Colorado to New Mexico

More boat work:  After we worked on it like crazy, we cleaned it up so we could show it to Aaron and his family.  Quite a difference, yeah?

Before

After

Here you see the kitchen (front left) the dining room (right) and the bedroom (at the back of the photo) with a window!  The toilet is just in front of the dining room, and the "garage" (storage area) is not visible.We thought the littlies would love exploring it - and they did.  We also thought it was a nice plan to have Aaron and Karla (and the kids) to be able to envision where we were "living" while we're on board.

Aaron with Jude on the "patio" - "driving" the boat

Owen and Karla in the "dining room".

The beautiful Lily in the "back bedroom" which is now "the garage".

We finished up on the boat, though it is still sitting in Colorado while we are visiting in New Mexico.  The plan is to go get it in July and haul it across the country to use it.  More on that later, but here's a photo of the boat.  Notice how we've taken the mast down for transport.  We will actually take it off the boat and go down the Erie Canal without it!

I did a cute little craft project with Lily and Jude - and we made book marks for Karla's birthday surprise.  Didn't they turn out cute?

So I said goodbye to my kitty (which is not REALLY my kitty - it's Amber's kitty) and drove down to New Mexico.

I got to play in Los Alamos for a while.

I miss my new water exercise friends in Fort Collins,

but I got to meet with lots of old friends

and spent some quality time with Jonathan.

Chris and I took him to Gabriel's restaurant for his birthday dinner, and although he hates to be made a fuss over,  he actually smiled with this silly hat on after they sang him happy birthday in Spanish.

 I even went to a yarn shop and found a little craft group - surprise, surprise!  I didn't take a photo, but I'm afraid I DID spend a little money for yarn to make a shawl to match my new (used) skirt to wear to  Chris' high school reunion.  I'll be sure to post photos of that when it happens.  We are at my nephew Tom's house now until we leave for California on Thursday.  What did I forget to tell you?  What do you want to know?

Situated

OK, Gang.  I promised, so here goes:

We are situated in Colorado for last week and this, and I instantly got involved in "my" activities.  Water exercise class is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 to 8:30.  That means I leave the house a little after 7:00 and get home a little after 9:00.  One of the things I love about this group is that when they climb out of the pool, they head instantly to the hot tub!  My kind of group, yeah?  And...on Mondays after that, they have a standing date at the local donut shop for coffee and donuts and chat.  And, once a month, on a Tuesday, they meet for crafts, all of which increases my time away from home.  

Then I have a craft group that meets on Wednesday and Friday from 1:00 to 3:00.  AND...once a month they go out to lunch!  My kind of group, yeah?  And after craft group on Wednesday, I join one of those friends to attend a cribbage group, which meets until about 5:00.  All of this increases my time away from home.

Then, in addition to our getting together with Aaron and Karla and the kids, Karla has called me twice in the last two weeks to see if I can watch the kidlets while she has other tasks.  That's great - I'm SO glad she calls, and I'm glad when I CAN help out.  I love those kiddies!  This, of course, is the primary reason we have a residence in Colorado!  

Lily - almost 6 - Is the monster gone?

Jude - almost 3  "I have an idea!"

Owen - 2 - with his magic wand.

Meanwhile, Chris is a LITTLE frustrated with me because I refuse to spend every minute with him working on the boat!  Oh yes, the boat.  It is a great little thing (26 feet) and though it has been taken care of beautifully,  there is still a LOT to do to get it ready for us to head out on our new adventure.  And, unfortunately, the old adage is true that "A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money."
Because, after all,  as Pooh said, "... it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends."
We are sorting and discovering and revamping and storing and repairing and adding new things and packing and adjusting and who knows what all.  Something new every day!  But I'm not there every day because I have my other things to do.

And here's a little aside.  There just happens to be a quilt shop VERY close to the boat and OH MY!  It is HEAVEN.  I could LIVE there.  I could have spent hours and hours and hundreds of dollars there.  But I restrained myself...somewhat.  They have a sign up that I just loved that says, "My husband allows me to buy all the quilting supplies I can hide."  Shhhhh...don't tell him how much I spent!  Here's  photo of just the door, because I thought it was so clever, and a TINY bit of stuff I bought.  I couldn't help it - THESE fat quarters were each less than $2!  

