The 6 to 6 Slog

At some point the body just quits and says that's enough. After dinner on Tuesday I laid down, and that's pretty much where I stayed all night. I have been pushing myself pretty hard to get the boat to the point where we can live on it, and I still have another 7 days. Wednesday was a little relaxed, laundry, shopping, and an oil change for the truck, but I still got some work in too. Yesterday we had to make a run to Marine Outfitters in Kingston. Our new alternator was in, and our new lifelines were ready. Still got lots of work done. Today I finish the interior, and tomorrow is spring clean the boat ready for paint and cetol.

We have decided to sell our travel trailer. Sad really, since we just bought it new 10 months ago. We'll take a big loss on it, but we would take a bigger loss if we held onto it. Our thought was to hold onto it in case the whole cruising thing didn't work out, but the truth is that neither Serena or I have any plans of moving back to land anytime soon. We know there will come a day when we will want to settle down somewhere, but at 43 years old, that could be a while yet. We both are really looking forward to having the time to spend on the things we enjoy, walking, reading, maybe socializing a little, for a change.

So the boat! I have managed to finish all of the woodwork. The divider is back in the lazarette, seperating the engine from that big storage area. I built in the shelf for the fridge compressor. All the shelves in the galley have been installed, and I built up the anchor locker with a tougher bulkhead and a 9" shelf around it for mounting the second anchor. I still have to finish the epoxy work in the anchor locker, plug all the screw holes, and sand down a few areas, but after a good cleaning I should be able to carry on with paint and varnish. Then its finishes, carpet, curtains, cushions, all before next Thursday. Oh boy.....

While we were building the shelf dividers for the galley, we figured we had better install the water lines before we made it more difficult to do it. Then come to find that the original lines were punctured by a screw, when the boat was built. Amazing that it didn't leak for the last 30 years. Anyway, you know it would leak now, since I pulled it off the screw. So I said to hell with it and replaced all of the lines. Would have been nice to just decide to do that a long time ago. But now I have a mish-mash of different sizes, running everywhere. No conformity, no control, no military precision!!! My old military friends will pick up on that oxymoron.

I have taken some pictures lately, but they are lame and don't really show anything. Hopefully soon, when the finishing touches are done, I'll have some pictures of the final product.

Anyway, its off to the boat after breakfast for another long day. I can't wait to start slowing down. Of course there is the old adage, you'll get plenty of rest when your dead. A little bit before then would be nice though.