"One Phone Call Can Change Everything"

...as my friend, Linda, recently said. So true!

We received the phone call a few days ago, and we're still reeling, reassessing, and rearranging our plans for the fall.

What's this all about? In case you didn't notice already, the ticker showing how many days are left until our sailing trip is gone. The trip is off. The Baja Ha-Ha will take place, as it does every year, but we will not be among the sailors enjoying the trip.

This is due to the domino effect of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Our captain, Leo, on whose catamaran we were to crew, works for FEMA on as as-needed basis. Following Gustav Leo was mobilized to Texas to assist with the aftermath. He was still there when Ike arrived to create even more havoc and damage. FEMA's job grew ten-fold.

Knowing they'd be nowhere near finished inspecting homes and applying for FEMA aid on behalf of the homeowners, Leo had to make a decision. Stay in Texas and continue the work, or leave before the job was done, not to mention walking away from the opportunity to make some good money. His decision to stay meant our trip was off.

It has taken Mike and I a few days to assimilate the news. We'd been getting ready to go for over two months, so it's proven hard to modify our thinking processes. I keep finding myself thinking things like, "oh, I've got to make sure that I have a two-month's supply of my medicine for the . . . oh, wait, no, I don't." Mike, who didn't bother looking for a new gig when his last contract engineering job ended, now will need to start looking again. I had just cleared my schedule of client work for my digital scrapbooking business, so now I need to ramp things up instead. We even had to cancel our housesitters, Richard and Mary, and we felt terrible about the short notice (only three weeks).

There is a silver lining, of course; in fact, several. We'll be able to go to my mom's for Thanksgiving, after all (we missed it last year due to the Baja Ha-Ha 2007), I won't have to leave my kitties for two months (that's a tough one for me), and Richard and Mary found a new housesit opp almost right away (just goes to show how GREAT they are!).

Life likes to throw curve balls, and we just had one come our way. We'll just have to think of it as an opportunity to make new plans.

Sailing in SF, and another trip on our horizon!

We had a great day sailing on Saturday. Here's Mike at the helm of the Chat de Mer, near Angel Island. The weather was typical for summer in the San Francisco Bay; partly overcast, partly sunny, with a nice strong breeze. It was Mike's and my first time sailing the catamaran and, although the sails are harder to put up and bring down than on our old boat, Mirage (because they are so much bigger), she handles beautifully. I got a chance at the helm myself with Leo intructing me through a number of tacks as we headed toward the Golden Gate bridge. The feel of this boat is certainly different than the Mirage, but we're getting the hang of it. Leo said I did well.

Here is a photo of the Chat de Mer in the Richmond harbor. Next time we go out I'll get some pictures of the roomy inside. For now here are a few more pictures of some of the outside amenities:

Here is the netting that many catamarans have in the front, stretched between the two hulls. It's a popular place to hang out and watch the water below, especially when there are dolphins playing in the waves under the boat.

This is for you, Mom! It's the dinghy, attached to the aft end of the boat, and it's a big dinghy. Not like the little one Mike and I had aboard the Mirage, that had to be inflated with a footpump and rowed with oars, this one is large, permanently "inflated," can be automatically lowered into the water at a moment's notice, and has a nice big engine. Easy escape in case the boat sinks!

A nice feature of catamarans is the swim step on the aft end of each hull. The bottom step is right at the water line and then there is that silver ladder that can be lowered into the water for very easy reboarding.

We used to have a time of it trying to get back into the Mirage after a swim. We had to either climb the rope ladder (very difficult and awkward) or climb into our dinghy and then into the boat. I used to worry incessantly about Mike going overboard, becoming exhausted in the cold water, and me being unable to pull him back into the boat. I'd probably have to tie a rope to him and tow him to shore!

Here's a view of Alcatraz. It looks empty because very few visitors come to this side of the island; they are all on the other side where the boats dock.

A small sailboat, the "Missy B," heeled over in the strong afternoon wind. These sailors are in full foul-weather gear, a good indication of the both the day's temperature, and the possibility of water splashing aboard.

The city of San Francisco.

It was obviously a great day for fishing. Look at all the party boats! The seagulls follow the fishing vessels waiting for the filleting of the day's catch to begin. They then swoop and dive on the scraps that are thrown overboard. The Golden Gate bridge is in the background.

More fishing boats. Look at all the fishermen lining the sides. The waves are from the high-speed ferry that just went by.
Leo, at the helm, and Gordon. There were five of us aboard; Leo, Mike, me, Gordon, and Jerry. It was a great day! Our next trip is scheduled for the first weekend in August, when we will take an overnight trip to Half Moon Bay.

These day and weekend trips are preparation for the Big Trip to come: the Baja Ha-Ha!! Yes, Mike and I are going again this year, this time as crew for Leo on the Chat de Mer! We are very excited. Leo will be adding one or two more people as crew; we don't know yet who they will be.

I'm also happy to report that the same couple who house- and petsat for us last year have agreed to return this year! We're tickled to have Richard and Mary coming back; our cats already know them so the adjustment should be easy for them, and I will have a little less separation-anxiety (at least we hope so). Richard and Mary enjoyed living in Benicia, so are also looking forward to the two months here this fall. Our dates of travel will be October 15 through December 15.

And, of course, I'll be taking my laptop so I can blog along the way!

Chat de Mer, and a new Blog of Note

We're going sailing tomorrow. Our friend, Leo, owns a 43-foot catamaran and has invited us out for the day. Here is a photo of Leo's boat, the Chat de Mer, as he is pulling up to his spot at the dock in the Richmond Harbor. The name is french and, translated, means "SeaCat." It's a gorgeous boat, with three cabins, two heads (with showers!), a very nice galley including a small fridge (and freezer!), a t.v. with DVD-player, solar panels, single side-band radio (in addition to the usual VHF), honestly, I don't even know what all he's got on there. Pretty much all the bells and whistles any sea-going captain could ever want.

I've never crewed on a catamaran before so I have a lot to learn. Luckily, Leo seems to be pretty patient and good-natured (unlike that last captain I sailed with) so I'm looking forward to a fun day. Mike will be crew, too, so that should bring him down a notch or two!

The only downside is that I will not be able to make it to a Jazzercise class tomorrow. I've managed to get to class for 10 (yes, TEN) days in a row, and now I'll have to miss a day. I briefly considered attending twice one day to make up for it, but I think I'll just modify my goal to be "25 classes in 26 days" or, since I will miss class the following Saturday too, to attend a PhotoShop laptop crop at Adobe HQ in San Jose with my friend Susan) I'd better make it "25 classes in 27 days."

Still, I think that's pretty great! Going to all the extra classes has been fun. I'm moving out of my comfort zone by going to classes with different instructors, at different times of the day, and even going to regular Jazzercise, instead of only Step classes. All the variations are good; it keeps me from using the same muscles over and over every day. Instead, I'm getting a great, overall workout. And my new shoes are fabulous! No blisters.

My BFF (best friends forever), Judy, has a blog!! I'm very excited. She writes in such an entertaining manner and always includes lots of details (which I'm usually too lazy to do, but am trying to improve). I've been urging her for awhile now to start a blog, and I think so have some of her other friends, and she's finally done it. I especially enjoy the photos she posts. Guess that's why I love blogs so much. It's like email, but illustrated. I've always been priveledged, via our frequent emails to each other, to "hear" Judy's stories (all true) and enjoy her philosophy of life, and the meaning she finds in everyday things; I'm happy to know that now lots more people will also get to enjoy them.

Judy: You Go, Girl!

Oh, and I'm tickled to be able to say I'm the FIRST to subscribe to your blog!!! Can't wait to see what you post next!