The cout down has begun and we are spending money like drunken sailors on shore leave. A thousand here a thousand there and I starting to believe I've lost my mind. Engine work(that's Frank overhauling the heat exchanger), carpentry work(that's Juice cutting an access hole for the port side of the engine), fix this fix that, replace this, replace that ! It's got to end soon. But I'm convinced that the payoff is going to be worth it. At least we will have the piece of mind that Pura Vida is ready for the challenge of a rigorous trip across the gulf stream. Cherie has done a masterful job of provisioning the boat with 3 months of meals and drink. The plan is to head south on February 4th and when we get south enough and get a friendly weather window we will cross over to the Abacos, Bahamas. Jeff and Terry on "Ariel"a Catalina 42 are going to be our "buddy" boat. They dock here in Cocoa and over the last couple of months have become good friends. We've made a lot of friends here over the past 7 months we have been here and will miss all of them when we leave. But I guess we will need to get used to saying "see you latter" to many good folks we meet along the way.
I'm still trying to figure out what is driving me toward this dream but whatever it is it's strong enough to convence me to leave family and friends, abandon our youngest daughter, move out of a beautiful home, spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a boat, leave behind the best work gig on the planet with the best client anyone could wish for and set sail in an unfriendly environment to strange places. I can only think of my Dad who always said to me, "son if you think you are big enough to do it and strong enough to accept the consequences good and bad then "what the hell", go for it." So we are going for it and whatever the consequences we will accept.
Thank God for my partner and best friend Cherie who has chosen to share this dream with me. As a matter of fact she is the one driving it now. Without her I would probably sit here forever thinking of some reason not to leave. But she won't let that happen. Last week on her Birthday minutes after the mechanic put the engine back together she insisted that we leave the slip and go down south for a couple of nights of anchoring out. She was right in doing so and we had the best time. 
I think I should also talk about the fantastic holiday time we had here on Pura Vida with family and friends. Michelle & Sarah arrived days before Christmas and of course Cherie had the boat all decorated with Christmas decorations including a full set of lights illuminating the exterior just like the house in Leawood. The stockings were hung, the tree was set and the only thing missing was a roaring fire in the fireplace which was beyond her unlimited abilities. Sarah's longtime boyfriend Dan arrived the day after Christmas for a long weekend visit. The weather was perfect for some exciting first time sailing for him. The boy from Iowa might never be the same after being introduce to life on the water. We all had a great time eating, drinking and enjoying the great Florida winter weather. Plus, Harry Potter World & Disney World were calling our children and Dan. So they managed to fit that in their busy vacation schedule. I chose not to go but cherie on the other hand managed to endure both parks until wee hours of the night. As a matter of fact she wore out the kids.
