Today we went into a wool shop here in yorktown. FUN, so now I am learning how to spin wool! it's all Becca's fault she showed me her spinning spool (way cool i thought you needed a wheel but you dont!) the woman at the store showed me how to spin and then we went to Becca's and we did it together. just what i need another crafty sport. ...Oh FYI remember all those finger puppets Krissy and I made for the philippians? (well we did) mike told Ben that they expected 50 kids to show and 200 came! oh my! we only made about 115....
back to crafts. So Becca and kids and ben and I just hung out in the afternoon, ate ice cream and then Ben and I went back... I had work-wifi stuff to do and a storm was coming. I hope the storm gets done by morning! our plans are to peek out into the Atlantic for a day or two. so you might not get any blogs. we will write them but we can't post them.
today we also need to plan for our trip. Ben has been looking on line to find the weather and ocean currents/tides so we know which way to go and the weather. He found Oceantides.com or something like that. we are planning to go out into wind as best as possible and against the current, we might stay in one spot but that way we know we will be able to get home. we will check the weather and ocean tides/currents just be fore we go to make sure it is all good. oh and we will get to use and practice our radar on the gps so we can see if we are in any big ships way. we will also have a float plan too. that will be given to Dan wellumson.
right now we are in Ben & Jerry's doing wifi.
that is my day. we will miss Jason and Becca and the kids!
I am thankful for rain and wind! tonight should be a night to get some sleep! i can sleep in a rough wind better than in dead calm with hot. needless to say i am tired and ready to sleep tonight!
love you all always blessed
Pam
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sailing for fun with friends
Splendid day
Ben and I got to use becca and jasons car for the day!!! We got groceries! Yumm food back in the cabin. Then becca and family all climbed aboard the jimini captained by Ben. On to our big adventure. It was all of their first time sailing. Winds were about five knot a very light wind so it was fun for the kids. They all took turns at the helm and such. Jason was excellent crew where he mastered tacking the jib. While becca steered us in the correct wind direction. We sailed a bit in the river. The winds died and it was getting late for the kids and our tummys. So we tied up to the mooring and BBQ brauts! Yumm!! We all saw dolphins again! A great highlight and not to forget the sunsetting. Captain David was on the look out foe the mooring balls with his binaculars as he stood out on the bow sprit. While first mate Anna drew a nice picture for the boat while at the nav station.
Oh the highlight for Anna was the food. The highlight for me was the dinner prayers prayed by Anna and David. Oh so sweet! We shall stay one more day in Yorktown as we wait for a storm to pass with high winds.
Miss you all
Pam
Ben and I got to use becca and jasons car for the day!!! We got groceries! Yumm food back in the cabin. Then becca and family all climbed aboard the jimini captained by Ben. On to our big adventure. It was all of their first time sailing. Winds were about five knot a very light wind so it was fun for the kids. They all took turns at the helm and such. Jason was excellent crew where he mastered tacking the jib. While becca steered us in the correct wind direction. We sailed a bit in the river. The winds died and it was getting late for the kids and our tummys. So we tied up to the mooring and BBQ brauts! Yumm!! We all saw dolphins again! A great highlight and not to forget the sunsetting. Captain David was on the look out foe the mooring balls with his binaculars as he stood out on the bow sprit. While first mate Anna drew a nice picture for the boat while at the nav station.
Oh the highlight for Anna was the food. The highlight for me was the dinner prayers prayed by Anna and David. Oh so sweet! We shall stay one more day in Yorktown as we wait for a storm to pass with high winds.
Miss you all
Pam
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Responding to peoples comments
Thanks dad for sharing your excitment. Thanks Erin for the cool breeze prayers it worked tonight it is finally breezey! Will sleep good tonight! Today was 86 and humid. Now has to be 75 or so but breezy and nice zzzzzzzz
A day with good friends!
Nice day with Becca and Jason and their adorable kids!
We met and had ice cream! Yummm before that we drove the battle fields of yorktown. I stood where general George Washington stood! Their son David who is soon to be seven knows more about history than I do! Doesn't take much. What impressed me most about the day was how cute and adorable their two kids are. They remind me of my two cuz they play together nicely and are good friends. Now I know what people mean when they used to say to me, " wow your kids are so good together and they play so well together " it is so nice to see. Oh how it warms my heart. We then went and played games and made and ate pizza (daves recipe. Yummm thanks Dave steinie)!! Then we looked at pictures that beccca took. She is a great photographer. All in all a super night! Thank you so much Jason for kindly letting us use your car so tomorrow we can provision. ! Love you all and Gods blessings on the family.!! Pam
We met and had ice cream! Yummm before that we drove the battle fields of yorktown. I stood where general George Washington stood! Their son David who is soon to be seven knows more about history than I do! Doesn't take much. What impressed me most about the day was how cute and adorable their two kids are. They remind me of my two cuz they play together nicely and are good friends. Now I know what people mean when they used to say to me, " wow your kids are so good together and they play so well together " it is so nice to see. Oh how it warms my heart. We then went and played games and made and ate pizza (daves recipe. Yummm thanks Dave steinie)!! Then we looked at pictures that beccca took. She is a great photographer. All in all a super night! Thank you so much Jason for kindly letting us use your car so tomorrow we can provision. ! Love you all and Gods blessings on the family.!! Pam
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Hot hot and hot
Jamestown historic fort.
Today I was so excited to get going! I love old forts. This one has big square riggers.
We got off the free shuttle and ... There was no sailboats and no fort. Just an archiological (sp) dig. We saw footings from the old fort. Now if I was into walking around in 102 (heat index) degree day and looking at dirt and if I had a really good imagination. Well then it would not be so bad. Welp we were at the wrong place. We wanted to get off at the Jamestown settlement. Who would have known! Now I was happy even on 100 degree weather. We Learned a lot. Today was the first day of extreme heat and no wind. Hot! Right now we are all laying down in the salon with our tiny fans. Even Owen is so hot he's not moving. We are listening to the twins game! Go twins !
You'll have to excuse me while I signoff with sluggish ness of heat stroke. Ha ha
Blessings to you all!
Pam
P.S. Congrats to my dad. He is a new sailboat owner again. Takin after his daughter now. I guess the sailing bug got to him while he was here. Xoxo
Today I was so excited to get going! I love old forts. This one has big square riggers.
We got off the free shuttle and ... There was no sailboats and no fort. Just an archiological (sp) dig. We saw footings from the old fort. Now if I was into walking around in 102 (heat index) degree day and looking at dirt and if I had a really good imagination. Well then it would not be so bad. Welp we were at the wrong place. We wanted to get off at the Jamestown settlement. Who would have known! Now I was happy even on 100 degree weather. We Learned a lot. Today was the first day of extreme heat and no wind. Hot! Right now we are all laying down in the salon with our tiny fans. Even Owen is so hot he's not moving. We are listening to the twins game! Go twins !
You'll have to excuse me while I signoff with sluggish ness of heat stroke. Ha ha
Blessings to you all!
Pam
P.S. Congrats to my dad. He is a new sailboat owner again. Takin after his daughter now. I guess the sailing bug got to him while he was here. Xoxo
Monday, July 27, 2009
Now for something completely random!
First. Bens birthday. I made coffee. Cleaned the cabin. Did his kitty litter duty and his chores. Then we went to historic Yorktown. Ate at a yummy reataurant. Oh met the dock masters. A great group of guys! Another storm came in. We watched it from under the big bridge. We took the trolley Now ben and I will end with games and movies clips like cartoon shorts. See not too much excitement. Oh wait we picked up our first moorings. That was new and exciting. It only took us two trys. Amazing. Ben is at the bow with the boathook. I am trying to stop the boat on a dime. So he can hook the little white ball with a rope to attach our line to. I can't see the mooring due to me being in the stern. Infront of me is a mast, main sail neatly flaked, a staysail, an open hatch, big bow sprit, ben standing there, and the boat is 48 feet long. ben says forward and gives hand signals. Plus there is a current, waves and winds at 8 knots. All a mystery to me how we did it. I'm happy to be at a mooring!!! rather than Sarah creek and slipping in the mud with the anchor! And having to recite Isaiah 41:10. Smile.
So now for something totally random!
People ask me
"why do you make life so hard?" they usually are referring to the following ... At the shanty I walk 1/4 mile in, carry water and backpack ... For vacation I go walking in the woods,caneoing, active stuff. (why not live it up in a hotel? Lay around and spoil myself?) I'm sailing a big boat which is a lot of physical work. We pump our own water and try to do as many physical things as possible. Hoist sails, winch sheets, climb up and down steep stairs, pull up anchor, sometime fight with a wheel and much much more. At home I park far away to places whenever possible. I try to nordic track Etc.
Well I like outside to start with but many years ago I was in the waiting room to the neurologist and across from me was a woman my age, she told me she was in so much pain she couldn't do anything. She could not even keep a job. I felt sorry for her. She went in first then me. I said to my dr. Wow that poor lady. My doctor replied, "you and her have about the exact same diagnosis. I don't know what makes one person so different than another but you are in the top one percent of functioning adults. So whatever you are doing keep doing " (who can explain God and healing)
Hummm I thought. I like exercise but it is hard to be consistent unless I have a goal or a buddy to workout with. If I know I go to the bwca I start working out slowly six weeks before so I can make it. The mountian trip six months beforehand. If I put physical activity in my day, everyday, then I feel better. The moment I stop physical activity and sit at a desk day in and day out( and let me tell you it happens often. Every summer I do well and every fall I go back to work and crash by October. My back goes out etc) so sailing around the world is adventerous and also active. There have been times I have been not willing to take the harder trail but the easier trail (If I had my wish I would lay around more) but I know when I get into a more convient easy life. I get more tired, I get more pain, the pain keeps me from doing more and I get in a ficsious downward cycle of pain begats pain. That is part one.
Here is part two.
Ben came to me three years ago and said read this book "the Makers Diet" (not a weight loss book a different way of eating book) I read it and we promised to follow the recomendation in the books six week body cleanse. No processed food. It was amazingly hard. In the first two weeks of not drinking pop (which just about killed me) all feelings of carpul tUnnel left me! To this day I can have one pop or so but the next day I can feel my wrists. Now I have no wrist pain while interpreting. My head aches are now to once in a while not every week. I have more energy. I used to take many vitamins but never felt it made a difference. Now I take a few vitamins and my body uses the energy in the vitamins and i really have seen a big difference in health and energy. Myback aches less. I actually have days without pain more than with. Now when my back or neck go out. They usually only last for one to ten days. Where before it would be two weeks to three months with many types of pain meds. I have not had any pain meds for over one year! So you all can laugh all you want. And many do. I try to eat organic but organic is not the diet. It is all about putting the right enzymes in your gut so you can digest and use the food for good use. I try to be 90% good. I have eaten out a few times and yes i had mcdonalds once this summer - it happens- and it is still yummy! This summer I know I have lost my stupid ten pounds I have been complaining about all winter.
So the things I do help me to function. Pushing myself to do things is a way of lifestyle that is more adventageius than a sedimentary lifestyle. Yes sometimes I push myself too much and I suffer for it but on the flip side when I don't do enough I suffer for it too. It is quite the balancing act. I know my own body the best. I live in it. So many people say don't do this or that. Sometimes they are right but most times I am right about what I can and can't do. Like I know when my back is "solid" and can back pack 25 pounds and when it can't take picking up an ounce. Most back doctors say if your back is sore the best thing is walking not laying. Sometimes I can only walk to the mailbox and that is good for the day other days I can walk ten miles and still can go more!
I can lounge around for three to four days but if more then I start to lose the little muscle tone I have and I will start acheing the aching will tell my brain to lay around more, lies all lies, I need exercise not rest at that moment.
So when I'm laying around it is because I know rest is the answer in that situation on that day. Or I'm just enjoying my lounging time. Ben and I have enjoyed going to bed-and-breakfasts and PAMpering (ha ha look my name is in pampering! Funny it is in my nature and name to do that) ourselves once in a while. And if I eat too much processed food my body tells me the same thing, more yummy more junk, lies all lies, what I need to feel better is good food.
I'm not sure how to spell many of these but it is close. Her are my diagnosis' from doctors.
Carpul tunnel
Fibromyalgia (a diagnosis everyone with unexplained pain get -or so I think)
Condro myalsia (left knee rub with soon to tear)
Ottcipical (sp) nerve damage and headaches ( car accident)
Migrains (lose vision on left peripheral)
Dystonia thoratic ( overuse in the back rib area from holding up my arms for work)
Trigger thumb
Tennis elbow
Disk derrangement all levels of neck (car accident) the worst!!!
T-5 crushed and flattened disk (I think the T is neck) pain down arm. Pinky n
Ring finger numb
Two of neck disks are buldging
L-5 herniated lower back
L-6,7 buldging
Arthritis in my spinal area it is rated at a 62 year old
Whiplash tears from car accident
I'm sure there is more but can't think of them all. So this is why I sail. If my back goes out sailing I'm sure Ben could sail me somewhere. If he gets motion sick I'm sure I could sail us somewhere if we both are in bad shape at the same time I'm sure the boat will sail us somewhere.
So There you have one reason why sailing is on top of the options. It is for a short time in life. It is for fun health and life I love and miss all my kids, family and friends. I won't be gone forever.
Another random blog will be to continue why I love adventure. But another time.
Got to go. It is bens birthday you know.
Good night Gods blessings to you all!
Pam
So now for something totally random!
People ask me
"why do you make life so hard?" they usually are referring to the following ... At the shanty I walk 1/4 mile in, carry water and backpack ... For vacation I go walking in the woods,caneoing, active stuff. (why not live it up in a hotel? Lay around and spoil myself?) I'm sailing a big boat which is a lot of physical work. We pump our own water and try to do as many physical things as possible. Hoist sails, winch sheets, climb up and down steep stairs, pull up anchor, sometime fight with a wheel and much much more. At home I park far away to places whenever possible. I try to nordic track Etc.
