready for fall as I had gotten accustomed to long, sunny days.
2. Wenatchee apples from a local fruit stand (preferably the Cougar owned one at the turn off to Blewett Pass) - nothing else compares.
3. A closet full of shoes, though I still would like to acquire more.
4. 2 sisters who will be turning 30 in December - maybe the jokes about how much younger they are will finally end.
5. Sam who pushes me to do things I really don't want to - like docking the boat.
6. Chocolate, cheese, bread, and fruit - this should really be considered a full meal when paired together.
7. Caffeine - not just for myself though I do enjoy a good latte and diet coke but for Sam so he can eventually function every morning. Anyone who invents a way for him to have caffeine 10 minutes before waking would be at the top of my thankful list every year.
8. A boat with a shower not over the head - this has enabled me to be able to use the shower on our boat without feeling like I needed another shower.
9. Parents who live on San Juan Island so I have an excuse to make the morning Roche Harbor Donut run.
10. For the first time ever I am thankful the Cougar football season is almost over and basketball is beginning. I haven't even had the guts to check scores on some weekends until after the game.
11. Nephews who still let me pick out clothes for them - another excuse to go shopping and I can't help it if their department is on the top floor and I have to walk through all the floors on my way up.
12. Black and gray clothes so I have something to wear each day without having to put too much thought or effort into it other than picking out the shoes to wear with my outfit.

still residing at the house

November was the month Sam and I planned to live on the boat. Since November is typically a gray, rainy, and windy month in Seattle it seemed a good month for us to try our hand at being liveaboards. If we could love living on a boat in November then maybe living on a boat would be for us, especially if we survived on our current one without a washer and dryer.

Well it is 1 1/2 weeks into November and I am typing this from my house. Somehow we didn't get packed up and move in yet. We spent Halloween weekend on the boat but didn't pack quite enough to move on board. The evening of November 1st we were back on land.

We honestly meant to make November our month but then life got in the way or I just never got packed for a month. The thought of packing for a month is just a bit daunting - I know how much I bring for a long weekend and it is a good thing I have a truck.

Of course living on a boat is supposed to be in some part about living with less but I am not sure just how much less I am willing to do without. After all our idea of roughing it involves espresso that is made with a separate frother and if we are really roughing it just coffee with cream. It is one thing to stay on a boat while on vacation it is a whole different deal to do it when you have to get up and go to the office every day. The shoes I will need alone might require their own suitcase.

Not to say I am not going through with the idea because I am it just won't be in November. Now I am shooting for January. With the holidays coming up I am not so sure I will be able to cook all the holiday goodies in my oven. It has no temperature on the oven other than turning up and down the gas height. It is pretty much a guess how hot it is. Warming stuff up and cooking things where temp doesn't matter is just fine but anything with a precise temp is a no go.

Actually January might be a bit more of a challenge. That time of year Sam is usually more than ready to try and head to a warmer climate. If we can make it together that month we might just be ready to start pursuing this liveaboard deal more seriously.

I am just wondering how much of a challenge it will be storing the skis on the boat and if I can somehow rent a washer and dryer for a month. That is really my biggest concern. I just remember all too well not having a washer and dryer in college and what a huge deal it was when I finally got an apartment where we had a washer and dryer in the apartment. It was such a luxury and I am going to have a very hard time giving that up.

The cooking part I can deal with - I mean Seattle has some very good restaurants I still haven't tried yet. Plus I can always live on cheese, chocolate, fruit, and bread though I am not sure how many times Sam will think that is dinner. Actually not having a washer/dryer could work to my advantage - there are always new clothes to buy and in January there will be a ton of sales. Problem solved, though after Sam sees all the new clothes he will be the one pushing for the washer and dryer.

This is sounding better and better all the time. January is going to be a very good month.

a creepy cruise

Friday night after work we were set to head out to Des Moines for the Halloween cruise our yacht club was holding. The weather had other plans for us and with the wind and waves steadily increasing arriving in the dark didn't seem like a great idea. We instead headed out for some appetizers and dinner and planned to leave the dock in the morning.

Friday evening/early Saturday morning the wind really picked up. Our boat was actually leaning sideways into the dock as the wind blew us against it. Not only do I get to lean when we sail now it seemed I got to lean while trying to sleep. Neither seem to be a favorite of mine. Feeling glad we decided to stay put, I was happy at least our leaning was taking place while we were securely tied to the dock.

Saturday morning the forecast seemed to be wrong and the winds weren't dying much. Our promised window of opportunity to head out according to NOAA was at 11 in the morning. But as we left the fuel dock at 11:30 the winds hadn't died down much at all.

Halfway across Elliott Bay Sam asked if I wanted to turn back but when given the choice of facing a few waves and wind or missing a Halloween party I chose the party. But I did qualify my decision with the caveat that the waves had better not get much bigger. Sam held his tongue and didn't remind me that the wind was gusting the most at Alki point - a place we still hadn't cruised past.

At the place where the winds were the heaviest we hit some pretty good sized waves - the kind where your boat rides up the wave and then crashes down hard. Hard enough that the whole boat shakes and you begin to hope that it will stay in one piece. Fortunately I chose function over style and don't have glassware on board and since my cupboards are packed full things stay in place primarily because they don't have anywhere else to go.

I was feeling pretty good that in spite of the water breaking over the dodger and getting wet when I leaned around it that I was holding up well. I wasn't nervous and I felt like our boat was really in no danger. I might have the makings of a sailor after all though I did think that the long open water cruising still might not be my thing. There was no way I could ever sleep through something like this and I really enjoy my sleep.

Past Alki the waves didn't seem quite as large and Sam wasn't getting soaked with every wave - just every 3rd or 4th one. By this time he had convinced me to grab his foulies for him and at least the water was dripping off now. When I felt like it might improve a bit we suddenly saw a kite surfer cutting right in front of us. Sam slowed down so we didn't take him out and we both stared in awe as he went directly in front of us then came back around and right behind us caught serious air.

Here we were on a decent sized sailboat and knew that many would be skipping out on the cruise due to weather and now right out with us on the sound was someone on a very small board flying across the water. I had been a bit impressed with my calm demeanor and willingness to head out in less than ideal conditions but the kite surfer reminded me that I have no daredevil in me. It is much easier to be brave when the chance of your boat capsizing is very slim and you have plenty of provisions on board. I had gotten a bit wet but only because I had sat on the side and leaned out behind the dodger and didn't duck behind it quick enough before a large wave caught me.

We made it to Des Moines and pulled in to the marina in time to get the boat decorated for the Halloween. It was worth it just for the fact that I got to not only have my house decorated for Halloween I got to decorate a boat as well.

Sunday morning the sun came out and the winds were gone. The wind was so nonexistent that Sam didn't even try and put up the sails. Guess that is the thing about sailors - they complain about too much wind and then about no wind. I on the other hand was happy with the no wind and sun part. A very mellow cruise home makes one almost forget about the previous cruise. Give me a sunny windless day anytime -well except during a race or when our motor has died then I get a bit pickier.

pumpkins to carve

Tuesday evening I convinced Sam we needed to carve pumpkins. What I really did was scoop out 4 pumpkins and had them waiting for him with carving tools when he got home. So he was actually ambushed into carving pumpkins though I am sure he had been expecting it. He knows Halloween is my favorite holiday so he has learned to go along with it.

