Where have all the posts gone?

I noted at one time that MANY cruising blogs seems to have either a 1-2 year life span, or perhaps 7 years.  A good number of the longer life blogs we have followed seem to peter out around 7 year, guess kind of a nautical 7-year itch.  Seems at that time folks get tired of the floating life and move on to something else.  (that is, those who make it past the 1st year that is).


So, are Kristi and I packing it in?  Will Viking Star once again become a marine orphan?   No.  We are on our 9th year of full time cursing, and do not have plans (Awk, I just used the 'P' word!!)  to change.   We have settled into is this 8mo or so on 'out there' in the PNW / Inside Passage / Alaska, with winter months picking up a dock - in Friday Harbor for several years.


So - what has happened then?  Why have there been in effect NO post the past few months (err, years..) to speak of.   I offer three prime reasons:

1. Facebook.  Perhaps the biggest change we have seen.  Facebook did not really exist when we started, now it does.  And to be honest almost all the 'Travel Log' post that Kristi did are now pushed up to Facebook.
2. We have kind of ran out of things to say.  Example, the Things That Work labeled posts.  Mostly we have settled in on Viking Star with regards to equipment, so do not really have much more to offer the community.
3. This:  http://arduinoalternatorregulator.blogspot.com/   Several years ago I was frustrated by the inability to PROPERLY charge our house batteries using the widely available 'must have' regulators - so I made a better solution and made it availed to other folks if the wanted.   Up to a year ago the only way to get one was to solder up a board yourself.  That changed when I did a build, and well - things have occupied my time.  That combined with a much richer 'systems' architecture, I have been busy designing as well as shipping..

So, that is kind of it.  Technology shift, talked out, and a time consuming 'project'.  In short, that is what has happened to the posts.

The "Dirt Thing" . . .

Oh, and one more thing:  We bought a house.  I can hear it now:  SELL OUT!!!   Well, hopefully not.  See, Kristi and I are not ready to give up this cruising life, and are looking to keep the same pattern we have done for the past several years (8mo+ out there / winter over in Friday Harbor).  The House is kind of a place holder for down the road.  We will be looking to rent it out for now,  with the idea of moving towards were we rent it in the spring/summer/fall when we are out there, and use it our-self during the winter.  But that all is down the road.  For now, we have something in place for the future - and it comes with a separate shop we will use and where can can stash the old pickup - sigh, one foot at a time back into the 'Real World'...

Oh, and that Regulator project:  Well there are things afoot as the saying goes.  Keep an eye out for new news this year!

And maybe I will also find some time to make the final Cost to Cruise posts for the year we spend up North.  - perhaps the closest to a 'typical' year we envisioned.   And perhaps some posts along the lines of those  "Sure am glad I do not have a HIGH MAINTENANCE wood boat" comments I often hear.  Hint: I am a bit weary of disappointing folks with the reality of owning a well made/and maintained wooden boat.  Now those Fiber Glass boats I note in the yards for weeks at a time getting 'buffed out', well, that is another story I suppose.

Hum...   Perhaps point #2 above is not really true after all. . . .

Going home

Today Kristi and I will be moving back to the boat - as the 'house sitting' gig is up.  It has been a little less than one year for me, and a little more than one year for Kristi when we 'moved away' from what had been our home for going on 5 years or more.  Looking back, July 1st 2009 is when I moved 'full time' aboard, with Kristi following a month later as she wrapped up her job.  And during that time it was the end of many many years of dreaming, working, preparing - all culminating in the day we went from Land Folks to Boat Folks - to full-time cruisers. And with that came the feelings of the time, feelings of leaving jobs, houses, families. Feelings of fear, excitement, wonder; of embarking on a dream, a 'Wish I could do that' adventure.  It in itself was a dream, or at least the realization of a dream.
 

They say one is made of one's experiences in life - and to some extent I am sure that is true. As Kristi and I look to go home again we have a new set of experiences to integrate into our souls.  The time with Maynard and Ellen, Minnesota, the people of SW Minnesota.  All are new and powerful experiences.

And as a result of our experiences - we are different people now.

We are returning to Viking Star with a totally different set of feelings, expectations, a different reality.  We are not realizing a dream, that has been realized.  We are not here to discover what is unknown about the lifestyle, we have discovered it.  We are not, and can not, re-enter this life in the same way as we did 6 years ago.

We can not view moving to a boat in the same way - we are different people now.

As Spring unfolds and we revisit the South Sound again, how will it be?  Will we find new meanings while sitting at anchor?  Will we desire to seek deeper into nature, or deeper into society?  Will we still seek out Burgers, Coffee, or become Tea people?  Will we fall back into the old patterns we had, or will we be able to find new meanings, new insights, new interpretations of experiences?

Whatever it is, I am sure it will be different - for we are different now.