Well I like outside to start with but many years ago I was in the waiting room to the neurologist and across from me was a woman my age, she told me she was in so much pain she couldn't do anything. She could not even keep a job. I felt sorry for her. She went in first then me. I said to my dr. Wow that poor lady. My doctor replied, "you and her have about the exact same diagnosis. I don't know what makes one person so different than another but you are in the top one percent of functioning adults. So whatever you are doing keep doing " (who can explain God and healing)
Hummm I thought. I like exercise but it is hard to be consistent unless I have a goal or a buddy to workout with. If I know I go to the bwca I start working out slowly six weeks before so I can make it. The mountian trip six months beforehand. If I put physical activity in my day, everyday, then I feel better. The moment I stop physical activity and sit at a desk day in and day out( and let me tell you it happens often. Every summer I do well and every fall I go back to work and crash by October. My back goes out etc) so sailing around the world is adventerous and also active. There have been times I have been not willing to take the harder trail but the easier trail (If I had my wish I would lay around more) but I know when I get into a more convient easy life. I get more tired, I get more pain, the pain keeps me from doing more and I get in a ficsious downward cycle of pain begats pain. That is part one.
Here is part two.
Ben came to me three years ago and said read this book "the Makers Diet" (not a weight loss book a different way of eating book) I read it and we promised to follow the recomendation in the books six week body cleanse. No processed food. It was amazingly hard. In the first two weeks of not drinking pop (which just about killed me) all feelings of carpul tUnnel left me! To this day I can have one pop or so but the next day I can feel my wrists. Now I have no wrist pain while interpreting. My head aches are now to once in a while not every week. I have more energy. I used to take many vitamins but never felt it made a difference. Now I take a few vitamins and my body uses the energy in the vitamins and i really have seen a big difference in health and energy. Myback aches less. I actually have days without pain more than with. Now when my back or neck go out. They usually only last for one to ten days. Where before it would be two weeks to three months with many types of pain meds. I have not had any pain meds for over one year! So you all can laugh all you want. And many do. I try to eat organic but organic is not the diet. It is all about putting the right enzymes in your gut so you can digest and use the food for good use. I try to be 90% good. I have eaten out a few times and yes i had mcdonalds once this summer - it happens- and it is still yummy! This summer I know I have lost my stupid ten pounds I have been complaining about all winter.
So the things I do help me to function. Pushing myself to do things is a way of lifestyle that is more adventageius than a sedimentary lifestyle. Yes sometimes I push myself too much and I suffer for it but on the flip side when I don't do enough I suffer for it too. It is quite the balancing act. I know my own body the best. I live in it. So many people say don't do this or that. Sometimes they are right but most times I am right about what I can and can't do. Like I know when my back is "solid" and can back pack 25 pounds and when it can't take picking up an ounce. Most back doctors say if your back is sore the best thing is walking not laying. Sometimes I can only walk to the mailbox and that is good for the day other days I can walk ten miles and still can go more!
I can lounge around for three to four days but if more then I start to lose the little muscle tone I have and I will start acheing the aching will tell my brain to lay around more, lies all lies, I need exercise not rest at that moment.
So when I'm laying around it is because I know rest is the answer in that situation on that day. Or I'm just enjoying my lounging time. Ben and I have enjoyed going to bed-and-breakfasts and PAMpering (ha ha look my name is in pampering! Funny it is in my nature and name to do that) ourselves once in a while. And if I eat too much processed food my body tells me the same thing, more yummy more junk, lies all lies, what I need to feel better is good food.
I'm not sure how to spell many of these but it is close. Her are my diagnosis' from doctors.
Carpul tunnel
Fibromyalgia (a diagnosis everyone with unexplained pain get -or so I think)
Condro myalsia (left knee rub with soon to tear)
Ottcipical (sp) nerve damage and headaches ( car accident)
Migrains (lose vision on left peripheral)
Dystonia thoratic ( overuse in the back rib area from holding up my arms for work)
Trigger thumb
Tennis elbow
Disk derrangement all levels of neck (car accident) the worst!!!
T-5 crushed and flattened disk (I think the T is neck) pain down arm. Pinky n
Ring finger numb
Two of neck disks are buldging
L-5 herniated lower back
L-6,7 buldging
Arthritis in my spinal area it is rated at a 62 year old
Whiplash tears from car accident
I'm sure there is more but can't think of them all. So this is why I sail. If my back goes out sailing I'm sure Ben could sail me somewhere. If he gets motion sick I'm sure I could sail us somewhere if we both are in bad shape at the same time I'm sure the boat will sail us somewhere.
So There you have one reason why sailing is on top of the options. It is for a short time in life. It is for fun health and life I love and miss all my kids, family and friends. I won't be gone forever.
Another random blog will be to continue why I love adventure. But another time.
Got to go. It is bens birthday you know.
Good night Gods blessings to you all!
Pam
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Winds. storm. Hail - anchored three times!
Winds storms hail - anchored 3 times!
Well today we left mobjack river cuz it was to be 95degrees and 10-15 winds. Today we were beating into wind and flying at 7.8 knots. That's screamin! That is the best ever!! Amazing what sail configurations do! Well the right ones.
Today against my best judgement we cut through this narrow path to avoid 2 extra hours. One map said it was seven feet narrow one map said five feet narrow one the gsp said seven at the narrow. Now if our gsp was at the wheel it would be so easy but instead it is at the nav station. So one of us yells to the other Port or Starboard by a little or lot or two degrees. Etc... I being captain have decided that Ben is way better at drivng and me way better at giving direction. I guess I'm good at giving direction. Just ask my staff. Or my kids. It is a strength that can be a limitation if used wrong. My personality , if any of you believe me, it is passive and not give direction. I like to give direction when no one else will do it or if I know I can do a better job. I even sit back and let others lead even when I could have done something different. It's all subjective. I am a horrible back seat driver cuz I have been in three accidents allnot my fault and me not driving. So when it comes to driving and safety I'd rather be captain than not. Even though I'd rather just be a midshipman. When Ben gets more experience I'm sure I'd rather be along for the ride. Unless he doesn't do the paper work involved. He hates paper work. Like right now we have been running on starbaord deisel for 21 hours. Soon I shall switch to port. The water tanks is on forward. The deisel fuel filter looks good the oil is one quart low which I plan to add tomorrow. I wrote down the weather report for the next few days. I review yesterdays tracks. The propane is on the second tank. There is enough food in the locker for two days. But we are near becca and Jason and soon they will drive us to reprovision! Like chocolate and bread. Yummmy
Today I played the eye doctor game. "do you like one ot two. One or two. Three or two ..." I would change the sail configuration and check speed. We had a great day of steady winds. It was so fun to try different stuff. I played with the blocks and boomvang ect... Up til now Ben has pretty much done the sails. But now I'm ready and I am way stronger than two weekes ago. I got a work out today. Even pulled up the anchor chain twice. Hoisted the sails. Oh while sailing we had our first bird sit on the bow sprit rail. Cute! We had one big old dragonfly and two other little ones. Fun fun. Don't ya love wild life? I do! "Go God Go"
Then we went into Sarah creek. A huge storm came up. We got to anchor but I had to run aground again. Ben was giving directions. We anchored and slipped back into the muddy shore line. The winds were 35 with hail. The boat totally heeled way over while anchored! Don't know why. I think cuz we were a ground? We pulled up and moved over but it would not hold. We move to a different part of the creek. We are holding but right on the edge of mud again. I hope I sleep tonight. The lord is so good. Today i didn't want to go through the pass. We past the enterence. But then for some reason I changed my mind. If we had not taken the short cut we would have been out in the storm. Which would have been not so bad. I think. It was big and scary but not worth worrying over. I did send a few prayers upward for safety and He listened. Amazing.
I am physically and mentally exhausted.
Good night.
Bens birthday on the 27 th! Don't forget to call or send prayers or brownies his way. Text and email will do too.
Miss you all
Pam
Ptl
Well today we left mobjack river cuz it was to be 95degrees and 10-15 winds. Today we were beating into wind and flying at 7.8 knots. That's screamin! That is the best ever!! Amazing what sail configurations do! Well the right ones.
Today against my best judgement we cut through this narrow path to avoid 2 extra hours. One map said it was seven feet narrow one map said five feet narrow one the gsp said seven at the narrow. Now if our gsp was at the wheel it would be so easy but instead it is at the nav station. So one of us yells to the other Port or Starboard by a little or lot or two degrees. Etc... I being captain have decided that Ben is way better at drivng and me way better at giving direction. I guess I'm good at giving direction. Just ask my staff. Or my kids. It is a strength that can be a limitation if used wrong. My personality , if any of you believe me, it is passive and not give direction. I like to give direction when no one else will do it or if I know I can do a better job. I even sit back and let others lead even when I could have done something different. It's all subjective. I am a horrible back seat driver cuz I have been in three accidents allnot my fault and me not driving. So when it comes to driving and safety I'd rather be captain than not. Even though I'd rather just be a midshipman. When Ben gets more experience I'm sure I'd rather be along for the ride. Unless he doesn't do the paper work involved. He hates paper work. Like right now we have been running on starbaord deisel for 21 hours. Soon I shall switch to port. The water tanks is on forward. The deisel fuel filter looks good the oil is one quart low which I plan to add tomorrow. I wrote down the weather report for the next few days. I review yesterdays tracks. The propane is on the second tank. There is enough food in the locker for two days. But we are near becca and Jason and soon they will drive us to reprovision! Like chocolate and bread. Yummmy
Today I played the eye doctor game. "do you like one ot two. One or two. Three or two ..." I would change the sail configuration and check speed. We had a great day of steady winds. It was so fun to try different stuff. I played with the blocks and boomvang ect... Up til now Ben has pretty much done the sails. But now I'm ready and I am way stronger than two weekes ago. I got a work out today. Even pulled up the anchor chain twice. Hoisted the sails. Oh while sailing we had our first bird sit on the bow sprit rail. Cute! We had one big old dragonfly and two other little ones. Fun fun. Don't ya love wild life? I do! "Go God Go"
Then we went into Sarah creek. A huge storm came up. We got to anchor but I had to run aground again. Ben was giving directions. We anchored and slipped back into the muddy shore line. The winds were 35 with hail. The boat totally heeled way over while anchored! Don't know why. I think cuz we were a ground? We pulled up and moved over but it would not hold. We move to a different part of the creek. We are holding but right on the edge of mud again. I hope I sleep tonight. The lord is so good. Today i didn't want to go through the pass. We past the enterence. But then for some reason I changed my mind. If we had not taken the short cut we would have been out in the storm. Which would have been not so bad. I think. It was big and scary but not worth worrying over. I did send a few prayers upward for safety and He listened. Amazing.
I am physically and mentally exhausted.
Good night.
Bens birthday on the 27 th! Don't forget to call or send prayers or brownies his way. Text and email will do too.
Miss you all
Pam
Ptl
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Hailed by a huge tug pulling freightor! Oh My!
Big sail day
When the student is ready the teacher will appear. This past winter I wanted to learn so much before I went sailing but was never motivated enough. Let me tell you I am motivated! So when it was time to trim in sailing school, I thoguht I was paying attention but apparently not. So we met up with Nancy n Darrell again. Good friends that taught us about docking and anchoring. Welp we had a wonderful time with them and Darrell talked about this book called power sail (or something like that). So all day Ben and I tried something different. We checked the line of the luff and the twist of the sails and we sailed more off the wind. Last time it was windy and we were nose into wind (beating in to wind) we did about 3.3 knots but today we played with this and that and got 5.5-6.5 knots. We felt pretty special.
This morning we left the small bay and sure enough guess who run aground but this time I ask you ... If the guy looking at the gps tells you to go to port and you driving run aground does that make it me running aground? Later in the day Ben said he has not run aground yet. I kindly informed him that he told me to go to port when I should have gone starboard. I checked the gps track to see what happened later in the day. Oh well I wiggled and wiggle the boat back and forth and got her free. Phew. There was a lot boats passng me. They all said don't worry it is low tide going to high. I knew that.
How many of you all are going to sail with us if we keep telling you stories like running aground. Anyway the day was long and fun. We did 48 miles which is a record for us. When we left this morning I thought we are going to have to motor but nope. Today Ben successfully reefed the main, he did an amazing job. It is No small task when the winds are 18 knots or so we think. (my iPhone said 18) so I'm going with it. I think when it is my turn to reef I'm going to have to start the engine and head into wind. Of course doing that is like admitting I bottle fed my babies (which I didn't.) well I did some time cuz I did but don't tell anyone. Silly. It would be like not being manly enough to reef the main in the driving wind. Oh yeah I'm not the manly type so I shall do things with engines and winches and pulleys cuz I can. Ha ha ha
Oh! This was exciting I had a huge tug boat pulling a freighter hail me. It was bens watch. I was below and I hear this guy hailing a sailboat near wolf trap ( well I had been navigating and Ben just happened to ask me what was that marker called it had a funny name wolf trap. We tacked back and forth a few times. I was below and I answeered I am a sailboat near wolftrap. We switched to another channel. He asked what my intentions were. Ahhh then he said. Tell me what you see off your starboard stern. I popped up my heAd and I came back on to say. Oh my a tug boat pulling a huge freighter. He said yup that is me. Now what are your intentions. I stumbled on my words cuz I was just thinking the same thing what is Ben doing getting so close. Mind you I am on the safety conservative and he is on the other side that most everything willl be fine. Ahhh was my reply. He said he was on a line to York river. I said I'm goi g to mobjack river. He came back with two options. Either stay your course and he will move a few degrees but if I decide that we have to do it now. Or tack out of the way. ( he was very nice and polite. I'm amazed he didn't say you're a dumb blonde move out of my way) Ben was wondering what was going on. I said the guy behind you wants us to move or stand firm. He said whatever. I in no way want to be close to anything one million tines bigger than me. I kindly told the guy I'll tack right now out of your way. I popped my head up and said tack tilll he is far far away. I felt like such a dummy to have to have them hail me to move. Good lesson I learned. Look behind you. I figure I have the right of way if I'm ahead except with those big boys. Wowwza! The only thing is... The tug boat captain had a different boat answer his hail and that other sailboat was not the right one. But while they were talking they addressed each other as captain but he never did that with me. Probably cuz I sounded so stupid. And I should not have been addressed that way cuz I was not paying attention like a "good" captain should. New lesson learned. Uffda!
Going to bed. I got sun burned cuz of that medication I'm taking. Grrrr. I put sunscreen on and am allergic to many sunscreens I thought this one was good but nope. My face is so red oh and add wind burn too. I'm beat!
God grace is sufficient.
Humbly
Captain Pam signing off
When the student is ready the teacher will appear. This past winter I wanted to learn so much before I went sailing but was never motivated enough. Let me tell you I am motivated! So when it was time to trim in sailing school, I thoguht I was paying attention but apparently not. So we met up with Nancy n Darrell again. Good friends that taught us about docking and anchoring. Welp we had a wonderful time with them and Darrell talked about this book called power sail (or something like that). So all day Ben and I tried something different. We checked the line of the luff and the twist of the sails and we sailed more off the wind. Last time it was windy and we were nose into wind (beating in to wind) we did about 3.3 knots but today we played with this and that and got 5.5-6.5 knots. We felt pretty special.
