David and Cheri Howard's Sailing Stories

I just got back from a ten day vacation with the family to France. We went to Paris, Normandy, and the central valley. We really had a great time. As our kids get older, Kelsey is 21 (Senior in college) and Parker is 17 (Senior in High school), these trips are incredible times to reconnect. Cheri and I have great kids and they are wonderful to be around, so trips like this are always a lot of fun. Now back to the boat. I came down this weekend with the full intent on installing a new refrigeration system that I bought. The one on the boat, I think is about ten years old. It went out about six months ago and I have just gotten around to getting this new one. It is the same exact make and model but I think the fitting on the copper piping from the old to the new might be different therefore requiring a sweated fitting. I was going to do all of this on Saturday but have decided told hold off and get some professional help. So, needless to say, my duties on the boat this weekend are just to relax. I met some guys on the dock on Friday night when I arrived who were fishing. They were all locals and some were in college and others had just graduated from the local high school. They were fun to talk to and they had caught some nice trout. On Saturday morning, I headed to the Cedar Café for coffee and a bagel. I enjoyed the walk and slight exercise from the mile walk. Remember, it is ¼ mile from the end of the dock to Lang’s Restaurant! Or it at least feels like it. After cleaning the boat a bit, I cranked up the dingy and headed over to the clubhouse houseboat. It is only 100yds off the dock so it was a simple 30 second trip. I was there to measure the entire boat’s areas to come up with a decal scheme that I will be developing for the boat. While I was there, I stopped for a two hour chat with Tom. We talked about a myriad of subjects including the town council and we tried to solve the energy crisis with our opinions on Nuclear Energy. After that, I headed back to the boat, fixed my bourbon, had dinner which I cooked on the boat, and settled in to watch a DVD. That was my weekend. It was relaxing. I headed home on Sunday after having a quick breakfast at the Riverside Café.