Is sailing around the World next? Maybe...

Damn, I forgot my pipe that Koderick gave me. 

This last week we had some pretty serious weather.  We had horizontal rain and my co-workers told me a small tornado touched down in the central part of the region.  I have to get the video off of my phone as there were gale force winds whipping the trees around like rag dolls.  However, we did get to opportunity to meet up with Nicole and take Menagerie out for a spin on a fine day.  We boarded the 23 foot sail boat around 10 am and got a quick overview for her layout.  She is pretty similar to the boats that Jake and I have learned on.  It is kinda tricky to go from a rudder to wheel back to a rudder, but I only had to play with the rudder a little bit to get her in the direction I wanted.  With fore casted high wind gusts we opted to run only the main sheet and that provided plenty of power, but once we got closer to the shipping vessels our wind was blocked.   We rolled out the genoa and was instantly greeted with a surge of speed.  I got to perform a couple tacks but no jibes as there wasn't a need for it.  We were out for about 2.5 hours and to top of the day I forgot how to tie a bowline.  What would Vicki say?  Probably express her disappointment and make me tie one around numerous objects after she quickly told me what I was doing wrong.  I haven't tried tying a bowline since last September.  Oh well.    

I should really have the main sheet line in my hand.  Feeling like a rookie.

After sailing, we went to a Thai restaurant for lunch where I got the lamb shank in red curry with seasonal vegetables.  I eye ball it every time we walk past.
Personal insight/story time:
I get sad every time I eat lamb shank.  Don't get me wrong I love the stuff, but the meal itself makes me sad.  It was several years ago at Christo's in Minneapolis when my grandparents were up for a visit.  We had all ordered our food and when my lamb shank showed up my grandpa noted that he wished he had gotten mine.  I did give him some, but I could see the disappointment in his face that he didn't get it himself.  He has sadly passed away and I can't help thinking of that evening every time I eat that dish.  I guess if I eat 2 portions every time, its like I'm putting one down for him as well.  That could be a new achievement for me.  Cook/waitress/serving wench/bar maid/lamb temptress: I want 2 lamb shanks not one as I got to eat one for my departed grandpa.  A lamb missing a leg can still get around without assistance.  A lamb missing two will need a wheel chair.  New Zealand better invest in this company as I'm sensing a boom is about to happen.

I'll take 2 there George.

Personal insight/story time over.
I needed all my energy as I was going to be putting on my wetsuit and swimming out to the boat to clean her hull.  Nicole said she had been lax in the cleaning and its probably been a couple of months since it was last done.  So I put on my goggles and swam out to the boat with a bag full of cleaning implements on my back.  I came up to the swimming ladder and yelled "Hello" to 2 of Nicole's friends who were out there enjoying a romantic dinner.  Only to be ruined by me with my curly hair and long chops poking over the railing.  I stashed my bag and proceeded to clean about half of the hull before I could clean no more as my goggles were leaking and needed to be fixed.  The water temp was supposedly 18.1 degrees that day, but it felt fine until I walked back home and then jumped into the shower.  The typical shower temp felt scalding hot and I took about an hour long shower.  Oh joy I'm going out today to finish the other half as the weather is fine and the water is calm.  If there were waves I would take the surf board out.