It's Good to be King!

OK, I'll admit, I am spoiled.  Buying a boat 3,000 miles from home is one thing.  Getting work done on it, and getting everything from California to Florida has been a real challenge.  Lucky for me, the guys at work are resourceful, talented and motivated...if only to get me the hell out of here!

Bright and early this morning, the Admiral and I went in to the shop and sorted through all the stuff we had set aside to send to the new boat. I am not at all sure it will all fit in Once Around, but it is on its way!  I plan on meeting it there next week.  If everything is on track the boatyard should be ready to set the dinghy on the new hydraulic swim platform and launch the boat.  Then I can load all our STUFF, so the boat can be sent to North Carolina where Carrie and I will catch up with it around the first of May.

Today was a great milestone.  Shipping our dinghy and personal belongings from the shop to the boat yard in Florida was no meager effort.  One of our vendors was arm twisted by Eric Jr., one of my managers, to truck an aluminum container (for a price) across the Country.  A bunch of the crew pitched in to help me load the container and move one step closer to departure.  Eric S., our resident carpenter, built bunks to ship the dinghy on, and the rest of the shop crew pitched in to help load and secure everything.

Some of the guys apparently will miss me more than others.  Our truck driver, Todd, for example.  He has been driving for us since my children were in diapers, and we have a kind of "special" relationship.  (Todd does a great imitation of Forest Gump, but that dog don't hunt with me!).  Most of you would think that the owner of a company our size would know what is going on throughout the firm.  Bull-%#&*!  Whenever I want to know what's happening around the company I seek out Todd.  He hears all the gossip, from Arizona, LA, Las Vegas, Spokane, wherever we are working, most of which is nonsense, but some of which hits home.  Anyway, Todd (acts like he) is convinced he only keeps his job by my good graces.  That, of course, is also nonsense; good drivers are hard to find (and keep).  But, don't tell Todd that, PLEASE!  Besides being a great driver he cracks me up!

My first mate and I worked hand in hand today, and we are exhausted.  We both have our "list" of things we need to get done to keep our dream on schedule.  And it seems like every time we cross something off one of our lists we add two more items.  However, as she pointedly noted today, "The difference is that you have people to delegate your list to...and my list is all mine to do".  I just smiled and said, "It's good to be king..."  She threw her water bottle at me!