This morning we left the small bay and sure enough guess who run aground but this time I ask you ... If the guy looking at the gps tells you to go to port and you driving run aground does that make it me running aground? Later in the day Ben said he has not run aground yet. I kindly informed him that he told me to go to port when I should have gone starboard. I checked the gps track to see what happened later in the day. Oh well I wiggled and wiggle the boat back and forth and got her free. Phew. There was a lot boats passng me. They all said don't worry it is low tide going to high. I knew that.
How many of you all are going to sail with us if we keep telling you stories like running aground. Anyway the day was long and fun. We did 48 miles which is a record for us. When we left this morning I thought we are going to have to motor but nope. Today Ben successfully reefed the main, he did an amazing job. It is No small task when the winds are 18 knots or so we think. (my iPhone said 18) so I'm going with it. I think when it is my turn to reef I'm going to have to start the engine and head into wind. Of course doing that is like admitting I bottle fed my babies (which I didn't.) well I did some time cuz I did but don't tell anyone. Silly. It would be like not being manly enough to reef the main in the driving wind. Oh yeah I'm not the manly type so I shall do things with engines and winches and pulleys cuz I can. Ha ha ha
Oh! This was exciting I had a huge tug boat pulling a freighter hail me. It was bens watch. I was below and I hear this guy hailing a sailboat near wolf trap ( well I had been navigating and Ben just happened to ask me what was that marker called it had a funny name wolf trap. We tacked back and forth a few times. I was below and I answeered I am a sailboat near wolftrap. We switched to another channel. He asked what my intentions were. Ahhh then he said. Tell me what you see off your starboard stern. I popped up my heAd and I came back on to say. Oh my a tug boat pulling a huge freighter. He said yup that is me. Now what are your intentions. I stumbled on my words cuz I was just thinking the same thing what is Ben doing getting so close. Mind you I am on the safety conservative and he is on the other side that most everything willl be fine. Ahhh was my reply. He said he was on a line to York river. I said I'm goi g to mobjack river. He came back with two options. Either stay your course and he will move a few degrees but if I decide that we have to do it now. Or tack out of the way. ( he was very nice and polite. I'm amazed he didn't say you're a dumb blonde move out of my way) Ben was wondering what was going on. I said the guy behind you wants us to move or stand firm. He said whatever. I in no way want to be close to anything one million tines bigger than me. I kindly told the guy I'll tack right now out of your way. I popped my head up and said tack tilll he is far far away. I felt like such a dummy to have to have them hail me to move. Good lesson I learned. Look behind you. I figure I have the right of way if I'm ahead except with those big boys. Wowwza! The only thing is... The tug boat captain had a different boat answer his hail and that other sailboat was not the right one. But while they were talking they addressed each other as captain but he never did that with me. Probably cuz I sounded so stupid. And I should not have been addressed that way cuz I was not paying attention like a "good" captain should. New lesson learned. Uffda!
Going to bed. I got sun burned cuz of that medication I'm taking. Grrrr. I put sunscreen on and am allergic to many sunscreens I thought this one was good but nope. My face is so red oh and add wind burn too. I'm beat!
God grace is sufficient.
Humbly
Captain Pam signing off
Friday, July 24, 2009
taxes, taxes and more taxes
today was a cool day to hang around deltaville marine. get this for only $10 per person you get to use the facilites! wifi, wash clothes, take shower, go swimming, use free bikes and a car if you wish. we have taken advantage of most all. yes we have borrowed the car to go to the pharmacy for me AGAIN. grrrr. we biked to coffee, we biked to a baseball game were deltaville lost to the pirates by only 1 point. it was a nail bitter. so today I did 941, MN withholding, MN qtrly, Unemployment taxes, MRID year end which took me way longer than I thought cuz I had to reconcile last year's cash basis with this year. grrr. (most of it was done before and I had Jacquie at work do some for me - thanks Jacquie) boring but exciting to get things done. paid bills, reconciled accounts etc... you get the drift. But oh was I sharp to do all the math since we have left I have done a lot of math figuring out time distance and speed, and gps stuff. so since it was so boring today i thought I would add some pictues.
here goes
God is in the little stuff and the big stuff.
Pam
signing off
here goes
God is in the little stuff and the big stuff.
Pam
signing off
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Very short! Too late for me.
Today is just a listing of events day. It is late. Going to bed! Here is the list. ...
Sunny hot humid
Practiced our motoring skills
Successful docking to pump out the head. Frustrating the pump was not working well.
Ate smoked fish in a can, wasabi peas, cashews, raisins. No chocolate.
Wish Rebecca a happy birthday. Happy birthday Rebecca!
Anchored.
Visited our new friends Nancy n Darrell. Always a good time with them! Not only are they good people they are a wealth of information and always willing to share with us and they both tell great stories. God keeps blessing us daily!
Good night
Pam
Sunny hot humid
Practiced our motoring skills
Successful docking to pump out the head. Frustrating the pump was not working well.
Ate smoked fish in a can, wasabi peas, cashews, raisins. No chocolate.
Wish Rebecca a happy birthday. Happy birthday Rebecca!
Anchored.
Visited our new friends Nancy n Darrell. Always a good time with them! Not only are they good people they are a wealth of information and always willing to share with us and they both tell great stories. God keeps blessing us daily!
Good night
Pam
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Dolphins!
DOLPHINS! One crab
Welp this morning I was reading while Ben was still snoozing. I heard a sound almost like when a deer snorts in the woods when you get too close to their territory anyway I heard a snort looked around for deer on the sandy beach and there in the water were dolphins!!! A few maybe six or so. One was a mommy with the cutest small baby dolphin! Oh! Ben was excited too. He said, "Now that's worth getting up for. " then he looked at me and said something like, "ah ur a lot worth gettin up for..." I laughed and laughed and have had a great time teasing him about things worth getting up for. Ha ha. Today we decided to stay a day for me to rest. No complaints here. This is also a totally jelly free zone! I swam and swam and dove under the boat to check the zinc (which looks good) and there was like a stick or weed on it I was just reaching to move it and it moved! It was a crab hanging on to the zinc. Oh how funny. I did my girly squeel and shot for the air and yelled to Ben. Come see this crab he's worth getting up for. Ha ha ha ok that last part I did not say. But it makes for a good story. I still laugh.
We are actually going to watch a movie tonight. Fun! But no popcorn. Sad face me! Good night all. For those of you following along in Acts we just read 27 n 28 wild sailing stuff in the bible. We can relate to some things about wind but not to crashing.
Pam
oh I forgot we ended our day with a ride to the beach with owen while the sun set beautifully on the horizon with puffy clouds. We walked the beach while Owen played in the tall grass and tried to catch small crabs from their holes. What a nice end to this day. Amen
Welp this morning I was reading while Ben was still snoozing. I heard a sound almost like when a deer snorts in the woods when you get too close to their territory anyway I heard a snort looked around for deer on the sandy beach and there in the water were dolphins!!! A few maybe six or so. One was a mommy with the cutest small baby dolphin! Oh! Ben was excited too. He said, "Now that's worth getting up for. " then he looked at me and said something like, "ah ur a lot worth gettin up for..." I laughed and laughed and have had a great time teasing him about things worth getting up for. Ha ha. Today we decided to stay a day for me to rest. No complaints here. This is also a totally jelly free zone! I swam and swam and dove under the boat to check the zinc (which looks good) and there was like a stick or weed on it I was just reaching to move it and it moved! It was a crab hanging on to the zinc. Oh how funny. I did my girly squeel and shot for the air and yelled to Ben. Come see this crab he's worth getting up for. Ha ha ha ok that last part I did not say. But it makes for a good story. I still laugh.
We are actually going to watch a movie tonight. Fun! But no popcorn. Sad face me! Good night all. For those of you following along in Acts we just read 27 n 28 wild sailing stuff in the bible. We can relate to some things about wind but not to crashing.
Pam
oh I forgot we ended our day with a ride to the beach with owen while the sun set beautifully on the horizon with puffy clouds. We walked the beach while Owen played in the tall grass and tried to catch small crabs from their holes. What a nice end to this day. Amen
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Under the weather
Under the weather today.
We ate pancakes.
We sailed on a different tack. Heavenly and smooth point if sail. And fast and right to the spot.
But I woke up with a terrible bladder infection. Why do I get the embarrassing blogs to right. Well I could have said nothing but out of trouble comes help and more adventure. So we get to a cute bay. And I am miserable. Ben looks up pharmacy and sure enough we are a three mile dinghy ride to a two mile walk away and they close in two hours! While in transit I convince my doctor it is important I get relief NOw. ( I know about these things. I normally drnk cranberry juice for 48 hrs and poof it is gone but I also know when they are beyond cranberry juice) she said yes but I have to get the prescription sent to MN. What? Knock knock anyone home ? I'm in no mood to explain this again I have two hrs to get to a pharmacy.) So she asked if I had the phone number to the pharmacy here. I do. They did it. And here go Ben and I on a hot day. Up the river. Down the road. To The pharmacy. Ahhh the pharmasist loved our accents. Of course hers was sweet too. We left there went to a take out food place and standing in line this guy offers us a ride! I gladly take it. When God sends you a ride you take it! On the way back he said if there is anything we need to get he would let us drive his convertable jaugar around town. Wowwie. Amazing. His name was Jimmy Carter and he lives on Carter creek road. No not the president. So another day of navigation around towns, creeks , bays etc. Adventure at it finest.
All thus excitement I deserve to go to bed! And rest!
Pam
We ate pancakes.
We sailed on a different tack. Heavenly and smooth point if sail. And fast and right to the spot.
But I woke up with a terrible bladder infection. Why do I get the embarrassing blogs to right. Well I could have said nothing but out of trouble comes help and more adventure. So we get to a cute bay. And I am miserable. Ben looks up pharmacy and sure enough we are a three mile dinghy ride to a two mile walk away and they close in two hours! While in transit I convince my doctor it is important I get relief NOw. ( I know about these things. I normally drnk cranberry juice for 48 hrs and poof it is gone but I also know when they are beyond cranberry juice) she said yes but I have to get the prescription sent to MN. What? Knock knock anyone home ? I'm in no mood to explain this again I have two hrs to get to a pharmacy.) So she asked if I had the phone number to the pharmacy here. I do. They did it. And here go Ben and I on a hot day. Up the river. Down the road. To The pharmacy. Ahhh the pharmasist loved our accents. Of course hers was sweet too. We left there went to a take out food place and standing in line this guy offers us a ride! I gladly take it. When God sends you a ride you take it! On the way back he said if there is anything we need to get he would let us drive his convertable jaugar around town. Wowwie. Amazing. His name was Jimmy Carter and he lives on Carter creek road. No not the president. So another day of navigation around towns, creeks , bays etc. Adventure at it finest.
All thus excitement I deserve to go to bed! And rest!
Pam
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wild winds
Wild winds finally
Oh boy we had the boat rocking and rolling. Great practice for us. Not too much and not too little just on the edge. We had lots o wind but still did not make too much way due to the wind direction again. Atleast today we had three points of sail. Beating (as always. No matter where we go the wind is on our nose the hardest point of sail and the slowest. ) then we got to be on a beam reach. (the wind directly on the side. This is fine if you have the right sail configuration but if you have to much sail you have to wrestle with the wheel to keep it straight. But now I know when it is wrestle time it is time to change to the staysail and take down the jib. If that is still too much then it is time to reef or take in the main. Given all those words of self wisdom I'm not sure it is right. Maybe it is better to leave the jib and reef the main? Any sailors out there have an opinion? Email me your response or comment on the blog. I'd love to hear your ideas!) then we got to run with the wind behind which is precarious due to accidentally jibing. It is a comfortable point of sail if one puts on a preventor so the accidental jib does not happen.
There you all have it. A day of sailing and learning. I did not play much with the gps but I am good at finding angles on there now! So when we round a marker I can say quickly head 228 degrees for one mile then head 180 degrees. That will get us to the sandy point bay.
I am tired for a day of physical workout.
Oh hey Deanna Ben has eyebrows. He is so tan it is crazy and his eyebrows are so blonde you can see them. His tan makes his eyes even bluer than blue!
Well signing off at sandy point VA where the winds are 5 knots to keep the bugs away the temp 72 degrees and where Owen prowls the deck at night looking for bugs to catch and eat - chomp. And where God grace enfolds us in His love.
Captain Pam
Someday I will tell you the story of how got to be named captain for this summer trip.
Oh boy we had the boat rocking and rolling. Great practice for us. Not too much and not too little just on the edge. We had lots o wind but still did not make too much way due to the wind direction again. Atleast today we had three points of sail. Beating (as always. No matter where we go the wind is on our nose the hardest point of sail and the slowest. ) then we got to be on a beam reach. (the wind directly on the side. This is fine if you have the right sail configuration but if you have to much sail you have to wrestle with the wheel to keep it straight. But now I know when it is wrestle time it is time to change to the staysail and take down the jib. If that is still too much then it is time to reef or take in the main. Given all those words of self wisdom I'm not sure it is right. Maybe it is better to leave the jib and reef the main? Any sailors out there have an opinion? Email me your response or comment on the blog. I'd love to hear your ideas!) then we got to run with the wind behind which is precarious due to accidentally jibing. It is a comfortable point of sail if one puts on a preventor so the accidental jib does not happen.
There you all have it. A day of sailing and learning. I did not play much with the gps but I am good at finding angles on there now! So when we round a marker I can say quickly head 228 degrees for one mile then head 180 degrees. That will get us to the sandy point bay.
I am tired for a day of physical workout.
Oh hey Deanna Ben has eyebrows. He is so tan it is crazy and his eyebrows are so blonde you can see them. His tan makes his eyes even bluer than blue!
Well signing off at sandy point VA where the winds are 5 knots to keep the bugs away the temp 72 degrees and where Owen prowls the deck at night looking for bugs to catch and eat - chomp. And where God grace enfolds us in His love.
Captain Pam
Someday I will tell you the story of how got to be named captain for this summer trip.