Getting him to wear a costume every year, especially a new costume, took a bit of convincing but he eventually bought in or I just wore him down. He still draws the line at wearing a mask and I haven't been able to convince him otherwise. Sam is usually a good sport though and goes along with my crazy ideas. One year I even convinced him to play Kermit to my Piggy though he still complains about that year. I think it was just that his frog costume wasn't quite a good as my Miss Piggy.

We had some friends over to carve pumpkins but when you are the host it is a bit more challenging to carve your own pumpkin so I decided we still needed to get in on the fun.

Sam got in the spirit and started carving. I mean really if your pumpkin is already scooped out there is no excuse as the messy part is done. After he got done I reminded him that he still had 1 more to carve. He wasn't interested as the next one wasn't cleaned out and ready to go he said. Well on his second pumpkin I had actually made the hole in the bottom instead of the top of the pumpkin. Since what he thought was a really good excuse wasn't valid any longer he gave in and started on number 2.

4 carved pumpkins later between us I let him off the hook though I made him pose with his pumpkin. You can tell from his pic he isn't nearly as enthusiastic as I was.

I mentioned that the pumpkin carving contest this year during our yacht club Halloween cruise had to be completed on Saturday so our few extra pumpkins would come in handy, especially now that we had some practice. No go on that idea. While pumpkin carving is fine in our house he drew the line at the boat. Seems pumpkin carving isn't a nautical activity. After cleaning up the table and floor and finding pumpkin seed all over I may have to agree with him on this one. Though I am going to bring a couple with me but I will be loading the car after he has already left for work.

a birthday cruise

So I must be getting into this whole sailing thing since for my birthday weekend I was the one who suggested taking our boat over to Poulsbo. Now if it had been Sam's birthday weekend and choice we most likely would have ventured further but I was going for the shorter trip since I am still about the destination and not the journey. Sam is working on me still but so far the destination still outweighs the journey by far.

I blamed the fact that it was getting dark much earlier and if we left Friday after work we wouldn't get very far before dark set it. I am not much for arriving in the dark (hence part of the reason we haven't made any offshore trips) so this was my perfect excuse to just go a few hours away.

We had a 3 day weekend and the weather on Saturday was beautiful. Sunday was sunny for the morning but by the afternoon the wind had started to pick up. Monday it had really started to become quite windy. We went for a run (using this term loosely as always) and then as we were walking back to the boat decided maybe listening to the weather forecast was in order.

We should have tuned in a bit earlier. Lesson learned - listen to the weather forecast each day. It seems we learn something new every time our boat leaves the dock. A storm was coming in and it was only going to get windier as the late morning and afternoon progressed. Initially we thought about staying the night but decided we weren't too far from home and it couldn't really be that bad.

Leaving the dock turned out to be one of the most challenging parts. We were in a slip almost 10 feet smaller than our boat so we didn't have the best stern line tied. As the wind picked up it was blowing our bow directly into the dock. If we undid any of the 4 lines we would be blown forward quickly. I decided I didn't want to be the only deckhand so I went down the dock in search of help.

It must be a rule of the sea that help is easily accessible and available only when it is sunny with no wind. Coming in or departing during those times offer plenty of help but when you really want some there anyone around, probably because they listened to the weather forecast and departed a bit earlier or are hunkered down inside. I found a couple willing to help out and I dragged them down.

After much discussion and strategic planning a plan was decided upon and luckily it was well executed. A few extra hands in this instance prevented a visit to the boatyard for some cosmetic painting. I won't say it wasn't a bit close there for a few seconds but we left the dock in 1 piece and didn't take any of the boat next to us with us.

Now I have always maintained if you are in a harbor or protected area and there are whitecaps or serious chop on the water one should stay put. Of course I remembered this rule after we had left the dock and after that experience I wasn't super anxious to head back to the dock we had just departed.

The good news is that for a portion of the journey back the wind was pushing us along so I am sure we saved on our diesel bill and picked up some speed. After turning the corner though this was no longer the case. Sam was pretty glad we had our davits reinforced. While I wasn't as sure when I saw the initial bill I came around to his way of thinking a short time into our trip. The dinghy held firm and the davits didn't do any creaking or vibrating that would make me turn up the music.

Actually while the waves were pretty large - some good sized ones had built up from the wind the trip back was better than I had envisioned. Guess the good thing about scarier boat trips is that it puts it all in perspective. Our boat handled well and we were never super uncomfortable or as I like to put it sea scared. Sam did tell me that he had no desire to put up the sails as it was a bit windy even for him. Glad to know that he has his limits on sailing as well. Those motors are pretty handy things as we learned this summer.

So while taking a cruise in windy and rough seas might not have been my perfect birthday outing I still had a good birthday - though I contribute most of that to a new purse, sushi, and glassybabies. Of course the day off helped since in all honesty I can't say I would have rather been at the office.

running out of steam

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A few weeks ago I decided to start running again. Other than a few runs before my annual Seattle Jingle Bell Run the last time I had really run much at all was in high school so it had been a few years. Usually about a week or 2 before the Jingle Bell Run in December I would suddenly decide that maybe this year I would run the whole 5K but after a couple of days I would realize that maybe I should have started just a bit earlier.

Usually I would end up running about 1/2 of the Jingle Bell Run and then decide I would definitely run the whole thing the following year. Well after 5 years I still hadn't made it. Cardio just isn't really my thing - I would much prefer to go to yoga, pilates, lift weights, or anything else that wouldn't require me to perspire too much or worse to get red in the face. My face turns bright red after any extended cardio - a sign I have always taken to mean that I shouldn't bother.

But my big mouth once again caught up with me when I told my sister Tanya that I would sign up to run if any of the runs she had been doing had a 5K instead of just a 10K. Of course she found one and suddenly I was committed. I had started running a few weeks before signing up but hadn't gotten very serious about it.

Now that I had to run a 5K in 4 weeks I had to step it up a notch or 2. Tanya helpfully sent me a 5K training schedule for beginners. Well it wasn't much help since it had the first day starting with a 2 mile run. If I could run 2 miles straight I wouldn't need a training schedule. I am pretty sure within 4 weeks I could certainly add on the additional mile plus. Instead I was starting from the point of just running down the block. I needed another training schedule that started from the beginning.

After searching for a while I didn't find anything that started at the level I was at and got to to running a 5K in 4 weeks. The smallest distant I had to run on any of the training schedules started at 1.5 miles - this wasn't going to work. So instead I came up with my own plan. Of course this started with shopping - because if you can't run well at least look good doing or or look like you know what you are doing. And I can always find a reason to go shopping and buy some new toys.

I bought a GPS watch so I could time my training sessions and know exactly how far (or how much further I needed to go). Then of course I needed new sport style headphones. My new gear didn't really improve my performance but I was starting to look the part more - or until I started turning bright red after a block or 2.

My plan is now to go 3.2 miles every day that I can in hopes that if I run until I have to walk and then repeat until my 3.2 miles is done that I will continue to improve. Sam even volunteered to go with me over the weekend while we were in Poulsbo on the boat. Guess he wanted to see how far I was progressing himself. Of course I did tell him that running was my new fitness plan since that meant I could do it from the boat with no equipment (well other than my new accessories). It is amazing what Sam is willing to do if it is somehow tied to a boat.

