May 27, 2012 (Happy Birthday to me:)
Yikes! Have I been so busy that I haven’t written an update since April 1st? We are getting down to the wire with 35 days to go! We leave 6 weeks from today and it is still as hard to believe as it was last March. It has been an exciting month, to say the least. The highlight for me, personally, was riding my first century (100 miles road cycling). Lucky for you, you can read about every mile in agonizing detail on my non-sailing blog (click the link on the left that says ‘Erica’s Personal Blog’).
We are spending the Memorial Day weekend up at the boat, working away to get it Shipshape for next week’s grand unveiling and Christening at our Bon Voyage party. My dad is visiting from Florida to help us work on the boat, so we are getting a lot accomplished.
Besides celebrating Porter’s 6th birthday, Reese’s dance recital, Bryson’s Arrow of Light ceremony (graduation from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts), and school concerts, field trips, T-Ball, etc., we’ve been very busy getting ready for our voyage to begin.
Here is a very limited list of some of the things we have done this month:
May:
- Install new alternator
- Clean boat
- Go through kids clothing and donate/store/pack
- Repair gel coat (Dad)
- Teak (with dad)
- Install name on boat (Dad/Erica)
- Order wetsuits for Chris and the kids
- Launch Dinghy/Install Outboard engine
- Install BBQ/cover
- Call the canvas guy 12 times to find out when the bimini will be finished
- Install EPIRB (sends an emergency beacon to the Coast Guard in the event of an emergency)
- Get ready for Bon Voyage party
- Get kids checkups, allergy exam, dental exams, immunizations. Get copies of up to date medical records.
- Schedule last hair appointment
- Sell cars
- Adjust homeowner’s insurance
- Get house ready for departure: clean, pack away personal items.
- Smash toes on the deck, make 6,000 trips to West Marine, and turn the simple act of installing new faucets into a monumental project that fell just short of calling in the National Guard.
Here’s a taste of the hundreds of to-do items left on our list in the next month:
June:
- Get kids reading levels, spelling levels
- Start packing clothing and personal items
- Begin to move provisions to the boat
- Cancel Cablevision (phone, internet, cable), EZ Pass, newspaper, Netflix, magazines
- Plants to Rosemary
- Forward mail
- Join Tow Boat US and SeaTow
- Cancel car insurance/registration
- Breathe, relax, and spend lots of time with our friends and family…
Please join us June 2nd at Haverstraw Marina to see our new home and wish us farewell! Open house: 12pm-9pm.
Hi Erica and Chris,
I am so excited for you and your family. I am donating to your giving by check, by mail, this week. OK?
With love and affection,
Anne
Love this picture of Bryson.
You should take one each month, as he climbs higher and gets bigger over the next year.
Thank you Erica, Chris, Bryson, Reisling and Porter – what an amazing evening!! Patronus is simply beautiful, warm and welcoming (just like the rest of her familly) and we are excited to be sharing in your family’s journey and life at sea adventure.