Working toward goals

I have two major goals I want to accomplish while on the M.B. this week. The first is to NOT smash the top of my head on a door frame while entering the salon. (Last time we were here I left with 2 big knots on my head. I can be a slow learner sometimes.) Anyway, so far so good on this one. One day at a time-- keep your fingers crossed.

Goal #2 -- even more difficult -- is to drive the boat up to the dock. I am fairly confident about driving on open water, but docking terrifies me. So today Terry, the very calm and patient gentleman who sold us this boat, took me out for a lesson. Mark, being somewhat less calm and patient, stayed below while we navigated from the flybridge. First Terry had me drive right up to a green buoy in the Bay. Easy to do, but he wanted me to get sooo close to it-- then quickly reverse the engines. That's how you brake when there are no brakes. I passed that test- didn't hit the buoy. I wanted to close my eyes, but remembered I was driving. Next, I had to bring the boat up alongside a face dock- meaning parallel to the dock. Sort of like parallel parking a car. Luckily I did not have to squeeze in between other boats. Terry taught me how to maneuver by using just the 2 engines- no steering wheel. Left/right/forward/reverse. It was scary but fun when Terry left me alone to help Mark move some of the lines on deck. He said, "I'm leaving the bridge. You have control now, sir--- I mean ma'am." Holy mashed potatoes as my granddaughter would say!  I have to say I am proud of myself.  I did defer to Mark on backing into our docking spot when we went "home."

We ended the evening by grilling pork chops from the local meat market.

We spent all morning cleaning the isenglass (plastic windows around the flybridge,)

Mixed reviews on Mark's beard