So last Wednesday we bought a boat. A J35 racing boat to be exact. And on Saturday we took it out for the first time without the previous owner, in a race no less. Due to the fact that none of the crew knew what we doing, save for Chad, and the fact that we had to turn around and retrieve our life ring that fell in the water (turning around is not so easy under-sail), well, let's just say that we didn't do that well in the race (8 out of 12). But anyways, I think I can safely say that we could do substantially better next time and I am personally just happy that we didn't run into any other boats, or aground.
On the way to the race Chad went up the mast to try and fix our wind-speed indicator.
Marcus and Ross, one on each side of the boat, hoisted and then lowered Chad up and down the mast.
Here he is at the top, he had to bring the indicator back down with him because he couldn't get it to work.
At the helm with the tiller extension.
It was a beautiful day with a light amount of wind.
The main sail.
Marcus as rail weight between tacks.
Ross doing bow work.
The previous owner of our boat with his new boat.
The boat we want to beat someday (it is also a J35).
I don't really have too much to say about the Everett Children's museum except that we went there over Spring Break, and although I thought it was too expensive ($32 to take my kids), they did have a great time and it was a pretty rockin' Children's musuem. There was so much to do that we didn't even get to all of it before naptime.
Just a few of the fun things we've done together without the kiddos this year!
In Jan, we stayed at the W hotel and went to see a show at the Neptune theater. The Neptune theater is special to us because we used to see movies there when we lived in Wallingford. It was nice to see it renovated, and the show The Stephen Tobolowsky Files, was thoroughly entertaining. After the show we got some late night snacks at Lola. Ever since we discovered the Tom Douglas restaurants last summer we can't seem to stay away from them!
Feb. was lost to the unending night shifts at the shipyard :(
In March, Chad was in Everett but thanks to my in-laws I got to meet him in Seattle for dinner and a concert. We saw Flogging Molly at the Paramount theater. I was a little skeptical as Irish punk isn't normally my thing but I had a great time. It was fun to be on the floor, at first I was scared of a mosh pit but thankfully it wasn't that crazy and it was nice to be able to dance during the concert (and when I say dance I mean bounce up and down - apparently the preferred way to dance to punk music).
The sound is pretty terrible on my video but you can get an idea of our vantage point.
On another of our dates in Everett, we ended up eating at this Japanese restaurant that is in a strip mall right next to the hotel. It was the best Japanese food we've had this side of the Pacific! Garlic edamame, ahi tuna, vegetable tempera....mmm, it was so good. I told Chad he'd have to go back for the octopus some time when I wasn't there though!