So stay tuned as this new/old chapter of our lives unfolds.




(To see someone at the beginning of the experience, take a look at one couple we have been following for some time as they just pulled the plug - so to speak:  http://sundownersailsagain.com/first-anchorage-louisanas-marsh-lands/ )

Tuesday it is...

Weather reports (aka, 'weather WAG')  tells us Tuesday is the day.  

• We will finish up our 'business' - helping Dean tidy up Maynard and Ellen's financial affairs -  Monday (I hope).  
• The Cat has gone to a new home,  a couple of weeks ago.  Kristi and I still expect to see 'Kit' at the door as we come in.  
• DISH shut off the satellite service a few days early, and I was not able to enjoy 'CBS Sunday Morning' with my cup of coffee, fresh baked Cinnamon rolls, and my wife.

Yup, all stars are aligning - and we will look to be hitting the road Tuesday.  Bright and Early, 12-14 hour drive to Colorado Springs to spend a few days with Kristi's sister and brother-in-law.  Then looking to head to San Fransisco to visit Pip the Cat  (  http://pipsalbum.wordpress.com/about/ ) for Thanksgiving and a slow drive up the coast to Portland for the Christmas holidays.

New Years on Viking Star.

These past days have been a mix:  Visiting, packing, sorting, remembering, mourning, 'planning'.    Now will begin a time for transition.  Looking back Kristi and I are clear - we have no regrets taking this year off from cruising, with all its ups and downs.  And we do hope we brought something to Maynard and Ellen as their lives came to a close.  We think we did.

I put the Cruising Lifestyle label on this post because much of the 'lifestyle' is about Family.  Those we take with us and those we leave behind as we depart on our 'craziness'.  What will happen to them? Will they forget us?  Will we ever be able to truely go back into a 'normal' life?

"The whole idea is Freedom . . ." ¹ begins a famous quote from an admired cruising couple, freedom to make choices, to follow where life takes us.

And we did.  Now its time to start another chapter.





 ¹  "The whole idea is freedom.    Go simple,  Go cheap,  Go now."   -  Lyn Pardee.

Changes afoot..

With the passing of Maynard and Ellen - Kristi and I have finished our reason for putting the Cruising Life on hold over the past year.  This week has been full of family, sorting through memories, sorting through stuff, crying, all of it.  Going forward we are looking to start making our way back to the West Coast the week of November 17th.  Likely stopping along the way to visit family and friends (including perhaps Pip in SF), Christmas time again in Portland and then to Friday Harbor to rejoin Viking Star.  From there we will start putting our wandering lifestyle back in place.

Many folks have commented how hard the last year must have been.  And to be honest there were times it was.  But both Kristi and I are in full agreement: it was the right thing to do, we have no regrets, and would make the same choice in a heart-beat.  That we could spend time with these two wonderful folks, who have modeled in their everyday living a way to be; no question our lives have been enriched - pain and all.

So boating fans - keep a watch, things will be a changing!  We will getting back into the Floating life, even changing the costs report back into Cost to Cruise :-)   Plus we will be leaving what has become known as the 'Coffee Desert'!  Stay tuned for more to come.

Maynard and Ellen, thank you for sharing your life with us this past year.

Hang in there Viking Star,
we will be back soon!

Plans vs Intentions...

plan

noun \ˈplan\

: a set of actions that have been thought of as a way to do or achieve something

: something that a person intends to do

: a detailed agreement for telephone service, medical care, insurance, etc.

in·tend

verb \in-ˈtend\

: to want to do (something) : to have (something) in your mind as a purpose or goal

: to want (someone or something) to do or be something

: to want (something that you control, provide, or have made) to be used for a particular purpose or by a particular person

For some time folks might have noticed I have a thing against the 'P' word.  When full time cruising, Planning just does not make sense.  Planning to be somewhere at a specific time can be dangerous (weather), and it also gets one into a mindset not appropriate for the Relaxed Lifestyle.  When full time Cruising, Kristi and I found making Plans was just silly.  Things happened, weather happened, boat happened, family happened.  Plans were for the dreamers;  Ever hear the joke how to make God laugh?  Tell him your Plans.

Instead we said we had intentions.  We 'intend' to head towards Pirates Bay next week.  We 'intend' to cruise to the Gulf Islands this Spring, heck, even up to last Fall we were starting to say we 'intend' to look into Desolation Sound the summer of 2014.  (Even using the 'I' word we were careful not to look too far out, a month at a time or perhaps less, seemed about right).

But now that Kristi and I are Dirt Folks for the year I am finding the 'P' word coming into use more and more.  I 'Plan' on flying back to Viking Star August 20th, we are 'Planning' on a Dr. Visit on the 16th.  What are our 'Plans' for this weekend??? Perhaps it is a result of being in a fixed position most all the time, of having roots - roots one can make 'Plans' around.   I know, being a bit silly, but at the same time there is a different energy around the P word vs. the I word.


I like the 'I' word better...


And with all of this we have a new Plan.  Kristi and I are Planning on extending our stay in Minnesota until the 1st week of April 2015.  We will then fly to BVI to join friends on a week-long Big-Cat charter in the Caribbean (hey, not a bad way to get back on the water!).  Then it is back to Friday Harbor, retrieve Viking Star and get her ready for getting back into Intentions...

Its all about Context

Wow, - we seem to be getting more traffic again.  Still not sure why, but in an attempt to keep this site somewhat interesting, we will work to put up one post a week.  And yes, will also try to to keep it boating related  (Mostly).


With that I am remembering an exchange between Kristi and I back in January.  We were on the phone and I was packing up a box of 'stuff to move' for our year stay in Minnesota.  I was down to packing some of her clothing, and the conversation went something like this:

 "K:  I want all of my jewelry;  it's on top of the dresser.

Not quite this bad. . .

  A:  OK, got it.

  K:  And my wood-handled brush, and the vented one.

  A; Wood-handled, got it.  Vented?

  K:  It has holes in it.

  A: Holes in the brush,  sure.  Think I got it.

  K: Now all my Teal shirts.

  A: Teal -- that's Green, right?

  K: It's blue.  Blue-Green.

  A: Blue ... Green.  Blue-green, ok.  (Hoping they were correct ones)

  K: And I DO want my GREEN capri's

  A: You have a  car in here?  (Only Capri I know of was made by Mercury back in the 70's)

  K: Pants.  With short legs.

  A; OK, Green cut offs.

(At this point I am feeling just like I do when ordering coffee at Starbucks - where they 'passively aggressively'  train their customs to order the 'right' way)

  K: And my Carhartts.

  A: THAT I get!"

And so it went.  Perhaps I can feel a bit more sympathetic for her when I ask for a 5/8" box wrench.  (But come on.  What's hard about that?  It's a wrench.  One for a 5/8" nut.  With the end shaped like . . er . . a . . box??)

Why is this Boating related?  At times people ask us how we can stay in such a small space for so long. "I am surprised you two have not eaten each other yet" one friend stated.  Well, it is different for everyone, I think.  We often note that with few exceptions we are hardly ever more than 50' from each other, and have been that way for several years now.  Even here in Minnesota I come up from the 'Man Cave' to sit at the table Kristi is at and type (ala, like this post).  Not sure why we are this way but we are.  And to be honest I think it is a kind of basic need if one is looking to cruise long term.

We know another couple who wanted to pull the plug and 'live the dream' like we are.  But he also commented "But I will need a bigger boat".  Later that summer they pulled in a 65' power boat.  Wonderful, tons of room.  Maybe big enough, though last I knew, he was still working to pay it off....

Feeling anxious - and think I figured out why...

anx·ious

ˈaNG(k)SHəs/

adjective

1. 1.

   experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

   "she was extremely anxious about her exams"

   synonyms:

   worried, concerned, uneasy, apprehensive, fearful, perturbed, troubled,bothered, disturbed, distressed, disquieted, fretful, agitated, nervous,edgy, antsy, unquiet, on edge, tense, overwrought, worked up, keyed up, jumpy, worried sick, with one's stomach in knots, with one's heart in one's mouth;
2. 2.

   wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease.

   "the company was anxious to avoid any trouble"

   synonyms:

   eager, keen, desirous, impatient

And that has described a feeling I (al) have had for the past week or so.   But I was not sure why, till it dawned on me last night.  I was up at 3:30am, could not sleep, and was surfing the web.  I went to some San Juan update sites, along with the Washington State ferries updates to check in on how things were going 'back home' when I realized the root of my anxiety...  Its the water!  (And yes, there is a double meaning there - for those who remember the tag line 'It's the water', given it is St. Patrick's day, and I am here in a largely dry part of the country. . .)   But the core meaning - it is the water drawing me..

I think for people who adopt the cruising lifestyle, at least those who do it for more than a couple of years and more than a couple of months out of the year, there is a lifelong tug deep inside them.  I know for myself I have been attracted to the water as early as grade school.  And as I grew older I would be more than content sitting at the beach and watching the water,  just watching it.  There was always a draw, a calling to me - from the water.  And it is again calling me this Spring.

Our 1st winter in Friday Harbor I became antsy in January, to the point that we pulled out in February. The following spring we delayed our departure for family reasons, and here the 3rd spring I am feeling the pull again.  All without the visual indications back on Viking Star: "Kristi, there is green growing on the dock lines - time for us to get underway"  (was always surprised she did not start a covert bleaching campaign just after new years...)

