This is going to sound really petty but I have really missed my opportunity to blather. There has a lot been happening so I don't really know where to start.

Since this is a sailing blog I guess the best place would be with what has been happening with Nelleke. We awoke two mornings ago and Barb mentioned that she had heard the bilge pump running a couple of times in five minutes and when she stopped talking it bilges again. A quick check under the floorboards showed that the got water heater was leaking. I guess it is another victim of my attempt to flush out the corrosion from the coolant system but as it was original to the boat, that is 30+ years old it didn't owe us anything. Fortunately as those of you who may have added or replaced a water heater yourselves a new water heater ia easy to come by and aren't particularly expensive. We got a 6 gallon one for less than $300 and had it installed by the next day. As the old one was expecting 240V and was working on 120 it wasn't particulalry efficient plus the engine take off wasn't working since the flush episode so we should have killed two birdies with one stone as it were.

Our friends aboard Screech stopped in on their way through as well. It was great to see them and to socialize before they set off for New England to make tracks for Colorado and their new job.

The house purchase is going well. So well in fact that we are trying to move up the closing date. Barb ia having her scope on her left knee on the 14th of July so we are hoping to get everything into the place by then so that when she has her initial surgery she will have a comfortable place to come back to that she does t have to climb up or down ladders or squeeze into.

I have committed to helping out in the Marblehead race so Nelleke and I at least will be alongside for that bit we should be finished by the 14th.

Other work on the boat? Well there was the chain locker repairs and the install of the new heater in the aft cabin, but I may have already mentioned those. On the short list is repairing the wiring for the macerator pump and checking the wiring for the radar and then it will be on to all the other things on the list.

Oh. And we got a good deal on a home entertainment system for the new house. We are planning strip down there on Tuesday to take measurements etc and when we do I will take a buncha photos and create a new folder in the gallery. If any of you get to Shelburne and feel like it, look us up.