All in a very, very busy month's work

Without really realizing it, Scott and I have plowed through quite a few projects in the past month or so. I don't know exactly when these things all happened, or how they all got finished. I mean, I remember the messes they made, and the frustrations of many of them, but looking back, we did a pretty good job here. What amazes me more, is that we also managed to get a lot of regular business work done, including two more corporate classes, web programming updates, new web content, and regular students' scheduling. Though I teach the corporate classes, they take me a lot of prep time, and Scott needs to take over a lot of other things in the meantime, so these are very much a team effort!

Here is the project overview:
Hauled-out out the boat to
1) Paint the hull
2) Wax above the water line
3) Re-stuff the stuffing box

Then, continuing projects through the month:
4) Added the new faucet, which is now perfectly drip-free, and beautiful and functional in every way

5) Repaired and repainted the muffler

6) Added a barrel bolt to the head cabinet doors

7) Added an l-brace to the base of the head door frame to keep it in place (no more whacking the frame to be able to close the head door, woo-hoo!)

8) Refinished the teak cabinet doors in the head, the head door, and the head door frame back to its sensual, velvety-soft, clean, unblemished, like-new teak state (I am now more in love with teak than ever!) Also: this is known as the while-you're-at-it project, since it only happened because wood refinishing should get done before adding the new hardware (the barrel-bolt).

9) Cleaned up and polished all the hardware of the head cabinet doors and main head door (This was the while-you're-at-it project of refinishing the teak, since it is easier to refinish with hardware removed, since it's off anyway...)

10) Added heat-shrink tubing to the end of the ladder hooks so they stop squeaking whenever a foot touches the floor anywhere near the ladder. Ingenious, if I do say so myself...

11) Rewired the stern light and binnacle light

12) Added blocking to the empty space behind the quarter berth to install (removable) netting for additional storage of light, yet bulky objects that we don't need very often.

13) Added a basket to the backside of the galley door for soap/sponge storage

This isn't even counting things like general organizational improvements, entertaining some friends on the boat, cleaning (SCRUBBING) the bilge, and starting sewing on the bimini repair. We've been busy!

Yes, we certainly had help from Scott's folks and our friend Maxx. Many of these projects would NOT have been possible without their invaluable help, and we thank you all thoroughly! Mr. G, thanks also for the teak-refinishing tutoring on the sofa... I would have really messed things up without all the pre-project advice! I can't wait for you to see the results. You'd never know this boat was under water with pumps assaulting the woodwork for 7 hours or so, not by the woodwork, at least! Mrs. G, thanks also for the organizational help and advice. We can't make a little boat into a big boat, but we can make it feel a little less little.

Many of these projects were first-time projects. We'd never messed with the stuffing box before, or refinished teak before, or worked with epoxy and fiberglass before. In that light, it is no wonder a few days were, shall we say... difficult. It is also no wonder my Starbucks bill climbed considerably. Nothing in the world comforts me better than a trip to my favorite off-the-boat spot. Most days I didn't even feel guilty about it!

It's also no wonder we're both getting a little anxious to get out of here!