The Lady has a 1st Mate

It's been a long summer here in Baltimore.. The local medical people have had a bonus few months evaluating and replacing the Capt's left knee for the 2nd time. There was a scare that his old back might have to be chopped on again, but a trip to Atlanta to the Capt's neurosurgeon with side trip to Chattanooga to see friends and family ruled that out. The Capt has quit his full time job of finding a cruising companion.

The Capt has found the Lady's 1 st mate. There is debate on who found who...but they both seem to be on the same page about most things...even politics if you can believe that. Joyce can almost keep up the the Capt's ability to make a mess...but being gone for 2+ weeks will put her behind when she gets back to the boat. As both have lost their mates, they have a similar and unique outlook on life. Her language is lacking the Capt's expletives...so the Capt has to make up for her deficiencies. Joyce flew out at the end of Sept for 4-5 days...to see if she could put up with the Capt's wayward ways, .ended up staying for 10 days so they could go to the boat show.....the start of something good??....Well the Capt has started PT for his new knee...seems to be going well. He has found a one of his Hydroworx pools with the treadmill in the floor, PT 3X till Joyce gets back. As the Capt says..no pain,,,no gain.. Joyce will leave Seattle tomorrow for Z, some place on the west coast or Mexico where she has a condo. Joyce and her girlfriend will drive her car back to Seattle before returning to the Lady H on Oct 24th. The Lady has been getting her own new parts , just like the Capt.....they are almost as expensive as the Capt's new knee.. ..a new computer...well make that 2..the 1st got drowned on the 4th of July.....new mainsail...($2800)radar repair.($1150)...generator repair.).($1100)...new anchor shackle ($321)....new jenny sheets($174)....and the Capt's favorite..cruising insurance...at $7450 a year he could buy a new boat in a few yrs. Damn....Still in need of a new anchor.($900)..to replace the one lost last yr in the Bahamas....they need to escape from the dock and get to sea so they can stop spending money....well today the tide might have changed..Balmar offered to swap out the 2 yr old Max Charge ($325) voltage regulator under warranty....maybe the wind will be from the right direction this cruising season..High on the Capt's list of great companies to do business with...and MADE IN THE US..screw the EU and their 40% higher prices..