So with 2 1/2 weeks left I need to improve dramatically or find some new running accessory that will enable me to run a 5K. Really what I am hoping is that I will get a huge rush of adrenaline and it will get me through on the day of the event. In reality I may just have to walk a bit during this one but come December for the Jingle Bell Run I might actually make my goal of running that one. Really 5 years isn't that long to wait, it will just make it all that much sweeter when I finish. See I do accomplish what I set out to do - it is just on my own time table.

babies aren't really my thing

While many people (usually women) love babies I am not among them. I think they are fine but don't experience the excitement other women do when they see a baby or if they are very lucky, get to hold one. I do the courtesy hold since refusing is usually not an option and make the obligatory comments about how cute he/she is but all the while I am usually wondering how long before I can return them back to their rightful owner.

It is a tricky deal but usually there is someone around me eagerly awaiting their turn so I can hand them over pretty quickly. Don't get me wrong I don't dislike them but I don't really think they are terribly interesting.

Now when babies turn into toddlers and start walking, talking, and interacting I am interested. This is a stage where their personalities start to come through and I think they are very engaging. I enjoy having them talk to me and want to play and I can actually do something with them. Babies don't do much - and that is primarily why I don't find them fascinating as a lot of the population does.

Now maybe you are thinking it is because I don't have children but I don't think that is really the case. 2 of my sisters have children and they still aren't baby people either. They much prefer children when they have left the baby phase. I know many people miss the baby stage when it is over but they think leaving the baby phase behind is a good thing.

Labor Day weekend I headed over to Wenatchee with my sister Carla and her husband Dave. Sam was heading to Paris for business so I hitched a ride with them. When they arrived at my house I got in the back seat with Baby Ethan who is 5 months old. Now I think he is pretty cute but so far he doesn't do much though he loves to smile.

After watching him smile and laugh at me for 3 hours though I started to get the baby thing a bit more. He has the biggest grin and laugh - as far as babies go he is very happy and content. Carla says that everyone at his daycare loves him since he is one of the happiest kids.

I was thinking maybe I could start to get the baby thing. But then of course Baby E did what all babies do eventually - cry and keep crying. And as he had gotten older the crying has gotten louder, much louder and didn't stop for quite some time. The next morning when he was up at 5 on a weekend just verified my thinking all along - babies aren't really my deal.

Ethan, for a baby I think you are about the cutest one out there right now and I enjoy holding you but honestly I am ready for you to be a year old and start talking to me and interacting more. Because honestly if you haven't gotten me into the baby phase no one will.

going solo

Friday evening after work I sat on our boat at Elliott Bay Marina waiting for Sam arrive back from Paris. He was getting in after 6 and most likely wouldn't get to the boat until around 7:30 or so even coming directly from the airport.

Typically I am waiting on him to arrive from work and the boat is packed and loaded but this time he was arriving later than usual on a Friday evening so I had been ready to go for a bit. Since we weren't going very far for the weekend, Bell Harbor Marina, I was hoping we could have arrived at lunch and then headed back to work. But his business trip got in the way of my plan.

As I waited for him I wondered why I had to wait for him to come back to go to Bell Harbor. Well actually I did have to wait for him since I have never driven the boat without him on board and he talks me through docking. I didn't want to meet him at Bell Harbor only to greet him with the news, after not seeing him for a week, that our boat was going to have to spend some more time at the boatyard. Not conducive to a great weekend together.

Granted we have gotten a few marks and dings on the boat but they are his marks and dings since he is usually acting as skipper and I only dock the boat in conditions that won't cause damage. Up until now I have preferred it that way - or as I like to state "His boat, his problem." If he wasn't on board that statement suddenly wouldn't fly anymore.

But as I waited I wondered why it was that I couldn't grab a friend and take the boat over to meet him. There really wasn't a reason I couldn't do this other than I would have to learn how to do it. Most things I can do myself when I want to (though some I feel are things Sam should do and I just don't do them on principle or lack of interest such as emptying the head or cleaning out the drains) and why would driving the boat without him be any different.

My sister Tanya told me she should have come over when she realized I would be missing out on part of the Cougar Yacht Club festivities by arriving so late. Then we both laughed knowing that there was no way we would attempt it, but it sounded good in theory. By Friday evening though I had seriously started wondering why I wouldn't do this.

So now because I am a bit (okay maybe a slight understatement here) independent and like to take charge I have now suddenly decided I should be able to take the boat out or at least dock it without Sam on board or even in the vicinity. Of course that means I have to practice docking more, tons more, which will make Sam happy since he is always trying to get me to dock the boat.

Now I have another item to put on my bucket list and it is a bit bigger than docking the boat with an audience. Now I want to drive the boat and dock it without a skipper - just me and someone who is willing to jump at least to the dock when I get within 10 feet.

I will say though we made a grand entrance into Bell Harbor Marina with the huge Coug flag flying from our mast. Most everyone was on the dock and we were greeted with loud cheers and Go Cougs. This was a much better entrance than I would have gotten coming in during lunch. Maybe retaining my first mate status wasn't so bad.

But by Saturday once again I was wondering going solo. Now I need to figure out if boating insurance is like car insurance and for new drivers the premiums are higher, but I think I will refrain from asking so my premiums won't suddenly skyrocket.

So if next year for the Cougar Game in Seattle if you see a gray sailboat heading towards Bell Harbor steer clear of me and if you are at the Marina please come by to grab my lines. It could be me trying out my hand at solo sailing. Won't Sam be surprised when he gets the call to meet me at Bell Harbor instead of at Elliott Bay? I think he will be pretty pleased as long as those bumpers do their job and the dockhands know what they are doing.

oh to be 8 again

If I got to choose to be anyone else I might have to be my 8 year old nephew Levi. My nephews definitely lead the good life in part to a bit (lots) of spoiling from lots of people but Sam and I are probably spoil them the most. This week he is in sailing lessons for the week - yep pretty sure Uncle Sam had a bit of an influence there. After his first day at sailing camp he ran out to greet me telling me how awesome it was and he didn't want to stop sailing. Definitely taking after his Uncle here.

He is sailing in an Opti all by himself with the instructors coaching from dinghies. I was a little concerned the first day about how he would do and if it would all go okay and kept my phone close but turns out I had worried for no reason at all. Which I guess as far as worrying goes is really a good thing.

Levi shared his whole day with me, then with his mom, his Uncle Sam, and then with his dad. I am pretty sure at that point he was done recapping but each time he told everyone about it he got excited again about how well it went.

Yesterday he told me he sailed all the way to the floating bridge and on Friday they will sail from Meydenbauer Bay to Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island. Pretty impressive all in a small, tipsy, one child sailboat. The whole no motor idea doesn't hold much appeal to me for some reason. We tried that a few weeks ago and I really missed it.

Watching the kids in the boats it is pretty impressive how quickly they catch on. Also saw one kid fall overboard and within a few seconds he was scrambling back on board with a huge grin on his face. That is a kid thing for sure - can't imagine many adults still grinning or climbing back on so easily onto a very tipsy sailboat. Having tried to get back on board our Harbor after going swimming it was more like a beached whale flopping around since we didn't have a swim step.

What I have realized is that I should have started sailing as a kid then maybe the leaning thing sailboats tend to do wouldn't bother me at all. I also maybe wouldn't be so worried about tipping the boat since that is the very first thing they had all the kids do in class on Monday. Levi thought that part was great and quite fun - perspective certainly changes with age.

