When does the fun begin?

Our re-entry into the boating world has had a few wake-up calls. Just like all cruisers, we have had some projects to work on before we can actually head out to the deep blue Sea. Doug has earnestly approached these different projects with vim and vigor and some frustration along the way.

His system of getting things done sometimes makes me think my daily efforts are somewhat fruitless. Although I know I do my fair share of work around the boat and Doug never makes me feel like I do anything less, his process of getting things done always looks so much more organized and systematized. I consider myself a very organized person, but in the long run as I witness the many things on Doug's to-do list and see the way he works through them or carries them to the next days list of to-do's, I wonder how I ever get anything done without an ongoing list. My system does indeed include writing a list however a moment after the list is completed someone or something distracts me from it, I turn away from the list, dive into whatever needs my attention and from there I move on to more not-on-the-list items. By the end of the day I have accomplished huge amounts of work, none of which were on my list. Hmmmm?????

This, however, I have come to see, is one of the great things about marriage. Ultimately one person has stronger skills in areas the other person lacks yet at the same time the other person has skills in areas that the first person lacks. It really does balance out well in the end and when I learn something about organization or humility from Doug, and he learns something about home schooling or some interesting idea from a book I am reading, I can see how effective our marriage is for one another and hopefully for our kids too, who are observing all this!

Well, I digressed there for a bit and my real story here is to
share the efforts Doug has put into making Windfall, aka,
HanaCrew, ours. He has learned all areas of the Perkins engine, the water system including dual filters, etc., and most of all he has made the head (bathroom) "ours." As all cruisers will tell you, everyone on the dock is willing to help in any case EXCEPT when it comes to the head. Well, Doug tore out the head one day and it was true...no one stopped to ask if he needed any help. He made it through the day, cleaned every part of that necessary element of a boaters life, including the holding tank, and reinstalled it all back in place by days end, even in time to join other cruisers for dinner and some fun conversation at the marina restaurant. He truly is my hero!