04/08/2006, Richmond, CA
I wish I could say that we have been too busy working on the boat this past month, but unfortunately with all the rain we have been having that is just not the case. I can say that it has really been a good month for Rick as he has been retired since March 3rd and is finally beginning to relax.
We have made some small progress, example the picture of the signal flags that I finally got finished all 40 flags then made a case to hold them all. Still working on the drogue assembly, will get a picture taken of that when it is finished.
Got all the sails down, during one of the "dry" days, and have the forward V cleared out of all the rest of the sails and the dinghy. We rented a storage unit right up near the boat and are starting to move everything off the boat we can to make working on her easier. Will have the storage unit down here in San Jose cleared out in the next two weeks.
I've been going through closets and cupboards and started the hard job of reducing our things down to "boat size". Hardest for me has been all my kitchen gadgets. I'm afraid that my galley just won't support what I have. As cooking is something I REALLY enjoy and finally have lots of time to do, it has been hard deciding what I can and can't live without. Actually I have been collecting a lot of really great new products that I think are going to optimize my limited space and some really cool new silicon products that solve metal rust problems.
I have been using the new silicon baking ware now for well over 6 months, and I can say they are fantastic to use. You don't have to grease them and everything just pops out of them. I've made several angel food cakes now and had no problems cooling the cake inverted (it didn't fall out), and then when it was cooled was able with little problem to get it out. I've even done roasts using the square pans and they come out great. No rust or rattling problems with these pans.
We are waiting to get some clear dry weather forecasted (at least a week or more) so we can schedule the boat to get hauled. In the meantime, I have the old sail covers at the apartment and am going to use them as patterns to make new covers, so I have a lot to keep me busy sewing.
That's it for now, hoping soon I have really interesting things to write about and more often. Praying that the rain finally stops and we can really get working.
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Comments [1]
02/02/2006
We decided on a drogue for our sea anchor, and I have been working on it's construction as my second sewing project since retiring. The drogue is comprised of 116 five inch diameter cones that will be attached to approx. 139 ft of line with a 15 lb mushroom anchor fastened at the end.
So far I've measured and cut 348 30" nylon strips and am currently getting the strips attached to the cones and sewing them. Once the cones are completed we will begin attaching the cones by running the braided line through the middle of the cone and then weaving all six ends of the nylon strips into the line. TV work is what the kit manufacturer called it.
I am really enjoying retirement and looking forward to Rick joining me...he has given his written notice and his last day of work is Friday March 3rd. These entries will get better as we begin the real prep for leaving and then begin our travels, I promise.
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01/01/2006, San Jose, CA
So today it is January 2006, and the first official day of my retirement. Wow ... somehow doesn't seem real just yet. Big news is Rick submitted his retirement notification last Thursday and his official date is to be Friday March 3rd.
Fabric for sewing projects has been ordered, so now all I have to do is get organized at home while I am waiting for it to be delivered ... that will probably take a bit of time, I have never been as organized at home as I have been at work - not sure why.
I will try to get the video of my retirement party that Ron Carter shot posted on our Mac link as soon as I can for anyone interested in watching. That's it for now.
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