The good news:
- Taxes and the money we owe are on the way to IRS and US Treasury yesterday. WhooHoo! A day early.
- The winds have died down and no tornado (even though, maybe because, we watched)
- We have enough blankets and body heat to stay warm in this cold snap in SC (and other places). The morning temperatures here were the same as Freeport, ME.
- I have a couple of new/used books to entertain myself. Still holding the Picoult book just in case I decide to continue it.
- It is only a gauge, not the engine
- Sun is shining
- Public libraries rock!
We were ready to leave Lady's Island yesterday and had even made a reservation at B&B shrimp dock. Engine started right up. No problem. Then David noticed that the oil pressure gauge had pegged...run totally up to highest pressure. Duh. Not good. We tried the "engine off, engine on, watch the pressure" technique several times. You know, the do the same again and again and hope for change in outcome. Nothing changed....except our emotional state. Defeated state.
David took stuff apart, analyzed, thought, called our ME mechanic (thank you Bob), tried to call the American Diesel go-to man but couldn't reach him. Determined that the problem was a cooked gauge, probably shorted out when David was mucking with the wiring to improve lighting on the instrument panel. NAPA order and stay another day in Beaufort.
NAPA ordered the wrong part as they didn't have the correct part. Another day turns into another 2 days. David admits being tired. I'm confident it is physical tired and tired of all the aging boat stress of which there has been a great deal this winter boating season. Discouraged, I think. A bit tired of traveling but more, I suspect, discouraged by not getting to the Bahamas and these now small but nevertheless travel problems...small mechanical difficulties, wind, tides....and missing our sailing buddy who is several days ahead of us and booking it to MD.
Sigh. Naps and Emer-gen-C and water.
American Diesel Brian assures us we can travel without the oil pressure gauge as long as the alarm horn works (it does) and we keep an eye on the tachometer for any abrupt or outrageous movement. David has a plan of action. But we will stay here until tomorrow regardless.
Rest.
There is a burden to being skillful. David can fix most things on the boat and is able and willing to do the research to learn to fix things he doesn't know how to fix yet. I have some of those mechanical skills, too, but am less willing to do the research. For David it is part necessity and some part interest. Hard to know where the balance is between necessity (or perceived necessity) and interest.
I wonder though, if we were willing to afford, if he thought we could afford, to hire a mechanic to do this looking, analyzing, diagnosing, repairing would we do it? Maybe. Maybe not. There is that "trust" thing. How to find a mechanic to trust? This "burden of skillful" is just an un-investigated thought. What if we'd been lawyers or engineers or scientists with more expendable income? Would the "burden of skillful" be replaced by some other "burden?" Probably. And I don't regret our arts and social service pathways. And, really, just how "burdened" do I think I am? Get a grip on alternate or other's realities, self.
I noticed today in a tizzy of organizing that I'd brought stuff to teach dance at schools in the Bahamas and art supplies to leave behind...paper and paints of various types. Now some of these things I'll happily bring back to use but the paper and pencils? Beaufort or Lady Island or St Helena schools? And how to get the stuff to them, in case they want it. Without the courtesy car here (it's in the shop for repairs), probably will travel with us a bit farther (maybe further, as well).
We went to the library yesterday as a walk about/get off the boat activity. Beaufort Library is very beautiful AND they have a permanent book sale room. I forgot this. Such a treasure! I bought three books for $2. I also got a couple books from the used book store but nothing like the library bargain.
So here we are in Beaufort, SC. We have so many more choices and opportunities than many have.
Life isn't so bad. Actually, life is very good. Warm, fed, sheltered, surrounded by love.
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