The next step...

in this bow plate project of Cap'n's, was to get her resinstalled on Saturday.  Only 13 bolts.  Seems simple enough.  Shouldn't take more than an hour or two.  Riiiiiiiight.

We got started on the project, only to quickly stall.  Cap'n
needed longer bolts, bigger washers, and such, and I needed
to get fortified with some Cuban coffee.  It was going to be
a long day.  Este es mi esposo de Cubano. Te adoro.

The music was playing, the coffee was coursing through my veins, and
I could have easily started dancing.  This was my only option, and
he wasn't much interested.  Too much tequila for him last night, I guess.

Cap'n and I got back to the boat, both armed and ready to tackle the day.  He had a bit of grinding to do on the inside of the forepeak.  It was from the fiberglass he laid down to beef up the bow. When he declared it finished, and I was feeling really jacked up from my Cuban coffee, I offered to climb into the forepeak this time- to keep him from folding himself up and scraping up his back.  I was ready to DO THIS THING!!! 

That's the funny thing about Cuban coffee...it sneaks up on you...and gives you a false sense of confidence.  I lasted all of two minutes up there. Again. Couldn't do it.  Couldn't breathe. *sigh*  Epic fail.  We had to switch places where I could sit comfortably on the dock- and BREATHE- while he folded himself up in the forepeak instead.

Sometime in the afternoon, Len showed up.  Our package
of scooter parts had arrived, so he offered to put the blue
piglet back together.  In less than 30 minutes, he
had her up and running.  A philosopher AND a mechanic?!
Winning combination!
Once the bolts were all set in place, both boys set to
work on getting the right brake in better working order.

Look how pretty Marquesa looks!  Cap'n loosened the back stay
a bit, and Len offered some muscle to get the roller furling
clipped back on.  Cap'n measured the chainplate perfectly.
Not only is it a basquillion times stronger than the old one,
there wasn't a half inch left to spare, or else the jib sail wouldn't fit.
EPIC SCORE, CAP'N!!!

There was no better way to celebrate the day's accomplishments
than to go relish in the sunset with friends.  Richard was there,
Travis, Ray and his dog Charlie, My Cap'n and Len, other
friends from the marina, and the other tourists that had gathered.
I looked around, and got a bit sad, thinking, I'm sure going
to miss this next year...

and then the good Lord saw fit to bless my sad heart
with a green flash.  It was spectacular :)  Ray got it
on video, which I saw on FB (but I couldn't figure
out how to get it on to the blog.)  In the video, I stand up,
wave my hands, and holler at how awesome that was...
and then you see me wiping away my tears.

And Len saw fit to bring his guitar for some bucket sittin' and finger pickin'.

I see how happy Donnie is, and I hate the
thought of taking him away from this.

But on a happier note, Betty, Bob and Sue came down the dock to listen to
music for awhile.  I was so glad to get a picture of the two of us together.
Earlier in the day, I had told her, "When I grow up, Betty, I want to
be just like you!"  She is a beautiful woman, inside and out...
and one helluva bookie!  She will always be 'Betty the Bookie' to me :)

On that happy note, G'nite, y'all!