I’m standing at attention now, having received this email: “Isn’t there a statute in the bloggers manifesto that says you must post more entries to keep your armchair travellers happy?”

Well, I have been a little slack with the blog posts. I blame the internet: seems I’d rather read about something than write about it.
1. So many questions to answer! Everything I see raises questions, which requires research. More questions arise, etc.
2. So hard to find a good scheme for organizing my pictures. I take too many, delete too few, can’t ever find the one I want, trouble uploading, yadayadayada.
For example, I have WAY too many pictures of “red flower” and “yellow tree”.
Then there’s
3. Boat work, which seems to be the guiding principle of my life. Not just my own work, either. I do a lot of ‘dumb end’ work for Doug, wrench holding and the like. All for the cause, I’m told.
But if I wait until I think I have a finished product, nothing will happen. Blogs like to be fed. So I’ll start emptying my Drafts file.

In my defense, I will quote EB White: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” To which I will add, hard to get it all done as well!

We’ve run into a few roadblocks on the work list. The awning is finished – a real piece of work – and it makes a huge difference. It would be even longer, but there is no more fabric. The factory in Costa Rica burned down, or something like that.

The windlass, alas, now apparently needs either a new motor from New Zealand, or entire replacement. The outboard is ailing – needs a power pack. You should hear me trying to talk to Oscar the outboard guy on the cell phone. He’s so patient, and understanding, I think.

Both of these items need to come over the customs and shipping fence. People often have big items shipped to Honduras and hire a driver to pick them up. But due to a coup there last week, the border is closed and everyone is waiting to see what happens next. Or they fly to the US and bring back as much luggage as they can. It’s a possible option for us too.

Deck stanchions have been rebedded. Now that we’ve gotten the necessary bolts from our new friends at “tienda tuerca” the starboard genoa track is next. It’s finally beginning to rain a bit more and cool just slightly. Meanwhile, we treat our prickly heat and poached heads with dunks in the pool.

Other people have a bit more excitement in their lives.