We soon headed back for San Diego and the Chula Vista Marina the first week in January. We pick up the story here on January 29.

"SO---- we're back from three weeks in San Diego aboard the new boat. A totally unexpected return that puts us in Port Townsend instead of where we wanted and planned to be: Mexico's Baja. But then life IS just that, a series of chances and changes you're not expecting. As I say: life if wide but it's too darned short!" Nancy developed a little problem - a roadblock!

Give Nancy her due, she keeps buying life jackets for her pets, and they never actually wear them.

Maddy Cat tries our HER new life vest. Well, that WAS a stupid idea and it went directly back to Pet Smart. (It appeared this item had been returned several times before.) I'll tell you, this cat is mellow! Click on the image to see just how stupid the cat looks. Embarrassing.

After two weeks of frantic and sometimes not-too-much fun in the Chula Vista CA marina where we dismantled, examined, cleaned and stocked our new craft, we were only a couple of days away from casting off and heading south. In fact, we were actually celebrating that Nancy didn't have to go back yet-again to Target or Home Depot and wade through the crowds any more.

Then, coming out of the restaurant at the head of the dock, Nancy tripped over herself and ended up breaking a bone in her foot. And so ended the second episode in our great adventure. We drove home four days later.

How noble, how princesslike, to be wheeled up the dock in the cart along with the laundry and groceries. She's took it amazingly well, with crutches beside her in the cart.

We're firm believers that life isn't forever, in fact, that's why we're doing this boat-thing in the first place. Nancy could have just as easily have killed herself instead of just breaking her foot. And when that final moment comes, and it will soon enough, we're determined to say: we saw and heard and smelled this planet in as many ways as we could. But we also know when to retreat.

Before we left, we still got some things organized. This little gem is "the Seaman's Cookbook" that was obviously a best-seller in it's day - whatever day that was.

Well, we had to find SOMETHING funny about this.