Heather peeling tape on deck after painting...
We're in crunch time...the lists have been made, projects prioritized, and we've been busier than a 3-legged cat trying to bury a mouse on ice.
The alternator/charge regulator still giving us problems...what, why, or etc. is still a mystery. It may or may not act up...as soon as I get out the multimeter to check the voltage/charge/etc. it is working like it should. I suppose every time we get underway I will have to pull out the multimeter...like a bad dog, show the regulator the multimeter while saying in a condescending voice, "Be good. BE GOOD." It works intermittently but so inconsistently that I'm at a loss to diagnose it.
We're down to 2 coats of paint left on deck. The non-skid got finished up today and looks gorgeous. Not without some drama, though. I was 85% of the way done...non-skid particles had been spread and I was on coat #2, nearly done when I stepped ON the paint tray sending awl-grip everywhere. No, everywhere is too vague... Awl-grip paint is like water and it splattered on deck, down the hull, etc. Thankfully, Heather hopped in the dink with rags and acetone and cleaned up that mess while I hopped-to on deck mopping up paint...I think we got it all but I'm sure something will go flat and have to be re-done...but disaster was averted, whew...
A few days ago whilst we were taping off the deck, we looked up and was a sailboat named Summersail coming in... sure enough, it was John who we had met in Titusville, FL nearly 3 years ago. We hopped in the dink and said hello, a nice reunion. He invited us to his house for dinner, took us to the grocery, cruisers understand cruisers. He cooked us a wonderful meal, ran us around town, picked our brains on our favorite places up and down the coast, as we did him. It's amazing how you can not see someone for years and then when you meet up in some particular harbor it is like you never parted ways.
We have to fix the dinghy, fix the Brother Sailmaker sewing machine, and stow half-a-million things that we've dug out to paint, repair, and such... general clutter has invaded our lives and is quite unwelcome. We've got our work cut out for us and next weekend is our last in Annapolis...then we begin wandering south again. Yet another year under our belts.
Amongst all this, Brian has been working 6 days a week on Amour 5, getting her ready to be shown in the Annapolis boat show...only 4 days of painting left and the mast/spreaders/boom painitng will be done. The only regret is that no count has been kept of the number of trips up and down the mast. All in all, about 6 months budget has been made in a matter of weeks so it has been well worth the effort.
Heather has been busy every day keeping HP in order, taping off things to be painted, peeling tape, and maintaining general order where chaos desires ro reign. She has fought the good fight and has conquered the forces of evil where necessary.
I'm tired (the paint spill and non-skid were today after going to do laundry), dinner is almost done, and I deserve a drink.
"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right..."
The Grateful Dead, Scarlet Begonias.
cheers,
Brian, Heather & the Cruising Kitties....
Forgive any errors...I'm racing against time, rice is almost done and dinner about to hit the table...... | 