Lots Of Little Jobs

SHIP'S LOG:

There are two (2) "big" jobs that still much be done (installing the watermaker, extending the LPG Locker) and a whole host of little ones, and I thought that I would take the day to knock off a bunch of the little ones.

I puttied all the screw holes in the woodwork below. After it firmed up, I sanded it prior to staining it. For some reason, the amount of dust that the sanding produced seemed to be larger than the amount of putty used. A similar thing happened with the epoxy used to plug the holes in the transom after the removal of the boarding ladder. Thinking back over all the repairs I have done over the years I realized that it was always this way. I am still not sure why. It just happens!

One of the first projects I completed (sort of) was greasing all the winches on the boat, all seven (7) of them. Now was the chance to go through and lube all the blocks, sheaves, shackles and tracks, a number that is almost beyond counting. I am beginning to believe that two words that that were missing from the former owner's lexicon were "preventative maintenance." I would have to say that a good third were none-functioning due to corrosion. I had to dismantle them ( as much as one can with the throw-away-rather-than-repair hardware of the day) and flush them with fresh water and then lube the heck out of them. I got all of them to work....except two(2). The Genoa cars, both Genoa Cars, were sized to the tracks and wouldn't move.

A Genoa car slides a block(pulley) along a track on the side deck to allow you to change shape of the jib, increasing its fullness making it more powerful or flattening the shape of the sail to decrease its power. It is an extremely necessary and important sail control and both of them were corroded in place. It appeared that they had been so awhile as there was a second car on each track that moved just fine. It was as though rather than repair the corroded cars, the previous owner just added other cars to do the job. It makes no sense to have equipment of the boat that doesn't work ( remember all that wire) and so I decided that I would un-stick the cars.....easier said than done.

I first took the time to make sure the blocks were lubed and functioning. That took a little time as they obviously not been used since the cars got stuck in place, a little lube and a gentle wack with a persuader and now they work just fine! The cars to which they are attached are a whole nuther story. Aluminum Genoa cars, sliding on a aluminum track, fixed in place with a stainless steel pin - not a good combination unless you do regular, simple, preventative maintenance. All it takes is to flush them with fresh water and keep them lubed. Simple! However, once they are corroded in place, getting them unstuck it a real chore. You spray them with lubricant, give them gentle taps with a hammer, wiggle them around and hopefully break the corrosion bond. Simple! Not quite.

The locking pin (ss) spins around but will not pulled up to allow the car to move. Truth be told, I doubt it would move because I am sure that the underside of the aluminum car is corroded to the aluminum track. So more lube, different lube, penetrating lube, Coca Cola....nothing seems to be able to break the bond. Little taps with a rubber mallet, a wooden mallet, steel hammer and wooden block, 2lbs sledge and a dowel, trying to find that place when the corrosion bond breaks and the aluminum isn't deformed. NADA! Bupkis! Nothing!

So I called for help. I called Jerry Schmitt, may teacher from Chapman's. I Captain Dan, a professional boat captain( caught him at the Cape May Sea Buoy heading south). I called Captain Chris who helped me bring the boat up from Annapolis. I called Captain Julie, the rigging wiz from Marblehead. Each call was basically the same, running down the litany of the options and suggestions, all of which I had actually tried already. (Evidently I knew what I was doing!) The end result was the ultimate option was to get a can of something called "BLASTER" and a heat gun, saturate the cars, let them sit for awhile, blast them with the heat gun, and then wack 'em!
I'll let you know what transpires. I hope that it works because the windlass awaits!

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

While I was working on the stanchions, one of the yard workers went by. He called up and asked if I wanted to old wind generator that I had replaced. I told him that it had burned out in high winds but that it was his if he wanted to take a crack at it. We ended up having a gam about going south. He shared about his last trip south and the late start he got (November 7th) from Mystic. I talked plans and he countered with what worked for him and what didn't when my plans and his experience cross tracks. It was really enjoyable as so much of what I was planning was in sync with what he had experienced. I gave me a great feeling to know that I wasn't as "crazy' as I had a sneaking feeling I was. A lot of times, during the breaks I have to take, sitting in the cockpit, I run through scenarios about parts of the trip. Not so much the long passages as much as dropping the anchor at the end, working out just how to go about doing it. Sounds simple but there is a lot of pre-planning and thought that have to go into it, especially if you want to be safe and secure and don't want to drag around the anchorage. The same can be said for getting underway, from anchor, from a dock, in weather. As someone once noted, it isn't the water that is dangerous for the boat, it is the land. Still, there is a great and increasing sense of excitement as the reality of departure gets closer. I can't quite imagine what it will feel like to clear around Montauk and head for the Chesapeake at last, but I am looking forward to feeling it.

