Nonsuch Rendevouz

Bob worked very hard for the last two weeks, sanding, varnishing, stripping, waxing and polishing the boat. It was a huge job but well worth the effort as the boat looks so nice now. On Friday we left for the Nonsuch Rendevouz at Otter Bay, on North Pender Island. It was only a 1.5 hour trip, which was just as well, as the clouds rolled in and it was raining by the time we got there. The rain didn't last long and we had some nice warm weather for the rest of the weekend. It was great to see all the other Nonsuchs and all the people we had met over the previous years. There was 26 boats and about 50 people. So many people came to see Cat-Sass that we didn't get time to go see the other boats, so we ended up racing around on Sunday morning trying to see a few of the other boats. It was wonderful to see Respite (the 26 that Bob owned before he bought Cat-Sass). Rob and Elizabeth are taking good care of her. I was feeling kind of yukky on the way home so we didn't dally. It was sure awesome to see so many Nonsuchs sailing in the same area! We tried to tell everyone that Mazatlan would be a great place for the winter rendevouz but they decided on Vancouver! Silly, silly people! I'll have some new photos up in the next day or so.

I finished my last day of double shifts today . . . it will be nice to work 8 hours a day instead of 12! But it was sure nice for the savings account!

We are back in the water!

Cat-Sass was launched last Friday and brought back to it's usual berth in the Port of Sidney. We have spent the time since then working very hard on the woodwork and deck . . . it is really sparkling and looks great! I'll have some photos up soon in the "Newer Photos" link, in an album called "Cat-Sass".

I thought I was starting my new work contract tomorrow, but it turns out she only needs me to start on the Monday . . . that is great as we now have the whole weekend again. I was in town yesterday and today to deal with business appointments and such . . .

Every Thursday in the summer, the town of Sidney has thier local street Market. About five blocks of the main drag are shut off and hundreds of different vendors set up to sell their wares. It certainly isn't cheap . . . but lots of variety and interesting, artistic products. The best part is the food! We have a choice of Phillipino, local lamb, the best hamburgers, incredible sausage . . . and after we manage to choose one (or two) of those, we have to decide on what to have for desert . . . a couple of the local farms sell fresh fruit pies that are to die for, as well as every imaginable type of fresh local organic fruit. Lots of other baking too. We always look forward to dinner on Thursday!!

So, it is back to work for me next week . . . for the first week I'll be doing double shift (two law firms each day), probably 12 hours a day! Bob will probably head north in the sail boat and hopefully, I'll be able to meet up with him on a few of the weekends to hang out.

Boat complications

I haven't written in a while as we haven't had internet access . . . I'm at an internet cafe waiting for Bob. The boat is still up on the hard, it has been 11 days now and it will probably still be up another three days. So much for my sailing vacation!! I have to be back in town on Tuesday to get ready for work! Oh well . . . we've kept very busy, working on the woodwork and the deck of the boat while the skilled labour work on the keel. Bob has been a real trooper, not loosing his cool or getting too frustrated through it all. They finally put the keel back on the boat today but now it has to cure and then they have to fibreglass it. It will definately be back in the water by Friday because they are closing the boat yard for a few days.

Through this all, we have been staying with my Mother and Father. They have really been a god send as otherwise we would have been staying in Victoria and we would have been spending a fortune on gas driving back and forth from Sidney several times a day.

Our saving grace is that Bob's sister, Jane, came for a visit from Toronto! We spent several days in Nanaimo with his brother and then several days in Victoria with his other sister. Bob hadn't seen Jane in 4 years so there was a lot of reminicing and I had never met Jane so I learned a lot :-)! We really had a great time! Jane is an awesome woman, I feel like I have gained a wonderful friend!

Anyway . . . that's about it for now! Hopefully my next post will report that we are back on the water!