Update #1

Date: Monday, July 13, 2009, 9:51 AM

Welcome to my blog of my experiences on the Lisa Kay. The opinions expressed are solely mine. Believe me, Ben and Larry have a whole ‘nother set of ‘em, I’m sure! Including some about me! Forgive me if you have already read the first two updates, as I did use a few people as my guinea pigs! Please, always read my writing with a twinkle in your eye, spirit in your heart, and LOT’S of inflection in your voice/mind. Another words… laugh. I’ll let you know when you should be crying. Here goes…enjoy!

We are alive and well and have been living on the boat for exactly one week now! So, you know I'm not much of a camper...and this is very much like glorified camping. It takes us hours to do things that normally would take one. Partly, because it's hard for more than one person to move around on a boat at the same time because, believe it or not, a 55’ sailboat is still VERY SMALL! If we use the two heads (toilets) on this boat, they fill up in about four days. Which means you either have to call Rusty Scupper's, this really cool lady who's probably 60 something, to come and pump you out, (mind you thirty gallons costs $30.00!) or you can drive your boat down to the pump out station and do it yourself for free. Now, every time you move a boat in a big beautiful harbor like this, with literally multi-million dollar boats, fishing vessels, kayakers, peddle boaters etc... you about have a heart attack, worried that you are going to hit something! Let's just say my prayer life has gone up dramatically! So has planning when and where I am going to go to the bathroom. Otherwise, we can walk about a 1/4 mile up off our dock and use the facilities here. That's where we shower as well, hence the camping feel. Now, remember, we also have an 80 lb dog on board. We literally have to lift him on and off the vessel as well as up and down the stairs. So, we have to plan his potty breaks too! We had our first new friends for dinner last night, Debora and Lawrence. They have been so nice to us since we came. Their boat is exactly like ours, and they are just a few slips down. Have you ever cooked a meal in a kitchen 2 feet wide and 4 feet long, with propane stove and really only one burner that works, no bowls, colander, paring knife etc... (because not all of my stuff is unpacked from storage yet because you can only take about one box out a day because you have to walk it 1/4 mile to the boat and then when you bring it on board you have to magically find a place for everything in spaces that just don't exist?!). CAMPING! All in all, things are good. Ben is having the time of his life despite no TV, or W ii, or friends. He has learned to boogie board and fish. Even though we are in practically a retirement community here, because that is who normally can afford boats like this, (oh yeah, I forget Larry is retired!) they are learning to like Ben and think he is a pretty cool kid. Don't get me wrong, the view is gorgeous, the birds and fish and seals spectacular, just is gonna take some time getting used to! Started going to a friends’ (Freddy’s) childhood church in Ojai. What a welcome relief to find a place we can go and feel accepted and loved and supported while we are here in Ventura. God is always so good, in so many ways. We think of you all often and miss you very much! We have Ben signed up for sailing classes starting next week. He is really looking forward to them.