But this happened after a false start......we had to reorder the transom lettering because they must have thought they were correcting a "typo" when they saw the capitol G in the middle of the word "EverGreen" and sent the artwork as "Evergreen" instead....but as of this week,the transom is now proudly sporting the boat's name.

Paul had ordered the lettering when he was still up un Chicago and when it came...unrolled enough of it to see that the Font and size looked good....but missed the error in the middle of the word.  So one perfect day, we got all ready to apply the decal, only to find the mistake....but the company was great, and we now have the gold and green lettering applied. 

We were out for a ride

This view is the view we had off the transom as we left the harbor yesterday.

Here is the latest view of the Sailor's valentine

We have logged some time at the helm!!!! 

After spending two weeks back in Boise, Helen arrived back in Jensen Beach, Florida on the 12th.  The Electronics fellas from Martec were still working, but almost finished...and on Thursday morning, Captain Bob showed up to begin our boat handling sessions. 

CAPTAIN BOB OF KADEY-KROGEN YACTHS

He spent two days with us.....we would work in the morning, then break for lunch (which was good because we could unwind from the stress) and then go back out in the afternoon for more training.  Paul would take the helm in the morning and Helen had the helm in the afternoon.  The first thing we did was pull the boat out of the slip and head slowly out of the channel, out to the Indian River channel where we had enought depth to get the feel for how the boat would handle...nothing exciting, but all important......how to stop the boat....(VERY IMPORTANT), how to back it in a straight line....how to turn in circles....and how to turn in very tight circles....all good things to know when you have to pull the boat into a harbor.  The we came back into the harbor of the marina and tried backing the boat into the boatslip where we were tied up and then out again into the inner harbor channel, which was just wide enough for us to to a controled 360 degree turn by going forward and backing up a couple of times.  Then he worked with us on a technique called "crabbing" the boat.....imagine pulling up to a parking space where you have to parallel park by inching in sideways with the car.....this technique is important so when you pull up to a crowded gas dock and have to "wiggle" in without damaging anyone else's hull. 

Captain Bob complimented us both days....but Helen has to admit that her second day was a bit rough......the wind had picked up and the "crabbing" didn't go well at all.

We are waiting for a calm day so that we can practice on our own without as much fear of doing in the boat....As ever...Helen

On the other side of the continent....I was downtown last week and snapped a few shots of the new condo going up.  They have just poured the third floor concrete. Take a look

Here is another view from the top of the parking garage looking down. 

The wooden stuff in the middle is the elevator shaft and the extension behind it is one of the major load bearing walls.

 The new chairs with footstool, new lamp and mini-table

 in the salon.  If you peak at the right side of the picture you can just see

the flat screen TV ....we brought a ton of DVD's.

 This is the pilot house....and this is Paul's pride and joy.....he put so much time and effort in planning the equipment on board and it is all finally up and running.  You should see the stack of manuals he has to plow through....well wait...we both have to plough through them....

Seriously.....isn't the Pilot House pretty?.........and CHECK

OUT THAT CLASSY CHAIR....

 AND HERE SHE SITS.....

RADAR MOUNTED....

DINGY IN PLACE....

CANVAS UP.....

CUSHIONS ON...

CHAIRS IN THE COCKPIT.

AND.........NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY....

This is what I woke up to in Boise this morning....it was about 6 am and the camera even caught the snowflakes....

My lilac "tree" had snow sticking to all of its branches and was truly a vision.

For those of you who don't know my yard...the little house in the corner is my greenhouse which sits behind my organic garden.

 The Valentine part of this blog message relates to the Sailor's Valentine I am making for Paul...a Sailor's Valentine is a picture made entirely of things from the sea....and traditionally is created inside an 8 sided wooden box.  Back in the 1800's, natives of Barbados would make such pictures for the sailors to take home to their sweethearts....so Evergreen will have hanging on her walls a new version of a craft that is over 200 years old. 

The center is a scrimshaw piece that I had made for Paul by a scrimshaw artist who used ivory that was thousands of years old to create the line drawing in the center of the valentine(a picture of Evergreen, of course!!!).

The first picture is how the piece looked as of January 15th.

Next is my progress after I finished working off and on most of Saturday, Feb 2nd.

Next is how it looks tonight after the Superbowl game...which slowed my progress in the biggest way....

By the way....if you are wondering...the Compas rose is made from sea urchin spines....today I glued on 574....and that doesn't count all that I glued on yesterday...

Hello again....time this week seemed to go so quickly until today....today it is like a summer snail...with no particular place to go...

Thought you mich like to see my snow....see how lucky you are, Paul.....this shot is from my back porch looking out over the apple orchard in the back yard

Paul has been in the process of learning how to maintain the engine and putting away a shipment of spare parts....which from the sounds of things is taking considerable effort....lots of "stuff" and some of it really heavy...like the extra propeller...

Today he figured out we seem to be missing some kitchen things that I don't remember unpacking either.....so I think living aboard will be a challenge for a while.  Take care everyone...Helen