So, here it is early Spring (late Winter actually), and my core it telling me it is time to pull away. to "... throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."   But I think it is more than that, more than Explore, Dream, Discover.  It is a pull from the water that can only be heard by those who can hear it.  Can only be known by those with this calling to get out there - away from the safe harbor, the high energy of the town - any town.  To feel the water and nature around you, to connect, and become at peace.

It took me 40 years to make it there, and I will make it back again.  Do not want to give the impression I am so bummed about our current year break, doing what Kristi and I are doing has so many +++ it is the right choice.  But I also feel the pull, as I have for most all of my life.

At least now I understand the cause of my anxiety.  Perhaps those who often visit this site (and others) can understand it too.  And hence this post is a boating post, and gets the Cruising Life tag.

A world apart, in only 12 short miles.

As the crow flies we are perhaps 12 miles from where we were 3 days ago, but in my mind it is a world apart.  Arriving yesterday to drop anchor in Plumper Cove, a place we last visited May, I was amazed at the number of boats here this time of year.  We even got to watch a few rounds of Anchor Wars – signaled by boats circling around in tighter circles, their ground tackle at the ready - often dangling ineffectually from the bow in anticipation.  Kind of reminded me of Dogs circling around –eyeing each other - before lying down, or perhaps before marking their spot.  And then one would do just that, mark their spot by releasing the anchor to the amazement of other circlers.   And there was the ‘race to the buoy’ (ever see a sail boat kick up roster tails?)  that ended with the victor all but losing its crewmate as she successfully claimed the buoy with her boat hook, but lacked the strengths to hold on as the boat’s momentum carried several tons of plastic / metal past.  Need either stronger crew, longer boat, or perhaps a different approach.

But in each case folks found their spot, few “words” were exchanged, and I sat watching this all kind of numb.

3 days ago.

Later today we will be in False Creek, completing our tour of the Sun Shine Coast for the summer.  I fully expect more of the same – boats, noise, lights, camera, action..   And THAT is what really is hitting me.

Just 12 miles away, in the Sechelt Inlet, things were different.  Things smelt different, looked different, sounded different.  Seals snuffing, sharp shadow lines casted on mountains at sunrise, Life and Deaths all intertwined at the Toonzie river delta,  the sky at night. . .   It is mostly the sky at night where I noticed the difference.  I grew up in the Suburbs of Portland, city lights and all.  At night we noted stars, thousands of them.  And sure, getting away those thousands became millions, of even ‘Billions upon Billions’ of stars.  But new to me while anchored at the headwaters of Narrows Inlet, or perhaps Green Bay, I notice not only the Billions upon Billions but something else:  the contrast, the darkness.  With the steep mountain sides becoming a black-as-coal frame against which the sky was painted.  And sparkles on the calm waters consisted either of reflected stars, or the bio-luminance of a disturbed creature.  At times a small fish would dash through creating a streak of light – a kind of meteor in the water.  And of course there was the billions upon billions of stars, lighting the whole moonless sky – the ‘heavens above’.  Where not just the individual stars became light, but the whole sky glowed.   Where the stark contrast between the black of the forest and the light of the sky became a dividing line, the delineation of worlds apart.  A contrast great enough to be disturbed by our own anchor light;  I would turn it off and then I too could feel a world apart.

In only 12 miles.

And that is what I am feeling so greatly now as we reenter the ‘developed’ world.  Where people circle like Dogs and give one-finger ‘victory’ waves.  Where the sky contains thousands of stars, but not Billions upon Billions.  Where the anchor light is not a bother, sparkles can only be seen in the head as it is flushed, and where the contrast between our world and the world around is not so great, so sharp, so crisp.

A world apart,

-al-

The Boat Life

On numerous different occasions recently, I have had to answer the question 'So, how do you like boat life?'  Even from fellow boaters!  And some even put that qualifying word in there -- 'Do you STILL like boat life?'

The other night, after the fact, I read aloud to Al the most recent answer I had sent to a friend in email, and he said 'That needs to be a blog post.'  So here it is....

The friend we are talking about had read the Liveaboard Simulator post, and sent these words:  'Also, reading your blog, The Liveaboard Simulator ... you are amazing, living in those conditions! You never complain, either, at least online. I can't imagine how you do it!'

And the reply I had read to Al: "Al found that years ago, I actually haven't read it yet to see if he said anything different or unexpected. And I really don't feel I have too much to complain about! It's a privilege to live this life, 'retired' at 50, surrounded by beauty. Yes, it can get a little uncomfortable at times, but the benefits outweigh that, most days. My standard answer to the question of how I like boat life is 'It's all been great except for 3 days.' Those three days ARE quite memorable, and though not at all fun at the time, have become part of 'the story'."

