Uncharted waters

We finally got a camcorder, and today I spent a rainy afternoon figuring out how to make something with it. I learned however that the camera should record in high res mode, if you don't want your video to look crappy like this one, but decided to post this anyway despite the

low res. So here's a little tribute to Baltimore and a day of no boat work!

One Boat at a Time

It was never our intention to restore two boats, much less two boats at the same time. It just happened. Even when we found Lucy Maru, and decided to move in, we still deluded ourselves into thinking that we were only going to live on her, and only work on Me Voy. I remember being sincere in that resolve, and thinking back, I can only laugh at our ignorance. I 'm not sure what it is about boats, but there seems to be something special, something akin to a soul, a consciousness, a bond, that forms between the crew and the boat. There are times, when I know that Lucy feels my presence, like when she edges closer to the dock when I'm stepping aboard, or when Me Voy giggles as I sand her brightwork. Am I imagining this? I tell myself that I am, as the feeling of betrayal starts to creep in whenever I don't work on one of our girls.

Last weekend it was Lucy's turn to get neglected, as both T and I focused on Me Voy. After the crazy temperature swings we have had, the weather was perfect for piddling around on deck.

T making proper mast wedges

Me sanding doggie hatch

Together we caulked the window frames into place. We made the switch from Boat Life caulk to the West Marine caulk. T discovered it thru work, and its so much better then Boat Life! It wipes away much more easily, doesn't discolor, and is about half the price.

We kept a pretty relaxed pace, focusing on enjoying ourselves rather then pushing towards the accomplishment of specific goals. It worked great. We had a good time, and accomplished everything we set out to do. I hope I can apply this attitude to future boat work, coz with so much of it still ahead, it 's easy fall into the trap of rushing to get things done and hating every minute of it. And what's the point of that?

Tax Day

I suppose apologies are in order, to all of our loyal blog followers, for our neglect of our blogging duties. I was going to make some lame excuse, but I think we have just been preoccupied with the new beginnings of Spring and have fallen away from our old routines a bit. We have made some boat progress, including mounting the engine in Me Voy, and re-bedding the port lights. I also removed the "last" of the rot from the hull and transom and began installing the new wash down pump. We have had to put finishing the engine install on the back burner while we replenish our bank account after paying the marina and the tax man. I should be back on that next week-end. Maggie also began prepping Lucy Maru for paint.

But this blog is not going to be about boats or about the tax man, as the title may have indicated. This blog is about us. Me and Maggie. You see April 15, tax day, is the anniversary of the day we first met. I was working at an art studio in the wood shop, while living with the artists who owned the place and Maggie was freelancing for a few weeks with us, doing some painting and she also was living at the bosses house. We were instant friends. We spent at least one entire night banging on a drum together beside a big fire pit alone under a blanket of stars in blue ridge VA, and many others just hanging out talking. I thought she was the coolest person I had ever met. That was eight years ago, and I still think she is the coolest person I have ever met.

She went back to L.A. way too soon for my liking and a few very long weeks later, I sold most of my bigger possessions and got on a Greyhound with a one way ticket to Los Angeles. We have been together nearly every day since. It has been really hard at times, but we have only grown closer through all of our trials. She is the best friend I have ever had, and there is nobody I would rather be sharing this dream with.

I hope this isn't too sappy. I promise to get back to boat blogs within the next few days. There is just one more thing I suppose I should announce. You see all this time we have never made our relationship legal. We have often debated the significance of marriage, and wondered if it is a broken institution set up by "the man" to somehow keep us in line or otherwise under control. What is the point we would often say. We have often declared our love to each other so isn't that good enough. Our parents don't think so. So, in light of their desires and family and all of that other really neat stuff, we have decided to do it. So here it is. The day will be August 7 of this year aboard Lucy Maru. Can't wait to blog about it.