Guess if they get it out of the way early then they aren't scared when it does happen. But Sam it is a bit late in the game for that so don't get any ideas now - I prefer to keep our boat upright in a soft lean - no cleats in the water for me, blame it on not going to sailing camp as a child.

the true marriage test

I have thought a true test of a marriage is docking a boat together or even sharing a double kayak together - though for the sake of our marriage we have elected for single kayaks after a single double kayak ride once. We know our limits and a double kayak simply isn't for the two of us - a little something about both of us wanting to steer. I would now like to submit crossing a start line in a sailboat race with no or little wind as the true test now.

Our second weekend of vacation Sam had signed us up for the Shaw Island Race. This is a very casual race - which is the only reason I agree to participate. I have done numerous duck dodges in our boat but that was a 20 foot Harbor that was very easily maneuvered. This is a boat we would take out on the 4th of July on Lake Union and sail among all the boats quite easily so not quite the same as a 37 foot sailboat.

In fact the race was casual enough that our 4 month nephew Ethan was on board along with my sister Carla, her husband Dave, my mom, and dad. Am pretty sure Ethan would have received the youngest sailor award if there was one. Hey you have to start them early now though it turns out right now he enjoys power boating a bit more and sailing is a bit slow for him, I am sure Sam will figure out a way to make him a sailor eventually - look what he did to me.

We were all assigned jobs by Sam and I was the tactician. What that really meant was that I would tell Sam where other boats were in relation to us. About the only tactics I called were those when Sam didn't have a clue which way was best and he could ask me so I could be to blame when we lost ground.

Once again there was no wind at the starting line. Normally I am pretty happy without much wind but in relation to starting a race I would like a decent amount of wind so at least we wouldn't drift into each other. After jockeying to the line we ran out of wind along with many of the other boats and started to drift into each other. Fortunately we fended off each other without damage though there was some (a lot) yelling involved.

I think there is enough to figure out during a race without having to fend off other boats. Since I get nervous if a boat is within 50 feet being able to reach and push off another boat really isn't for me. Sam doesn't quite get why I am so freaked out and worried about hitting other boats. Maybe it is because we have been hit a few times though not in this boat - other than a nasty scratch on the side when we weren't around. I mean he doesn't seem too happy when another car gets that close.

So while Sam is enjoying all the excitement and loving the adrenaline rush I am freaking out and wondering once again why I agreed to this. Usually during this time there is a bit of yelling at each other but Sam says that is just part of the racing thing. I on the other hand would prefer a start away from every other boat even if it would mean we didn't have a great start, I see no reason to have to remind another skipper when we have rights.

This time we were right in the middle of most of the fleet and it took us 10 minutes to cross the starting line - not quite the start we were looking for. Eventually we drifted across and we were off - well kind of. The wind did pick up and we were finally moving along a bit. Of course because we were no longer right next to all these other boats and I felt we were out of danger I suddenly became competitive and wanted to win. Now I wanted to pass other boats and choose the best course to finish well.

Really I should figure out a way to climb on board after the start - I am sure Sam would prefer it that way but who would tell him when he was going to hit another boat or point out every boat within 200 yards that could possibly tack into us. Somehow he doesn't understand why I don't think the start isn't much fun and I get a bit stressed. I try and explain it by reminding everyone someone needs to be the responsible cautious one on board but I don't seem to get much appreciation or agreement from everyone else.

The rest of the race was great and I enjoyed myself though I was asking Sam why we weren't passing up our competition and how we could have done better. When he reminded me that races are often won at the start I decided first place might not be all that important anyways. I mean weren't we just out for a nice day on the water - who really needs a trophy? If it means I have to be stressed out for the 15 minutes before the race and the 5-10 minutes after the gun worrying about who is going to sail into us just finishing is fine with me.

thunder and lightening

Well after the boating experience the other weekend Sam was lucky I decided to step back on board. But I was pretty sure I had fulfilled my boating drama quota for at least the rest of the year so I felt it was pretty safe.

We headed out from Anacortes Saturday morning and saw an available mooring buoy at James Island so decided we should stop there. Since there are only 3 buoys getting one on a summer Saturday was pretty lucky. The weather was beautiful - sunny and calm seas and we had a mooring buoy. Not having fully recovered from our previous attempt at anchoring the buoy seemed much safer and a lot less stress.

Since we arrived early we had all day to explore by dinghy and for Sam to drop his line overboard in hopes a fish would bite this time. We got the crab pot set and then I convinced him I just needed some reading time on board while he trolled around in his dinghy.

Sam went to pick back up the crab pot and while he was around the island suddenly there was the clap of thunder and sure enough there was lightening as well not too far off. He decided to head back to the boat and get on board, I thought he was just coming back to keep me company but really it was cause being in the cabin was the best place to be. He had also gotten 3 crabs so it would be a crab dinner instead of brats on the grill - a much tastier option.

During the whole evening it kept up with the thunder and lightening and sure enough we were the tallest thing around though the island is covered in trees so that made it a bit better at least in my mind. After cooking up our crab dinner Sam was still pretty nervous about the lightening and it didn't help that it would suddenly seem like it was moving away and then it would come closer again.

Finally he decided we needed to turn off all our electronics and put on our rubber flip flops to be safe down in the cabin. I tried to lobby to keep the fridge on but Sam wasn't going for it. I do have to say he got pretty nervous about the whole storm (which was totally unexpected) but then I think that was because the sailboat is really "his" boat.

The good news is that we had a motor that would start (at least before a lightening strike), and were firmly tied to the buoy. I was also pretty confident I could swim to shore if needed, though in my own mind as long as land is visible I somehow think I can swim in. I did notice though that the suggestion to turn off all the electronics came after I had cooked up the crab.

It came out later that he figured if he was going to have a last meal fresh crab would be at the top of his list. I am just glad he waited to share that with me at a later time, a few days after the storm in fact when I was on dry land. Good call on his part.

boating drama

I think just taking a boat away from the dock or even owning a boat means you will experience a significant amount of boating drama but the other weekend put most of the things we typically experience into perspective.

Saturday morning Sam and I headed left Elliott Bay early to head up to the San Juan Islands where we would leave our boat for about a month while we visited on weekends. We love the San Juan Islands but aren't willing to leave it up there year round so once a year we leave it up there for a month so we can enjoy it without having to spend all weekend just getting it up there only to have to turn around.

Our trip up went well and we made excellent time for a sailboat. There were some pretty large rollers but fortunately they didn't last for too long and most of the way was smooth motoring. We left the dock at 6 a.m. and by 3:00 we were at James Island and about to turn the corner to go to Anacortes. We decided we should find a spot to spend the night at either James Island or at Spencer Spit. James Island was full and only anchoring was available and since it isn't recommended we went to Spencer Spit.

Of course the mooring buoys were full but we decided to anchor. For some reason we didn't follow our normal anchoring procedure and I didn't think we were set very well. I had already turned off the engine and told Sam we should reset the anchor. So I went to turn on the engine and it made a horrible sound - just like your car does when the starter won't engage. Not so good. After calling around trying to get assistance over the phone we realized it wasn't going to start. Sam even tried starting it with some kind of electrical arc but no luck.

I had now gotten more looks at our engine than I ever wanted to at this point and I am sure Sam was feeling the same way.

Of course about 2 hours after we anchored a mooring buoy opened up but sailing over there would have been a bit of a challenge so we stayed put. The afternoon and evening was nice and since there was very little breeze we decided to wait until morning to try and sail out to Anacortes or Friday Harbor.