I sent THESE words to my cousin this week also:  'Most guys say it's hard to find a woman who is willing to live on a boat, and they cite 'space' as a big reason. But I say, I have a very cozy bed, and I have a place to sit in the main cabin. I have room for my books, and can get internet almost anytime. What more could I want? My view is ever changing, and we are close to nature, and sometimes it is breathtaking.'

And so, you get the idea that I pretty much -- still -- like it.

You Might be a Cruiser if . . . .

. . . . Your boat gets all the Christmas presents!

New Head Pump Body

New Inverter

Spare Raw-water pump

Spare Transmission Cooler

Looking to Electrify Dinghy Lift

This one is just a 3-year  recertification, we already have the raft!

And truth be told -  if in some way you find yourself considering that Pump Head as much a present for your Wife as the boat, then you really know you are a cruiser!  (even if she does not totaly agree :-) )

Fashion? On a Boat?

Just a warning to the guys:  This is a girlie rant.

This living on a boat is starting to cramp my style.  Now, I have never been a big follower of fashion, but a girl still likes to look good.

I have two drawers that hold my entire -- year around -- wardrobe.  I just recently unloaded everything and evaluated.  Half a re-usable shopping bag was filled to take to the re-sale store when we get to Friday Harbor.  That gives me just a little room to make some replacements.  Geez, most everything in there is YEARS old!  And the two pair of jeans I bought last fall are showing the wear.  The new Clarks clogs I got last fall are worn out.  Most of my sweaters were purchased while I was working -- is that three years ago now, or four?

What's holding me back?

Access to shopping, for one thing.  It's hard enough to find a real grocery store in our move-from-here-to-there life.  Malls are NEVER within walking distance!  And then there's the fact that my husband can find perfectly fitting jeans for $12.99 at Bi-Mart, making him absolutely abhorrant of my desire to buy the Not Your Daughter's Jeans I found at Macy's in Seattle for $120, no matter they fit me wonderfully.

I am looking for a replacement for those Clarks, too.  I visited two shoes stores here in Olympia's downtown.  I just couldn't see spending $200 for shoes clearly marked 'Made in China'.  I was much happier with the quality (real leather!) in the other store, but still the average price of the styles I liked was $200.

I suppose I could order some things online, but I won't be in a place to receive packages until November, or pick up mail at my daughter's house until December.

I think it's the feeling of the seasons turning that has me fussing about this.  In the summer, on a boat, everyone kind of expects you to wear shorts and tank tops -- they never go out of style.  But my sweaters are the oldest items in my wardrobe.  My dressiest pants are black jeans that are fading.

And my hair is another thing.  The grey is really getting thick!  I think the long, all-one-length, is the way to go for a boat style.  I have only had 5 haircuts since moving on the boat!  I often say I would like it better straight-er, or curly-er -- naturally.  My efforts to MAKE it curlier always go flat, within minutes, no matter the method used.  I guess I like straighter best anyway -- I think it is a little 'younger' look, even with the shine of the silver coming through.  It's just become a little -- boring, I guess.

I'm just frustrated.  Grrrr.

The Summer that Was Not. . .

. . . or as Time Goes By

You may have noticed (or more likely have not) that Kristi and I tend to think of three broad categories when making Blog posts:

• Travel Log – This tends to be Kristi
• Nuts & Bolts – This tends to be me.
• Emotions – This is something we do not see too much in other blogs, etc.  So felt it was important.  What does it ‘Feel’ like – deep down.

Here is one of those latter ones:

No man is an Island, or so the saying goes – even if us ‘Cruisers’ pretend we are our own little Island…    Reading all the glossy Get Away magazines, and even words of wisdom from those who have gone before us, it seems that making An Island is what it is about.  Get away, be free, unplug from  the world!  Sometimes you will get a peek into reality – like that definition of Cruising:  Fixing and Repairing a boat in Exotic locations, or a recount of a particularly uncomfortable night spent riding out a storm:  http://mvvikingstar.blogspot.com/2011/09/it-was-dark-and-stormy-night.html   But there is something that we have not seen talked about too much – just how truly un-island we are when out there.

Last weekend Kristi and I returned from our 3rd (her 4th) trip down to Portland this year – largely for Family related reasons.  Kids and Grand Kids: two surgeries, one in need of help, and well ok, one trip was Work related, but we also combined visits with Family.  While driving back up to Port Orchard I mentioned to Kristi – OK, This summer has not been relaxing.  Too much has happened and I just feel stressed – not ‘retired living the care free life’.  Looking back over our Norm Rockwell 2012 Calendar it is easy to see why:  We have just had too many things to work around.  Trips, park hosting, Sail-ins, visits,  etc.  Our Calendar is Full!

