Don't live on a boat, if you don't like to work

Just because we are ready to head off to the Galapagos, doesn't mean that we don't still work on the boat.  This 'living on a boat' business is a lot of work, as it seems something is always breaking.  A friend of ours, on another boat here in Bahia, had an unexpected trip back to the states, so all of his fellow boaters took the opportunity to have a Christmas Run.  He stood back and proceeded to watch package after package after package arrive from all points around "the land of plenty" (also known as the US of A).  His only job was to unpackage everything, put it all in Salvation Army type suitcases, and make it through customs without getting dinged too bad.  He was able, through sheer charm, to make it through only having to pay $260 (on over $8000 worth of goods).  We are all dancing the happy dance, although what the goodies mean is that the work begins.  Thanks to Kim on Philiosophy....you're a lifesaver!

I had safety gear ordered, in the form of new parts for our stove and oven.  Flames had been shooting out of holes not intended for fire, and I was sure that this wasn't safe.  Three new burners for the stovetop, and one for the oven, in addition to a new liner for the inner door arrived in our shipment.  When rust has eaten away bits of the door, and insulation stuffing begins to be seen, it can't be good.  With everything put back to together again, and working perfectly, I felt compelled to clean the rest of the unit.  Babysteps, babysteps, people.

Pretty and shiny new burners

My life is reduced to blogging about oven door liners - pathetic!

Our freezer has also gotten a facelift with new fibreglass in the corners (after 2 months of not being used, it finally stopped weeping water, so there was obviously a leak somewhere), and a new bright, white, glossy paintjob.  The better to see the "yuck" that is sure to bleed out of meat packages in the upcoming months.

Ron got a new alternator, and yes....MORE generator parts.  By now, after close to 5 years of replacing parts, we must have a new generator.  It actually HAS been working well these last few weeks, so we hate to jinx it, but the oily smoke that discolours the hull has got to go.  I'm tired of cleaning that too.

What else....?  Thanks to my mum, I can now cook meals again with some flavour and spice.  Ecuador (and Panama for that matter) don't ascribe to the spicy food movement.  There isn't a bottle of chili powder anywhere in this country, although I have found cayenne.  A fragrant bag full of 5 different chile powders, plus fennel, and celery seed.....living in North America spoils one for "stuff".  There is so much stuff there, that it's hard to erase the ability to buy what you want from your memory, let alone just sufficing for what you need.

Ron has been promising to make me a knock-off Soda Stream system.  The last time I came back from the states I brought everything with me to make carbonated drinks with the exception of the canister that holds the CO2 gas.  Try buying one here!!!!  Not a chance.  So when Kim delivered a 5-lb tank and it was handed over to me, I cradled it like a baby.  I can now have white wine spritzers again, without paying $1 for a small can of club soda.  It's the small things that make me happy. Yes, I know it'll take a while to have it pay for itself, but nowadays, the aluminum is so thin in making cans, that with the constant movement of the boat and the salt air, pin holes are worn into the cans and you end up with lockers full of sticky syrup from soft drinks, not to mention the waste of money.  A couple of bottles of lemon lime and tonic syrup, and we are back in the cocktail hour business again.

I've sent a few emails to the French Embassy, but the visas are not back yet.  In 2 weeks, it'll have been 8 weeks since we applied, so bummer, it looks like we've time for more projects.

Now, about that wine spritzer.....