Today I am happy. I am pretty much happy every day as I am big believer in you got to make something out of it yourself, no one else will do that for you. But today I am very happy perhaps. Not because Heloisa and Auke left today on a plane to Brazil, that is sad, but what makes up for that is I got to install the new watermaker. All the nice and shiny components I mounted today. After I stick some hoses and electrical cables here and there, then with the press of a button, seawater should go in on one side and freshwater should come out on the other side. Then I will be making freshwater!! It must be the same feeling as when mankind discovered making fire. While I write this it is evening and I realize fully Heloisa and Auke have left the boat for the next 10 days, meaning an awfully quite boat. No more me making my so great and famous coffee for Heloisa which she never finishes, and no more wrestling with Auke in the pool or hunting crabs in the night with Auke. Not for 10 days. However what I got for that in return is 10 days of having the boat for myself.
Today the morning did not started that well. I had to go to the infamous post office in Colon as the new schoolbooks for Auke have arrived. Auke is a few months ahead of schedule with math (behind in reading and writing) so we decided to order next year books so we can continue with math. Well the box was in Heloisa's name, so there was no way I could collect it. It makes sense that they did not wanted to give it to me, since Peter Sierdsma is really not Heloisa Sierdsma. What did surprise me however was that 20 USD and then 40 USD under the counter still did not make a change? Perhaps 60 USD would have done, but that was not worth it for me. So I left empty handed from the post office. I need to get some kind of authorization from Heloisa. I do not want to wait till she is back as I am concerned the post office sends the box with schoolbooks back to the US (officially 15 days for collection). It kind of made me feel good this post office worker was not pursued this time with some money. Although voices were raised in the begin on both sides, we shaked hands in the end, me showing him my respect towards someone not easily subdued with some easy monies in a country where virtually nothing is happening without some under the counter monies.
My major concern is what to eat the coming 10 days. I am not so much of a hero in the kitchen (galley). I am even less of a hero in the kitchen in the tropics, where the heat is unbearable in the late afternoon inside the boat in a marina, when the sun has passed its highest point and the winds have died down. I guess it is going to be pasta and salads with bread on the side for the coming 10 days. Perhaps I even skip on the pasta, then it will be only salad and bread. Heloisa had offered several times to make for ahead of her dpearture fro several days pasta and rice and beans. She does the the same prior we go on offshore crossings as not too spend too much time in the galley while offshore. Well I wanted to look brave and told her I can manage the galley, I can and will cook I told her, so she did not prepare anything. Now here I am; no food ready and I did not buy any salad. Too hot to prepare a meal in the galley, besides I have not much of a clue how to cook fresh beans (Heloisa only cooks fresh beans, canned beans are no beans she says and only suitable for Europeans. Also rice is not my strong side, unless you are looking for the very sticky and gluey shushi rice, I can do that.
I gotta do this different tomorrow. For now I am happy with my watermaker. We will make our own water soon!