What does this mean?  See time slows down when living this life.  Where we use to think in Days, now we think in weeks.  Weeks become Months, and Hours become Days.  Drive to Portland?  2 Hours.  Motor to Olympia?  2 days.  Spontaneous activity tomorrow – no way.  Spontaneous activity next month, let’s see what is on the calendar – need a +/- 2 week clear window around it!   And as time slows down, activities still fill in.    This summer we have NOT spent long days lazing about working on lineless tans.  Nor have we been at work on Maintenance: the deck bung-plugs need servicing, the aft head too.

Back to the Island thing:  Given the combination of time slowing down, and doing two or perhaps three ‘Things’ a month gives us the current situation.  Perhaps if we were 3,000+  miles away we would be less likely to Hop a Plane to get back to town.  Perhaps in Chile we would be much more ‘island’ like. But we are not in Chile we are in the Sound.  And we have a Full Calendar (Haul out end of September).  And we are grateful to be able to connect with Family when needed.

But it is very un-island like.  And with the Time Slowing effect a week floating now feels like a day.  We need weeks to unwind properly!

And this is the Cruising Life insight:  When pulling the plug and leaving, one does not leave an empty house.  There is still Family there – and you still will be engaged in one way or another. You are not an island.


To read more the Cruising Life click here: http://mvvikingstar.blogspot.com/search/label/Cruising%20Lifestyle

I'll Be There

We have said before that perhaps the most difficult thing about the cruising lifestyle is leaving the family behind -- aging parents, growing grandchildren, and kids who are now young adults -- the source of our deepest joys, and greatest worries.

So when we got a call from Al's ex last week saying that his son needed him, we said we'd be there.

We needed to find a place to park the boat for a week, with access to car rental.  We motored three hours to Olympia, and Al hoofed it to the Budget Rental office, arriving only 20 minutes before closing time.  We were able to make it to the Portland area Saturday afternoon.

While Al focused his attention on son, hopefully helping to solve a few difficulties, he was also able to spend some time with his daughter, who provided us a place to stay for the week.  And I was left free to visit my daughters and grandchildren.

We enjoyed soaking up the love of this surprise visit, and hope all those we spent time with feel the love that we poured out in return.

And I still can't believe I didn't take a single photograph this time!

We have now returned to the boat, found her still afloat, provisioned and done laundry, and are prepared to resume exploring the South Sound beginning tomorrow!

Lonely

This hosting thing is having a bit of an unexpected effect on me.  And I think I can only best describe it as being lonely.

I do say that I think Al is having a blast with the hosting responsibilities.  He loves to greet people and boats, cruise the campsites, sweep out the restrooms, and be an all-around handy guy!

But I am missing my companion.  Yes, I also go out and speak with fellow boaters, grab a line, answer questions, hand out matches, and pet dogs.

But lately I feel like I don't have anyone to TALK to.  Again, there is no-one who really KNOWS me here but Al, and he has been quite busy away from me this past week.  This man who I can have a conversation with, without even saying a word.  Who can come back to the boat after his last rounds and 'hear' my misery and asks immediately 'Are you okay?'

Oh, I think it is so important to do things like volunteering and giving back to the community we enjoy so much.  But I look forward to only four more days this time, and getting my husband back.

Homecoming

We have said before, that perhaps the thing we miss most about the cruising lifestyle is not having a 'home'.

It was first noted and expressed, perhaps, when we returned to Lion's Ferry on the Snake River, when we were 'recognized' by the staff on our trip back downriver.  (To read about THAT experience again, and the comments...go to http://mvvikingstar.blogspot.com/2010/10/missing-my-people.html)

Maybe our 'home' is now San Juan Island, because our coming back began this morning when we went to Roche Harbor to the Lime Kiln Cafe for donuts.  We pulled open the door, and before we even stepped inside, we saw a familiar face.  Steve-from-the-Power-Squadron/security-guy-for-the-Port-of-Friday-Harbor was in line ahead of us!  Unfortunately, he was wearing a sling, and we heard that he'd had shoulder surgery and had subsequently retired from his Port job.  BUT, it was great to be recognized by someone!

Then, as we came in to Friday Harbor, we saw a man on the dock, waving!  He was waving at US!  It was another Steve, a new friend we met at Reid Harbor on Stuart Island, come to welcome us back to Friday Harbor and share some information he had about finding Port Orford Cedar.

We visited our favorite coffee shop, the Bean, of course!  And then on our walk back to the boat, we heard someone yelling, several times, 'HEY YOU!', and we finally turned around and saw friend Samantha chasing us down from the Windemere Realty office.  Samantha also attends St. David's Episcopal Church which we attended last winter, and she lent us her pickup truck for a very good day! (http://mvvikingstar.blogspot.com/2012/02/day-in-pictures.html)

Back at the boat, we call friends Art and Raye, and their daughter Shawn answers the phone 'Welcome Home!' when she hears who it is.

