Day 250, Year 6 Worker Bees
Date: Friday, July 1, 2011
Weather: Another Beautiful Day, Temp mid-70’s
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Today we were worker bees. Mark worked at West Marine and they were so busy all day that he could barely take fifteen minutes to eat lunch. I did some shopping early (Mark’s birthday is next week) and then I went to Heather and Jed’s to do a few housecleaning and garden jobs. And I was so busy all day that I could barely take fifteen minutes to eat. But my business was self-imposed. Once the little ones return on Tuesday, there will be no time for cleaning, so I’m taking advantage of the quiet house this weekend to get some things done.
Yesterday we sent a Letter to Family and Friends letting them know that we are back in the USA and we have gotten some wonderful responses from our cruising friends around the world. Our good friend Doug Nash is in Opua, New Zealand, working on Windcastle and contemplating selling her. His wife and our good friend Sylvie died in Vanuatu a couple of years ago and Doug just doesn’t think he wants to continue sailing. We heard from Cam and Arnie of Jade who have been back home in Hong Kong for a year now. Arnie reflected on the fact that none of us will ever be able to have a repeat of the special times we had together as world cruisers, but he promised that life on land offers a “different kind of special.” Their daughter Molly who we first met when she was seven, graduated from primary school this week and that was a very special moment for the proud parents. We heard from friends who just completed their circumnavigation in Turkey. They went through the Red Sea, but not in their sailboat. The pirate threat has gotten just too dangerous so people going through are having their boats transported on big ships and then flying to meet their boats in the Mediterranean. I think I have mentioned before that Randy and Sheri of Procyon have put their beautiful boat up for sale and our going to start a new life in northern California. Randy is the one that had the medical emergencies that had to be airlifted out of the Galapagos and then had to be picked up by a cargo ship that could get him to medical help on the way to the Marqueses. He is fine now and looking forward to being a land lubber. Eric and Robyn of Scorpido finished their circumnavigation a couple of months ago and are loving life back on land in northern California. Judy and Dave of Freebird are in the Mediterranean and are contemplating selling their boat. Dave spent seven years of his life building Freebird, so I know the decision to sell her must have been a difficult one for him. Our good friends Jean Pierre and Colette of Safina are in Japan and will be heading across the Great Circle to the west coast of the US when the weather is just right. Ley and Neil of Crystal Blues are finishing up some work commitments and will be leaving Singapore for their “beloved Thailand” and places yet undetermined. And the list goes on. We were just so excited to hear from so many friends and get updates on what is happening in their lives.
This weekend we will be turning our attention to Windbird. She has no major issues, but just lots of little maintenance jobs that need to be done to put her back in tip-top shape. And then there is the leaky hot water tank that needs to be repaired or replaced. I can’t take many more of these cold New England showers!
