Hi, All,

No, we didn't drop off the face of the earth...

We're still here in Ft. Pierce, FL, in the filthiest - but, possibly,
friendliest - boatyard on the east coast of Florida.

As my last yard report, now, very long ago, indicated, we're doing some
fairly major refitting. Some of that (there are still many pictures which
must be processed and uploaded) can be seen by clicking on our gallery, and
following the link to the 2011 refit icon.

We've accomplished more than 20 major projects, are under way on a couple
more, some of which, which is typical of any refit, have surfaced of which
we were unaware, or are complications of what we were already doing, and
have another dozen or so smaller chores to do before we can begin cruising
again.

We came ashore in the US, putting Flying Pig on the ground, because we knew
we had two landside trips to make. The first was to the wedding of Lydia's
younger daughter, and a family reunion we'd put together for the week
preceding that event. Apparent disaster rains abated JUST in time for the
ceremony and the reception following to go off in beautiful spring weather,
and a great time was had by all.

The second was also Lydia's daughter's "blessing" - a month-long trip for
Lydia to help out in her older daughter's home on the birth of her second
linear grandchild, and my 8th. Both of those trips were planned, the reason
for bringing Flying Pig ashore, as we didn't want to leave her in the water
for what we thought would be 3 months.

As sometimes happens, as you learned in my last yard notes, the best-laid
plans go awry. In our case, it was a blessing, as we were still here when
my father died, referenced in my last posting about my phone call to him.
Dad's graduation was about as perfect as you could possibly want in all
ways. I'll save you the details, but it occasioned another trip, this time
all the way to Concord NH, for a mini-reunion of my siblings and extended
family on his memorial and, on the return, a couple of weeks with my kids,
and more time for Lydia with her grandkids.

We hurried back to make a deadline of allowing the boat behind us (which
would require the yard to move our boat, which involved moving a lot of the
stuff we'd been working with) to move, and to get the stuff under ours out
of the way of the lift. We were, to say the least, unhappy to learn that
they weren't at all ready - and, in fact, didn't go in (and we moved) for
over 3 weeks.

That led to a decision to take some really quality time, this time, with
Lydia included - an occasion not seen for almost 3 years as her
grandchild/ren have had her entire attention and body - with my kids. So,
we took three weeks, returning to the yard for Christmas, in a much more
relaxed visit which allowed three days each with my 4 kids, and another 3
days for Lydia helping her daughter overcome a back injury, but getting to
dandle the two kids as well. That visit (funny how it all works out)
allowed me to be there during the birth of our next grandchild, courtesy of
my older daughter. To say that it was magical would be an understatement -
Lydia realized how much she'd been missing in the prior years of not being
with me on visits to my kids and grandkids - and just the right amount of
time.

So, as the New Year rushes toward us, we're still fairing out the bottom of
our now-perfect hull. We're hopeful that we'll have that job (ready to
splash, with barrier and anti-foul coats applied as well) finished before
the end of January - but all cruisers' plans are cast in sand, so we know it
might be later. Once we're in the water, we'll have several small chores, as
well as some sea-trialing to accomplish before we cross into the Bahamas.
After that, we'll be heading to an island off the coast of Haiti, where
we'll visit an orphanage as well as the rest of the lovely attributes of
that island. We're hopeful there's enough room for us aboard, along with
Lydia's 86-year-old Mom, who will join us, with all the goodies folks have
loaded us up to take to the orphanage!

Happy New Year to you all, and may your lives be blessed in this coming
year. Our usual extended logs will resume once we're actually back in the
water and have something exciting to talk about. Stay tuned...

L8R

Skip
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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Don't let the noise of others' opinion drown out your own inner voice;
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They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary".
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