Lots Of Little Jobs

Know I Know How Michaelangelo Felt!!!!!!!

SHIP'S LOG:

Today was a painting day, one of several I'm afraid. First up was the transom where the former name formerly dwelt. Covered with primer on Saturday, today began with sanding the primer for painting. Lots of fine white dust that just got every where. Thank God there was no wind, or at least not much when it was blowing or the white primer dust would have gotten all over the dark blue paint. I was using a one part polyurethane by INTERLUX and was putting it on with a brush. Balancing on the ladder set down against the transom, well sort of, with a bucket of paint and a brush, trying to get at least as much on the boat as I was getting on myself. The stern of the boat is quite close to the fence surrounding the back yard of the family who have their home adjacent to the shipyard and one can't place the ladder quite square to the transom. Actually, I did pretty well considering the position of the ladder and my lack of reach. The paint will dry and most of the brush strokes will level out, but it will still have to be sanded before the second coat, and then compounded, buffed out and polished. All that to be covered up by the modern sculpture that is the Hydrovane and the repositioned boarding ladder.

The bottom is covered with a "hard" bottom paint. In some places it was chipped below the epoxy barrier coat and those spots had to be filled in Saturday. I had to grind down and fair the epoxy I put on and the grinding released that smell again. Not as strong this time but still a wonderful combination of "STINKING BISHOP CHEESE" and rotting fish. In places where the paint was flaking I scraped it off and then hit all the spots, along with the epoxy, with the only "hard" bottom paint I had. The paint on the boat is red, the paint I had was black, and by the time I was finished, from a distance the boat look as though it were infected with some kind of a marine version of necrotizing faciitis. In a couple of days it will all be covered with new bottom paint. I'll be using an "ablative" paint, which slowly wears away and saves you from having to sand before you paint. Having spent too many Springs laying under boats with a sander in my hand, turning green, or blue or red, or whatever color was the bottom paint I was sanding, I decided with my last boat that "soft" was the way to go.

I have discovered that Genoa blocks on the port were not functioning. There were two cars on the tracks and they didn't move either. It is a plain and simple truth that seawater and aluminum don't mix really well and both the blocks and cars are corroded in place. Breaking the grip of corrosion will be another fun job that was unexpected. Too much pressure will distort or break the aluminum and too little won't get the job done. Time to break out the penetration oil and the Coca Cola. Unfortunately, this is an example of what happens when you let the maintenance go. The previous owner, a gentleman of some 74 summers evidently let things slide for a year or two before he finally decided to sell the boat. Then it sat out of the water for over a year and I am having extra fun dealing with the results.....though the bottle of scotch I found will certainly ease the pain.

I took some time to re-secure the lifeline stanchions which were held in place by cotter pins. It appears that the cotter pins are an original item which I find rather surprising. I used stainless steel machine screws and lock nuts as replacements, easier to put in and get out if necessary. I also got secure my first board in the teak over-deck. I had a long debate with myself in the "Think Spot" on whether or not to rip it out or keep it in place. The slats are held in place by screws set into the fiberglass under-deck. The seams are sealed but after a while the sealant gives way, leaks or just disappears and water penetrates under the teak and it has it choice of hundreds of screw holes to invade and eventually cause a problem with the deck. The again there is no better deck than a teak deck for footing , wet or dry, and it has a great look. So in the end, I left it in place and will deal with the problem as they come up, though when the time comes that it has to be replaced, I will just make it disappear and go with some type of modern underfooting.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

They hauled a couple more boats out of the water today and the yard is slowly filling up. There is a strange feeling of being out of sync. Here are all these boats getting hauled and I am making an effort to get ready to go in the water. For these people the season is ending or has ended and mine has yet to begin. Even going to the various boating stores, the big supplies are for winter lay-up and not for commissioning. Still there is a wonderful peacefulness as well. As each items is dealt with and the boat grows more ready I just have the feel that i am right where I am supposed to be.

