Caretaker Report - Week 21 "Life's A Beach"

What a difference a day makes. All last week I was whining endlessly to anyone who would listen, that “anyone” would be Mike who actually wasn't listening, about the day after day of rain. The saying goes “if you live in BC and you never go out in the rain , well then you'll never go out.” Mike and I have spent a number of years in BC and I while I don't mind the rain as much as I did I still don't go out to embrace it. I like it hot and sunny. Yes of course it's not going to be hot in February unless you happen to be somewhere such as Florida, California or Ecuador but it would brighten my day to see the sun come out.

Yes that is the sun I am sitting in. From noon till 3 pm it has been making a appearance in this particular spot. Five days now and counting. Doesn't come any closer to the lodge and will not likely to do so till May but I don't have any problem going to it. What is it that makes us all crave for a bit of winter sunshine, tilting our faces up to it , eyes closed.

The sun comes out and suddenly the beach is the place to be.

I haven't come down with a case of cabin fever. In fact my days are pretty full.

I'm reading a great book, and I'm inclined to spending too much time on the internet. Checking out other blogs, checking flights and hotels (for trip) , researching Australia (for future trip) , looking for some new way serve up halibut or salmon, replying to anyone who emails me (hint hint) and occasionally taking the bait and checking out a video on YouTube. That is all totally separate from my blog and pictures which take numerous hours.....which I love doing. In between cooking and cleaning I sit down for a sec here and there to work on my puzzle. Almost forgot the stints I do on the elliptical machine and walking the boardwalk and the beach....on nice days.

What's Mike up too? Kinda a sedentary time for him. There are a couple of projects that he wants to do but waiting for the weather to warm up a bit. He likes it hot and sunny.

A daily walk around the place to make sure everything is still standing where it should be and the tinny, our run-about, isn't sinking. There is fuel to be transferred to the genny every other day, oil changes to do (monthly) and the other 2 generators to be started periodically.

Mike does not tinker, he builds and what he would like to build is another boat. “Is he nuts?” ...... I heard that.

Back in 2005 when we delivered a 50 ft catamaran from Ecuador to Tahiti, we were converted. From that voyage on Mike has built our next home in his mind but over the last several years it has progressed to paper and is now in the stages of research to see if it is really feasible. That list is inexhaustible.

What method to use,what materials would be most cost effective, who's design to go with, outboards vs electric, what coast to build it on, do we sell “Canadian Freight” or try to utilize what we can from her.......

Building of the hull -1981 Yes that is Mike.

What else has gone on this week.....got my hair cut.

I trust Mike. When you are sailing a thousand miles from the sight of land and it's just you and him and the great big sea you learn to trust so handing him a large pair of scissors and asking, “hon, would you cut my hair?” just isn't all that frightening. Now I do have the advantage that if it doesn't exactly go according to plan no one will ever see it and it will have grown back before the plane comes to take us out in the spring. Mike has been my “hair stylist” now for several years and as long you don't mind hair flying everywhere, the occasional nip of your ear and hearing him proclaim “oops!” he does a pretty good job. Tips are accepted.

Till next week,

Heather & Mike