We moved from Phoenix one month ago. It seems like yesterday. Liz and I have been doing some long overdue projects on the boat ( I'll get to that ) and at the same time enjoying our new address in San Buenventura or Ventura. It has been a pretty smooth transition and we're both still pinching ourselves, OK maybe I pinch her, to see if we're dreaming. Me, I have no illusions as to the reality of our situation but Liz says she still feels like she's on vacation..my whole life has been a vacation so I don't know the diff. We took a some time to do a road trip (while we still own a car) up the coast and see all the many sights that California has to offer. San Simeon, or the Hearst Castle, Carmel, Monterey and Cannery Row, the boardwalk in Santa Cruz where neither of us had ever been not to mention San Luis Obisbo and Morro Bay. We worked the timing of the trip to see a band, that we both like, play in San Luis Obisbo or SLO.. They were great. What a farmers market in SLO ! too! I digress... Its August now and its downright cold here.. It gets sunny if you go inland but for the most part we're lucky to see 70 degrees in the day and high fifties at night neccesitating a down comforter and some snuggeling. Hey I just do what I'm told..
The Scholarship has been the lucky recipient of lots of TLC and overdue projects as I mentioned. Just yesterday I mounted the auxillary rudder (that's not as bad as it sounds). The final step of a two month long project. I'll test it this weekend when I take the boat out to the Channel Islands for a "Boys Weekend". Thats right all guys, yuck!.. Liz is off to San Francisco to see a friend. She wanted to put as many miles as possible between her and all the drinking, smoking and swearing .. Is it any wonder that women live longer than men?
Since our move we have had the refrigeration replaced and the freezer rewired. We've installed a new stereo as the old one, after pobably 10 years, decided to quit and take ten CD's hostage. Through negotiations and with the help of a screwdriver they were freed without harm. The muffler we blew up on the way here has been replaced as well as high temp and low oil pressure alarms put on the engine to insure we dont have to replace this muffler quite so soon. Our new dinghy is much more capable of carrying the load and with both outboards recently tuned up, it goes like a banshee. The Ventura Harbor patrol says that it may even work a little too well..hey no harm , no foul..
How we ever fit everything we had in the truck moving out here into this boat is beyond me. The up side is that its not such a big step anymore to get onto the deck from the dock.. We still have a few more things to install ( water desalinater, AC) but things are coming along great and we are enjoying the process. We are looking foward to some warm water in Mexico but want to take it all one day at a time. We will be back in Phoenix in mid October for my mothers 36th 39th birthday celebration. My whole family and many friends will be there. We are very excited to see them before we embark at the end of that month for parts unknown......
stay in touch..
Mark And Liz
aboard
Scholarship