Wild winds
Wild winds finally
Oh boy we had the boat rocking and rolling. Great practice for us. Not too much and not too little just on the edge. We had lots o wind but still did not make too much way due to the wind direction again. Atleast today we had three points of sail. Beating (as always. No matter where we go the wind is on our nose the hardest point of sail and the slowest. ) then we got to be on a beam reach. (the wind directly on the side. This is fine if you have the right sail configuration but if you have to much sail you have to wrestle with the wheel to keep it straight. But now I know when it is wrestle time it is time to change to the staysail and take down the jib. If that is still too much then it is time to reef or take in the main. Given all those words of self wisdom I'm not sure it is right. Maybe it is better to leave the jib and reef the main? Any sailors out there have an opinion? Email me your response or comment on the blog. I'd love to hear your ideas!) then we got to run with the wind behind which is precarious due to accidentally jibing. It is a comfortable point of sail if one puts on a preventor so the accidental jib does not happen.
There you all have it. A day of sailing and learning. I did not play much with the gps but I am good at finding angles on there now! So when we round a marker I can say quickly head 228 degrees for one mile then head 180 degrees. That will get us to the sandy point bay.
I am tired for a day of physical workout.
Oh hey Deanna Ben has eyebrows. He is so tan it is crazy and his eyebrows are so blonde you can see them. His tan makes his eyes even bluer than blue!
Well signing off at sandy point VA where the winds are 5 knots to keep the bugs away the temp 72 degrees and where Owen prowls the deck at night looking for bugs to catch and eat - chomp. And where God grace enfolds us in His love.
Captain Pam
Someday I will tell you the story of how got to be named captain for this summer trip.
Oh boy we had the boat rocking and rolling. Great practice for us. Not too much and not too little just on the edge. We had lots o wind but still did not make too much way due to the wind direction again. Atleast today we had three points of sail. Beating (as always. No matter where we go the wind is on our nose the hardest point of sail and the slowest. ) then we got to be on a beam reach. (the wind directly on the side. This is fine if you have the right sail configuration but if you have to much sail you have to wrestle with the wheel to keep it straight. But now I know when it is wrestle time it is time to change to the staysail and take down the jib. If that is still too much then it is time to reef or take in the main. Given all those words of self wisdom I'm not sure it is right. Maybe it is better to leave the jib and reef the main? Any sailors out there have an opinion? Email me your response or comment on the blog. I'd love to hear your ideas!) then we got to run with the wind behind which is precarious due to accidentally jibing. It is a comfortable point of sail if one puts on a preventor so the accidental jib does not happen.
There you all have it. A day of sailing and learning. I did not play much with the gps but I am good at finding angles on there now! So when we round a marker I can say quickly head 228 degrees for one mile then head 180 degrees. That will get us to the sandy point bay.
I am tired for a day of physical workout.
Oh hey Deanna Ben has eyebrows. He is so tan it is crazy and his eyebrows are so blonde you can see them. His tan makes his eyes even bluer than blue!
Well signing off at sandy point VA where the winds are 5 knots to keep the bugs away the temp 72 degrees and where Owen prowls the deck at night looking for bugs to catch and eat - chomp. And where God grace enfolds us in His love.
Captain Pam
Someday I will tell you the story of how got to be named captain for this summer trip.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
GSP day! no time like the present to learn more.
Today we got up late. 9pm or so. It is Sunday. The wind had not picked up yet so why get going? We read Acts 25 this morning. Then set sail. We went past 2 regattas! (sailing races) but then the wind died down and they stood still like us.
We went about 24 miles it took allll day and then some motoring. The Chesapeake is known for no winds after the fourth of July. So everyday we have wind the better.
On this mild day I was ready to attack the GPS! It seems simple. I did learn how to make a way point and a track. I even got the track to beep as we pasted the way points. (the first time it beeped my heart skipped a beat of panic cuz it is the same beep as the anchor warning that signals trouble. Couldn't they pick a happy beep or a chime that goes ta-da! Or voice on a car gps that says in a british accent, "congratulations youve made it to your first way point!) The only thing is I don't know what I did to start the track working. I'm sure I'll sleep on it. But now I can give a heading! I think I'm ready for an over night sail. Don't tell Ben that yet.
Here is something stupid I still do and it drives me crazy. We have our dinghy trailng behind us on a long tether line BUT when you anchor you have to back up. So before you back up you want to pull in the dnghy. So many times I'm backing up to set the anchor and I look back and there is the dinghy. I quick put it in neutral and pray I did not wrap the line around the prop. So today we are anchoring. I forget AGAIN (how many times do I need to forget!!!) I put it in reverse and it feels funny. Oh no! This would be my lesson. Ben graciously dove thru jellies to check (he did not get stung) but there was mercy for me it was only stuck on the keel. Phew! I hope that was enough to pound it in my head!
Today was also a good day In that I felt like the boat is getting smaller. Before it seemed big and ominous. Now it seems do-able. Of course I have not had to dock it lately.
Oh today I fished most of the day. Me, I like to do a few things at once, learn gps, fish a little, and sail a little. Ben was focused on the cape horn. Cape horn is one of the two auto pilots we have. It uses no electricity it is all pulleys and ropes. One cord feel off it's bungie. Ben found the owners manual and put it back on. Then the dinghy bumped the fin that goes in the water and it came off its center and he fixed that too. For those of you all that know Ben he is doing excellent and at figuring things out. I didn't even jump in nor did he ask. I just stayed focus on gps. Tomorrow I shall set a course and see if I can do it all day as if it was night time.
Oh YES everday It is Fun and very educational all at the same time. Of course we miss you all dearly. I think about work most everyday as wondering how it is going. (i just dont dwell on the thoughts)
Phil 1:3
Good night
Pam
We went about 24 miles it took allll day and then some motoring. The Chesapeake is known for no winds after the fourth of July. So everyday we have wind the better.
On this mild day I was ready to attack the GPS! It seems simple. I did learn how to make a way point and a track. I even got the track to beep as we pasted the way points. (the first time it beeped my heart skipped a beat of panic cuz it is the same beep as the anchor warning that signals trouble. Couldn't they pick a happy beep or a chime that goes ta-da! Or voice on a car gps that says in a british accent, "congratulations youve made it to your first way point!) The only thing is I don't know what I did to start the track working. I'm sure I'll sleep on it. But now I can give a heading! I think I'm ready for an over night sail. Don't tell Ben that yet.
Here is something stupid I still do and it drives me crazy. We have our dinghy trailng behind us on a long tether line BUT when you anchor you have to back up. So before you back up you want to pull in the dnghy. So many times I'm backing up to set the anchor and I look back and there is the dinghy. I quick put it in neutral and pray I did not wrap the line around the prop. So today we are anchoring. I forget AGAIN (how many times do I need to forget!!!) I put it in reverse and it feels funny. Oh no! This would be my lesson. Ben graciously dove thru jellies to check (he did not get stung) but there was mercy for me it was only stuck on the keel. Phew! I hope that was enough to pound it in my head!
Today was also a good day In that I felt like the boat is getting smaller. Before it seemed big and ominous. Now it seems do-able. Of course I have not had to dock it lately.
Oh today I fished most of the day. Me, I like to do a few things at once, learn gps, fish a little, and sail a little. Ben was focused on the cape horn. Cape horn is one of the two auto pilots we have. It uses no electricity it is all pulleys and ropes. One cord feel off it's bungie. Ben found the owners manual and put it back on. Then the dinghy bumped the fin that goes in the water and it came off its center and he fixed that too. For those of you all that know Ben he is doing excellent and at figuring things out. I didn't even jump in nor did he ask. I just stayed focus on gps. Tomorrow I shall set a course and see if I can do it all day as if it was night time.
Oh YES everday It is Fun and very educational all at the same time. Of course we miss you all dearly. I think about work most everyday as wondering how it is going. (i just dont dwell on the thoughts)
Phil 1:3
Good night
Pam
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Yawn. Read Bens tonight
I'm not feelin the blogspot tonight.
Let's see
Sailed
Sunny and 83 degrees
Winds 5-10knots
Owen is looking so grown up.
The anchor was muddy but I joyfully helped scrub.
Ate sardines and crackers for lunch
Wasabi peas, cashews, raisins for supper
Motored into town on jimini (dinghy)
Ate soft serve icecream for snack
It is dark. Cloudy. Light breeze with few misquitos. We are on the deck blogging
Last nights cribage, Ben won but I muggins him three points!
Flight control Pam 119, Ben 123
Good enough for tonight. Maybe bens is more informative.
Prayers to you all Pam
Let's see
Sailed
Sunny and 83 degrees
Winds 5-10knots
Owen is looking so grown up.
The anchor was muddy but I joyfully helped scrub.
Ate sardines and crackers for lunch
Wasabi peas, cashews, raisins for supper
Motored into town on jimini (dinghy)
Ate soft serve icecream for snack
It is dark. Cloudy. Light breeze with few misquitos. We are on the deck blogging
Last nights cribage, Ben won but I muggins him three points!
Flight control Pam 119, Ben 123
Good enough for tonight. Maybe bens is more informative.
Prayers to you all Pam
Friday, July 17, 2009
Jellies win! Pam uses BBQ sauce! Embarrassing too!
This morning. There was supposed to be a storm. No luck. Just a calm. Very calm too calm it was hard to sleep without the rocking. Wow I'm acclamating just fine to sailing life. So we lazily got up. Made a rope ladder cuz our ladder is too hard for me to get open. So I thought just make a rope ladder. Cool Robinson cruiso here I come. The ladder looks way cool but it is way hard to climb up on due to the boats angle. It would be like rock climbng up a rock that sticks out and you have to some how get up the protruding rock. Anyway I hope that made sense. Back up ... Two days ago in annapolis was the first day I took a shower in over two weeks but don't worry I take little baths in the bay water if no jellies. Back to the morning. We threw the rope over the side. I did not see a jelly I let myself down. here is the embarrassing part but important to the story. I was floating and I put my hand in my pants to (you know wash a bit down there) swish swish quickly then I felt like little sting down "there". Then I felt a jelly on my thigh. You guest it I just rubbed a jelly on my you-know-what!!! If Deanna is reading this she knows the feeling; it is like using dr. Broners soap down there. Then I tried to get up the rope but did not have the strength to pull myself up quickly. So now I am hanging there and Ben is being his helpful self and saying "try putting your hand here..." as if to instruct me how to climb out ... instead of just reaching in and pulling me out quickly! Afterwards I asked him
why didn't you help me quicker. He said he did what he thought would be fastest and I did not ask him to pull me out. So then I took off my swim bottoms to find stringie things of the jelly in there. Now my private part the inner thigh got stung. I put BBQ sauce on it. Close enough to meat tenderizer it had vinager in it. It helped. It was not as bad as I thought Not even bad enough to cry about or even come close to crying. I thought it was going to sting a long time and leave big red marks. Not just a few red lines. I'm not sure if that helped my jellyaphobia or hurt. Cuz now I think that was not too bad but then again it was bad enough to not want to do it again! There you have the whole stingin story. Now don't go spreading this one around it is silly enough.
Finally a lay around day. I played the mandolin finally. Caught up on email. Read more of bruchco. An excellent book. We ate can of baked beans and hotdogs. The hotdogs were still good after one week of no refrigeration. I'm still alive and no stomach ache. I caught up on phone calls. I redid the rope ladder and got right back up on the horse and tried it again. This time I figured out how to climb up better a few more times and I'll be good. Today I am thankful for calm days. Lazy day. Friends and family.
Peace Pam
why didn't you help me quicker. He said he did what he thought would be fastest and I did not ask him to pull me out. So then I took off my swim bottoms to find stringie things of the jelly in there. Now my private part the inner thigh got stung. I put BBQ sauce on it. Close enough to meat tenderizer it had vinager in it. It helped. It was not as bad as I thought Not even bad enough to cry about or even come close to crying. I thought it was going to sting a long time and leave big red marks. Not just a few red lines. I'm not sure if that helped my jellyaphobia or hurt. Cuz now I think that was not too bad but then again it was bad enough to not want to do it again! There you have the whole stingin story. Now don't go spreading this one around it is silly enough.
Finally a lay around day. I played the mandolin finally. Caught up on email. Read more of bruchco. An excellent book. We ate can of baked beans and hotdogs. The hotdogs were still good after one week of no refrigeration. I'm still alive and no stomach ache. I caught up on phone calls. I redid the rope ladder and got right back up on the horse and tried it again. This time I figured out how to climb up better a few more times and I'll be good. Today I am thankful for calm days. Lazy day. Friends and family.
Peace Pam
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Back in the saddle - sailing again! More learning too
5-10knot winds is pam's happy sailing day
We are still sailing it is 7:45pm the sun is going down and we are yet learning another part of sailing. At dusk getting ready for sailing at night. I often am pushed to try new stuff. Like I said I am happy sailing a craft until I know it well then move on. Ben likes to move on quickly. Well quicker than me. So here we are sailing to a bay at dusk. Of course the wind is dieing down. I thought we would be there by now but nope. I'll keep you informed as to the details once they occur. First let me tell you of our day.
Last night the waters were so rough there was no way I could sleep through it. Ben on the other hand is an amazing sleeper. Wow. I'm jealous. It was so loud! Everything squeeked, rattled, moaned, banged, clanged, twittered, etc. Owen was up too. I checked the anchor watch a few times cuz our scope was only one to six ratio. I don't know why Ben likes it at one hundred feet of chain ? We were at 16 feet. You all do the math. 16x7. Plus you can add four feet for the water line to the bow. If you did that math it would be 20x7. So I was nervous. I wonder if I wil see Ben nervous. ?
Then the navy acedmy started working out at 6:15. Needless to say. I'm a bit tired. So I thought I would start the blog before I fall asleep. But first we need to get close to the night's refuge.
We got fuel for the first time. It went well. We didn't need that much. Considering one tank is 35 gallons port and 40gallons on starbaord. I did successfully dock! It felt good and it even went the way I thought it should go. Thank darell for teaching me in theory and talking me through it!!! It worked great!!
Today was a beautiful sail. Mild winds. Too mild at times but just right other times. We saw a flock of birds fishing right infront of us. It was so fun to watch them fly up then come crashing down and splashing in the water over and over again just twenty feet from the boat. We ate leftover lasgna from yesterdays yummy restaurant dinner. Oh we bought ice and tonight I made coffee icees. Yummy yumm yum!!! Tomorrow ice willl be gone for a few days again. We plan to sail to Yorktown and see becca and Jason. We made 30 miles today that is good for always having the wind on our nose and the wind dieing down. Funny today was supposed to be 20-25 winds. The fuel guy even reminded me it was going to be tooo windy. We were ready with the reef lines but did not need them at all!
