Progress report

Yeah yeah yeah, I know I fed everyone visions of grand adventures and I still don't own a boat but come on, the Portland real estate market is LAME. I'm even disappointing those who hoped I would leave the country for a while so they wouldn't have to listen to me (sorry mom).

Even so, there is good news to report. The sale of my house is now pending and should close in late February, barring any problem with the semi-weird deal. As soon as we have the (much-friggin-smaller-than-originally-anticipated) check in hand, Anna and I will shop 24hrs/day until a boat is had. We considered putting an offer on a local Catalina that we love while still in possession of the house, but what good are toys if you're too in debt to enjoy them? So we're watching...and waiting. Baby steps sir, baby steps. With any luck, we'll be sailing by summer, which we tentatively plan to spend part of near Vancouver Island to earn our legs.

Thanks for all of the support and encouragement, we love you all!

How to keep up

Greetings peoples! To follow our travels online you have a few choices, which I envy because they are all cheaper and safer than ours.

1. The least-nerdy option is to get updates via email. Those who sent me email addresses will be automatically added to the mailing list but if you'd like to remove yourself from it or change your settings just follow the instructions at the bottom of any update message.
2. Subscribe to the blog using any blog reader like Outlook, Google Reader or one of many others. Just go to the site and click the 'Subscribe' link.
   
3. Simply check the site whenever you feel like it. If you hate email and don't read blogs, you can just visit the site to catch up but you won't get any reminders for new posts. If you like the sound of that, just unsubscribe from the email list.

Any of these choices will get you the same content since posts are sent to the blog and mailing list simultaneously. Also, we won't post that often so don't fear for a flood of useless crap from us. Let us know if you need any help, we want you with us!

The crew without a clue

Asher
Ship's Boatswain and Chief Paper Snowflake Maker
Age 6

This strapping young lad is Asher and if you claim to have seen a more thoughtful and stoic countenance I will be forced to call you a liar, dear sir. Asher's artistic and organizational aptitude will no doubt come in quite handy to plan passages and entertain the crew once underway. He is moderately excited and a little bit skeptical about life on a sailboat but as parents, Anna and Cuba doggedly educate him on the wonders of life at sea with nary a mention of cramped quarters, upset stomachs or gale force winds, much like those Navy commercials. Such is the privilege of parenthood.

Liberty
Liaison and translator to dolphins
Age 4

As fearless as any salty-dog sailor on the sea, Liberty is ready for absolutely anything, anytime, anywhere, save sleep. That would be a highly valued quality if she were old enough to stand watch at 4am, but as it is she'd better learn to make a bloody good cup of coffee. Her entertainment capital and cheery disposition more than make up for any deficiency contrived by youth however, and the crew looks forward to the embellished and best-selling memoir of our travels that is sure to come from her hand.

Anna
Wanna-be pirate queen and Ship's Flogger
Age 28

A gregarious mother-of-two and excellent dancer, Anna is everything one could hope for in a mate, ship or otherwise. Anna and Cuba met in September of '07 and as is their way, took time to reflect on their future, exhibiting patience and prudence. By mid-September of '07 they had finally decided to live together, sail together and start working towards a life on a boat. The general feeling among their friends is that Anna will quickly become the skipper while Cuba is relegated to the galley which is, after all, a man's place.

Cuba (okay, "Ron" to his mother)
Wanna-be pirate queen wanna-be
Age 30

Once widely regarded amid the Midwest as the person who could eat the most fried rice in one sitting, Cuba's slow descent into obscurity eventually brought him to Portland and provided him with friends, family and a girl he couldn't possibly deserve, so does he embrace contentment and settle down? No. Instead, he talks this woman and her two kids into moving onto a sailboat to spend years at sea in the Pacific. As his wise father once said, "The only person dumber than an Alsobrook is someone who marries one."