Of course once it got dark the wind started to pick up and by 11 it had started blowing about 30 miles an hour and the lightening and thunder had started. We kept checking the boat and we seemed to be in the same place. At midnight I was awakened by the sound of Sam yelling at me to get dressed and come up - seems our anchor had slipped. The bad news this wasn't a nightmare and I was truly awake.

We had planned for what we would do if this happened but of course all the planning in the world goes out the window when I couldn't pull in the anchor by myself. Turns out the electric anchor winch only works when the motor turns on. So now it was up to Sam to pull in the anchor by hand while I sailed us out of there. Luckily Sam had quite a bit of adrenaline rushing through him so he was able to bring it in. The wind of course had died a bit and I couldn't get the sails to fill so we started to drift towards the rocks. I rarely sail by myself in good weather and now I was expected to sail in conditions that were less than ideal and in the dark.

Just in time the wind came up again and I was able to get us headed in the right direction. Now we were sailing at 12:30 at night with a thunder and lightening storm, no motor, a very scared first mate, and no destination in mind. The wind kept changing anywhere from 0 knots to 25 knots without warning so one minute we would be drifting and the next we would be moving right along. In the midst of this we were also in the ferry path and had to avoid the ferry so we needed to make a decision on where we would go.

Sam decided to head to more open water so we headed towards Anacortes. We called for a tow but it would take them 3 hours to get to us so we were on our own. Once we got into Rosario Strait we both breathed a bit easier since we no longer had to watch our depth quite so closely.

Just when it felt like I didn't have to be quite so scared Sam suddenly spotted a large boat on our radar screen coming towards us. We finally saw the lights and realized it was a tug of some sort and yep it was on course with us. We had been sailing along at a pretty good clip with some large waves hitting us sideways but once the tug got close the wind died and we were in its direct path.

At this point Sam was more frightened than I was probably because I was exhausted and after 2 1/2 hours I think I was too tired to be so scared anymore. We were in the direct path and now we had hardly any wind so we were pretty much stuck. Sam didn't want to turn around because the tug should see us and turn the other way and if we turned we would turn into the same path. Sam kept saying I just want to see the green light all I see is red. By this point we had realized they also had a large tow which only made it worse. Finally less than 1/4 mile away from each other Sam finally saw the green light and realized we would make it if just barely.

I can only imagine what the tug captain thought when he saw a sailboat sailing at 2:30 in the morning. It certainly was not a time I ever wanted to be out sailing when I was so close to land and marinas.

Since the wind kept dying at this point it took us 2 hours after our near miss with the tug to get so we were turning to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes. The sun had started to come out and we were close to putting an end to our experience. Of course though just after before rounding the corner the wind died again and this time we had absolutely no wind and lost all of our momentum. Finally we got about 2 knots and rounded the corner and hoped we could hang on long enough to sail into the marina.

The wind didn't hold though and soon we were right outside the entrance - the very shallow entrance - and the current had come in and we started to drift. When I asked Sam the depth he told me I didn't want to know which pretty much told the whole story. Just when I thought we would go aground someone headed out to do some fishing left the marina and we waved them down. All the times we had towed other boats paid off and we got a tow into the dock.

The boat towed us in and then we had enough momentum to get into the dock though our anchor did hit at this point I hardly cared. I was so relieved that it was finally over and we had made it. Exhausted we crawled into bed.

Later that morning Sam found someone on the dock to come take a look at our engine. Turns out the 2 bolts holding the starter together had somehow come loose and were lying on the floor. He put them back on and told us that it must have been an error in the settings at the factory since they never should have come off. The large rollers we had hit were what had probably jarred it loose. I will say that was the best $84 I ever spent to get that kind of news and have our motor start.

I am confident that Sam was wondering if I would be willing to go out boating again right away but this last weekend I was once again on the boat heading out. Now he didn't get to sail but I blame that on the fact we were on a time deadline but really I feel he got plenty of sailing time in last weekend I just wanted to enjoy the sound of the motor. While others say how calm and relaxing sailing can be I think the sound of the motor can be the best sound one can hear on the water since it means it is working.

After our motor was fixed we made a beeline for West Marine and spend some cash on more safety equipment and for once I didn't complain about how much we spent at the boat store. Seems I felt it was worth every penny and I was already asking about additional items we suddenly needed on board. Wonder if a sailboat can have a kicker motor - I am investigating.

bucket list update

Well I have one item crossed off the bucket list - while I wish it was having spent 3 weeks in Italy or lived in another country for 6 months it is not. The item I can cross off is docking with an audience or in this case it was an un-docking.

Sunday as we were preparing to leave Poulso Sam somehow convinced me I should be the one to drive the boat away from the dock. We didn't have a boat next to us and there wasn't much wind so I really couldn't come up with a decent excuse this time for not doing it.

Since we were in Poulsbo at the guest docks there were other boats and people around though truthfully not many seemed to be paying much attention which helped me get up the courage. I have docked the boat before several times but it was without an audience on the docks and I did state it had to be in front of an audience.

Fortunately all went well leaving the dock but what I had forgotten was that low tide had been about an hour before and the depth at the docks and in the bay is not very deep. I am a bit paranoid about the depth and am constantly asking Sam what his depth is when we go in areas I know are shallow (which to me means 20 feet).

Feeling a bit proud of myself for getting away from the dock safely without any drama I suddenly saw 2 dinghies crossing in front of me and I couldn't go around them since the shallow part of the bay was to my right the direction I would need to avoid them. The dinghies had not heard of the law of gross tonage and it was up to me to avoid them. I put the boat in reverse and waited for them to pass - much slower than I would have wished them to do so.

Then of course another couple of boats decided to head into the harbor so I had to avoid them as well. I tried to offer up the wheel to Sam but he wouldn't take it and said I was doing fine. Luckily there weren't any collisions or super close calls and I didn't run aground.

I had made it out into the bay and Sam was being an excellent first mate by putting away the fenders and line. Then I studied my chart and saw that there was a place in the middle of the bay where the depth was 1 foot. My job was done I had gotten us out of the marina so I had met the requirements. Sam could now take over as the skipper and I could lounge on my chair while repeatedly asking for depth updates and warning him to constantly be looking at his depth and still keep both eyes ahead.

So 1 item down on the bucket list. I somehow think the others will be much less stressful than this one.

a girl and her truck

Since we are in Poulsbo for the week and commuting in by ferry I asked my sister Carla if we could borrow a car from her again. Luckily she said yes so Sam had company on the trip to Poulsbo instead of doing it solo while I drove around. She and her husband both have company trucks so they don't need both vehicles during the week - actually she has a company truck while he has a company car. They showed up Sunday just after we arrived to drop it off and meet us for dinner.

They decided to loan us Dave's truck instead of Carla's new SUV - pretty sure the new factor played a role and I have to admit it would have for me as well. Sam would be working in Seattle so I would drop him off after the ferry commute and head over to Redmond.

Dave has a Diesel Chevy truck but I have an Avalanche also made by Chevy (soon to be the US Govt) so it should be pretty much the same deal other than the throaty rumbling sound of a diesel.

What I had forgotten about was that in reality my Avalanche is probably a bit closer to a SUV than a truck. My first clue was when I went to climb in the cab in my skirt. Fortunately I didn't have on my normal 4 inch heels since I had just walked down a dock but the skirt probably wasn't the smartest fashion choice. I had brought skirts to wear to work since they don't need ironing like pants might after being stuffed in a small closet aboard a boat.

