The 3Ms

Oh my, this would be the first post from the "Admiral", as Sean has taken to calling me. It has been a REALLY busy 4 days! Thursday,we drove to Jacksonville to check out the engine we wanted to purchase for the boat. Sean was thrilled with it, so we finalized the transaction and made arrangements to return to take our new baby home. The best part of the day was making new friends! Barbara and Reggie (yes, Reggie, we both know she always comes first), are awesome people! We hope this will be a long term friendship, and are confident it will be. After scurrying back home, we took my daughter, Sarah, and a few of her friends out for her 21st birthday dinner. What fun! Returned home....nite nite mama.

Friday was more of the birthday celebration, (21 only comes once), with a party to include 50 of her closest friends, affectionately referred to collectively as the termites. Termites, you ask? Well.....they come out of the woodwork, without warning.....consume everything in sight.....then their wings fall off and they drop where they stand. And I love them all! I think sleep finally found us about 4AM. Oh well, the things we do for our children.

My tireless husband was up at 6 to Lowe's for plywood for the trailer to pull our new engine. He dragged my "happy ass" up at 7:45, on the road by 8:00. After Barbara and Reggie graciously took us to lunch, the 3Ms (Macho Marine Mechanics) started on the extraction from Submit. (See S/V Submit: Cautions and Extractions for their details) Barbara and I opted to avoid the potential bloodbath and venture to Publix for their provisions. Upon our return, we were very pleased to find them both not only alive and uninjured, but smiling, with the engine hanging 12 feet above the ground.

They, on the other hand, were even happier to see a suitcase of Heineken in hand! My favorite exchange of the day......

Barbara: I'm glad it went off without any problems.
Reggie: I never said that! It was a pain in the ass!

Later.....

Barbara: (inspecting said engine on the trailer), You two did a great job.
Reggie: Keep dreaming, Alice! You're almost in Wonderland.

This delightful couple then took us for a bite, we acquired a "new" pedestal for the cockpit from an old salt at the marina, secured the straps and headed home with our precious cargo. We took the day today to enjoy Easter Dinner with family, and will be back at it tomorrow.....if, of course, Sean can drag my "happy ass" out of bed!

- The Admiral