"BLTHE SPIRIT" IS NO MORE!!!

SHIP'S LOG:

Well, put it this way, the name is gone but the boat is doing well. Repairing the holes in the transom required the grinding down of the epoxy that was used to plug them and I took the opportunity to grind off the old name as well. Then I repainted the transom with primer and will re-paint it dark blue tomorrow. The transom will then be ready to receive the new Hydrovane steering system. This wind vane steering system, along with the auto-pilot, will handle a lot of the helming duties when I finally get underway. It will also provide me with an emergency rudder should the need ever arise.

I also had took the time to re-epoxy the several places on the bottom where the epoxy barrier coat has been chipped off. If you have never gotten a whiff of the INTERLUX 414 activator consider yourself blessed. The activator is added to the epoxy paint and then mix and applied. How can I convey the fragrance? It assaults your sinuses like ammonia but is much stronger. It is worse than driving through northern New Jersey by the refineries and chemical plants. It is rank, foul, sickening and all round bad. The paint boasts the consistency of mayonnaise. Thank goodness that I only had a few spots to do rather than the entire hull. It is the first time I ever checked which way the wind was blowing while painting!

The Mizzen was back on the boat. The new wind generator is up and working, and the mast is freed from all non-essential wiring. More copper of the cockpit pile! The SSB is back, tested and found functioning so we have communication available, though I am probably still going to get the SAT Phone. And for the first time I am sort of getting the feeling that progress is being made. In fact, aside from the extra wire that has to be pulled yet, from now on the construction will be taking over for the destruction.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

With pretty much all of the work taking place on the outside of the boat today, I got to walk around and about it and it struck me that things are getting done, essential things, things that have to be done before ABISHAG goes back into the water. There was a little shutter of realization that what appeared to be a rather insurmountable mountain is almost topped and once topped, the descent will begin. It is a wonderful exciting, scary realization. While it is still "some day", it is getting alot closer, but I still need to keep focused on today.

IT IS STARTING TO COME TOGETHER!

SHIP'S LOG

I have given up on the hull zinc. I surrender. I quite. I have tried drilling the four holes necessary to affix it to the hull and have only been partially successful. Getting the two next larger bits proved unsuccessful. I can not get the drill bit through the zinc. It keeps binding up if it gets the slightest out of line. I am going to have to find someone with a drill press if I am going to get this zinc drilled right and I am going to get it drilled right.

Ground out the holes in the transom and filled them in with Marinetex. This did two things. First it filled the holes. Secondly, it made it absolutely necessary to repaint the transom. It was going to be painted sometime as it declares that the boat is "BLITHE SPIRIT" from "Alexandria, VA" and as we ll know, such is no longer the case. The Marinetex will take a good day to cure completely and then the repairs, long with the name and hailing port with be sanded, primed and painted. I figure it should rain pretty much every day next week.

I was also unable to save the threads on the boarding ladder. In drilling them out, I scored them more than once. Actually, that wasn't too bad, but what queered the deal was the fact that the boat is English built, as are all of the original pieces of hardware. And while we share a great deal with our English brothers and sisters, there are many things that we do not, on of them being bolt sizing. The bolts on the boarding ladder were not metric, were not SAE, but were English Imperial. I had no die that could re-cut the threads an so the boarding ladder sits forlornly on the aft deck will I came up with another plan to reattach it.

And speaking of "English" sized marine hardware, I have discovered that the exterior flanges that I need for the thru-hulls are no longer made and the new version does not fit the old(read the ones I have) thru-hull bodies. So it is that all of the damaged thru-hulls need to be replace in toto.

