Last Day!!!

Today is Kristi's last day working at Pacific. And the last day we need to be apart.

Been a long month, and am looking forward to being 'reunited', so to speak.

As always, we can not make plans - those two Job possibilities are shaping up to be very real. Don't think this will substantially delay our plans, but instead perhaps provide some additional funds to complete the boat - been eyeing some new House batteries, and of course still need to pick up a Pactor modem.

And another thing: Not sure if it was the heat, or just bad timing, but we lost TWO computers this week. Both the onboard one, and the backup one. Just died, dead -- dead -- dead... Went out and got one of those low cost Acer 'webbooks', not too bad - basically a 5 year old computer in a modern package. Will have to see about the Ships computer, figure will need to take a different approach than last time as it only lasted 5 years of rather modest use...

Am so looking forward to this evening, Al will be taking the Bus to Forest Grove to join a Going Away party for Kristi, then we have a couple of plans for the weekend, and then back to the boat!

Baby, it's HOT out there!

Wow, about all we can say.. Wow.

After last Winter's record setting snow storm, Portland is now going though another record setting event. It is HOT. The past two days have been 100+, and that is very very unusual for us here.

This has all but put a stop to Boat Work. To be honest, by the time I get up in the morning it is almost 90. And at this point I am working on Finished Mahogany, good stuff, Quartersawn 'true' Mahogany. I can not risk water stains on it :-)

So, we be a sitting and sweating. Today is forcasted to be 108 by NOAA, 107 by some local TV station. Not to worry, by Friday we should be back down to the mid 90's.

Wow, and what was with all those folks saying we needed to head SOUTH out the door, to where it was warmer???

Beds, Brides, and Berths... Plus, Job???

I just returned from San Jose attending a SNIA working session. Monday we hosted the EPA at their 1st public forum after they announced they will be looking to extend the ENERGY STAR label to data center class storage. We also had a one day session with Climate Savers, looking for areas of cooperation. Again, it was good to see folks face to face, and see the progress of the technical working group.

This did however put a dent in the Boat Stuff. Friday I did not get too much done, but did put a bit of hours in Saturday. Got the cabinets all bolted in, and the deck for the bed in place. At this point, we COULD bring down the foam mattress, cut it loose and see if it will expand to full size given the 2-3 years of storage. But think will take a few more days and fit on the Mahogany side boards. Then will need 7 days for a Varnishing Cycle, and a few more for it to set up nice and hard. It means we could have our bed in place in say two weeks! Till then we are in the V-Berths up front, on the 4-day foam. And yup, it is well named..

Today was Kristi's LAST SATURDAY! She has worked on the order of 18 years of Saturdays, so it will be nice for her to be able to participate in weekend activities. This upcoming Friday is her last day of work. Her office is giving her a party and have invited me - though I worry if it is to help celebrate, or to get me alone where they can share their true feeling about this whole 'Taking Kristi Away' thing. But bottom line: I get my bride back soon!

And speaking of working - I had two interviews Friday. Both consulting jobs. We are, to be honest, thinking of working some through the Winter. Kristi also has a lead for a part time job. As have mentioned in a prior Blog, we no longer make plans... Figure things will play out over the next two weeks or so.

Wanted to post a picture with Kristi and I sitting on the aft deck toasting her Last Saturday. However it got too dark. Maybe later..

There be treasure in them Islands!

This weekend was the Pirates Cruise for our local USPS. (United States Power Squadron, an organization that focuses on Boater education, but also seems to make time for some fun events). During this the 'good' Pirates scour the island looking for buried treasure while the 'Bad' pirates stage surprise attacks to keep the treasure safe. Of course Good always prevails, and in the end all share in the bounty.

See if you can figure out who that dashing Pirate in the red Shirt and flowing Black hair might be!

Kristi had to work Saturday, but she joined me that evening. A good Friend of ours had prepared Dinner, and we had a glass of wine waiting for her arrival. With Kristi winding down, this will be THE LAST such event she needs to miss (she has worked Saturdays for the past 18+ years.) Am looking forward to it. As I am sure the Pirates themselves are looking forward to next years search and battles.

WATER!!!!!!!

Yes, it has happened. We have WATER!!! (See the hose filling the tank?)

Here is a photo of the tank, all in and ready to go. Filling it about 2/3's as I do not have the proper Vent and Fill lines set up yet. But none the less, WATER! See the shower in the right side of the photo, it is just standing there waiting... waiting for WATER!!!!

Lets see - what to do..... shower 1st? wash dishes? fill the Brita filter?

Think it will be Brita, shower and brush teeth. dishes can wait :-)

And for those who doubt:

I have shoes, and almost water!

This weekend Kristi and I worked on two things: Boxes and Water tank.

Got the water tank all framed in. Figure it will take 4 more hours to bed the tank in tar and plumb it in. YEA!

And Boxes. We brought back 10 boxes from the 'staging unit', and Kristi found my shoes! To date the best shoes I had were leather sandals from Italy. Nice, but was really feeling the Boat Bum at Church.

Excited?

It's fun to see the progress being done, since I am living away with friends in Forest Grove, and only get to visit the boat on weekends. And knowing the distractions Al has had this week, it is nice to SEE that there HAS been progress!

People ask me, 'Are you excited?!?' and I usually answer 'Not yet....' I am still in the 'real world' working away (only two more Saturdays to go!), and still painfully sorting through 'stuff'. I made it through one more box of the several (5 or 6, or 7 or 8) that I brought to my friends' house for that purpose, but I am afraid the 'throw it out' pile was quite small. There is a bit more to donate to the church for their rummage sale happening soon, but mostly just 're-organized' the contents...

