Objects in Motion

Our boat lists are slowly getting shorter. Emphasis on slowly. I've been prepping L.M. for starboard side hull paint, which meant spending a lot of time on The Raft. I really enjoy working on the raft. Its peaceful and private, and bobbing on the water, even when holding a sander most of the time, is somehow soothing. The exception is the bow of the boat, where the situation quickly deteriorates into a hellish spectacle: me, arms stretched overhead holding sander, balancing on a bobbing raft while doing an ungraceful backbend, struggling to sand the tip of the bow. I have nothing good to say about that hell spot.

I've spent many days on this raft and it still doesn't have a name

I did finish all the prep work and we planned on painting this Sunday,but the wind had other ideas in mind, so the paint job is being pushed back to probably the end of the month. Unfortunately its a two person job, which takes more planning and coordination of schedules then is really convenient, and then there's the weather to contend with. Anyway, I feel like this is a big hurdle to overcome as far as Lucy Maru goes. Having this behind us will mean we can flip her around again, and then paint the decks and house, do some fun canvas sewing, and ta da... I think this is as far as we're prepared to take her.

Meanwhile Travis has been focusing on Me Voy. With the engine painted, he dropped it in, but before any further progress could be made there, the rot in the transom had to be finally addressed. If you've seen the previous video you know the kind of effort required there. Poor T has another weekend to go, crumpled into a sort of N, before I take over with the painting. This job will also be a milestone for Me Voy as it will officially conclude all rot removal and replacement!!!!

Mr. Perkins awaiting further attention

Universe smiled upon us (or was it really just laughing?) last week, and we got a plot at Baltimore's City Farms. Evidently the wait for a plot is on average 3 years, but after waiting only a week, we got the call. The timing was perfect, and even though we are so busy with the boats and work, we just had to do it. It s so nice to get my hands into some dirt. We cleared our 10ft x 15ft plot and thanks to Homer The Tiller Guy we had cucumbers, squash, chard and spinach planted all in about two hours. Tomotoes, lots of tomotoes, peppers, onion, beets, and radishes, will round out our first planting.

For $40 a year you can get a plot in the city to grow your own!

Its so neat to go from boat, to garden back to boat. The contrast of the elements is striking. The rich soft dirt in between my toes vs. the cool humid air of the docks. The smells of the two places are so far apart in reality that it feels like I'm living in a dream where anything can happen. The addition of the garden has completed our set-uppedness in Baltimore. Too bad balmy winters and palm trees don't show up much in B-more, otherwise we might get stuck here for good.

T pulling weeds out of our garden

All tucked and ready to grow