Ok how did anchoring at dusk go!? Perfect. Ben steered this time I dropped the anchor and we could still see the markers. (I dropped 100 feet of chain so I feel better tonight sleeping. I just figured out why he does not drop out more than needed cuz cleanng the anchor is hard hard to do. When you pull up anchor the chain is covered in mud and I mean thick mud!!! Then you have to scrub scrub scrubby to get it clean. That is why. We'll tomorrow I will help with the chain but not wretch my back cuz finally today is the first day my back doesn't hurt from pulling up anchor last time I did it. It was not the pulling that did it. It was the cleaning of the chain cuz you have to get water by growing a bucket attached to a rope over board then hoist up the water that is too big of a bucket for me to lift so many times. Tomorrow I will get in the water scrub the chain the just hoist up the anchor. In theory it should work and if it is a jelly free zone. We shall see. )
I beat! Good night all
Oh Owen live to sit on the very end of the bow sprit ( the longggg pointy thing out the front) tonight he was leaning way over. That boy is going to fall in someday?
Zzzzz
Oh everyday I mention our creator and I have not yet. Today was a great day for prayer so many of you have been well prayed for. Blessngs to my friends and family and whoever else reads this.
We are still sailing it is 7:45pm the sun is going down and we are yet learning another part of sailing. At dusk getting ready for sailing at night. I often am pushed to try new stuff. Like I said I am happy sailing a craft until I know it well then move on. Ben likes to move on quickly. Well quicker than me. So here we are sailing to a bay at dusk. Of course the wind is dieing down. I thought we would be there by now but nope. I'll keep you informed as to the details once they occur. First let me tell you of our day.
Last night the waters were so rough there was no way I could sleep through it. Ben on the other hand is an amazing sleeper. Wow. I'm jealous. It was so loud! Everything squeeked, rattled, moaned, banged, clanged, twittered, etc. Owen was up too. I checked the anchor watch a few times cuz our scope was only one to six ratio. I don't know why Ben likes it at one hundred feet of chain ? We were at 16 feet. You all do the math. 16x7. Plus you can add four feet for the water line to the bow. If you did that math it would be 20x7. So I was nervous. I wonder if I wil see Ben nervous. ?
Then the navy acedmy started working out at 6:15. Needless to say. I'm a bit tired. So I thought I would start the blog before I fall asleep. But first we need to get close to the night's refuge.
We got fuel for the first time. It went well. We didn't need that much. Considering one tank is 35 gallons port and 40gallons on starbaord. I did successfully dock! It felt good and it even went the way I thought it should go. Thank darell for teaching me in theory and talking me through it!!! It worked great!!
Today was a beautiful sail. Mild winds. Too mild at times but just right other times. We saw a flock of birds fishing right infront of us. It was so fun to watch them fly up then come crashing down and splashing in the water over and over again just twenty feet from the boat. We ate leftover lasgna from yesterdays yummy restaurant dinner. Oh we bought ice and tonight I made coffee icees. Yummy yumm yum!!! Tomorrow ice willl be gone for a few days again. We plan to sail to Yorktown and see becca and Jason. We made 30 miles today that is good for always having the wind on our nose and the wind dieing down. Funny today was supposed to be 20-25 winds. The fuel guy even reminded me it was going to be tooo windy. We were ready with the reef lines but did not need them at all!
Ok how did anchoring at dusk go!? Perfect. Ben steered this time I dropped the anchor and we could still see the markers. (I dropped 100 feet of chain so I feel better tonight sleeping. I just figured out why he does not drop out more than needed cuz cleanng the anchor is hard hard to do. When you pull up anchor the chain is covered in mud and I mean thick mud!!! Then you have to scrub scrub scrubby to get it clean. That is why. We'll tomorrow I will help with the chain but not wretch my back cuz finally today is the first day my back doesn't hurt from pulling up anchor last time I did it. It was not the pulling that did it. It was the cleaning of the chain cuz you have to get water by growing a bucket attached to a rope over board then hoist up the water that is too big of a bucket for me to lift so many times. Tomorrow I will get in the water scrub the chain the just hoist up the anchor. In theory it should work and if it is a jelly free zone. We shall see. )
I beat! Good night all
Oh Owen live to sit on the very end of the bow sprit ( the longggg pointy thing out the front) tonight he was leaning way over. That boy is going to fall in someday?
Zzzzz
Oh everyday I mention our creator and I have not yet. Today was a great day for prayer so many of you have been well prayed for. Blessngs to my friends and family and whoever else reads this.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Peace Love and kum-by-ya
Flight control: Pam @ 97, Ben @ 111.
Not that any of you care. He is beating my butt.
Today light winds. God is in control of the day and wind. So we stayed here one more day. The winds are picking up and tomorrow should be a trial in reefing. Tonigt we shall have the anchor watch on as it is 15 knot winds right now.
We went to the navy academy and took the tour. Amazing. Wow. Just like this whole trip has been a learning curve a huge learning curve of when the student is ready the teacher appears. Like when I was home I wanted to learn the baramoter but did not cuz it was book stuff now I am an eagar student to learn about diesel engines, batteries, electronic, electricity, gps, ( I still have more to do with the gps. Tomorrow I will read the manual to learn how to set way points) anchor watching, solar power, Samson post hitching know, snubber line know, cap horn auto pilot, four stroke motors ( wow I am amazing myself already with all the learning going on here)! But none of this I learned before even though I have big thick books I am a visual and hands on learner. So my point is that I'm getting to,... Is we went to the navy academy. We see all the stuff they do. I had no idea. Actually part of me thinks the navy would be like summer camp or teen missions but for four years. Ok ok my point is I send a thank you out to all those military people (ie my sister and her hubby Ed and kimmer) and all the many others. Thanks for doing all of that. I don't understand it but I recognize it. Student I am. Ready to listen to the teachers in my life. Sometimes it takes us a while to get there. I'm glad I have the personality and love to want to learn and be taught by all those around me. And a big thanks to my staff back home that teach me many things. They are all very smart and I know it and recognize their work and love for the work we do at ASLIS!!! I hope I say it enough to you all! Thanks from my heart for all you do and who you are. Oh and my many friends that teach me countless lessons about life, love and God. Amen sista's and bros! Sleep well. You are all blessed in my heart. And have I kept you here long enough. And thanks to the homeless and mentally challenged for from them I hear their hearts and know they too can and do teach me many of the lessons of contenment and non judgementalness. Ok ok I hope I did not forget anyone. And my dad who may not have known while I was growing up but he played a huge role in the forming of my adventureous mind and kind heart. And mom for having fun and laughing at anything and everything. Now have I left anyone out? Yes all the animals in my life!! Muss you kiko and Xander!
Blessings over and out Pam
oh I didn't forget Deanna n Jase who have taught me more than I ever imagined! Deep in my heart they are happily loved. Ok and all the kids Annie Paul and neighbor boys and their friends.
Oh and Ben won the backgammon series. Now I can go to bed.
Not that any of you care. He is beating my butt.
Today light winds. God is in control of the day and wind. So we stayed here one more day. The winds are picking up and tomorrow should be a trial in reefing. Tonigt we shall have the anchor watch on as it is 15 knot winds right now.
We went to the navy academy and took the tour. Amazing. Wow. Just like this whole trip has been a learning curve a huge learning curve of when the student is ready the teacher appears. Like when I was home I wanted to learn the baramoter but did not cuz it was book stuff now I am an eagar student to learn about diesel engines, batteries, electronic, electricity, gps, ( I still have more to do with the gps. Tomorrow I will read the manual to learn how to set way points) anchor watching, solar power, Samson post hitching know, snubber line know, cap horn auto pilot, four stroke motors ( wow I am amazing myself already with all the learning going on here)! But none of this I learned before even though I have big thick books I am a visual and hands on learner. So my point is that I'm getting to,... Is we went to the navy academy. We see all the stuff they do. I had no idea. Actually part of me thinks the navy would be like summer camp or teen missions but for four years. Ok ok my point is I send a thank you out to all those military people (ie my sister and her hubby Ed and kimmer) and all the many others. Thanks for doing all of that. I don't understand it but I recognize it. Student I am. Ready to listen to the teachers in my life. Sometimes it takes us a while to get there. I'm glad I have the personality and love to want to learn and be taught by all those around me. And a big thanks to my staff back home that teach me many things. They are all very smart and I know it and recognize their work and love for the work we do at ASLIS!!! I hope I say it enough to you all! Thanks from my heart for all you do and who you are. Oh and my many friends that teach me countless lessons about life, love and God. Amen sista's and bros! Sleep well. You are all blessed in my heart. And have I kept you here long enough. And thanks to the homeless and mentally challenged for from them I hear their hearts and know they too can and do teach me many of the lessons of contenment and non judgementalness. Ok ok I hope I did not forget anyone. And my dad who may not have known while I was growing up but he played a huge role in the forming of my adventureous mind and kind heart. And mom for having fun and laughing at anything and everything. Now have I left anyone out? Yes all the animals in my life!! Muss you kiko and Xander!
Blessings over and out Pam
oh I didn't forget Deanna n Jase who have taught me more than I ever imagined! Deep in my heart they are happily loved. Ok and all the kids Annie Paul and neighbor boys and their friends.
Oh and Ben won the backgammon series. Now I can go to bed.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Got the itch to sail again
Got the itch
We have been in the same place since Sunday. It is time to set sail again. Torrow 10-15 ESE winds. Good for me. Plus I would like to take a bay-shower. It is funny to wash your hair in a harbour full of people and boats. Although tonight we were invited to a boat party with about 7 people plus us. Very nice one od theguys there was a harbour master. He gave us some shower tokens to the city dock. Nice.
Today we walked all over town. To the fire dept to recycle our old fire extinguishers. Then 2miles to west marine to get a fuel thingie for the dinghy so we won't have to pour gas into the motor. Now it will go direct to the tank! A big deal. No more spilling gas in the bay etc.
We woke up to the navy acedmy so we decided to visit there. It was an amazing place built in 1845! Way cool. We watched the night roll call and formation. Impressive.
Then to the boat party then home to Owen. It is a cool night. The stars are out. I like living outside. I like the water. Everyday living on the water grows more on me.
Ok I am tired again. Ready to wake up at 6:15 with the navy guys, "yes sir!"
Later gater
Annapolis is a great town.
Oh hey I forgot about another nice person we met at west Marine. Giff his name. He drove us back as we were not sure which part we needed. He and his wife has circumnavigated the world in a sailboat they just got back after two years. They are saving their money again to do it as soon as they can. He had great stories. Oh and we met Glenn the none homeless but homeless looking guy. We send our blessings.
Ok now bed.
Sweet dreams
Pam
We have been in the same place since Sunday. It is time to set sail again. Torrow 10-15 ESE winds. Good for me. Plus I would like to take a bay-shower. It is funny to wash your hair in a harbour full of people and boats. Although tonight we were invited to a boat party with about 7 people plus us. Very nice one od theguys there was a harbour master. He gave us some shower tokens to the city dock. Nice.
Today we walked all over town. To the fire dept to recycle our old fire extinguishers. Then 2miles to west marine to get a fuel thingie for the dinghy so we won't have to pour gas into the motor. Now it will go direct to the tank! A big deal. No more spilling gas in the bay etc.
We woke up to the navy acedmy so we decided to visit there. It was an amazing place built in 1845! Way cool. We watched the night roll call and formation. Impressive.
Then to the boat party then home to Owen. It is a cool night. The stars are out. I like living outside. I like the water. Everyday living on the water grows more on me.
Ok I am tired again. Ready to wake up at 6:15 with the navy guys, "yes sir!"
Later gater
Annapolis is a great town.
Oh hey I forgot about another nice person we met at west Marine. Giff his name. He drove us back as we were not sure which part we needed. He and his wife has circumnavigated the world in a sailboat they just got back after two years. They are saving their money again to do it as soon as they can. He had great stories. Oh and we met Glenn the none homeless but homeless looking guy. We send our blessings.
Ok now bed.
Sweet dreams
Pam
Monday, July 13, 2009
City if annapolis
Revalry at 6:15am at the navy base. Yes they are serious about their calestenaics (jodies, exercises). Makes me want to join them. Not this morning.
Today is a day of wifi. Yup notice pictures finally! I got caught up with some work. We met the nice lady from fawcetts, Bess and her hubby bill. Went to fawcetts. Oh we got our pooper pumped out. Get this... It only cost five bucks! Amazing! They come to you in a pump out boat! Weird everything is expensive and here the total charge for curbside service is five dollars. It was a new experience. Ben dried out more books the ones that got soaked in the heeling. He installed three fire exstingishers ! Yup that is handy-Ben now that he has his leatherman he is a new guy. I washed the soul again (the wood floor is the soul). Ate tuna fish. Ya know the tip about sourdough bread. Welp after three weeks it molded the last few pieces. Darn. It was way better than regular bread.
We ended the day with ice cream after we met Glenn a homeless looking guy. He had a home but definitly looked the part completebwith mental challenges yet smart like he knew mpls was in MN he knew it was in a different time zone. He carried on a conversation and he brought up Jesus and the end of the world. He was trying to understand it all. Interesting what God leads us to. Since Ben works with special Ed he is well equiped with the gift of communicating Jesus' love to others such as I can but he is way better. Glenn was his name you may pray that he finds Jesus in a real way. Actually Jesus is in there he just is not sure.
A nice evening. I better get to bed since the navy will wake me up. Zzz
I hope you all liked the pictures. I'm sure Ben will do more tomorrow. Miss you all
Pam
Today is a day of wifi. Yup notice pictures finally! I got caught up with some work. We met the nice lady from fawcetts, Bess and her hubby bill. Went to fawcetts. Oh we got our pooper pumped out. Get this... It only cost five bucks! Amazing! They come to you in a pump out boat! Weird everything is expensive and here the total charge for curbside service is five dollars. It was a new experience. Ben dried out more books the ones that got soaked in the heeling. He installed three fire exstingishers ! Yup that is handy-Ben now that he has his leatherman he is a new guy. I washed the soul again (the wood floor is the soul). Ate tuna fish. Ya know the tip about sourdough bread. Welp after three weeks it molded the last few pieces. Darn. It was way better than regular bread.