Isn't this a clever door handle for a quilt shop?
 Made me giggle.

So...back to the boat, where Chris is heading EVERY day!  Here he is doing some boat yoga, trying to get into difficult places.  I'm going tomorrow to help get things straightened out - and on Friday Aaron and his family are coming to check things out.  Just so they know what it looks like where we'll be.   

Working on getting the toilet brackets screwed down
so he can insert the toilet into the head.

Figuring out some wiring in the aft cabin.

The bee and the zebra

Meanwhile, yesterday I got to stay with the kids again, and Lily and Jude had a little craft time with me while Owen was napping.  They did a really nice job on their masks, don't you think?  We also made a card for Aaron for Father's Day this Sunday, and made a start on a surprise for Karla's birthday, ALSO this Sunday!  Hopefully, I'll be able to show you the completed effort, soon, but shhhh...right now it's a secret!

 Also, there is one more member of the "family" who is very happy I'm here.  This is Inara, and her grandma makes her one very spoiled cat.  If she can't be in my lap, then she wants to be on my shoes.  

And the queen butterfly!

OK, now, what did I forget?  Did I fill you in enough?  I'd LOVE to hear from YOU and find out what you've been up to?  Love and light,  Kathy

A Trauma a Day keeps Complacency Away

One of the things Chris wanted to do was to "pack light".  (Sounds like a man, yes?)  So he only packed two shirts and a jacket.  He knew he had some clothes here, and whatever he didn't have, he was willing to buy.  Fort Collins has plenty of second hand shops, so no worries.  I packed a FEW more things than Chris did, but I understood that I had carte blanche at the op shops around here - right?  So today, when Chris went to work on the boat,  (about 30 miles away) I headed off to Good Will to do a bit of shopping.  I found a great skirt and a couple of tops and a brand new pair of shoes (for $5!) and it was all 25% off because I'm a senior.  I was feeling quite accomplished as I headed back to the car.  It's a "new" car (used) that we bought to haul the boat across country - it's a big (but LOVELY) Dodge Durango 4X4.  Anyway, I used the key thingy to unlock it, and opened the back door to put my bags inside.  I fiddled around in the back seat a bit, adjusting the bags, rummaging through my handbag so I could put on some chap stick, and, as is my habit, I tossed my keys and my sunglasses over so they would be on the driver's seat when I got in.  I shut the back door and went to open the front door, and IT WAS LOCKED!  ALL the doors were locked, and the hatch as well.  WHHAAAAAATTTT???  What am I going to do now?  Think about it for a minute before you read on - what would YOU do?  Answer to yourself before you read on.

I can't call Chris because my phone is in the car.  I can't catch a cab home because my purse with all my money in it is in the car.  In fact, I don't even know Chris' phone number, as he has a new phone, and of course, his new number is IN MY PHONE - in the locked car!  I ran back inside to use the cashier's phone, but I don't know anyone in town except Aaron, and I don't know HIS phone number - and he's not in the phone book - nor is his church listed.  I'm racking my brain to try to think of someone who would know Chris' phone number - but even if I think of someone, I have no idea what their phone number might be. There was really no one I could call!  I felt SO vulnerable and powerless.  No phone, no money, no car.   It was quite a weird feeling for someone who normally feels so competent and assertive to feel TOTALLY hopeless and  bit panicked.  I could have cried, but I knew it wasn't going to help. Luckily, some ANGEL who was checking out, heard my sad story and volunteered to drive me home.  Then, not only that, but she waited outside my house (thankfully it was unlocked because Gaby hadn't left for work yet!) while I searched for and FOUND Chris' set of keys!  He was miles and miles away, but quirkily enough, he keeps his keys for each car separate, and I FOUND his 4X4 keys on his dresser.  Then my kindly angel actually took me BACK to my car and all is well!  WHEW!  I said to her, even though I knew it was a great imposition, that I was only letting her do that because it's something I would have done.  


As a matter of fact, I haven't told Chris yet.  So if you're reading this, YOU know before HE does.  I think I'll wait until he's fed and rested before I fess up!

I'll send some photos next time.  I just thought this was interesting enough (and traumatic enough) to blog about!  Happy endings are wonderful, aren't they?