Awwww.  It is SO nice to be in familiar surroundings with familiar faces.  I admit I am missing the 'home' of my kids and grandkids (today is grandson Troy's 8th birthday)....but it is still nice to have this sense of homecoming today.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

I have returned to Viking Star after 10 days away.  Two of those days were taken with travelling to and fro.

So I had eight days to enjoy being Grammie!

Even though we had 'just been there' for Christmas, three months is a LONG time in a child's life.  Baby Ranger is nearly twice as old as he was the last time I saw him.

One of the first things Ryker told me was that he wanted to come to my house.  He was reminded that Grammie and Papa live on a boat, and he said ' I know!  I want to go there!'  It's a long ways away, you know, it took me a whole day to get here!  Some day, you will get to come visit us for a week.

I really enjoyed staying at daughter Lindsay's house, and being much more a part of their lives than we had been at Christmas time.  I slept in the boys' room, trying out one of the new beds they had just got.  It was made even more comfortable by the stuffed animals Ryker placed there to keep me company, the special 'Sparkly Kitty' tucked close to the pillow, and a favorite super ball slipped under my pillow.

Some of my favorite memories will be a 5-year-olds arms around my neck and the words 'You are the best Grammie ever!' for no reason other than just being there.  And a three-year-old playing the 'I Love You' game that his family shares that went 'I love you, Grammie!'  I love you too, Evan. 'I love you more!'

I am grateful that the reason for the trip -- Milo had surgery -- went as planned, and he bounced back so quickly that we were all able to go to the zoo at the end of the week.

Here they are all lined up!  Not a one is as tall as the smallest bear, yet!  But they will grow so fast.  L to R, Milo 19 months, Emrie nearly 3, Madalyn 5, Evan 3, Ryker 5, Troy 8, Ranger 7 months.

And then I got to go home to Al.  I have heard others say 'How can I miss you if you don't go away?!'  There was none of that going on here.  We truly enjoy being together, and are very rarely apart.

It was nice to be greeted at the train station with a big grin, a kiss hello, and a little-tighter-than-normal hug.  It's nice to be back.  Maybe absence DOES make the heart grow fonder.

On the Train

I am presently on the train to Portland.  I am travelling south to be there when my grandson Milo has surgery on Monday.  I will gone from Al and Viking Star for 9 days.

I am looking forward to seeing my daughters and their beautiful children!  But, I am also anxious about being away from Al for so long.  The last time we left the boat this long, WE left the boat.  It was in a marina, and it had a friend come by and check it now and then. But Al and I were together.

Now, Al will be alone on the boat.  'Where will you go?  What will you do?'  Though I know he is VERY competent, I still worry about not being there, not being that second set of eyes, not being the deckhand who prepares the lines. 

Also, I know that Al does not sleep well when I am away.  Granted, usually HE is the one that is away, and when he is away, he is usually involved in business, with the stress of air travel (he hates it) and strange, empty beds.  I guess we will find out if he sleeps better or not with me absent from OUR bed.  

I think the anxiety got to both of us a little bit last night.  Al was awake from 1:00 to 2, and I woke when he came back to bed.  Both of us got up and read for a time before coming back to bed.  

We have adjusted well to life on the boat.  We share a very small space, even 'smaller' in winter, as we rarely use the outside deck space in cold and wind.  Of course there is occasional grumpiness on both our parts, but we are very in tune with each other, and can sidestep pretty easily when that happens.

We rarely are ever more than even 10 feet apart!

I think this week is going to be difficult.

I Left My Heart....

I often use music to relate my feelings.  Songs in my mind the last couple of weeks were "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", and "Piece of My Heart".  But yesterday as we pulled out of Friday Harbor I sang for Al...."So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, adieu..."

Now, I DO love San Francisco.  It is one of my favorite cities, and I have returned seven times to visit that piece of my heart.  Drive down Lombard, take the elevator to the top of Coit Tower, take a roller-coaster cable car ride, eat Chinese food and Ghirardelli chocolate, stroll Fisherman's Wharf and say hello to the sea lions, and visit Pip at the Golden Gate Hotel.

Last summer we truly adopted the cruising lifestyle.  We live on our boat, and move from place to place.  I do enjoy seeing new places, and meeting new people.  But after doing it for an extended period of time, another feeling sneaks up on you.

It hit me first on our Snake River trip.  We stopped at Lyons Ferry on the way up river and we were taken care of very well by the staff of the marina.  But when we stopped again on the way back down,  we were recognized with a shout, "You're back!"  Someone knew who I was.

I think that may be one of the things I miss the most about the cruising lifestyle -- the ongoing relationships that are built when you stay in one place for awhile.

Which brings us to Friday Harbor - We LOVE Friday Harbor.