We ended the day with ice cream after we met Glenn a homeless looking guy. He had a home but definitly looked the part completebwith mental challenges yet smart like he knew mpls was in MN he knew it was in a different time zone. He carried on a conversation and he brought up Jesus and the end of the world. He was trying to understand it all. Interesting what God leads us to. Since Ben works with special Ed he is well equiped with the gift of communicating Jesus' love to others such as I can but he is way better. Glenn was his name you may pray that he finds Jesus in a real way. Actually Jesus is in there he just is not sure.
A nice evening. I better get to bed since the navy will wake me up. Zzz
I hope you all liked the pictures. I'm sure Ben will do more tomorrow. Miss you all
Pam
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Short n sweet. Not even worth reading
Sunday another day of rest.
What a nice cove rhode river is. Quiet and not a lot of waves. Good for sleeping. Sunday devotions consist of reading Matthew 11. Parables to ponder. Then Ben got up and we hit the bay. Back to Annapolis to experience city life and catch a few rays of wifi.
The sail was quiet. At times too quiet. Oh hey I found the coveted canoe seat in the back cabin after buying a new seat. Now If only I could find my sunscreen. To the happiness of Deanna I have been wearing sunscreen most everyday. Except today. I got too much sun. Why is it when you get sun it totally drains you?
today I counted 71 boats around me (most all far enough away) but I have to say I was not too nervous one reason being we were all only going 2 knots but also I'm getting to know the rules of the road better. Who is the stand on vessel as they ask over and over in sailing school. Oooo oooo pick me I know the answer. Here is a quiz for you all out there. Q: if you are on a starboard tack and the oncoming vessel is on a port tack, who has the right of way? Or who is the stand on vessel? This is the easy one.
This is good for tonight. I'm beat with all the sun.
Peace over and out. Pam
oh one more. I learned when your port a pottie gets full. I've asked a few people " how do you know when it is getting full?" no one answers. I know , "You don't." You only know when it is full. The lever is hard to push. Time to figure out the pee thing tomorrow. I guess I have more Mensa puzzles. How do you string the cape horn back together? More on that tomorrow.
What a nice cove rhode river is. Quiet and not a lot of waves. Good for sleeping. Sunday devotions consist of reading Matthew 11. Parables to ponder. Then Ben got up and we hit the bay. Back to Annapolis to experience city life and catch a few rays of wifi.
The sail was quiet. At times too quiet. Oh hey I found the coveted canoe seat in the back cabin after buying a new seat. Now If only I could find my sunscreen. To the happiness of Deanna I have been wearing sunscreen most everyday. Except today. I got too much sun. Why is it when you get sun it totally drains you?
today I counted 71 boats around me (most all far enough away) but I have to say I was not too nervous one reason being we were all only going 2 knots but also I'm getting to know the rules of the road better. Who is the stand on vessel as they ask over and over in sailing school. Oooo oooo pick me I know the answer. Here is a quiz for you all out there. Q: if you are on a starboard tack and the oncoming vessel is on a port tack, who has the right of way? Or who is the stand on vessel? This is the easy one.
This is good for tonight. I'm beat with all the sun.
Peace over and out. Pam
oh one more. I learned when your port a pottie gets full. I've asked a few people " how do you know when it is getting full?" no one answers. I know , "You don't." You only know when it is full. The lever is hard to push. Time to figure out the pee thing tomorrow. I guess I have more Mensa puzzles. How do you string the cape horn back together? More on that tomorrow.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Scary of a different sort
Good bye kids
Well poor Annie got so sick yesterday she in no way wanted sail back to the bay near the car. So we left Jase and Annie in Annapolis and Ben and I sailed with 10-20 knot winds. (quite windy finally and no kids) oh well. Next time Jase will come. Our fuel is amazingly all clear. Another learning experience. Check.
Ben and I learned a lot about strong winds. We had too much weather helm (too much sail for the boat.) The boat keeps wanting to pull into wind and to keep on a course you have to wrestle with the wheel and the boat won one time we heeled over so far. Ooppsss. The whole side of the boat dove in the water. This is normal. The boat tips over, the wind falls off the top of the sail, and the water was as high as the port holes. Which would be fine but we had 2 of the 4 open. Water came pouring in the port hole on setee and got all the cushions wet. Plus many of bens books got a splashing. Lesson learned again. We played around with less jib, no jib, staysail and wind direction. Owen was not that happy with us cuz he could not find a good place to hang on to. Once he found a spot we would tack and you could see him slide across the floor or claw into whatever he was hanging on to.
I have been in the same job for 29 years. It feels so good to excercise my brain differently. I know how to calculate time distance and speed. I'm glad I loved geometry, algebra and angles in school. I can plot a course with regard to wind direction. I keep a nice captian's log, maintenance log and daily log. I'm learning about diesel engines, change oil, fuel filter and I know where the tackometer wire hangs out. I'm just learning more about the gps. I'm excellent at setting the anchor watch. There is more but I won't bore you with details.
This morning I forgot to say we woke up to yelling out of numbers. We were right infront of the navy academy. Wow there was hundreds of navy guys gals doing excercises and running. It got me tired watching them. It was 6:15 -7:15 am. I thought well I do the stair master up and down the companionway. I average about 30 times a day up and down six high steps. I'm getting into shape. Here's a funny thing for those of you that know me. I not only live in the present. I live thinking about the day and yesterday and what I will do tomorrow all at the same time. Unlike Ben who lives in the moment and when the moment is done he will think about the next thing. So today Ben asked me two or three times. Are we going to sail back to Annapolis? Funny I was in the moment. I said. Well when we wake up tomorrow we can decide what is next. I froze cuz I knew what phenominone just had transpired in my brain. I was in the moment and I did not want to entertain thinking about tomorrow. Scary! What does that mean? Am I getting into "island time"? Am I becoming like Ben? Am I losing my edge? Am I relaxed? SCARY! Do do do do twlight zone.
We are listening to the twins game tonight while I am blogging. Ben is concentrating on the game.
Good night from rhode river again where Gods creation is amazing us everyday all around us. Pam
Well poor Annie got so sick yesterday she in no way wanted sail back to the bay near the car. So we left Jase and Annie in Annapolis and Ben and I sailed with 10-20 knot winds. (quite windy finally and no kids) oh well. Next time Jase will come. Our fuel is amazingly all clear. Another learning experience. Check.
Ben and I learned a lot about strong winds. We had too much weather helm (too much sail for the boat.) The boat keeps wanting to pull into wind and to keep on a course you have to wrestle with the wheel and the boat won one time we heeled over so far. Ooppsss. The whole side of the boat dove in the water. This is normal. The boat tips over, the wind falls off the top of the sail, and the water was as high as the port holes. Which would be fine but we had 2 of the 4 open. Water came pouring in the port hole on setee and got all the cushions wet. Plus many of bens books got a splashing. Lesson learned again. We played around with less jib, no jib, staysail and wind direction. Owen was not that happy with us cuz he could not find a good place to hang on to. Once he found a spot we would tack and you could see him slide across the floor or claw into whatever he was hanging on to.
I have been in the same job for 29 years. It feels so good to excercise my brain differently. I know how to calculate time distance and speed. I'm glad I loved geometry, algebra and angles in school. I can plot a course with regard to wind direction. I keep a nice captian's log, maintenance log and daily log. I'm learning about diesel engines, change oil, fuel filter and I know where the tackometer wire hangs out. I'm just learning more about the gps. I'm excellent at setting the anchor watch. There is more but I won't bore you with details.
This morning I forgot to say we woke up to yelling out of numbers. We were right infront of the navy academy. Wow there was hundreds of navy guys gals doing excercises and running. It got me tired watching them. It was 6:15 -7:15 am. I thought well I do the stair master up and down the companionway. I average about 30 times a day up and down six high steps. I'm getting into shape. Here's a funny thing for those of you that know me. I not only live in the present. I live thinking about the day and yesterday and what I will do tomorrow all at the same time. Unlike Ben who lives in the moment and when the moment is done he will think about the next thing. So today Ben asked me two or three times. Are we going to sail back to Annapolis? Funny I was in the moment. I said. Well when we wake up tomorrow we can decide what is next. I froze cuz I knew what phenominone just had transpired in my brain. I was in the moment and I did not want to entertain thinking about tomorrow. Scary! What does that mean? Am I getting into "island time"? Am I becoming like Ben? Am I losing my edge? Am I relaxed? SCARY! Do do do do twlight zone.
We are listening to the twins game tonight while I am blogging. Ben is concentrating on the game.
Good night from rhode river again where Gods creation is amazing us everyday all around us. Pam
Friday, July 10, 2009
What?! Losing engine power? Annie sea sick!
First... Quiet mornings....
I am definitly a morning person and ben is an evening person which will make for a good combo on ocean travels. For now I just enjoy my mornings by my self and devotions with God. It is amazing what He offers us in communication and comfort when we take time to listen.
On to the day
We decided to sail. They came this whole way. Welp no wind. Can't sail without wind. We tried to sail. Ben taught Jase the sailing stuff like hoisting the main, pulling up anchor, setting the sails etc . But poor Annie wasgetting sicker by the minute. We dropped sail and motored quickly. While arriving into the city of busy Annapolis on a Friday noless the engine decided to lose power. WHAT? Boats everywhere like a minefield in a warzone and we are losing power. Oh great. I looked around for a quick anchor spot only to be followed by a boat anchoring in close proxcimity. To bad for them. Normally I would be polite and move but I'm not sure how much power we would have if any. I yelled to Ben n Jase drop anchor!
The other boat looked at me. Oh well I made sure the anchor was set good and tight, put on the anchor watch so I'll know if we drift to close to them, and let out plenty of rode on the anchor. Phew! Safely in harbour but poor Annie was so miserable!
So here is the new Mensa puzzle. Why did we lose power? First we thought air in the line? Then we thought we ran out of diesel which you are not supposed to do. (we did switch tanks to see if the problem continued and it did). We checked the tanks. Plenty of fuel. Then we checked the fuel filter. Totally gummy and black! Strange. It was a new filter only 30hours of running ago. Before bed we changed the filter. How many hours can you run on one filter? Where is the yanmar maintenance manual when you need one. !?
Tonight I pray Annie can sleep it is really rocking and rolling in harbour! She took dramine before bed. Sleep well Annie. Jase seems fine.
All my love
Pam
I am definitly a morning person and ben is an evening person which will make for a good combo on ocean travels. For now I just enjoy my mornings by my self and devotions with God. It is amazing what He offers us in communication and comfort when we take time to listen.
On to the day
We decided to sail. They came this whole way. Welp no wind. Can't sail without wind. We tried to sail. Ben taught Jase the sailing stuff like hoisting the main, pulling up anchor, setting the sails etc . But poor Annie wasgetting sicker by the minute. We dropped sail and motored quickly. While arriving into the city of busy Annapolis on a Friday noless the engine decided to lose power. WHAT? Boats everywhere like a minefield in a warzone and we are losing power. Oh great. I looked around for a quick anchor spot only to be followed by a boat anchoring in close proxcimity. To bad for them. Normally I would be polite and move but I'm not sure how much power we would have if any. I yelled to Ben n Jase drop anchor!
The other boat looked at me. Oh well I made sure the anchor was set good and tight, put on the anchor watch so I'll know if we drift to close to them, and let out plenty of rode on the anchor. Phew! Safely in harbour but poor Annie was so miserable!
So here is the new Mensa puzzle. Why did we lose power? First we thought air in the line? Then we thought we ran out of diesel which you are not supposed to do. (we did switch tanks to see if the problem continued and it did). We checked the tanks. Plenty of fuel. Then we checked the fuel filter. Totally gummy and black! Strange. It was a new filter only 30hours of running ago. Before bed we changed the filter. How many hours can you run on one filter? Where is the yanmar maintenance manual when you need one. !?
Tonight I pray Annie can sleep it is really rocking and rolling in harbour! She took dramine before bed. Sleep well Annie. Jase seems fine.
All my love
Pam
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Visiting friends
Becca and Jasons house
First Ben can't blog cuz he has to drive home. If I could exempt him I would do that. Well here is the story.
Becca n Jason old friends of ours from church just move to virgina. Becca spent many hours babysitting Jase n Annie and also was a Sunday school teacher long ago. Anyway. I looked on the iPhone it said it was only one and half hour drive. Wrong. My bad. So happily we hop in the car to drive there. We hook up jasons gps and it says THREE hours. I was INSantly unpopluar. Sorry my phone says less than that. I showed Ben. It was true my phone had lied. Probably operator error. So tonight is late and he is driving.
Becca n Jase have a nice house in a pretty area. He went to the beach where we played with jellies, made sand castles and chatted. We then ate the best pizza I have ever had ( sorry Dave). You have taught her well.
Now on the way home to Owen. It is his first birthday!!! Happy sweet birthday Owen! God made you extra special.
Good night. I have to give my phone back to Jase so he can doodle jump. Not my favorite iPhone game.
First Ben can't blog cuz he has to drive home. If I could exempt him I would do that. Well here is the story.
Becca n Jason old friends of ours from church just move to virgina. Becca spent many hours babysitting Jase n Annie and also was a Sunday school teacher long ago. Anyway. I looked on the iPhone it said it was only one and half hour drive. Wrong. My bad. So happily we hop in the car to drive there. We hook up jasons gps and it says THREE hours. I was INSantly unpopluar. Sorry my phone says less than that. I showed Ben. It was true my phone had lied. Probably operator error. So tonight is late and he is driving.
Becca n Jase have a nice house in a pretty area. He went to the beach where we played with jellies, made sand castles and chatted. We then ate the best pizza I have ever had ( sorry Dave). You have taught her well.
Now on the way home to Owen. It is his first birthday!!! Happy sweet birthday Owen! God made you extra special.
Good night. I have to give my phone back to Jase so he can doodle jump. Not my favorite iPhone game.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Knife thru security yesterday one hid today
Washington DC
Washington DC is amazing. We left Owen on the boat. He is our boat protector plus he sleeps all day so he can wake us up at 5am. He is so mischief !! He has discovered that ripping toilet paper is fun and quiet. Since toilet paper is a big deal to me. I now keep the toilet paper in a tin. He also lives to try and open up the many lockers, drawers, cabinets, sliding doors and cubby holes in the middle of the night. Since I wake up I yell at him or get up. Since Ben does not wake up I have decided to wake him up to take turns with "our child". He has not complained once. Out loud to me anyway. Ok back to the story of today.
Woke up. Jase Annie ate captian crunch. I had granola with black berries. Yum! Ben had his normal meal of coffee.
