Greetings,

This is a rather short update. Not much has happened since the last update in June of 2007. I did add some information and pictures from what I call "The trip to No Where". This was our first attempt to leave Hoston after the Vera Cruz race. The trip consisted of a run down the Houston Ship Channel, out into the Gulf of Mexico, and back. More details can be found on the Passages Made link.

The really significant event that has occurred is that Kitty has a job. For now it is just a six week contract, but we are hoping for an extension or two. The up side is that the salary is very good and the company is a great organization. The name of the company is Schlumberger Well Services. The down side is that Kitty has a 35 mile one way commute. Not a fun time in the Houston traffic. She is doing better with the drive, and I am adjusting to doing more of the domestic items around the boat. That means a lot of cleaning, cooking, laundry and grocery shopping that I did not have to do before. If she can stick with this opportunity for a year, we will be back on our schedule. Only time will tell. As a bit of news, when I worked in Houston in the late 70's for Digital, I was the account rep at Schlumberger Well Services. A small world.

Another significant event that happened in July was that I got my Ice Maker working again. The problem was a bad ice head, but between my lack of time, trying to get some technical support from the manufacturer, and a head-set problem on my part, it took all of six months to get the Ice Maker working again. The really good news is that the Ice Maker is banging out ice at an incredable rate. I usually run the Ice Maker for two or three days to get the hopper full, 23 pounds worth, than I shut the Ice Maker off and move the hopper into our freezer. When the hopper is empty, I run the cycle again. The Ice Maker is a 110 Volt AC/12 Volt DC unit, but the inverter is dead. In the next several months I will be replacing the electronic controllers and the Compressor so that it will be a 110 Volt AC/12Volt DC unit again. When that is all working I will be able to make ice while under way directly from the 12 Volt DC system.

One other event of interest that took place in August, was that I had a surgical procedure to fix a problem. The problem is a common problem with men my age. The procedure, a TURP, was a seccess and I was back to work in seven days. If any one wants a further explanation, they can email me for all of the details. Let me say that I am sleeping all night with out as many interruptions as I used to have.

We had a lovely surprise in August. Stacy and Tina sent us tickets so that we could go to Atlanta and be there for Stacy's birthday. We flew into Atlanta on the 23rd of August, which was Stacy's birthday. We left on the 26th. We had a wonderful visit with Stacy and Tina, and of course also got to see daughter, Judy, while we were there.

regards,

jimk

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