My truck has running boards - Dave's does not and his truck is just a bit taller than mine. Well as long as I climbed in when no one else was around it shouldn't be an issue. I also decided that maybe keeping on my flip flops until after I exited the truck might be a wise call as well since 4" spike heels when you jump down might not be the safest choice.

It was actually Sam who first discovered the driver's side didn't have a mirror on the visor. I now know exactly how much I use one now - maybe that is something I need to cut down on while driving.

Once I started driving I realized the biggest difference of all is that Dave's truck actually drives like a truck. It doesn't quite handle like mine does and the turning radius isn't quite as short which I discovered when I went to whip in a parking place. Fortunately he does have an automatic since I remember driving a jeep stick shift in Seattle when I owned one of those many years ago and an automatic is the only thing to have in a large vehicle in the city. Now sports cars are a different story and I believe those should never be automatic.

Having grown up driving trucks since my dad had a construction company and a company truck was the only option sometimes when I wanted a vehicle to drive I should have remembered the differences. But I had gotten used to my SUV/truck and had mistakenly thought I had been driving a truck the past few years.

So I do have to admit that maybe what I drive is a whole lot closer to an SUV now but I am pretty happy with that since I need a running board, a visor mirror on the drivers side, a shorter turning radius, and maybe most important my sun roof. Guess the sun roof should have been one of my first clues - I mean in a truck don't you just roll the driver's side window down instead?

I think the Avalanche I have suits me perfectly - I can haul stuff and still wear my heels and skirts and exit somewhat gracefully. I am often at the top of the speed dial for those living in the Seattle area when they need to haul large items and go to the dump and want to borrow a truck. It is really only from those who grew up driving trucks (and my nephew Levi who said I had a tonka truck the first time he saw it) and living in small towns that I hear I don't really drive a truck. I would have to say I agree with them now and I am good with it.

Thanks Dave for the loan of your rig! I am turning into those parking spots a bit more carefully now but it helps when I am the first on to arrive at work in the morning and there aren't any other cars around thanks to Sam's early morning conference calls.

more caffeine please

Sunday afternoon Sam and I headed to Poulsbo to stay for the week. Poulsbo hosts a 3rd of July celebration with fireworks over the harbor and the best way to ensure your boat has a spot at the dock is to arrive a few days before since they don't take reservations for the 3rd since it is so popular.

We have started to make a week of it and commute into work for the week. Before I worked in Seattle instead of in Redmond it was a bit more convenient but it is worth it to stay aboard for a week.

I was really looking forward to my week until Sam told me he had to be at the office at 6:45 this morning for a meeting he was facilitating which meant he couldn't take the call in route. Of course he didn't mention this until Sunday afternoon as we were already in route on the boat. I am pretty sure it was planned so I couldn't back out and he had company for his morning ride in.

After checking the ferry schedule last night we realized it would mean catching the 5:20 ferry and leaving the slip by 4:40 in the morning.

While I am a morning person I don't consider 4 a.m. a time to get up. The only reason I should ever see 4 a.m. is if I am going to bed from the night before and even then I am usually not much interested in that option either.

The espresso machine came in quite handy this morning but we could really have used bigger mugs. After getting at the ferry with no traffic (seems most everyone else thinks the 5:20 ferry might be a bit too early as well) we watched the sunrise over the water. I thought it was beautiful but given the choice I would choose my bed any day. Actually I was the only one in the truck watching since Sam was taking a nap. Wasn't he the one that should be awake since he was the reason we were even out of bed?

After arriving in Seattle we hit an coffee shop for more caffeine. Being the kind person I am I gave Sam part of mine. After driving over 520 I was wishing I had some more caffeine so I stopped at Starbucks for a bit more of a pick me up. Lunch resulted in more caffeine - this time in the form of a diet coke. Afternoon meant I needed another caffeine jolt to get me through the day so I got an iced tea, venti sized.

I think it is a good thing I don't have to do this every morning since I would most likely need some kind of caffeine iv to get me through the day. Normally 1 latte and 1 diet coke is exactly what I need but today I couldn't seem to get enough caffeine to make up for the time the alarm sounded.

I asked Sam what time his first call was tomorrow but he couldn't remember. Somehow I am not thinking this bodes well for me at all since I am pretty sure he would remember if he could start his day at a normal hour - lets say at 8. Wonder how much caffeine I will need to do this 2 days in a row? If he is smart he will just set the alarm for 4 and pretend it is later until I have already taken a shower oh and he might try and find a bigger coffee cup so I can at least get a head start on my caffeine intake.

more toys on the big toy

I accuse Sam all the time about how many toys he has and how many more he wants. I will admit that some of them I definitely enjoy as well but he is usually the one who initiated the purchase. But lately I seem to be the one eyeing and thinking about new toys to take on the boat.

On our boat we opted to have a storage locker instead of a 2nd bunk in the stern of the boat. We figured having 1 guest bunk was plenty and storage was a much larger priority. It is a pretty good sized storage locker but we seem to have filled it up.

Soon after getting our boat I found an inflatable kayak and decided I really needed to have it. Of course once I had one then Sam needed one as well so we could kayak together. We found out quite a while ago that the double kayak was too big of a test for our marriage and the single was the only way to go. So now we had 2 kayaks and 2 paddles in our storage locker.

Then somehow Sam sold me on the fact he needed his own dive gear. He told me how much money we would save when he could clean the bottom himself and how much faster we would go if it was cleaned regularly. So now the storage locker has dive gear and a tank.

These large items are in addition to Sam's fishing gear, extra lines, extra drinks, a tool kit, and various other items I cannot recall. So the other weekend when I rode a fold up bike I suddenly had the urge to add to our locker. A bike would be an excellent addition to our boat and would be quite a bit of fun when we ventured to more remote ports. But if I had a bike we would suddenly need 2 and I decided not to buy one just yet (well Sam might have literally dragged me away but I prefer to pretend I was making a rational thought out decision).

So far I haven't yet succumbed and bought a bike but I do realize it is really only a matter of time. Then 2 weekends ago we played golf and brought along our golf clubs on the boat. Since I have a rather large golf bag it was a bit of a challenge to drag it down the stairs.

While on a green I was struck by inspiration after a particularly good shot (one of only about 2 that day) and mentioned to Sam we should really have golf clubs on board. Maybe we could get 1 small bag and each have a few clubs since really we mainly use the same ones. We both thought this was a great brainstorm and started discussing which clubs we would each need. Now while we haven't added this yet I am pretty sure it is coming.

So last night while on the boat I checked out the storage locker and realized it was pretty full. The bikes and golf gear might not easily fit. But then I saw that there was plenty of room on the bed in the back guest bunk and since we don't have guests every weekend that could be a second storage place. I mean if someone was lucky enough to come aboard they really shouldn't mind cleaning out the back bunk before crashing.

So if you suddenly come aboard and see the back bunk is full at least you know what happened and we will have bikes and golf clubs you can use in addition to some kayaks.

books and a boat

Monday night was book club and it was my turn to host. Since everyone in the book club with the exception of myself lives in Seattle and most people in Seattle think of the Eastside as being closer to Outer Siberia than Seattle I offered to host on our boat.

