Updated on April 6, 2016
Report card: early April
I keep meaning to announce a big, round number of days until our departure. 100 days left! 75 and counting! But I keep missing the mark. So: 67 more days!! How are things coming?
Bureaucracy Done: Passports in hand; bank accounts set up; taxes done, and we’ve got a solid plan with our accountant for next year; bills are being paid online; most vaccines and doctors’ appointments are taken care of. Needed: a few pieces of officialdom (marriage license, one person’s birth certificate), and a handy binder to tie everything together; health insurance planning; last-minute library card renewal. Media compression/sorting will continue until the day we leave. The kids can’t seem to swallow pills, so their typhoid immunization remains unfinished–they’ve been training with mini-marshmallows, but can’t seem to get the meds down!
Boatschooling: Looking good! Most math books are in; we have dozens of lit books and study guides for each kid; spelling books, grammar books and journals are packed and ready to go; books and gear are in place for science, civics and Spanish. We’ve met with the kids’ music teacher, and have a plan based on Suzuki books and youtube videos; we just need to pick up some extra violin and cello strings, and finish some repairs to a fiberglass cello case we found on the curb (score! Thanks, Fin).
House Done: Rented! Downstairs guys are renewing; upstairs, we’ve got a family moving in who want to take charge of the garden, and plan to stay for a few years. We’ve signed the contracts with the management company, and done most of our major repairs. Needed: forward bills to management company; a couple small landscaping and painting touchups to the property.
Packing Done: Initial purge in the attic, basement, kids’ room, bathroom. Needed: oh, so much. It’s been a cold spring, and most of our winter gear keeps getting called into use. I’ve also realized how disruptive it is for the kids to have their family stuff disappear overnight, so I’m slowing down a bit on my plans to clear things out. We’re in good shape; but being constantly surrounded by all our possessions, this is the category that stresses me out the most.
Boat Done: Nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing. At least, that’s what it feels like. Needed: finish storage in pilot berth; finish refrigerator project; finish new electrical panel installation; install solar; replace windows, one hatch; finish installing helm station for iPad, depth finder, autohelm; touch up rust spot on keel and add two coats bottom paint; install new through hulls; install new shift and throttle cables; upgrade bilge pump; improve and replace stanchions and lifelines; install new spinlocks; seal leaking lazarettes; tune outboard; replace headliner. That’s not exactly all, but that’s most.
Many projects on the verge of completion: electrical panel, instrument pod, pilot berth build-out, refrigeration…
Progress is being made in all directions, but it’s difficult to feel like we’re getting anywhere. Michu and I waffle between excited enthusiasm and wild, uncontrolled panic; the kids are starting to anticipate some of the sadder points of leaving–most especially, saying good-bye to friends.
One foot in front of the other….
A detailed lesson on oral and esophageal anatomy–with a bit of digestive track physiology–might help the kids with swallowing their pills??? Just saying…