We're Still Here!

We're still here in Oregon. The weather is changing so much. I don't remember such a beautiful fall as we're having now. The trees' leaves have never been so red and gold. The air has never been so crisp. I love it. It has been very dry. Beautiful.

We talked with Keith this week and our boat is doing good.

We purchased an EPIRB for the boat. This is a position beacon if the boat goes down, it goes off and talks to satellites of our location. Then (hopefully) international groups get the signal and come find you. It's a huge security blanket for cruisers. It's one of those expensive devices on the boat you hope you never have to use. I was able to find one for an incredibly low price and it's brand new.

We've also changed our homeport on our documentation to Springfield, OR so our boat has our long time home on it. We've been wanting Oregon on it for a long time and it feels so good to have it changed.

I sent off our GPS to be repaired earlier this month and found out yesterday that they had mailed it back on the 9th so it sounds like it is lost in the mail. Unbelievable. But luckily, Garmin said they'd replace the unit if it was lost in the mail. Thank goodness.

Brett has slowed on his progress of stopping smoking. He ended up having a bad reaction to the Chantrix and had to stop taking it. But he is planning on trying it again in December before our big Christmas trip to Montana. We've planned a wonderful trip on the train to Whitefish, Montana for Christmas!! It will be so beautiful in the snow! Whitefish is close to the Glacier Natl Park. We are renting a car from the fabulous Duck Inn that I found online and hoping to drive to the park on one of the days we are there. I am hoping that Brett will go skiing at Big Mountain as well. We will be right on top of the resort and I can't see how he could pass it up! I am not a skiier but he is getting me a massage at a spa for my birthday there so I'll probably hang out at the spa and shop while he skiis. If he doesn't ski, we'll just go snowshoeing in Glacier Natl Park. We are SO excited. And feel SO spoiled. But Brett really wanted a special trip for him since he has worked SO hard these last two years.

WHITEFISH,MONTANA

I cut my hair. It is just above my shoulders. It was much shorter than I wanted but it's so much easier to take care of and it does look cute... I cried for a long time after I cut it but it really does look okay.

We had PFS week at work last week. Wednesday was Pepper Day so I pulled out my clay at 930pm and whipped up some cute little peppers! Then I attached them to satin cord and jump rings and made a matching set of pepper jewelry for the day. It was so much fun!

Our cabin has been getting invaded with Ladybugs for a week! I came home last Tuesday and found at least 200 ladybugs all over the ceiling and front door!!! It was incredible! I spent about an hour sweeping them up and throwing them out the back door. I came back from my walk and found another 50 or so to sweep out. Since then, we've had dozens regularly coming in. Brett's new cleaning duty is to "sweep the ladies". LOL

I have been getting ready for our jewelry shows coming up. I ended up cancelling the huge Portland show that was for two weekends. It was very stressful and very expensive. So I am trying to get into my old, small Leaburg bazaar that Grandpa and I used to do. I am hoping to also participate at the show at work.

We are very happy with our progress and can't wait to return to our adventure on Benevolence.

Update on our Boat and We're Commited

I talked with Keith yesterday, who watches our boat, and he said everything has been looking fine. He said that he was grateful that I called him about Hurricane Ike because when he reached the marina, even though our boats were safely tied, the water had risen considerably higher than during Gustave. Two other boats in the marina had sunk to the bottom. Yikes... He, again, commended Brett on his ability to tie the lines just right.

I purchased our airline tickets for January 6th to head back toward New Orleans. Brett was very happy to hear it. I seem to always need to convince him that I really am in this for the long haul, that I have chosen to live the boat life. Buying the tickets, again, confirmed to him that we are indeed headed back to our dream.

Keith was excited to hear that we would be heading back and arranged to have a cookout with us on our arrival. It made me feel warm inside to feel the hospitality of our friends in the South again. Even people who hardly know us...

I'll update again when I hear from him on the status of the interior and our batteries.

I have been researching some gear we are needing inlcuding an EPIRB and an autopilot.

The rain has started here in Oregon. The leaves have quickly turned color. It is so nice to know that we have a destination in a couple months to get away from the dreaded, dreary gray, wet winter that hits Oregon for so long.

I can't wait to begin preparing the boat to head offshore.

We are preparing for two huge shows to sell jewelry at. One is the Eugene Holiday Food and Gift Festival Oct 31-Nov 2 in Eugene at the fairgrounds and the other is for two, three day weekends in Portland at the Expo Center called AMERICA'S LARGEST CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. I am very nervous as they were a lot of money to get into, huge shows and because of the economy. But Brett feels confident about them. I have a ton of work to do to get ready for them.

Brett is doing ok with trying to stop smoking. The Chantrix made him sick so he quit taking it again. But he is trying so hard and seems to be doing really well. We both terribly miss our friends in Palacios... We always say, "Home is where the keel is" and we are excited to soon be heading home.