This is Lucky. She is an old mutt that Carla and I inherited with the Bambu house, she is our dog until November. She prefers the boat to land and loves to drive with her head out the window and stand on the front of the dinghy with sea spray in her face. She smells terrible as she has bad teeth but is happy as an old mutt can be. Freedom is such a beautiful thing!
It was the funniest things a few days ago when she was getting some lovin’ from a local stray and got stuck-together for about 20 minutes, I can’t believe I didn’t snap off a picture.
Since I left the states in 2003 I haven’t worked so hard (to make money) as I am now. I’m super motivated to finally get Splendid to a state that I feel comfortable doing some long-distance voyaging, and money is a necessary evil.
Carla and I have really been busting our asses on the bar, restaurant, and guest house. We’ve decided to close the bar & restaurant for the most part. Too much work for too little money. Carla and I work for 5-7 hours each (10-14 man hours) shopping, cooking dinner, entertaining, and after expenses we make about $50.00. We need balance in our working/living lives, and want to spend that energy on Splendid. When the restaurant is open we don’t have energy for anything else and are completely knackered 24/7. The rooms are bringing in some money, and I’ve been hired by the insurance company of the boat I saved to do some work on it. Apparently my buddy and I really saved the insurance company some money by saving the boat before it sunk (fuel spill, etc.) in a national park. We are getting a few bucks for the salvage, and I’m looking after it for the moment. 
The nice thing is I’ve had a little money in my pocket, well not at the moment, but I’m able to buy a few things here & there. I needed a new phone and bought a Samsung xcover (waterproof) android. Nice android for about $200 and it will download weather faxes from the SSB at sea and act as a backup chart-plotter. The android isn’t as sexy/functional as the iPhone but for the money, worth every penny!
I also bought a gallon of West System epoxy ($150) and some fiberglass for the cockpit project. We still had wooden decks in the cockpit and Carla and I removed them yesterday. Over the next few weeks I’ll be fairing, sanding, and painting the cockpit. We decided to keep the original look of the Cheoy Lee Midshipman by painting 
the cabin-house and all areas that were originally teak, a beautiful shade of brown.
It’s nice to have a few bucks lying around to buy supplies. I’m also looking to buy two laptops (both our old laptops have died in the past few months) and a gypsy for my Lofrans Falkon windlass so I can install it as soon as possible. We really make every cent stretch as far as humanly possible. “Must haves” is my motto. I also bought a pair of used Steiner binoculars ($157.00). I haven’t had binoculars since Guin broke my last pair in Colombia many years ago. Good 
binoculars are a “must have” in my world.
It’s been hard to find the time to blog lately. When I wake up I have responsibilities these days and I must admit, I’m not too fond of it. Carla and I are both looking forward to the day we can go back to our minimalistic lifestyle once Splendid is in better repair & outfitted for long –distance sailing.
Well I’m off to buy some thinner (in our temporary car 
) to clean up the cockpit before I start sanding.
If anyone wants to trade a room to stay in down here, for some elbow grease let me know.
Sail far and live slowly
– alex