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
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other
people's thinking.
Don't let the noise of others' opinion drown out your own inner voice;
and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary".
- Steve Jobs

"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...
Hi, All,
snip repeat


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...

Happy New Year to you and that bombshell/sailorman's dream woman, Lydia.

But, LOL! If past performance is any indication of the future trends,
I'll be seeing you on the water sometime in late 2013.

Wilbur Hubbard

On Dec 30 2011, 12:37*pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
"Flying Pig" wrote in message
Wilbur Hubbard



My Dearest Colegue:

i feel somewhat left out because I did not recieve my usual Christmas
greating this year... por que?
I see RBC has has degraded to a quiet whimper. Too bad. This place use
to be kinda fun. At least ol Skippy is still here...
Hey Skip hows it going

I ahve to applogize for going MIA.... but that is exactly what I did.
Another super good turn for the best in Bob's life. I said goodby to
N45 (ya i know its suppos to be 45N but that is inconsistant with the
big to small sequence of otherstuff so I decided to use the logical
notation form) and spent the year at N19. I ahve to admit picking up
avocadoes off the ground is much better than sliping on an icy deck.

I hope 2012 finds you well and enjoying your boat.
And to Skipp........... well uh, enjoy your grand kids. Maybe those
kids will be motication enough to get "her" off that Winnebago of
yours so you can turn it into a boat and do some sailing.

Yours truly,
Bob
Dell Tech Services SLC, UT

"Bob" wrote in message
...
On Dec 30 2011, 12:37 pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
"Flying Pig" wrote in message
Wilbur Hubbard



My Dearest Colegue:

i feel somewhat left out because I did not recieve my usual Christmas
greating this year... por que?

*** Because of the old Bah Humbug!

I see RBC has has degraded to a quiet whimper. Too bad. This place use
to be kinda fun. At least ol Skippy is still here...

*** Poor Skippy, I kinda feel sorry for him. He's so domestic these
days. It's sad to watch him make up excuse after excuse for his extended
lubberliness.


I ahve to applogize for going MIA.... but that is exactly what I did.
Another super good turn for the best in Bob's life. I said goodby to
N45 (ya i know its suppos to be 45N but that is inconsistant with the
big to small sequence of otherstuff so I decided to use the logical
notation form) and spent the year at N19. I ahve to admit picking up
avocadoes off the ground is much better than sliping on an icy deck.

***Smart move. I've always maintained that real sailors don't do north
of 25N

I hope 2012 finds you well and enjoying your boat.

***Thanks, my fine yacht is always a joy because she's no floating condo
full of troublesome systems. I have never forgotten that FIRST she's a
sailboat.

19N That in Mexico somewhere? One good thing about low latitudes is you
won't run into Joe as he'll undoubtedly founder prior to getting south
of the border. Hey, it's cold front season. Bwahahhahahhhahaha.


Wilbur Hubbard

19N That in Mexico somewhere? *One good thing about low latitudes is you
won't run into Joe as he'll undoubtedly founder prior to getting south
of the border. Hey, it's cold front season. Bwahahhahahhhahaha.

Wilbur Hubbard

So good to hear you are enjoying your weatherly craft. Like yourself I
find it tiresum fixing **** that need not be fixed. One of the first
things I tore out of my boat was the "preasure water system" Ugg...
deep sixed that usless system. If I wanted to work in a boat yard Id
go work in a boat yard.


Oh, ya,,,,,,,, I almost forgot about Beaner Joe. I emagine he is
sailing that $500K state of the art organinc bean boat of his living
like a king by now. I suppose he has sooooo much money from that
business venture we would never see him post here. Yup, I bet joe is
living the good life by now.

Good to know all is well in your life.

Cordially,
Bob