Settling in...again

The carriage house companionway
with a view into the cockpit

The move is mostly done. It will be a few weeks yet before everything finds its place, though the grand kids have settled right in. So long as only our screen door is closed they know they are welcome, and walk right in. If the main door is closed they knock, then walk right in.

There is a regular parade of kids including, once in a while, friends of grand kids. It has taken away much of the sting of having had to leave the cruising life for more mundane waters, though there is still many things to get used to. We have two rooms now. That is one less than the boat’s v-berth, salon, and aft cabin, though Kintala’s rooms were cabins of course, and much smaller. So it all still feels too big, and a bit clunky. In fact all of land living feels a bit clunky. Traffic surges and stops. Houses and buildings are mostly squared off blocks arranged in bigger (and rightly named) blocks, which are bordered by squared off streets. Sometimes it reminds me of old video games filled with squared off people riding in squared off cars and walking their squared off dogs.

One good part having our own squared off front room is that it has been filled up with all of the instruments, plus one, that we had stored away all over the boat. Two “bucket drums,” various percussion instruments, a kind of Lute, a flute, my Uke, and a guitar Deb has been learning to play, (the “plus one.”) As soon as some bonus money lands in our account we hope to add two more, a somewhat smaller guitar for Deb, and a somewhat larger Uke for me. One of the reasons grand kids drop by is to practice on the drums. Daughter Middle’s house has a piano, guitars, and a whole collection of Ukuleles, including one of ancient solid wood that makes the most mellow tone you have ever heard…so long as it stays in tune. Something that it isn’t prone to do with its older style pegs. But Grampy T is the drummer of the family and kids like drums.

I like that the house is often full of music, even if its one of the kids trying to learn LLLL RRRR LLRR LLRR LRLR LRLR LRLL RLRR, or my still more than modest attempts at finding a song hiding in the strings of the Uke. It reminds me of the boat where, even without our contribution, nature often filled the day with music of her own. There was the water slapping against the hull, the winds whispering through the rigging, the thump and splash of jumping rays and the puffs of broaching dolphins. (Who would have thought that one could miss the sound of dolphins this much?) Somehow the sounds of cars, ‘choppers, jets, trucks, and garage door openers just doesn’t come across as music. (Well, maybe… if one thinks really bad, out of tune music.)

And let's not forget barking dogs. Being surrounded by dolphins broaching and puffing is magic. Being surrounded by dogs yapping and barking and scratching is just down-right annoying.

At the shop I have finally cleared the initial qualification hurdles and start working with client crews next week; GFS and Simulator only. Classroom qualification is several weeks (at least) away yet, and awaits a week long trip to Dallas for additional training. Clearly the clunk who coined the phrase, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” never taught people to fly jets. Getting type rated in the Legacy was the easiest part of learning this new job. To fly the jet takes “X” amount of knowledge and skill. To teach others to fly the jet takes X times 10. It’s no wonder than when people go looking for an airplane driver they often raid the training centers. Which is the reason we get a bonus for staying, and that will let me buy another Uke.

The Boat Hammock still getting used with lots of laughter

Some beauty from the local park. Anyone know what this tree is?

And yes, still some water fun thanks to their other grandparents' farm pond