This First Mate is Trying to Distract Herself

I've enjoyed the last month.  I've had time to get myself together. I joined bookins.com.  I do like the site, but I have yet to receive a book.  I have expensive taste I guess.

I bought the crazy sexy purple Dyson vacuum cleaner.  Wondering how long vacuuming will distract me.

Went gluten-free.  Love it.  Will have to teach Truman to read labels again.

Met Jesus.  I can keep coming back to this one. 

But, at the end of the day, I'm just waiting for my captain to come home.

He Said, She Said

We are approaching another anniversary: one more year of marriage; one year as Captain and First Mate. It was on our last wedding anniversary, one year ago, that the idea of owning a boat first came up.

He Said

I wasn’t sure that the First Mate would go for it, but even after all these years she can surprise me. I thought it would be viewed as another hobby/sporting event that would require more time apart. She was actually very enthusiastic about having a project together and becoming the first mate. So after a year of cleaning, sanding, painting, and more cleaning I am happy to say that I think it was a good decision. We have had some good times along with the hard work. The BBQ’s with friends, learning new things, and sunset cruises have created the kind of quality time and memories that this Captain would highly recommend!

She Said

I was really excited when Truman took the sailing class at the yacht club last year. I have always gotten seasick, like with deep-sea fishing and whale watching trips, so I never considered that I would actually sail with him. But our harbor is really quiet so I started to entertain the idea of floating around, sunbathing, wine-drinking, and generally looking like Goldie Hawn on Overboard. Then I started thinking about getting my hands dirty and “taking it all out on the boat.” Sanding and painting, waxing and washing are free therapy sessions! And Truman has always wanted to buy a boat and possibly live aboard. What wife could possibly resist the opportunity to give her husband a little slice of his dream? I said, “Yes, let’s do it,” and the next week we went out and bought the boat!

Writing!

So, on a personal note, we have been blogging for about 6 months now.  It is the overflow from our hearts to share our experiences.  But, we both, the Captain and I, have a fascination with writing.  Hence, the "Pimp My Novel" and "Writes in the City" on our blogroll.  We all have our projects and our side projects.  I must say that the commitment to a blog does require tenacity.  We have plowed our way through a couple blocks so far.

This post is to announce our SHEER EXCITEMENT and TEMENDOUS JOY to be attending the Cuesta College Writers' Conference this September.  We have signed up for 4 classes each.  There were 32 to choose from. 

The Captain is taking:
1. Creative Non-Fiction: One Theme, Many Voices
2. Marketing, Publishing & New Media
3. Infusing Historical Research into Your Writing
4. Getting Your First Novel Published

The First Mate is taking:
1.  Editing: An Acquisition Editor Polishes Your First Pages
2. Publishing Nonfiction: Strategies to Make it Happen
3. Spiritual Writing for Today's Marketplace
4. Personal Essay: How Deep Do We Dig?

Aren't you on the edge of your seat too?  I can't wait!!!!!

Morro Bay Yacht Club spring race

Morro Bay Yacht Club ocean fleet had the "spring 2" race today. The second ocean sailing race of the spring was intended to be a Bermuda start 12 mile course race. This may not be an exact definition but a Bermuda start is where the handcaps for all the boats are taken into account at the start of race instead of after the race. A formula is used to determine how long each boat has to wait to start the race based on the boat's handicap. Kiskadee, the boat I crewed on, is supposedly the fasted boat in the fleet and has the lowest handicap. So we started last at 12:38. Unfortunately, light winds turned the race into only a 4 mile race to first marker and back.  Voyager captained by Wayne Ratcliff came in first. Captain Ratcliff got a really nice coffee mug, his 1st place prize!

I crewed for Captain Peter aboard Kiskadee which is a really nice 40ft  Hinkley. We started off strong, but got tired of the flapping sails and slow going after an hour and half into the cruise which we only made about a mile headway. We opened the beers and turned on the motor back to port. On the way in we saw Guyacanna aground hard and being pulled off by the kind harbor patrol.

I got some new ideas for reefing line confinguration from the other crew and how the Hinkley was set up, don't be surprised at a new post about that soon.

TGIF Sunset BBQ

Thanks to the good Captain, we had planned to take the boat on the Bay for BBQ Filet Mignon, photography, and local Sauvignon Blanc!  I was so grateful to have this evening cruise on the schedule, because it has been a super long busy crazy week!  And, I've been reading The Motion of the Ocean!  This is Janna Cawrse Esarey's book fully entitled: The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman's Search for the Meaning of Wife.

So, I had planned to present the B-HAG concept to my Captain: Big Hairy Audacious Goal.  This is Janna and Graeme's grand concept, a'la stimulus package!  Basically, come up with a goal that is bigger than life, create a stategy for accomplishing it, and then throw caution to the wind and take a deep, cleansing breath, and go for it!!!!!!

If you have a big Goal . . . . would you dare even say it out loud? Would you share it with anyone? Would you keep it silent, secret and let it build momentum inside like a 2 Liter bottle of Pop shaken up? What do you think?

TGIF!  We had a wonderful sunset BBQ cruise!

Weekend Warriors

Mounted a classic British Seagull motor (spare) on the back.

Ran new rope through the auto-furler.

Ran new rope through the main-sheet.

"Water Bow Line" knot tied.

"Lashing" done to secure rope ends.

Truman ran 10 miles today; I ran a leasurely 5. But, we spent almost all day in the sun! It was glorious!

How to be a Good First Mate

Basically, every marriage book I've ever read has prepared me for taking on the task of becoming a First Mate. We have been married for 8 years, so I've read a lot of them! Now it is just time to follow all that good advice.

I feel like each time we take the boat out of the slip we are playing out some quotable vignette in which the Captain (husband) is supposed to manage the way-ward crew (wife and/or family) and subvert any possible attempted mutiny. This is not a compliment to my own behavior! I am usually the instigator of said mutiny attempts. Insubordination cannot be tolerated on such a small vessel!

Ha ha! All joking aside, the opportunity to become a better help-mate has rather clearly presented itself. I have taken to refinishing the galley. Truman has attended to the motor and sails. We make a good team actually. But, we are learning to steer, tack, navigate, anchor, etc.

There are several obstacles:

First of all, I have never taken a sailing class. I have never read a sailing book. I might be considered lazy.... the jury is still out on that one. But, Truman has the task of educating himself and then educating me at whatever level he feels appropriate. I am perfectly happy with this arrangement!

Let's see how it works out this year! Follow along with us!

~ Lauren, First Mate