Going through "THE LIST" I discovered that all but two of the repairs required by the Insurance Company are actually done. The two that remain are the new tach and temp gauge for the engine and fitting the solenoid valve for the propane system. All are acquired and sit patiently, awaiting the completion of the wiring, or the re-wiring. Truth be told, I am still mining copper from the boat and it will be awhile before things start going the other way in the wiring department. The propane solenoid will also have to await solving the propane tank locker riddle, how to make two 16" tall cylinders fit into a locker only 14" deep. The only new locker I could find cost 1.01 Marine Units (A "Marine Unit" is $500. It somehow makes it easier to purchase something for "2 Marine Units" as opposed to $1,000) and getting it into place would require a major operation to the cabinets in the salon. Even then, I am not sure it would fit. For those who blithely suggest fiberglass, which you are probably right, you have never worked with the stuff or else you would not be so blithe in your suggestion. But something will get done and I will have use of the stove and oven, just not right now.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

I think I may have discovered why God allowed me to hurt my leg. As it is, about once an hour, it starts to ache and cramp, especially if I have been in one position for too long and I have to stop what I am doing and sit and rest. I usually make my gimpy way up to sit in the cockpit. And sitting there, looking at the water, enjoying the breeze, I realize I am being told to live in the moment. Working on all the stuff that needs doing I often find myself thinking that I am never going to get it all done, or at least enough of it to start the trip. I keep think about the weather window and that it is closing on me. Setting off in late October, let alone in November, is not all that pleasant to think about. I keep thinking, if I don't get this done, I won't get away in time, or maybe I won't get away at all. Then again, so what? If I don't go now, I'll go later, whenever later happens to be. If I keep thinking like that, about finishing all the work and setting off, I will miss the journey that I am already on and what is happening on it.

And what is happening on this journey? Well, to being with I am making a lot of discoveries. I have learned that not matter how well or thoroughly I plan something, I can never plan for every contingency. It is not that something always goes wrong so much as as things will not always go right. Then I have to chose how to deal with whatever has comes up. I have learned that throwing tools or anything else that is handy is never a good choice, unless you want a new porthole somewhere. In truth, the best things is often to walk away. It is really amazing how that simple act will put the whole thing is perspective and how doing so will get you led right to the answer.

I have also discovered that I know a lot of stuff, more than I ever gave myself credit for. I am also making the discovery of learning what I don't know, which is also a lot, but I am learning more. I has also discovered that I will never know it all and that it is a good thing to have friends who do, or at least know something you don't. It can be very humbling to ask someone for help with something and yet humility is a virtue. Humility is the flip side of pride and pride gets you into more trouble than anything else. I think it was T.S. Elliot who said something about half of the worlds problems being caused by people's pride. I am beginning to think he was being overly kind. Trying to get a boat ready to sail can be a humbling experience which for me is a wonderful endeavour.

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

SHIP'S LOG:

The schedule for the day (yesterday) was as follows:

1.) Remove and reposition boarding ladder:

I started this on Monday and got it sort of half-way done. The Boarding Ladder is hung at the transom, 2 bolts through the caprail and 2 through the transom itself. The 2 at the caprail came out rather rather easily but the 2 in the transom were tenacious at not being moved. Persuasion with a hammer was of no help and I was stumped. Even the "Thinking Spot" produced no ideas save one, call somebody for help! I called Captain Dan and he put it into perspective. "You are going to have two holes no matter what you do that you are going to have to patch. It doesn't make any difference if they are 7/16 or 1", they are still going to have to be filled. So drill around the bolt and knock it out. Then patched it."

I ground out the fiberglass around the bolts and found that the backing plate through which the were set was made, not of wood as I expected, but of aluminum. In addition then to the sealant used when they were set in, there was the corrosion caused by the aluminum, stainless steel & seawater that locked them in place. I had to drill a series of holes around each bolt to weaken the aluminum and then break the seal with the sledge and dowel. This worked and out popped the ladder. Thanks goodness it was still tied to the boat or it would have disappeared over the fence into the neighbor's yard. The transom of the boat is set right against the fence of house that abuts the boatyard. And they have a dog, a BIG DOG who doesn't like me for some reason. The thought of going into the yard to retrieve the boarding ladder curdles the blood. I have to admit that I hadn't tied the ladder to the boat so score one for the former owner. Now all that remains is the patch job. Ah, Styrene! Unfortunately, I scored the bolt threads a bit and will have to haul the tap & die set to the boat and see if I can save them. If not, another means of affixing the ladder will have to be devised.