Last night as I headed down to the boat to open it up (air it out since it was actually a bit warm inside - that really put a smile on my face) and get the food set up I had to laugh at myself. I had not really envisioned hosting any type of event on our boat while just sitting at the dock without Sam being there. But I guess a captain isn't required for hosting, just for the actual boating part and maintenance - I think first mates might be the better hosts.

I realized that I had started to think of the boat as a second home, someplace where I would go hang out with friends even while it was still at the dock.

It was a great evening and it did feel like a home - though a very small one. There was plenty of room on board and it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves. Halfway through we moved from the deck to downstairs as the wind had picked up and the sun had started to go down. I was perfectly comfortable but then it seems I have been spending much more of my time outside with breezes when we sail.

The good thing about hosting on a boat is the tour most people want to have of your place takes very little time. Well it does for me anyways since Sam wasn't on board to point out all the small details. I just showed them our bedroom and the back guest room and the rest they could see for themselves. I did make sure to show how the head works since that can really affect enjoyment of the boat the next time we go out for the weekend if someone wasn't clear on how it works.

Guess this means I might be getting closer to liveaboard consideration since I have now proved I am willing to entertain via the boat though it will have to be on a larger boat. Our boat is the perfect size right now since we have a house but I still will need a shoe closet, a freezer large to hold more than 10 ice cubes, and a fridge door capable of accepting Tupperware larger than 7" across before I consider living on a boat for longer than a few weeks.

throw in a little sunshine

Hopefully I don't have anyone reading this contemplating a move to the Seattle area but we are having weeks of sunshine here in our typically gray rainy May/June Seattle. Of course after our extended, way too cold winter, we are definitely due for some blue sunny skies and warm temps.

Unfortunately I missed 5 of our sunny days due to a business trip to Vegas where I added 2 personal days in the beginning. Only those who live hear understand how disappointed I was to leave 70-80 degrees of Seattle sunshine for 95 degrees of Vegas sunshine even if it did include a pool. To miss any sunny Seattle days here is out of the question for most of us. While many people travel during July and August most residents here stay in the area. When warm sunny days are at a premium we don't want to miss any.

I guess it is just one more thing that makes us unique (or so we like to think) here. Winter - time to pack the bags and head out, but summer is a time to stay put or in our case pretend we are boating liveaboards. I really don't mind the gray, rainy weather but by the time the sun comes out I am so ready for it and ready to soak it in.

Unfortunately this year our house is a bit hotter than usual since we are missing a few trees that if we had not removed them might have landed on our roof sometime in the near future. While Sam may have been tempted in hopes I would pack up and head towards the boat permanently even he decided that may not be the best way to make that happen. But I am not going to complain about how hot it may get since that just means the sun is still out.

It truly is true here that Seattle residents know more people with boats than air-conditioning. But then I think I know more people with boats than without one (and I definitely feel sorry for those without one - hey there are some great deals out there now).

Now I just need to figure out how to run my laptop off of solar power so I can sit outside and get enough Vitamin D to last me through a Seattle winter. I can't say I had ever really considered solar power being any kind of option here for the most part especially in June.

So I am hoping we are in for the kind of Seattle summer I have only dreamed about cause I do believe we got enough snow this year that I will still be able to water our plants. And if I can't water well then I will just have to head out on the boat while my plants turn brown - it is a price I am willing to pay this year for sunshine.

green at home not on the road

One of my absolute favorite things about staying at a hotel is fresh sheets and towels every day. I would love to have fresh sheets every day at home but my job and other activities seem to interfere and I don't have the time or energy. But when I stay at hotels I look forward to climbing in bed with fresh sheets every night.

Now when I stay at hotels I see this little sign that says in order to conserve water please request that your bedding and towels be washed every other day. While the millions of gallons of water definitely sound appealing I would much rather have fresh sheets if someone else is going to wash them. I am paying for someone to do this for me and now you want to guilt me into giving it up? Not happening.

So I have decided in order to keep the planet green while still getting one of my favorite things occasionally I will take fresh sheets and towels at the hotel every night but won't do that at home. If someone else is doing my laundry and making my bed I am going to take advantage of it. I spend much more time at home or on the boat than I do at hotels so really I am being much greener by not sleeping in fresh sheets at home every night (as much as I would like to).

Now I do have to admit if suddenly I win the lottery and have help my rule is out the window and I just might take the 2nd night on my sheets at hotels and have fresh sheets at home every night instead. Now I think I will throw my sheets in the laundry right now so when I climb in bed tonight I will be in fresh sheets - seems I didn't quite get my fill of that this week in Vegas.

time to recharge

When it comes to boating I am the voice of caution, probably to a much higher extent than is needed. If Sam tells me to watch out for something or that something could happen I listen intently and then tend to freak out if it actually starts to happen or even the possibility becomes apparent.

One of the items Sam said we should continually watch out for on the boat was the house batteries. He told me to ensure they stay above 11.5 and to turn on the engine if they started to get below 12. Of course this made me into a battery monitor and I have constantly checked since.

Sitting on the boat one day without Sam I was working away and suddenly thought maybe I should check out the batteries since we didn't have shore power. Unfortunately they were below 12 and dropping rapidly. I hurriedly turned on the engine and it seemed like they started to go up. A little bit later I noticed the batteries charge dropping rapidly with the engine on.

Time to go into panic mode. I called Sam but of course he didn't pick up. A few minutes later after hearing my panicked voicemail he called back. I explained the situation sure that the batteries were going to have to be replaced.

Sam told me that the boat actually needed to have more power since neutral wasn't cutting it. Visions of suddenly having to try and take the boat out by myself to get it charged had me almost hyperventilating. No he assured me I could do this at the dock. Well we weren't quite at the dock we were rafted to two other boats. Taking out our boat would be one thing but 2 others at the same time plus the boats close by seemed a more difficult thing to explain to the insurance adjuster. Exactly how much could my insurance go up by?

After talking me through it several times about how to get the engine revved up while remaining in place I took the gamble though I do admit I was frantically checking to ensure I wasn't moving. I am pretty sure Sam was laughing internally but for his own self preservation I didn't hear any laughter over the phone.

Having listened much more carefully than I usually do paid off and it worked. We remained in place and very slowly the batteries began to charge. Overall it was much more stress than I wanted. Of course really Sam had just meant to watch the batteries but since they were house batteries the engine would still start even if they were dead. Though it wasn't really the time to explain it all to me then.

So now I know how to keep the batteries charged even when I am all alone on the boat. It just means this is one less thing to worry about but I have plenty of others. After all I have read lately about keels falling off so now I need to convince Sam to use his dive gear and double-check ours. Hey while you are down there Sam I think the bottom could use cleaning (which is really what I want to have him do - that keel is just a handy excuse). I think we could use that extra 1/4 knot of speed.

why I love being on the water

1. Sitting on the deck at sunset on a pin.
2. Unexpectedly seeing orcas on the way to the San Juan Islands.
3. Taking family and friends out on our boat.
4. Having Sam make lattes on the boat in the mornings, or on a chilly evening.
5. Sitting on the low side with my book during a sail in about 10 knots of wind.
6. Driving the boat into a marina while Sam acts as the deck hand.
7. Dancing on deck to Sirius radio while motoring.
8. Watching the weather through the window above my head in the mornings while in bed.
9. Listening to the water against the boat while at anchorage.
10. Smell of the bbq and the salt water mixed together.

opening day coug style

The first weekend in May marks the opening day of boating season in Seattle. Now we definitely open up the season before May but then in our world boating season doesn't close though maybe we don't go out every weekend in the winter months. So really I guess May might be our opening day announcing that from now until October there will be very few weekends that don't involve a boat.

