Back to Work

I am headed back to Phoenix tomorrow and to work on Monday. I am feeling pretty good. War wounds still evident: one large scab on my right breast and 5 other scars of various sizes and in various states of healing, 2 scars on my left. Corey says every day, "Well, Pen, today you are cancer free". I hope he is right!

We had signed up to start sailing lessons before last May but had to put them off - started them last weekend. The first lesson was a day with a gentle breeze. We rigged the boat ourselves and that was fun. Corey took the first turn with the rudder and mainsail, I did the jib ( front sail). It was fun but I was nervous.

The second lesson was on a very windy day. Steering the boat was hard and Corey was a little nervous by the time he sailed us out of the docks past million dollar boats and with a ton of traffic. I was even more nervous when my turn at the rudder came. Every time you sail across the wind (tack) you need to shift sides of the boat and if the boat goes too high one side you release the mainsail a little.

Our poor instructor could see we were stressed and suggested that he sail us out of the harbor and onto the open water so we could have some fun. We readily agreed and the instructor took the rudder and main sail while Corey had the jib. I could relax. We sailed out and were getting ready to turn back when the instructor called for us to switch side and Corey to release the jib. It was a little too quick for Corey to respond ( this is a big guy on a little boat) and over the boat went ( this is called turtling or capsizing). The instructor scrambled up on the side and then onto the centerboard and Corey and I went for a swim in the Pacific!

Wow - you could tell the instructor was mortified but Corey and I are both comfortable swimmers and we calmly untangled ourselves from the lines and moved away from the sail so he could right the boat and we did get back on the boat but non too gracefully. Actually, Corey and I were much less tense after that but the instructor was really nervous! I told Corey that we might have to go back to kayaking.

The girls and Ryan have been out this week. We have had fun but will probably go to Newport next August. Just think, next August we will have Ali home from Germany and baby Zebedee to spoil!