2.) Installing the hull zinc:

I have already install a zinc on the prop shaft and have to install a hull zinc. And it is a big zinc, 11 pounds to be exact. It is held on by four 7/16 bolts in a cut-out in the exterior hull. The zinc comes with no holes (naturally) and I had to drill it out. I never realized that zinc was that tough! It ate two of my all-purpose drill bits before I moved to the cobalt drill bits. These worked better but it required stepping, starting with a small diameter bit and moving up a size at a time until the hole was sufficiently large to take the bolt. One problem was that the cobalt bits seemed to get hot quickly which caused the metal filings to stick to the groves in the bit designed to take them out. This necessitated stopping every few seconds to clean the bit, until I lube the bit which made them slip off easier. Then it was only stopping every few minutes to clean the bit and lube it. It took awhile but it got done....well sort of. I know the bits are 7/16 because I measured them and I measured them when I discovered that the largest bit in the cobalt set was only 1/4. Back to SEARS!

3.) Fuel Line Vent Surge Protector:

Being an English boat, the Camper Nicholson has what you might call European Styling. The fuel filling system is a perfect example of this. The fuel fill port is located on the Starboard side. The fuel tank vent is located on the port side. The fuel gauge(a fairly recent discovery) is located inside a cabinet behind the port settee in the main cabin. It makes filling the fuel tank a two person job. In years past, before everyone became environmentally conscious, most boaters would fill their tanks by pumping in fuel until it started to spurt out the tank vent. The EPA frowns on this as door marina owners who can get hit with a $10,0o00 fine and have to pay for the clean up. Much to my chagrin and deep distress, in bringing the boat from Annapolis, we had to fuel three times and it was then I discovered this fueling problem.

To correct it, I purchased a fuel vent line surge protector. You simply attach it to the fuel vent line. It will let the tank vent during fueling but will close off when fuel enters it, preventing spills. Perfect, simple and easy to install. Well, not quite. First it took an hour to locate the fuel vent line. The end was easy to find, just look for the diesel stains. Unfortunately it ran through the cockpit locker to the fuel tank, as does seemingly every hose and wire on the boat. So into the locker and start tracing. I was looking for a rubber/plastic fuel line and eventually found a copper pipe! Hose I can handle but pipe? No way! But then God intervened. Friend Tony Alves, a boat freak and PLUMBER, stopped by the boat and, before you could say "flux-gate compass," install the device.

4.) The Mizzen Mast:

The Mizzen Mast got dropped today. The new Wind Generator has to be installed and the 30 year old wire in the mast has to go away. The Mizzen Mast, in addition to being home to the Wind Generator, hosts the deck lights, various antennae, the radar randome and the Mizzen standing and running rigging. It was an opportunity to check everything out. The Mizzen Halyard will have to be replaced, along with the halyard of the Mizzen Staysail. The standing rigging looks very go and is over-sized for the boat. It was strange to see the mast out of the boat. It made the boat look even bigger somehow. Since most of the work is invisible, going on inside the boat, it made it clear that work is actually going on and progressing and that makes me feel excited.

5.) Wind Vane Steering System:

Skip Beebe stopped by and we talked about the Wind Vane Steering System I want to install. Along with the auto-pilot, the system will relieve me of a lot of the burden of steering the boat which will make the journey much more relaxing. It is actually the biggest individual expense for the boat and I am antsy about installing it. It will take about 8 bolts but positioning is critical and Skip is the man to help, a real-sit-down-and-think-about-it-first kind of guy. In addition, he is also a skilled craftsman and his involvement will assure that the installation will be done right. And installing the Wind Vane Steering system really changes ABISHAG from a coastal cruiser into an ocean sailing boat. It is a real proclamation of intent as it were.

THE MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

While taking a break from working on the boat today, I sat in the cockpit and watched the yard crew haul a couple of boats. They power-washed them, moved them and set them on stanchions in the yard. It struck me as a little strange that people were hauling their boats. The yard was shifting from summer work to the fall schedule. Their mode was "Boat Hauling and Storage" and here I was trying to get my boat ready to be launched. Actually today, Wednesday September 19th, was the day I had chosen to set sail and I am still at least a month away.

Of course, if everything had gone the way I wanted it to go, I would be posting this over a satellite phone . I would be somewhere between Montauk and the Chesapeake and the journey would have been underway. Actually, the sailing journey would be underway but there is more than one journey going on here. So even though I am high and dry and ABISHAG remains on the hard, one journey is underway, the journey of self-discovery.