I can just see the huge grin on Sam's face as he reads that and realizes that I have accepted this. Really our calendar could just say boat from here on out and be pretty accurate.

Once again we participated in the opening day parade with the Cougar Yacht Club. This year Levi and Justin came with Tanya and they were pretty excited about the parade. Plus we needed additional people to help yell out "Go Cougs" through the Montlake cut and by the log boom.

Once again it was a great day and the Cougs represented well. Levi and Justin are hooked and are looking forward to next year - as evidenced by the pictures they need a few more years to grow into their sweatshirts as well.

The only thing I don't really get is the white pants. I mean white pants aren't ever practical but on a boat it is a disaster - well mine really need to be bleached now. Makes one realize how dirty our clothes actually get and we don't normally realize. But from a distance they look pretty good so I guess that is what matters. But really I would like to work on boating opening day fashion just a bit. Wonder how I get on the fashion committee?

price paid for fun

I bruise somewhat easily being so fair but during the summer I seem to have bruises everywhere. I call them boating bruises. It seems the more time we spend on the boat the more bruises and scrapes I have. I don't think I am super clumsy but at the end of a boating weekend I can guarantee I will have picked up some lovely new shades of yellow, blue, and purple in a few spots.

Sam will take a look at an especially large bruise and ask what happened. Most of the time I have no idea how it happened and won't even know I did anything until I see the evidence in the form of another bruise. It would be nice to point out that this one happened while having to jump 10 feet to the dock or another happened when I went through the locks solo. A good story would be so much more interesting than a shrug.

One would think I would possibly get them in the same places but nope they can appear anywhere. Personally I blame it on being the deckhand. After all Skipper Sam doesn't accumulate them the same way I do. So it must be all the scrambling around on the deck pulling in bumpers and then putting them back out again. Not to mention all the lines or even trying to reach it all in the hatch after they are stored. I am doing all that manual labor while he directs from behind the wheel after attaching a single rope to the back cleat.

It is almost like someone can figure out how much time I have been spending on the boat just by looking at the bruises on my arms and legs. So now that warmer weather has arrived and most all our weekends will be spent on the boat be ready - my body will show the physical evidence of all the good times spent under way.

I guess I could try and prevent a few by having Sam have his had at being the deckhand but that would mean I would have to dock probably. Instead I will just go with the bruised look and know each one represents another good boating memory even if I don't know exactly which one. Guess I am a hard core sailor after all sacrificing my body and all just to be out on the boat.

boating mechanic?

Friday evening Sam and I headed down south to the Dock Street Marina in Tacoma. It was actually the furthest south we had been on our boat. For the most part we head north but since it was a yacht club outing it got us to try somewhere new.

I was a bit surprised Sam was up for a Tacoma trip since our last few visits there haven't been something we care to repeat. Last time we visited Tacoma our truck was broken into and our computers stolen and the time before we were in the mall during a shooting. With those 2 incidents one can understand why Tacoma isn't high on Sam's list of places to visit.

Guess since we would be there by boat it changed the whole perspective and he was willing to give it a shot. Though he did lock up the boat every time we left it for some odd reason.

Saturday Sam decided to lower the dinghy and take us for a cruise around the harbor. Unfortunately our throttle only one 1 speed - fast! Luckily he had taken it out for a quick spin by himself since we hadn't used the dinghy for a few months and I wasn't aboard when he found out by having the dinghy point skyward when he hit the throttle. He quickly made it back to the boat and started to try and figure out what was wrong.

I headed below deck since usually the best assistance I can provide is to stay out of his way. About an hour in I suddenly hear my name being yelled and cautiously come up and see what is so urgent, wishing I had chosen to take my book someplace else. Turns out my mechanical skills are desperately needed - actually it is my smaller hands that would be the most assistance.

I am not very mechanically inclined or at least acknowledge no mechanical ability whatsoever. A boat engine is not something I care to place my hands into but I do really want a dinghy that works so I was willing to try. Sam had the cover off and my job was to try and attach a piece back on and then put a cotter pin back in place. Easier said than done.

I got the piece reattached in pretty short order but the cotter pin was an entirely different story. I dropped 2 into the depths of the motor and couldn't see them to try and retrieve them. Sam went to grab a flashlight to help out but that suddenly disappeared into the depths overboard as I tried to use it. Hey he was just lucky he was holding on to me and I stayed on board.

Hard to keep good help if they get wet unintentionally. I finally got the cotter pin back on after many efforts and the loss of a flashlight. Sam was pretty impressed though I was hoping my mechanic career was over. Especially since laying on the seat of a dinghy hunched over an engine with my butt in the air with Sam holding on to me isn't really the most graceful or dignified position. I was pretty happy we were a bit by ourselves on the dock for this show.

Unfortunately the throttle was still suck. But Sam realized I had put in enough time and effort and he stopped by Lowe's on the way home Sunday night to pick up a smaller set of tools. Pretty sure he figured out he had gotten all the mechanical assistance he would from me and he was on his own. If you see anyone driving around in a dinghy that goes just one speed - fast and is pointing skyward guess it still isn't fixed.

walking not running

On Saturday I walked a 10K. Yep you read that correctly - walked a 10K. Turns out that people actually can sign up to walk a 10K, 1/2 marathon, or even a full marathon though that begs the question of why someone would choose to walk 26 miles. I think it also covers those who think running sounds good initially and then they forget to actually start the training prgram.

My sister Tanya was going to run her first 10K and wanted me to participate with her. Knowing that the likelihood of me running a 10K was pretty much nil she told me I could sign up to walk. I really thought it sounded pretty boring by myself but luckily she had 2 friends who were willing to do it with me. Walking by myself for 6 miles - boring, talking for 6 miles - sign me up.

Showing up Saturday morning we saw people running before the race even started. Now those people must really be in shape if they would run before the start - we both thought they were crazy. But Tanya thought I was a bit crazy too when I insisted on taking a few more swigs of my diet coke before exiting the car. Turns out maybe runners don't consider a DC in the morning the best way to start off a race.

After watching all these in shape people run by us on the path it actually made me want to start running again. I started to believe maybe I could run a 10K as well. After all if I started slow and ran a few times a week in a few months I could probably be out there with everyone else.

It really seemed like an excellent idea. In fact I even started thinking about how far I should run on Monday morning. Monday morning came and I had a bit of a cold so decided to work out inside. Tuesday morning the weather was beautiful but maybe doing my workout inside was a better idea since I could finish in 30 minutes and not have to put on my tennis shoes. Wednesday morning I had an early appt so really working out wasn't an option unless I wanted to get up 1/2 hour earlier - nope sleep was a better choice.

I bet at this rate by Friday I will have forgotten all my plans to run again. Which really isn't such a bad thing. Walking a 10K is much more enjoyable. You get to chat with friends, take in the scenery, have the energy to cheer loudly when you see others running (no way could I cheer and run at the same time), no need to wear a sports bra that takes 10 minutes to get positioned for optimum support, and best of all not have my face turn bright read from exhaustion. Really it is a good thing I procrastinated - it seems I am much more suited for walking than running.

So if anyone needs someone to walk a 5K or 10K with them sign me up, as long as we go out for food afterwards.