I haven't made any updates recently because we've been neck deep in engine installation. Needless to say, we were dreading it and have had to really concentrate on keeping our heads down to see it through. The boatyard we're at- Cracker Boy, had been top notch. It is expensive to be here so we're working hard to get re-launched and we can even see our slip that we rented for the month at the neighboring marina from here. It is waiting for us if we could just get this thing done. But there's been so much to do and so many obstacles to be overcome. Jon is gifted in being able to visualize what needs to happen with regard to making the engine fit and he's done most of the work himself trying to save us some bucks. It is something of a sight to be standing beneath both the old engine and the new one as it dangles from the crane waiting for our hands to grab it and guide it through the narrow entryway of the boat and on down into the engine compartment. We're getting close.

We've only managed to sneak away once overnight to Roland & Mariette's (Jon's parents) for some TLC. Oh that and to pick up the volumes of packages that we've ordered trying to finish up the last of the shopping for stuff we need. Slick came for a day to visit and then continued on to Fort Lauderdale, hopefully we'll meet up again not too far down the line.

We've been going to sleep to the hooting of an owl most nights. He sits on top of masts and hoots away. He tried to land on ours but we have this new gizmo up there that makes it hard for birds to land on our mast and break our wind instrument. Seems like it works!

The only motivating thing about spending our days working away on the hard is the pace of this boatyard. You look up from your project and there are people all around you working away too. It is a highway of boats being launched and pulled, bottoms being done, topsides repainted- whatever needs to be done is getting done. All this labor of love. What is it about boats that makes people spend so much money working so hard on such difficult projects? And it is so never ending! We've already accepted that this boat will NEVER be done. It'll just have to be good enough.

We hope to get launched by the end of the week. We have a nice getaway trip planned with our friends on Sea Tryst this weekend in Punta Gorda. We cruised with Bob & Maggie in Central America. We are so ready to have some fun. Hope it all works out.