Where was I?
Bluebird was on the mooring. Still is. Her engine was in trouble. Now it's in a shop in a falling-down old warehouse in North Philadelphia, awaiting a death-or-survival diagnosis. A shop closer to home wouldn't even take a look at it because it has three sheared bolts.
So I've been working on other chores. I just finished taking an on-line boating course, a requirement in order to get a New Jersey boating certificate, without which I cannot sail Bluebird on the Delaware River. I'm hoping to take my final exam on Saturday in Ocean City, while Monica goes to the beach.
Next up -- working on the rewrite of the second youth novel attempt. The agent who looked at it called it "very promising" and then did a line edit that will require a few weeks of concentrated behavior on my part. I welcome the notion that, at my advanced age, I may be able to learn something new in the process.
Monica and I went paddling with a group from the boat club on Saturday. The course was on Barnegat Bay. The wind was strong from the southwest. We paddled for two hours. I was impressed with Monica's ability. I think this was her first prolonged trip in a kayak and she did great, particularly considering that for half the trip we were paddling into the wind.
The outing may have proved that it's time to replace my old Folboat. It is 17 feet long and I struggled with it in the wind. It is a two-seater and I really needed another paddler up front.
I just finished a magazine piece that Soundings says they will run. It's the story of my 2003 trip to the Philippines to research the submarine book (Eight Survived, to be published in October by Lyons Press.) I'm hoping it comes out around the time the book is pubished and generates thousands of sales!