I had forgotten about Barb needing to put a couple of Doctor's appointments downrange. I'll leave it to her to tell you more about them but since they require a chauffeur, post appointment, I'm elected.

One thing that I will be fixing is the light in the aft head. There seems to be a problem with the switch and the light will only come on occasionally and then it most often needs persuasion. I'm not sure whether I can replace the switch since it is a fluorescent light and the switch might be incorporated into the ballast, but if not I will replace it with a regular dome light. That will mean that there is one less type of spare light bulb that we need to carry aboard and as it happens, I have two spare dome lights that I could use.

I am also collecting USB connectable devices that I will need to put into the ships computer. As it is currently I am using the two front of panel USB ports and share them among the several devices that need it, when, in fact, on the rear of the computer there are a half dozen additional ports that are going wanting. I just need to run the cables in behind the panel to reach them. That should be something to accomplish even in the short period of time available today.

Perhaps tomorrow will be the day for the new radome and AT140 install on the mizzen and maybe even wiring up the loudhailer on the mainmast. Time will tell.

It is definitely getting cold at night. Our yardstick is whether or not the butter stays soft on the sideboard overnight and I'm afraid that for the last week, no matter how warm it might get during the day, at night it may as well be in the refrigerator.

Folks are starting to bring their boats out of the water here in Halifax. Sad as I think that's more by force of habit than necessity since I really think that there will be several more weeks of sailable weather yet to come. At least, for our sakes, I hope so.

From Barb:

I was appreciative of our Canadian Health care system today. I met with a gastroenterologist last week and today I had a gastroscopy followed by a procedure that will help ease my swallowing problem - every time we walk into a Doctor's office for an appointment and go to the hospital for a procedure it does not cost us anything out of pocket (just paid for by our tax system).

Now that the main cabin is less of a construction zone I will actually have a flat surface to put the sewing machines on. I purchased beautiful fabric in Florida and at Zimman's in Lynn, Massachusetts, and will be making up the rest of the pillow covers. These ones will look like pillows but instead of pillow forms in them they will be used to store the beach towels and the extra bed linens that are used on the guest bunks and in the v-berth.

Also on my list is some long-required boat cleaning that could not be done and didn't make sense to do while we were in construction project mode - so Murphy's Oil Soap and a scrub brush and metal polish and rags are the tools of the trade. The curtains will be taken down and washed and ironed as well - spring cleaning in the Fall. At least it does not take as long to spruce up a 42 foot floating home as it did to maintain a home planted in the dirt.

If time permits the Sunbrella cloths that are around our cockpit will be taken down and washed and inspected for repairs. And I still have not finished sanding the brightwork.

For our readers who might think that the cruising lifestyle is all bikinis and umbrella drinks - think again! Our friend Jay used a phrase that I think is very apt - there are those who do things and those who cause thngs to be done. For the most part we are in the first classification, only hiring folks who have equipment or expertise that we don't have. If we were in the latter group we would be working until we are 110 or so before ever being able to leave on our travels on Nelleke. There is a certain personal satisfaction to being able to stand back and survey your work knowing that you did it all (or almost all) yourself. Add to that the fact that is somtehing breaks en route we can pretty well figure our how to fix it.