Sailing Day

We sailed today with a couple of friends. The weather was gorgeous, and my sunscreen failed. The wind was minimal as we motored out and hung a right a Tongue Point. We took a spin around this buoy to photograph the harbor seals.

 

Roy and Bonnie:

There were several ships, some at anchor and some headed out to the ocean. 

 

I particularly loved this one, for its bright color contrast to the blue sky and water.

 

 We anchored in a quiet area and tried out the hammock.
 
 

 In the afternoon the wind really picked up, which it is wont to do, and we had an invigorating sail back to the marina.

 

A Good Day

Yesterday was a good day. We took advantage of a day off work to take the boat out for a fun sail. The wind was just right, and the river flat. There were two or three other sailboats out on the river, very little ship traffic, and quite a few small fishing boats to avoid. I saw the occasional seal and a few pelicans.

While I'm dying to finish the doll I've been working on, I'm committed to finish painting the living room and returning to some semblance of normalcy in that space. It's a large room, which apparently becomes even larger as I paint.

August Anxiety

Good grief! August's nearly over, and I'm sitting here wondering where it went. It's certainly been a full month, so I guess I've got an excuse for feeling tired and unproductive - which goes completely against my hard-working German heritage. So let's recap, shall we? It'll make me feel better, like I've actually done something!

August 3 was youngest son Kyle's first day of school. He was accepted into a CNA program at the local community college. On the same day, he began his new job - Unit Secretary in the Emergency Department. This will transition into a CNA/Patient Care Tech position (with benefits and a raise!) as soon as he passes the course. It's nice to see him so enthusiastic. Eventually, he'd like to go on to nursing school.

August 4 through 14:
10 full days and nights with our one-and-only grandson, Ivan, who just turned one. I'd forgotten how exhausting a little one can be. Did I mention he's just starting to walk? - just enough to get into things, but not graceful enough to avoid falling over onto hard objects. How in the world did I do it when my boys were small? Oh, yeah - I was perpetually sleep-deprived. Thank God for naps.

August 7, I attended my first high school reunion (I shudder to admit that it was my 30th).
How did we get so old, I wonder? And did I age as well as the rest of them??? I'm in the row behind the seated front row, second from the right in the multicolored dress and dark blond hair. I'm standing next to my best friend, Sandy. I made my Dear Husband Chris (who did not attend my high school) accompany me. And now I owe him something huge, and this debt is hovering over my head, ready to spring when I least expect it.

There have also been barbecues, get togethers, sailing excursions with family, and the ever-present WORK schedule. We took my sister and nephew sailing on the 16th. The Astoria Regatta was this weekend, so there were many boats out on the river ~ sailboats, fishing boats, and a few ships and barges. It was an exciting sail.

A New Boating Experience!

Today's adventure was getting the boat back in the water, after three weeks of boatyard work. Well, I didn't do any of the work, but am more than willing to enjoy the results!



The boat's been getting a bottom job and transmission replacement.

After the marine lift was in place, it lifted the boat off its supports and wheeled it to the water. The boat was lowered over the water, we climbed aboard the boat while it was still suspended, then it was lowered into the water.

We sat in the water for a few minutes to make sure there weren't any leaks, then we motored up the river for about an hour. Everything worked perfectly.

A Lovely Sail

We've been fortunate to be able to sail several times in the last few weeks. This day was calm, with just a light wind. Perfect for trying out our new (used) sail, called a "drifter." We sailed up the Columbia to the 39th street pier and had espresso at "Coffee Girl." This is a very cool place to hang out...
This summer my husband and I hope to anchor out near Tongue Point (Lois Island) on the Columbia River and spend the night. Could be romantic.

Whew! My Friday

I'm just home from work, and while today is Sunday, it's my Friday. Now I've got three glorious days off, and plan to screen all calls. It's been SO busy at the hospital. Today en route to work we saw a big cruise ship docked and expected the worst. Cruise ship days can be particularly heinous.

Friday was unseasonably hot here - in the 90s, so we took the boat out on the river where it had to have been 10 degrees cooler. It was lovely. And relaxing. The perfect way to unwind after a very stressful shift. Do I look relaxed?

The next few days must be spent working on the centerpiece dolls for the ODACA Day Luncheon (end of July, Las Vegas). Also on my plate is the Hoffman Challenge, the fabric for which hasn't yet inspired me. At all.

I've also got to finish a wine-themed doll for doll club on June 7th, to be held Roxanne's ( http://fermentingfriends.org/). I'm going to call this doll "Meditrina," the Roman goddess of wine, health and longevity. The doll is sewn, stuffed and assembled, but totally naked. Obviously, the costuming and embellishment is what will make her "wine themed." I'd not heard the name "Meditrina" before, but found it on a bottle of wine. Here's the back story: One of my favorite white wines is "Evolution" by Sokol Blosser. It's a blend of nine types of grapes. I discovered Evolution by accident, and loved it so much, turned several friends onto it. The same winery also produces a red medley, called "Meditrina." http://www.meditrinawine.com/ One of my new converts discovered this one, and I had to try it. I'd highly recommend both.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. Here I am, with my first son, born on Mother's Day 23 years ago.

My mother is on her way here to celebrate the day. We plan to take Mom and Dad sailing, weather permitting (it looks kind of iffy right now). If it's inclement, we'll eat lunch on the boat instead. Mom's first (and only) sailing experience wasn't a good one. Hope today's is better.

Update: weather was ok, went sailing! It was a little windy, but all went well. Below's a photo of my mom (far right), dad (far left), and friends/co-owners of the boat in the center.













And here's my Mother's Day Birthday Boy (all grown up), who was able to sail with us today, too.

Homeland Security?

So, three days ago we head out for a leisurely sail on the Columbia River, only to find ourselves immediately accosted by the US Coast Guard. Why? Something to do with Homeland Security. We're guessing it had to do with the huge cruise ship moored right outside the only entrance to the mooring basin where we keep our boat.

The Coast Guard boat approached our sailboat very rapidly, came right up next to it, and demanded the IDs of everyone on board, along with the boat registration. These items we passed over the water to one of the CG crew, and they kept them for a good 30 to 45 minutes while doing background checks. I hope this was just a drill, but I sure didn't like the looks of the large gun mounted on the bow of the CG boat.

The next day, I headed back to the mooring basin after work to go for another sail. Deja vu. There's another cruise ship parked in the same darn place. Another Coast Guard encounter to look forward to? Not this time.