We dinghied to the harbour where we are squatters. We decided to ask for forgiveness than permission if someone says we should not be there.
On to Washington. Traffic is scary! We walked straight from 11am to 7pm. To the monument to white house to capitol down china town. (yesterday at Annapolis we went to the capitol of MD. Funny we went to security where an uptight woman guard was so focused on being stern and by-the-book that Ben put his knife -leatherman- on the conveyor belt. He walked thru. She pulled him aside and frisked him with th wand. It went off but she said it was his shoes. He asked if he should bring his knife in. She said yes pick up all your stuff. He asked twice We all looked funny. Jason did not have an ID so he had to sit in a chair and wait for us. While waiting she checked in the next group. She notice a knife had gone thru and thought it was that group. Jase said it was funny when she looked paniced and could not find who had the knife. She asked the group "who has the knife?! Who has the knife?!" they all sad they didn't. Jase was laughing at her. )
So today Ben forgot his knife on his belt again this time we knew it would not be good. So we went to a starbucks and Ben stashed his knife in the bathroom in the flower vase. On our way out we picked it up just as the tarbucks was closing.
I think my highlight was there was a skinny guy feeding squirrels and birds in the park. I asked if I could take a picture of them. He smiled and was pleased I asked.
Don't get me wrong. I loved Washington. So many monuments. The WWII was hard. It is a big circle and as I stood in the circle I watched the WWII veterans tell stories and I was overwhelmed tears of war and the poor dead guys and gals. It was hard and totally unexpected. Jase patted me on the shoulders and said it was ok. War is so puzzling. I can't watch war movies either. I don't understand war.
Back at the boat. Annie is just starting to get sick again. We are waiting for the dark to see if we are in bio bay.
Goodnight all. God makes the best creatures of the dark. He has mercy for the veterans of war on all sides for all.
Signing off
Washington DC is amazing. We left Owen on the boat. He is our boat protector plus he sleeps all day so he can wake us up at 5am. He is so mischief !! He has discovered that ripping toilet paper is fun and quiet. Since toilet paper is a big deal to me. I now keep the toilet paper in a tin. He also lives to try and open up the many lockers, drawers, cabinets, sliding doors and cubby holes in the middle of the night. Since I wake up I yell at him or get up. Since Ben does not wake up I have decided to wake him up to take turns with "our child". He has not complained once. Out loud to me anyway. Ok back to the story of today.
Woke up. Jase Annie ate captian crunch. I had granola with black berries. Yum! Ben had his normal meal of coffee.
We dinghied to the harbour where we are squatters. We decided to ask for forgiveness than permission if someone says we should not be there.
On to Washington. Traffic is scary! We walked straight from 11am to 7pm. To the monument to white house to capitol down china town. (yesterday at Annapolis we went to the capitol of MD. Funny we went to security where an uptight woman guard was so focused on being stern and by-the-book that Ben put his knife -leatherman- on the conveyor belt. He walked thru. She pulled him aside and frisked him with th wand. It went off but she said it was his shoes. He asked if he should bring his knife in. She said yes pick up all your stuff. He asked twice We all looked funny. Jason did not have an ID so he had to sit in a chair and wait for us. While waiting she checked in the next group. She notice a knife had gone thru and thought it was that group. Jase said it was funny when she looked paniced and could not find who had the knife. She asked the group "who has the knife?! Who has the knife?!" they all sad they didn't. Jase was laughing at her. )
So today Ben forgot his knife on his belt again this time we knew it would not be good. So we went to a starbucks and Ben stashed his knife in the bathroom in the flower vase. On our way out we picked it up just as the tarbucks was closing.
I think my highlight was there was a skinny guy feeding squirrels and birds in the park. I asked if I could take a picture of them. He smiled and was pleased I asked.
Don't get me wrong. I loved Washington. So many monuments. The WWII was hard. It is a big circle and as I stood in the circle I watched the WWII veterans tell stories and I was overwhelmed tears of war and the poor dead guys and gals. It was hard and totally unexpected. Jase patted me on the shoulders and said it was ok. War is so puzzling. I can't watch war movies either. I don't understand war.
Back at the boat. Annie is just starting to get sick again. We are waiting for the dark to see if we are in bio bay.
Goodnight all. God makes the best creatures of the dark. He has mercy for the veterans of war on all sides for all.
Signing off
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Annie n Jase here!!
Jase and Annie arrived.
The water is calm. The weather is perfect. The best is we are in a cove that is jelly free so we all could swim! We are anchored and we all jumped in the water from the boat.
Jase and Ben jumped off the bow sprit. It was good fun.
Also We ran around with the car and got a few supplies. Like anytype of motion sickness drug for Annie. So our plans this week are to go to Washington DC. Visit Becca steinmeier. Annapolis. I hope we can sail once. But no pressure.
We are playing cards with Jase while Annie tries to sleep.
Ben is finally crushing me in a game. Darn. 5 Crowns was the game.
Happy day in the jelly free bay! All are tired!!
Prayers to you all!
Pam
The water is calm. The weather is perfect. The best is we are in a cove that is jelly free so we all could swim! We are anchored and we all jumped in the water from the boat.
Jase and Ben jumped off the bow sprit. It was good fun.
Also We ran around with the car and got a few supplies. Like anytype of motion sickness drug for Annie. So our plans this week are to go to Washington DC. Visit Becca steinmeier. Annapolis. I hope we can sail once. But no pressure.
We are playing cards with Jase while Annie tries to sleep.
Ben is finally crushing me in a game. Darn. 5 Crowns was the game.
Happy day in the jelly free bay! All are tired!!
Prayers to you all!
Pam
Monday, July 6, 2009
No creativeness tonight
No creativeness tonight
Got up early 7:30a I know I know some of you are at work at 7:30a. Got up battened down. Off we went into no winds. Motored a little. Then caught light winds. We slowly move across the water a little faster than a walk. Ate lunch meat. Cheese. Chips. Bread. Did you know sourdough does not mold!! That is an amazing discovery! Did you mayo really does not need to be refrigerated. I love wasbi peas.
The most amazing electronics (totally out in left field comes thus random comment) is the iPhone. It has tide charts. It has google earth. It has gps. And games. I don't play many but Ben just found "flight control". I love it. I'd rather try to beat bens record than blog. But here I am. Then I'll play more. His best is 76!! Mine 64. How does he do it?
We are in a cute river. Rhode river. A little crowded.
Supper. Clam chowder. Bread butter honey. Yum. I do with a pina colada. Or something cold and slushie. The kids are coming tomorrow! Yippy fun!
I have been a good blogger so far so tonight I shall end early so I can beat bens score. Ha ha ha bye
Blessings to you all
Got up early 7:30a I know I know some of you are at work at 7:30a. Got up battened down. Off we went into no winds. Motored a little. Then caught light winds. We slowly move across the water a little faster than a walk. Ate lunch meat. Cheese. Chips. Bread. Did you know sourdough does not mold!! That is an amazing discovery! Did you mayo really does not need to be refrigerated. I love wasbi peas.
The most amazing electronics (totally out in left field comes thus random comment) is the iPhone. It has tide charts. It has google earth. It has gps. And games. I don't play many but Ben just found "flight control". I love it. I'd rather try to beat bens record than blog. But here I am. Then I'll play more. His best is 76!! Mine 64. How does he do it?
We are in a cute river. Rhode river. A little crowded.
Supper. Clam chowder. Bread butter honey. Yum. I do with a pina colada. Or something cold and slushie. The kids are coming tomorrow! Yippy fun!
I have been a good blogger so far so tonight I shall end early so I can beat bens score. Ha ha ha bye
Blessings to you all
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Nothing note worthy
July 5th
Yesterday I forgot to say. In this cove is a camp ground. The cutest thing. With no access accept for water. It had a tree house. Very sturdy tree house except one thing it was attached to a rotten tree. They had to have known it would never pass OSHA regulations. Ha ha ha a little work humor there. Any interp or shop person will know that.
Today was not adventurous. No big wind so we decided to rest it is sunday you know So I'll go back in time to jr high. That is where I left off. At times like these I make adventure stories to fill in boring fun days. So first the day ....got up. Ate. Eggs and sausage. It is Sunday. Read bruchco. Excellent book. More on books another time. Dinghy to town bout one and half miles away. Had supper dinghy home. Play iPhone games. Blogged. There you have no adventure for the day. So so so...
So a long time ago I got invited to the Seal family vacation. BWCA. I had grown up camping but this was amazing. I remeber most of the trip. Becky aka Rebecca gave me her long underwear which was an amazing present. Her family all loved me and it was a tradition I have passed on to my kids. The trip was not easy. I pushed myself beyond I knew it could do. Adventure. Wind. Waves. More wind. More waves. Dehydrated food. Silly songs. Camp fires and dr. Seals laugh. They continued to take me other years. Thanks you Seals.
I have shared that with many youth kids. Loved them with Gods wind and waves. Transforming I'd say.
When work is stressful and I think too much ... it is nice to have an escape to bwca to the shanty to places where God whispers and cell phones don't reach.
Just this morning in reading and thinking God whispered to me kind words of encouragement. That He is preparing me for more of His work in the Kingdom and like Moses and others they went away for a while. Here I am away for a while to breathe deep and rest in Him.
The Mosquitos are coming in. Pam 3. Misquitis 5. Not a bad ratio. Oh shoot I hear another one!! Grrr!
Going to bed. It is a cool night and covers will cover me from the night vampire-misquitos!!
Bye bye
Yesterday I forgot to say. In this cove is a camp ground. The cutest thing. With no access accept for water. It had a tree house. Very sturdy tree house except one thing it was attached to a rotten tree. They had to have known it would never pass OSHA regulations. Ha ha ha a little work humor there. Any interp or shop person will know that.
Today was not adventurous. No big wind so we decided to rest it is sunday you know So I'll go back in time to jr high. That is where I left off. At times like these I make adventure stories to fill in boring fun days. So first the day ....got up. Ate. Eggs and sausage. It is Sunday. Read bruchco. Excellent book. More on books another time. Dinghy to town bout one and half miles away. Had supper dinghy home. Play iPhone games. Blogged. There you have no adventure for the day. So so so...
So a long time ago I got invited to the Seal family vacation. BWCA. I had grown up camping but this was amazing. I remeber most of the trip. Becky aka Rebecca gave me her long underwear which was an amazing present. Her family all loved me and it was a tradition I have passed on to my kids. The trip was not easy. I pushed myself beyond I knew it could do. Adventure. Wind. Waves. More wind. More waves. Dehydrated food. Silly songs. Camp fires and dr. Seals laugh. They continued to take me other years. Thanks you Seals.
I have shared that with many youth kids. Loved them with Gods wind and waves. Transforming I'd say.
When work is stressful and I think too much ... it is nice to have an escape to bwca to the shanty to places where God whispers and cell phones don't reach.
Just this morning in reading and thinking God whispered to me kind words of encouragement. That He is preparing me for more of His work in the Kingdom and like Moses and others they went away for a while. Here I am away for a while to breathe deep and rest in Him.
The Mosquitos are coming in. Pam 3. Misquitis 5. Not a bad ratio. Oh shoot I hear another one!! Grrr!
Going to bed. It is a cool night and covers will cover me from the night vampire-misquitos!!
Bye bye
Saturday, July 4, 2009
4th of july
4th O July
Great day of sailing again. We are getting better. Today we woke up. Made espresso. I ate a snack. ( wasa bread with peanut butter) Ben nothing to eat. He figures coffe with cream is a meal. We got ready but this time we left dishes out from last night. Ben said he would do dishes cuz I have been doing all the cooking. So I let him except he didn't do them. Oh well I will let my uptight cleanliness go for once. Each sail has proven to be no big deal. So we set sail. This time I finally did the pulling up of the anchor just so we know I can do it. Ok I can do it if we have too but now my back is sooo sore. I hope it is muscle sore and not thrown out of wack sore. I will let you know tomorrow when I wake up.
This day we spent the whole day tacking into the wind which is excellent practice for us. Winds 10-15. We beat into the wind and I think we had plenty enough sails. We healed over pretty good. You guessed it. Our little mess was rattleing so I went below and thru stuff in the sink. Owen was hanging on with all claws on the upside. So I grabbed him and put him in the soft cushy setee on the downside. He looked thankful. Ben does an excellent job with the sails. Trimming them this way and that. Me I was working on steering just so and not over correcting. I learned a lot. Ben pushed a bit past my comfort zone to encourage me to sail till we were enterng the cove instead of when we were entering the river. I was nervous but it all worked out ok again and I did not feel in any danger. Just nervous for never havng done that. Ben likes to rush to jump to the next skill set a bit faster than I do. He is being patient yet assertive and encouraging to push me to go a little bit further. I like to practice the same skill set untill I have mastered it THEN move to the next thing. Yesterday there was a boat that could not get it's anchor to set in. So I leanrned a ton of what not to do and what to do. So today when anchoring i was way more confident. We are tucked way in Dunn Cove. I thought it would be busy cuz of the fourth nope we are the only ones!! The last bay we wereone of 16 boat in a small circle. I'm glad we moved!! Navigating is better too. Ya know when ya learn to drive a car and u r entering the freeway and there are so many things to look for and later it is easy. Welp I'm getting there slowly.
We took Owen for a dinghy ride. He was happy to get on land for a stretch or two. On land there are huge "plantations" for a better word. Big big houses. Humungous! They are everywhere. How can that be?
Lunch n supper was a can of sardines, wasa bread, dried apples, chocolate, and yummy potpourri potatoe chips!!! Connieknows the kind. They are purple potatoes, sweet potaoes and red potatoe chips mixed. I recommend them to Melissa!
Tonight I watched Ben bonk a jelly in the head. So then I did it and I squealed. They are heavier than I thought. They stood their ground or water when you bonk them. After two times they start to dive down. Funny.
Tomorrow awaits us.
Happy fourth
Pam
God makes the most incredible creatures. The jellies are so beautiful as they swish thru water. They have long tails of trails of graceful ribbons following them. Pretty stingy.
Love you all
Great day of sailing again. We are getting better. Today we woke up. Made espresso. I ate a snack. ( wasa bread with peanut butter) Ben nothing to eat. He figures coffe with cream is a meal. We got ready but this time we left dishes out from last night. Ben said he would do dishes cuz I have been doing all the cooking. So I let him except he didn't do them. Oh well I will let my uptight cleanliness go for once. Each sail has proven to be no big deal. So we set sail. This time I finally did the pulling up of the anchor just so we know I can do it. Ok I can do it if we have too but now my back is sooo sore. I hope it is muscle sore and not thrown out of wack sore. I will let you know tomorrow when I wake up.