As I write this, I am taking a day off from working on the boat. That's not as easy as it sounds. I have a good chunk of my personal financial wealth tied up in ABISHAG and she sits out of the water in no condition for sailing. Indeed, if she were put in the water now, she'd sink as thru-hulls have not been replace. There is wire riped out everywhere, hoses unconnected, equipment not installed and enough work to keep me busy for quite awhile, but I am taking today off. The journey today is to get a handle on why I feel guilty about taking the day off . Who do I think I am letting down by taking a day away from working on the boat? It is the journey that is important not the destination. If I don't learn anything about me, then all of this is actually a waste of time, effort and money. Should be an interesting day.

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HAPPY INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cKCkbWDGwE

Another Day, Another Problem, or Challenge or Whatever!

SHIP'S LOG:

The work schedule for today was as follows:
1.) Finish chaulking the Ports in the Aft Cabin & Head;
2.) Remove the boarding ladder and reposition;
3.) Fill the assorted screw holes throughout the boat;
4.) Adjust the latches on the rear deck hatch;
5.) Measure the stanchions for locking screws;
6.) Measure length & diameter of Main & Mizzen halyards;
7.) Measure LPG Locker extension;
8.) Pull wire.

1.) Got #1 done with no great problems except the muscle pull made moving around painful.
2.) Was able to get half of #2 done. Removed 2 of the 4 machine bolts that held it in place. The 2 in the cap rail came out easily but the 2 in the transom do not want to move, even with a lot of persuasion. They are part of the ladder itself which means they have to be removed intact so that they can be used again. The boarding ladder has to go as it is occupying the position that will need for the wind vane steering system.
3.) There ought to be some law that says if you remove a piece of equipment or a fixture that you have to fill the holes left behind. The nav station looks like a very hungry woodpecker has been at work.
4.) The back deck hatch doesn't seal tight. It has 6 latches but the set screws were not tightened down sufficiently. Unfortunately, there is serious corrosion on the screws and they also are fighting against being moved. So far lots of penetrating oil and elbow grease have yielded no movement.
5.) The Lifeline stanchions are current held into their bases by cotter pins. They need to be removed and replaced with 2" machine screws with locking nuts....to keep the lifelines on the boat.
6.) Thank goodness I didn't have to go up either mast. Found the measurements in the owners manual 100' x 7/16 & 62'x 7/16.
7.) I have been unable to find two vertical LPG tanks that will fit the locker. It appears that the locker will have to be extended about 4inches at the bottom. The LPG Locker is located in the locker above the Starboard settee. Access is OK but there is a doorpost right in the middle of it which will make working with the wet fiberglass a real pain. I hate fiberglass but if I want to used the stove and oven, it will have to be done.
8.) Pulled wire out of the boat, old wire connected to the air. It is a common practice that when replacing electronics or electrical components, to leave the old wire in place and run new wire for the new equipment. In this case, a good 60-70% of the wire is non-functioning and I have decided that if it isn't connected and working it has to go away. I have an ever growing pile in the rear of the cockpit. What with price of copper wire, it just might pay for something.


MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

I find it frustrating that this whole preparation process seems to be going so slow. Actually it was going slow before I hurt my leg and now it is positively dragging. It really seems that everything I tackle with a plan in mind gets stalled by something unexpected. Like the boarding ladder removal: 2 bolts pop out and 2 couldn't be moved with a two pound hammer. It is frustrating sitting in the "Thinking Spot" as much as I am. I am trying to figure out what God has in mind but reading God's mind is rather hard to do. Sitting and listening is the next best thing but while I sit and listen, God doesn't seem to be speaking. Actually, I can hear the voice but I just can't seem to make out what is being said. Some things come through, such as "Take your time.....live in the moment....practice mindfulness ," but I suppose that it is my eagerness that prevents me from understanding things clearly. I suppose all this is practice for what is to come, learning to become self-sufficient while being willing to ask for help.

As frustrating as it can be at times, I am enjoying it. I am getting more comfortable with this gift of God and at time I sit in the cockpit and just enjoy the day for a bit. The camping and knotting of the leg makes taking a break and just sitting a necessity. It's a little foretaste of what is to come.