There are so many things to love about it.  We were first welcomed by the Power Squadron, and the Yacht Club.  The first day, and the last day, we were offered a car on loan.  We did take an offer from a fellow boater we met at church.  We were fed at potlucks, community dinners, and coffee shops.  We got excellent care at medical, dental, and optical facilities.  We attended plays, listened to great music, and went to the movie theater. We shopped new and used book stores. We watched ferries come and go, and we rode the waves at the breakwater.  We used the Give-n-Take shelter.  We met Popeye.  We saw eagles.

And the longer we stayed, the more we liked it.  I even indulged in the fantasy of finding the perfect waterfront cottage  and staying forever.

We recently met a couple on the dock, who HAD sailed around the world, and said "The best boating in the world is right here.  Why would you ever want to leave?"  

And I wonder.

What I Learned Last Summer, by Kristi Thomason

I have been thinking on this subject for quite a while.  Certainly, it's too late for that stereotypical back-to-school essay.  But when I consider that my 'summer' only recently ended, I think this can be timely, after all.

'Summer' was 'Cruising'.  Happily moving from island to island, anchoring out, floating on a mooring buoy, and occasionally tieing to a dock.

'Winter' began for us on November 1, when we came in to Friday Harbor and signed a 'lease' for a spot on the breakwater.  We intend to stay here through January, with only, perhaps, a few day trips now and then.  So far, our biggest excursion was to the pump out.

Perhaps the first lesson is how thankful I am for the education offered by the US Power Squadron.  I myself have taken boating classes to the level of Advanced Piloting, and additionally, Cruise Planning, and Weather.  Al has taken EVERY class offered, which gives him the title of Senior Navigator, and has TAUGHT boating classes to the highest level of Navigation.  Ten years of association with this organization, and using what we learned there while boating on the Columbia River, has honed Al's boat-handling skills, increasing my confidence in him as a Captain, and allowed me to be a competent mate.

Book smarts are one thing.  Practical experience is another.  I finally learned to operate the dinghy myself this summer.  And I need more practice at the helm of Viking Star.  I do pretty well in open waters, but I am happy to give control to Al for close quarters or questionable situations.  I re-learned how to read a tide and current table.  I can keep an eye on the weather, and 'read' the water better.  Tides and currents can be tricky up here.

Perhaps the biggest lessons, though, were in emotional aspects.

My idea of 'home' has changed.  When we had a house, and all the kids were nearby, home was 'back home' in Minnesota, where my parents and my brothers still live.  Now that we no longer have a house, and we are 'away', home is the Portland/Hillsboro/Vancouver area--all the way out to and including Forest Grove, where all of our kids, our numerous grandchildren, and many of our best friends live.  It is where we will go when we go Home for the Holidays.

I really miss not being available to babysit grandchildren.  And now that my children are adults and the 'parenting' role is over, I miss spending time with my daughters as friends.  My son is across the country himself, which makes bookstore visits and Taco Bell runs impossible.  Skype video chats help a little bit, but our internet connections have not been the best, and busy lives can make getting an 'appointment' to visit that way difficult.

But, when I began thinking about this post, the first thing that popped into my head when I asked myself what I had learned last summer was:  It has proved to me how much I REALLY love Al.  You have to really enjoy spending time with each other if you are living together on a boat, even on the good days.  But a really crummy weekend at the end of September taught me that I would never willingly tolerate such conditions for anyone else.  I learned quite awhile ago, and on numerous times, that I do not like 'bumpy' water (anything over say, 4-foot waves).  But this weekend I speak of, it would not quit.  Two DAYS of rocking and rolling.  And I think Al also recognized the depth of my feeling for him, because he said, 'The fact that you didn't put yourself on a bus at the end of it says a lot!'

Missing Fellowship

Another Sunday in the San Juan Islands.

We are drinking our coffee from our 'Sunday mugs'--favorites reserved for this day, reminding us to save the best for God.

Once again, we are not in a church building. One of our hopes for our travels was to visit churches whenever we could. But I think the ONLY one we have attended this summer was Grace Episcopal in Lopez Village.  Churches tend to be located in towns, and in our current lifestyle we tend to avoid towns as much as possible. [We have stated previously that 'going to town' is quite expensive.  We buy groceries. We pay moorage fees at marinas. We go to coffee shops, rather than brewing our own.]  Our favorite islands are those with NO towns (Sucia, Stuart, James, Cypress, Matia).

But we are soon to trade our cruising lifestyle for a home port.  At least for a few months.  That doesn't mean that if good weather presents we won't go anywhere.

But we will be in one place long enough to become 'regulars'. At a coffee shop. At the bookstore. At the library. Maybe the animal shelter, or the school, as volunteers. But certainly at a church.

I miss the 'at home' feeling of attending church. Even attending a church for the first time, there is the feeling of family, greeting brothers and sisters,  though for the first time face-to-face.

I can, and should, and do worship God wherever I am. But I miss the fellowship of church.