Digging in

Well, it's not exactly what we thought we'd be doing right now but it's not bad at all.  I'll have to take back all the bad things I've said about Newport weather.  Not because I was wrong but because I fear retribution from the Newport weather gods now that they have me right where they want me: securely tied to the dock right here in Newport. 

 Truthfully, though, the past few days have been absolutely gorgeous.  They might start a little overcast but it doesn't take long for that to burn off and the sun to come beaming through.  Haven't even had any wind to speak of the last couple days.  It's been t-shirt weather.  But we're not fooled.  We know that if we fiddle like grasshoppers, the next thing we know it'll be cold, windy and rainy and we won't be prepared.  Now, we're not working like ants anymore but we're still taking all reasonable steps to get dug in for winter.

Day before yesterday, or was it the day before that(?), we installed the weather cloths that Lulu made for the sides of the cockpit.  These help keep the wind off us and, when at sea, the spray as well.   We assembled the dinghy (Porta-Bote) and turned it upside dow on the foredeck to protect our liferaft, forward hatch, jerry jugs, etc.  We know that the prevailing winds here in the winter are out of the north, so as soon as it's convenient, we're going to turn the boat around so that the bow points into the wind.  This will keep the cold north winds from blowing right down through the companionway.  The only problem is that it sort of cuts into one's privacy as our "back" (and only) door is now facing the "sidewalk" (dock).  So, Lulu is making more weather cloths and also a curtain that we can hang down from the boom gallows to close up the cockpit for privacy.  We took the measurements for that yesterday and today she's gong to get her first taste of sewing on the boat.

Yesterday we went to town to get some groceries.  Took the free shuttle for half the trip.  

Found a used beater bike at a second hand store for $25 so we snapped it up.  Both tires had air in

 them and both gear shifters work.  Needs new brake pads badly but we'll get those today.  Now we need one more beater bike that we can just leave behind when we take off next summer and we'll be good.  We passed up 2 bikes a week or so ago at Salvation Army.  We were being too picky and assumed that cheap-o rusty beater bikes were a dime a dozen and we could have our pick.  Not so.

Today we're off to get more groceries, some brake pads, a travel iron (for sewing, not for all my fine dress shirts and slacks), and probably a couple other things.  I'm going to make a second attempt at putting an eye-splice in some Sta-Set braided line for changing out the running rigging.  Looking forward to a visit from Cody tomorrow night.  Saturday we're walking over to South Beach State Park to watch the longboard surfing competition.  

Here's a nice photo of Lulu composing an e-mail in our snug little home while cooking dinner: