Day 133 We're staying!!

We've made up our minds, we're staying here for the Winter.  At least unless something happens that changes our minds again.  I plan on going to Newport next week to pick up our stuff.  At least as much of it as I can put in the car and them off to Portland to get the rest of the DuoGen(makes electricity) and back to Port Townsend.  At the rate that things are happening here, there is just no way for us to be gone in a reasonable amount of time to still be in the proper weather window for going down the Pacific coast.  Yeah, I know it will be cloudy and cold and windy but we just don't see that there is any real reason to rush off.  What better a place to learn all the new systems and make sure they work than here.  If something breaks, we know where to take it to get it fixed.  But again, this is all set in sand--maybe even quicksand.  Time will tell. 

Yesterday--Robin-the wood worker returned.  He had a migraine on Friday.  He sanded and worked his little heart out on getting the teak done.  At least enough that the riggers can install the stem fitting(holds the sails on at the bow).  As you can see, he is making big progress.  From a broken piece of wood to repairing the fiberglass to forming and installing the new teak, he is doing a great job.  Jack, the electrician jumped down into garage and broke the spokes of the shelf that you stand on.  Robin took it and cut and installed new teak and then oiled it.  It looks great.

Over the weekend, we talked to several people about polishing bronze.  The local foundry suggested soaking it in ketchup for two days.  The acid in the tomatoes will take it all off.  The "green" way.  Another booth that sold a metal polish said to use Lysol toilet cleaner.  Much less "green" but also much faster.  I opted for the less "green" tactic and went at it.  It looks great.  I'm trying to upload a picture but the website doesn't seem to want to let me.  I'll try later.  She shines great.  

As far as getting anything else done yesterday, Brion Toss came by with Gordon and decided that the pad eyes(for the new running backstays-keeps the mast straight) that Gordon installed are 90 degrees off.  So Gordon has to reinstall them.  They had planned to "dress" the mast.  Put the spreaders back on and get the shrouds(wire on the mast) installed but by the end of the day, neither was done.  This is one of the reasons we expect to be staying.  Delay after delay.

Jack--the electrician--was busy elsewhere.  He cracked a tooth over the weekend and needed to get that looked at.  Plus, there is another boat that needs his help.  Of course, it didn't help that 

he dropped his phone way down into the bilge of the other boat and now has to go hunting for it.  As far as we know, he didn't come by Zephyr at all yesterday.  Somebody did--looked in the engine room and lifted one of the floor panels in the stern cabin, but that was about all.  We took off for Safeway right after lunch(leftover curry chicken).  Tracy had several blogs to catch up on as well as emails to reply to.  Then off to West Marine for more stuff.  Paint for the bottom--$85.00 a QUART!!  I needed some hardware to attach the end of the anchor chain to the boat.  We finally got home about 4:30 and everyone was gone.  

Dinner was steak--long since frozen in the freezer section on Zephyr and ears of corn--lots of them.  A vendor was selling them(he cooked them and then you ate them while walking around the festival) over the weekend and Tracy bought a bunch that he had left over when the festival was over.  We had half of them last night.  More for tonight.  Snowshoe wants to eat the husks.  Tracy has to cover them as he is quite determined to get at them.  The other kids don't seem to care.

Every night, as we walk to the restrooms to brush our teeth--can't do it on board as no where for the water to go-- I am struck by the stars above us.  We see many more stars than I would have expected being so close to a big city.  Every night, the Milky Way is out there for us to see.  It is an amazing sight.  I can hardly wait till we are alone in a deserted cove far away from all forms of civilization.  Our time will come.

Today.  If lucky, workmen will show up.  We plan on pulling the anchor chain and getting it washed and marked with paint and nylon webbing to tell us how far out it has gone when we anchor.  No better time than when it is on the hard.  Ah--the cruising life!!!