Working

It gray today but warm, Ruthie is for sale & on the hard.

a few quotes

“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen, who play with their boats at sea - "cruising," it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.”
- Sterling Hayden
"Wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know, not just a keel and a hull, and deck and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship really is, is freedom."
--Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they may act their dream with open eyes and make it possible."
–T.E. Lawrence
"It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea---whether it is to sail or to watch it---we are going back from whence we came"
--John F. Kennedy
"Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white."
--Mark Jenkins
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
--Mark Twain

I miss Florida

You know you're a Floridian if.....Socks are only for bowling.You never use an umbrella because the rain will be over in five minutes.A good parking place has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade.Your winter coat is made of denim.You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites.You're younger than thirty but some of your friends are over 65.Anything under 70 degrees is chilly.You've driven through Yeehaw Junction.You know that no other grocery store can compare to Publix.Every other house in your neighborhood had blue roofs in 2004-2005.You know that anything under a Category 3 just isn't worth waking up for.You dread love bug season.You are on a first name basis with the Hurricane list. They aren't Hurricane Charleyor Hurricane Frances. You know them as Andrew, Charley , Frances , Ivan,Jeanne & Wilma...Irene...Cheryl...Rita Mary..AlisonYou know what a snowbird is and when they'll leave.You think a six-foot alligator is actually pretty average.'Down South' means Key WestFlip-flops are everyday wear. Shoes are for business meetings and church,but you HAVE worn flip flops to church before.You have a drawer full of bathing suits, and one sweatshirt.You get annoyed at the tourists who feed seagulls.A mountain is any hill 100 feet above sea level.You know the four seasons really are: Hurricane season, love bug season,tourist season and summer.You've hosted a hurricane party.You can pronounce Okeechobee, Kissimmee , Withlacoochee , Thonotosassa and Micanopy.You understand why it's better to have a friend with a boat, than have a boat yourself.You were 25 when you first met someone who couldn't swim.You've worn shorts and used the A/C on Christmas and New Years.You recognize Miami-Dade as ' Northern Cuba 'You not only forward this but you understand it !!!

metal work

welding & grinding in the pole barn fixed a snow blower for a friend, Travis spent three hours working with me very enjoyable he is in 10th grade will be 16 in March we still need to remove the head on his car & repair a few items, I am hoping his sweet equity put into the car will help him take care of the car & not abuse it like so many kids I see today, I beleive if you have to work on it you will remember all the work & money that is involved in the upkeep, cold here but reading all the sailing blogs keeps me going to work.

it is cold outside

I am ready for winter to end now at least it has stopped snowing for now. This is the backyard 12-12-10.

This says it all

"The distinguishing mark of a yachtsman is that he never, ever, accepts advice from another yachtsman. He has to learn for himself the hard way, by bitter experience, again and again. I think it’s probably Nature’s way of keeping the numbers down, so that the anchorages don’t get too crowded."

spring is closer it's Daytona

just watching the longest Daytona ever.