This day we spent the whole day tacking into the wind which is excellent practice for us. Winds 10-15. We beat into the wind and I think we had plenty enough sails. We healed over pretty good. You guessed it. Our little mess was rattleing so I went below and thru stuff in the sink. Owen was hanging on with all claws on the upside. So I grabbed him and put him in the soft cushy setee on the downside. He looked thankful. Ben does an excellent job with the sails. Trimming them this way and that. Me I was working on steering just so and not over correcting. I learned a lot. Ben pushed a bit past my comfort zone to encourage me to sail till we were enterng the cove instead of when we were entering the river. I was nervous but it all worked out ok again and I did not feel in any danger. Just nervous for never havng done that. Ben likes to rush to jump to the next skill set a bit faster than I do. He is being patient yet assertive and encouraging to push me to go a little bit further. I like to practice the same skill set untill I have mastered it THEN move to the next thing. Yesterday there was a boat that could not get it's anchor to set in. So I leanrned a ton of what not to do and what to do. So today when anchoring i was way more confident. We are tucked way in Dunn Cove. I thought it would be busy cuz of the fourth nope we are the only ones!! The last bay we wereone of 16 boat in a small circle. I'm glad we moved!! Navigating is better too. Ya know when ya learn to drive a car and u r entering the freeway and there are so many things to look for and later it is easy. Welp I'm getting there slowly.
We took Owen for a dinghy ride. He was happy to get on land for a stretch or two. On land there are huge "plantations" for a better word. Big big houses. Humungous! They are everywhere. How can that be?
Lunch n supper was a can of sardines, wasa bread, dried apples, chocolate, and yummy potpourri potatoe chips!!! Connieknows the kind. They are purple potatoes, sweet potaoes and red potatoe chips mixed. I recommend them to Melissa!
Tonight I watched Ben bonk a jelly in the head. So then I did it and I squealed. They are heavier than I thought. They stood their ground or water when you bonk them. After two times they start to dive down. Funny.
Tomorrow awaits us.
Happy fourth
Pam
God makes the most incredible creatures. The jellies are so beautiful as they swish thru water. They have long tails of trails of graceful ribbons following them. Pretty stingy.
Love you all
Friday, July 3, 2009
Breezy cool day of rest
Today I made breakfast for you Minnesotans I made Spam eggs cheese. I have not had spam for a long time. Reminds me of childhood. If they did not put nitrates in it that would be ok. Oh well a little nitrates now and then. I'm getting the hang of cheese that is on the edge of moldy. If I was home I surely would have thrown it out. Ohhh ysterday we got ice and I made fruit slushies. Spoiled yes I know. I then swept, washed , and cleaned the galley (kitchen) salon (dining room) the head (bathroom) companion way (stairs entryway) v berth(bedroom) soul (floor) setee (dingng room seats) Navigation station (duh) Sounds like a lot but everything is so small I love cleaning small stuff. It's not overwhelming and you can get it done quickly plus I had no where to go so it was not a rush. I wonder if my desk at work could ever be fun to clean off? Nah! That is too overwhelming at times plus I'm always In a hurry to get somewhere.
Oh yesterday we had our new friends over nancy and Darrell. They showed us how to play Ken-as-ta. Not sure how to spell it. We shared our chocolate and crackers. I won if anyone was interested in knowing. And I'm not even competeitve. I made slushies for all.
Oh sad sad news for me. I lost my coveted canoe seat! Yup that night we had the storm it went over and I didnot even Realize it until today when I wanted to sit comfyily on deck. Boo hoo!
Hey guess what I just figured out how to view your comments. Sorry I have not responded but now I will.
Today was Owens first dinghy ride ( I finally know how to spell dinghy). He did great. We wentover to the sandy beach. He jumped off and ran for the tall grass and played like a little panther kitten.
We then went over to thenew neighbor friends to play cards again but this time Ben nd Darrell helped rescue a boat that could not set his anchor. It kept draggging. Finally after two hours of attempts Darrell loaned him his danforth anchor instead of a plow anchor. We have a sturdy plow with 100 feet of thick chain. He only had 10 feet of chain and a shorter rode (line). It was their first time anchoring. Funny everyone else worked with a plow. Oh well it was good humor. Then we told Minnesota stories and now my wonderful hubby is putting a leather cover over the anchor chain so it does notbang on the bowsprit support. I appreciate it. I hope for a quiet sleep tongiht. It is chilly tonight a nice change.
Going to bed zzzz
God watches over all
Pam
Oh yesterday we had our new friends over nancy and Darrell. They showed us how to play Ken-as-ta. Not sure how to spell it. We shared our chocolate and crackers. I won if anyone was interested in knowing. And I'm not even competeitve. I made slushies for all.
Oh sad sad news for me. I lost my coveted canoe seat! Yup that night we had the storm it went over and I didnot even Realize it until today when I wanted to sit comfyily on deck. Boo hoo!
Hey guess what I just figured out how to view your comments. Sorry I have not responded but now I will.
Today was Owens first dinghy ride ( I finally know how to spell dinghy). He did great. We wentover to the sandy beach. He jumped off and ran for the tall grass and played like a little panther kitten.
We then went over to thenew neighbor friends to play cards again but this time Ben nd Darrell helped rescue a boat that could not set his anchor. It kept draggging. Finally after two hours of attempts Darrell loaned him his danforth anchor instead of a plow anchor. We have a sturdy plow with 100 feet of thick chain. He only had 10 feet of chain and a shorter rode (line). It was their first time anchoring. Funny everyone else worked with a plow. Oh well it was good humor. Then we told Minnesota stories and now my wonderful hubby is putting a leather cover over the anchor chain so it does notbang on the bowsprit support. I appreciate it. I hope for a quiet sleep tongiht. It is chilly tonight a nice change.
Going to bed zzzz
God watches over all
Pam
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Boring news today
Today was agreat day to get answers.
The tackometer now works. It was a wire. It was not on the fly wheel like everyone kept telling us. We feel better that we were not that stupid like some were looking at us saying it's right on the fly wheel.
We found the best God sent electrician. I'm sure Ben will explain. Long story short. We met an electrician thad was like a wholistic doctor. He knew a lot about the big picture and not just one small component. Learned a lot.
Today I called friends so I am not blogging much.
Tired zzzzz
The tackometer now works. It was a wire. It was not on the fly wheel like everyone kept telling us. We feel better that we were not that stupid like some were looking at us saying it's right on the fly wheel.
We found the best God sent electrician. I'm sure Ben will explain. Long story short. We met an electrician thad was like a wholistic doctor. He knew a lot about the big picture and not just one small component. Learned a lot.
Today I called friends so I am not blogging much.
Tired zzzzz
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Anchor warning for real this time.
Well is was going to be titled this " first year anniversary, first time drivng the dingy. " but that does not sell for readers. Now that I have your attention I will describe the day first cuz the storm was at the end of the day anyway.
"A glorious day! (this might be what romantic novels are made of. I just wish I had Anne Or Erin (at work) to ghost write it for me more eloquently.
Woke up, played a game of cards. We like to play cards. (hi to my staff wink;)
I made pancakes and eggs. Yummm. While Ben took his time. He came out and plugged in his iPod and played a set list of romantic songs. We held hands and silently prayed while John denvers song called Annies Song aka you fill up my senses, played silently. During my prayer picture of the love I have for Ben flashed like blips of video clips. Some were pictures of me as a child dreaming of sailing then fast forward to now. All this and Gods love for me is even bigger! Which I cannot comprehend. I gave thanks to our Creator as smiling tears ran down my face. I said Amen. Ben said Amen. And we looked at each other both with streams of happiness rolling down our eyes. ( he's such a girl sometimes ha ha no I'm kidding he's so sensative and thankful as me.
We ate and listened to music.
Next he blogged for a long time while I did dishes as a gift to him. ( he normally does dishes). I cleaned out one more cubby in this huge cubby rich place. Later I wil count them for you all.
Ben did jelly watch while I showered or splashed quickly in and out of the water to avoid jellies. I'm getting brave or desperate to wash. Ever ten seconds or so a jelly floated by with the current. I hung on to the ladder and dunked in fast ran up the ladder soaped up and waited for the next jelly free spot. Exciting. There was squeals of thrill and death defying bravery on my part.
My big day at starting a four cylinder motor. I pulled twice and zooooooom we were off. We brought the can of gas with us this time. But the captian forgot the life jackets. Ooppss I did too but hey I'm just a first rate mate on the dingy. It was ok. Way over rated if you ask me. I'll take a canoe anyday.
The other day while in town we met this guy Paul A Martin. Initials PAM. He invited us to his place. He is old and obviously has beginning of alzhimers. Both Ben and I felt it was laid on our hearts to visit him and spread a cheerful face in a moment of time for him. His wife Pat was happy to have us stop by. Although a bit surprised in someways and in others not. We had a grand time visiting.
Then on to dinner to find the restaurant closed on Wednesday Oh well home made ice cream for dinner. We met the owners wife. I'm sure she is part owner too. She has written a book so how could we say no to buying that? Autographed of course for our one year anniversary. Loverly.
Back "home". Just before the storm. We sat on top watching it get closer under our tarp. All of a sudden the wind picked up and whammm. A big wind. The anchor watch went off and this time it was a real deal no drill. Ben ran out to find the tarp being a sail in the strong wind. I manned the instruments and yelled up top thru the winds and rain. We were in 10 feet we are now in 21 feet of water. I reset the watch again. I watched the gps. It seemed like we were holding now. We were drifting to 38 feet. Happy to see we stopped at 21.8 feet and might I add still holding. I turned on radio for weather the gusts were up to 40 knots. Now we know what 40 knots feel like.
All was calm. I had planned our route if we were to drift anymore. But nope safe here we sit again in His care.
I had a great day. Wish all my friends and family could be here. I also miss my quilt made by my sister. It seems wrong to sleep with anything else. Maybe she will make a triangle quilt for me for the boat. Hint hint. Wink wink. Rebecca we have your medallion of staint Christopher hanging sweetly on our candle lanterns that are burning bright as I write. Today I got a beautil picture of grand mairias ( our home port) from Ben.
Hey Sharon you now need to call me. And anyone else cuz my iPhone lost all and I mean all it's contacts last week when I loaded the new operating system on my iPhone. Silly technology and me don't get along. Becca huft and my staff know that. I thought it would be fixed but I doubt it. Grrrrr.
Hi Sarah and Jayne who sent me a nice email that they read the blog everday. Kimmer too. Whoever reads this from group say hi from me!
Miss you all in His grace.
"A glorious day! (this might be what romantic novels are made of. I just wish I had Anne Or Erin (at work) to ghost write it for me more eloquently.
Woke up, played a game of cards. We like to play cards. (hi to my staff wink;)
I made pancakes and eggs. Yummm. While Ben took his time. He came out and plugged in his iPod and played a set list of romantic songs. We held hands and silently prayed while John denvers song called Annies Song aka you fill up my senses, played silently. During my prayer picture of the love I have for Ben flashed like blips of video clips. Some were pictures of me as a child dreaming of sailing then fast forward to now. All this and Gods love for me is even bigger! Which I cannot comprehend. I gave thanks to our Creator as smiling tears ran down my face. I said Amen. Ben said Amen. And we looked at each other both with streams of happiness rolling down our eyes. ( he's such a girl sometimes ha ha no I'm kidding he's so sensative and thankful as me.
We ate and listened to music.
Next he blogged for a long time while I did dishes as a gift to him. ( he normally does dishes). I cleaned out one more cubby in this huge cubby rich place. Later I wil count them for you all.
Ben did jelly watch while I showered or splashed quickly in and out of the water to avoid jellies. I'm getting brave or desperate to wash. Ever ten seconds or so a jelly floated by with the current. I hung on to the ladder and dunked in fast ran up the ladder soaped up and waited for the next jelly free spot. Exciting. There was squeals of thrill and death defying bravery on my part.
My big day at starting a four cylinder motor. I pulled twice and zooooooom we were off. We brought the can of gas with us this time. But the captian forgot the life jackets. Ooppss I did too but hey I'm just a first rate mate on the dingy. It was ok. Way over rated if you ask me. I'll take a canoe anyday.
The other day while in town we met this guy Paul A Martin. Initials PAM. He invited us to his place. He is old and obviously has beginning of alzhimers. Both Ben and I felt it was laid on our hearts to visit him and spread a cheerful face in a moment of time for him. His wife Pat was happy to have us stop by. Although a bit surprised in someways and in others not. We had a grand time visiting.
Then on to dinner to find the restaurant closed on Wednesday Oh well home made ice cream for dinner. We met the owners wife. I'm sure she is part owner too. She has written a book so how could we say no to buying that? Autographed of course for our one year anniversary. Loverly.
Back "home". Just before the storm. We sat on top watching it get closer under our tarp. All of a sudden the wind picked up and whammm. A big wind. The anchor watch went off and this time it was a real deal no drill. Ben ran out to find the tarp being a sail in the strong wind. I manned the instruments and yelled up top thru the winds and rain. We were in 10 feet we are now in 21 feet of water. I reset the watch again. I watched the gps. It seemed like we were holding now. We were drifting to 38 feet. Happy to see we stopped at 21.8 feet and might I add still holding. I turned on radio for weather the gusts were up to 40 knots. Now we know what 40 knots feel like.
All was calm. I had planned our route if we were to drift anymore. But nope safe here we sit again in His care.
I had a great day. Wish all my friends and family could be here. I also miss my quilt made by my sister. It seems wrong to sleep with anything else. Maybe she will make a triangle quilt for me for the boat. Hint hint. Wink wink. Rebecca we have your medallion of staint Christopher hanging sweetly on our candle lanterns that are burning bright as I write. Today I got a beautil picture of grand mairias ( our home port) from Ben.
Hey Sharon you now need to call me. And anyone else cuz my iPhone lost all and I mean all it's contacts last week when I loaded the new operating system on my iPhone. Silly technology and me don't get along. Becca huft and my staff know that. I thought it would be fixed but I doubt it. Grrrrr.
Hi Sarah and Jayne who sent me a nice email that they read the blog everday. Kimmer too. Whoever reads this from group say hi from me!
Miss you all in His grace.
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