I rediscovered many photographs, some childhood favorite books, a very long email from Al that I had printed from earlier in our dating days, jewelry, wooden boxes and bowls, the ceramic whale that used to sit on my Grandpa's dresser to hold his change, the angel statuette my oldest grandson gave me on a Grandparents Day......so much treasure!

It's hard to think of leaving it all behind. But most of it, I must.

And really, it's not the THINGS that matter--it's the MEMORIES they trigger. I think my fear is, that without that physical remembrance, the memories will fade.

But I have digressed. Yes, I AM excited. There is so much to look forward to! Many more memories to make! Just this weekend I am excited to be reunited with my husband! To visit with friends at a BBQ tonight. To attend church services on Sunday--to hear stories from the youth returning from a mission trip. To celebrate my stepdaughter's birthday and her departure from the teen years. And to return to work on Tuesday, to begin my final three weeks of employment.

Kristi

Some progress...

Here is a photo for those of us who are more Visual. Keen viewers might notice there is no sign of a water tank, and you would be correct. Tuesday I spent most of the day procuring and cutting wood needed for the 3rd shelf support, the bed, and the new sole. Then Wednesday got a bit distracted helping a Friend, as well as attending Martie and Katrina's Wedding that evening. Helping the friend was rather a downer (actually, a big downer in what all happened); the wedding was a blast! Music, Food, Drink. When a ceremony begins with the Bride and Groom being bound and lead by a bunch of Pirates - you know it is going to be a fun time. And fun it was, Congrats Katrina and Martie!

On the boat: Did get the 3rd cabinet fitted, and the sole framed up. As well as one coat of paint on the all the cabinets now. As to the water tank, I need to do some prep to the floors and framing, and that is taking time to dry (various coatings to discourage rot..)

Hence, no Water yet :-(

Ahem!

Sinners are to confess to receive forgiveness.

Kristi

(You THREW OUT the chocolate?!!!!!!)

Still settling in and some Random Thoughts.. This will take time, to get settled in. We know that. Though, it does kind of remind me of the phrase 'rebuilding an airplane while it is in flight' :-)

Kristi and I both spent the long weekend on the boat, sans Saturday night when we stayed in Forest Grove to be closer for Sunday Church service (and, well, dropping off some more Stuff!). It has been nice being together, and making the best of it given the current situation. Will tell you, Girls are nice for many reasons, one of which is the boat looks MUCH better after just one day of Kristi straightening and arranging things. Much better.

Got the 2nd cabinet fitted in the aft stateroom, glued up the 3rd. Will fit it today. Will also be able to prep the floors (and yes, that is the 'Nautical Floors') for the water tank platform. I just might be able to get the water tank in by Wednesday!

Some other just random thoughts.

• 'A box a day is all I ask'. Borrowing that tag line from the Almond guys. Have placed a goal of a Box a Day off the boat and out of the 'staging / storage unit'. Actually, will need more like 2 a day to get it all done. Today Kristi is going over to pull out all the Kitchen stuff, her goal is 5 boxes today.
• Curse of Costco - We knew this would be an issue. Having lived in a Costco diet for a while, those LARGE boxes have no place on a boat. So, please don't tell Kristi, but I had to throw out both large bottles of Hershey Chocolate**, or just not plan on putting anything else into the Refrigerator.
• Condiments. Speaking of the Refrigerator, while making the final move out I was surprised at how much of THAT stuff was condiments, and how little was actual food. Do we really need 4 bottles of steak sauce? 2 of BBQ sauce? 5 bottles of Salad dressing? (and yes, we DO need 3 different Mustards, am willing to give up that Yellow stuff, but come on - we are not Bohemians here..)
• Refrigeration space: continuing on here. It occurred to me not only the vast number of condiments, but also that most were half or less full... You know, if we assume that on average, all bottles will be 1/2 empty, that is a lot of space wasted. Having a bigger refrigerator does not really give me more space to store stuff, just more space to store empty space!
• Water: Viking star has been without water for about a month now. Really miss it... showers, DISHES, washing hands. It is a great gap right now.
• Wife: very nice to have around. We slept to 10am this morning, slow start, but nice.
  
  ** There are those who, correctly, consider it a Sin to waste Chocolate...

Happy Birthday USA!

After a morning of attempting to sweep together piles in the boat and storage unit (mostly shifting things from one place to another, but we DID manage to empty ONE box), and after braving the shower in the marina (!!!), we drove to the Portland waterfront for the 2009 Portland Blues Fest aboard the Rapture with fabulous hosts Howard and Dayna Collins. We knew a few other of the boats tied to the dock also, and made several trips up and down the way.



We are hoping for 'good pictures' from friends of Jeanette of Sweet Liberty. I forgot our camera back on Viking Star, and had to rely on my cell phone camera to collect memories.


There was only one barge loaded with fireworks this year (last year there were two) but we both agreed that we enjoyed it more this year--with only one set to focus on. And we got to observe the Fire Boat in action putting out a grass fire that the fireworks started on the riverbank. However, it took us an hour to get out of the parking garage afterward!


It appears at this time that we will be staying in the area through this time next year, so that we can experience the 2010 Blues Fest aboard Viking Star, tied up among our friends on the dock.

Kristi

Day -1 aka, Just WHAT were we thinking??

OK, house is gone. Now just need to focus on finishing the boat.

Have to say, getting up this morning am feeling a bit overwhelmed. Keep in mind - we had a timeline to complete this in 2 years! So, just starting to peck away at it. Want to get the new water tank in in two weeks as we will be attending the 'Pirates Cruise' http://www.usps.org/lc/sthelens/pirate.htm, and will need to be operational then. Genset would be nice also, but really not likely... Call it a 'stretch goal' :-)


And for those wondering what I am up against, here are a couple of photos of the current state of the boat.























Will post a 'storage unit' photo in a few days in case the above did not make one feel bad enough.