Anit-Malaria Meds and Side Effects

I know what some of you might be thinking about my previous post on Shots Needed for Travel and specifically Anti- malaria meds.  My cruising friend Sarah said "Be sure to check the WHO (World Health Organization) web site.  Anti-Malaria drugs can have some quite nasty side effects."  I had heard this before.  But what exactly does that mean?  A few nights ago several of us cruisers were talking about anit-malaria drugs.  It seems some malaria drugs can cause weird dreams and hallucinations.  Really?  I am currently reading a Margret Atwood book, weird dreams are a nightly thing.  Same is true when we binge watch Breaking Bad, Son's of Anarchy, Game of Thrones or even Madmen for that matter.  And hallucinations?  Ha - I went to college at K-State!  An 11:30AM Saturday football game with full tailgate will bring on some interesting hallucinations of fuzzy purple penguins for the late night trip home.  The 12:00 - 4:00 am watch on passage can bring about some really crazy hallucinations as well.  After seeing a military drone earlier in the day, I was convinced it was back and taking pictures of me in the cockpit during my overnight watch on the last passage into Trinidad.  It turned out to be lighting......I guess......lightning that flashed on a regular basis just like a camera flash.....hum?

Anyway, the directions from the doc on the anit-malaria meds are to start one week before we arrive to our destination and continue through our visit and then four weeks after we depart.  This should give us plenty of time to become fully aware and accustomed to any side effects.  One comfort is that the doc writing the malaria scrip is himself on the very same anti-malaria med having just returned five days prior from a bird watching expedition in Peru.  "I take the very same anti-malaria meds I am prescribing." 

All joking aside, we know there are side effects and we will be careful.  As Princess of the Mozzie bites, I don't really have a choice.  I MUST take anti-malaria.

Shots Needed for Travel

Look out world - have immunization logbook, will travel

NO - I am not talking about Jello shots.....although it is K-State football tailgate season.  Go Cats!  I am talking about immunizations.  Traveling around this big blue planet there many areas that require immunizations to help keep us healthy.  We want to stay healthy.  We are not anti-vaccination freaks out to infect others and spread.....oh never mind.  We got our Hep A and B as well as a tetanus booster when we traveling to The Bay Islands of Honduras in 2009.  For this season's "Don't Drink The Kool-Aid Trip"  d-oh.....I said I wasn't going to call it that......anyway.....for our Guyana trip, we needed to get Yellow fever and Typhoid shots as well as a scrip for Malaria meds.  Actually, it turns out that we probably should have had our Yellow fever shot for the southern Caribbean.  Side note -   When I originally booked our airfare from Trinidad to the USA back this spring, it made no special notice of Yellow fever.  However, when I went to triple check our reservation three days before our flight out, a popup appeared saying something to the effect of "You are traveling from a known Yellow fever region.  You may be required to show proof of your Yellow fever vaccination when entering the USA."  Rut-ro.  No time to get it now.  Fingers crossed, we were not asked when we landed in Ft Lauderdale.

Once we were back in KC this summer I did some inquiring about Yellow fever and specifically the yellow colored international immunization logbook.  However, I knew we would wait and get the shots back here in Trinidad.  1.)  Price - much cheaper in Trini.  More below on this  2.)  Healthcare professionals here in Trini are much more knowledgeable on Yellow fever here than in KC.  D-uh, of course they would be!  I don't believe there are many cases of Yellow fever in KC.

Last week we went to get our shots.  There are many places to go which include a local medical clinic but I wanted to be sure we could also get the official international logbook as well at the same time.  Running around getting shots and then going someplace else for the logbook and then back for it to be officially filled out all via Maxi Taxi's and walking in the heat of the day did not sound like a scavenger hunt we would be interested in.  Dr Stuart Millar was a one stop shop.  I booked the next appointment opening for two days later.

On Thursday, we took a Maxi Taxi into POS and walked several blocks to his office.  We arrived early just in case traffic was a mess and sweaty from the walk.  We didn't mind waiting as the office was nicely air conditioned and we were able to get in early.  This was despite the fact that the waiting room was fairly full.  It seemed nearly 1/2 of the people waiting were also there for Yellow fever shots, many had on official work clothes for the oil industry and this was the Yellow fever shot production line.  Dr Stuart was friendly but got right down to business.  Stick, stick, stick, stick....."now come in my office."  We chatted while he filled out our official international immunization logbooks and wrote out the malaria med scrip.

I was also fighting a lingering cough from something I picked up back in the USA.  He gave my lungs a quick listen and prescribed an antibiotic.  However at the end of our office visit he said "Oh wait a minute.  I think I have a box of antibiotics I can just give you."  He looked in one of the cabinets and came out with not just a sample but a full treatment dose.  "Here.  Give me the script back and just take these.  That will save you a few dollars."  

We were out the door before our schedule appointment time.  Nice!

Cost breakdown -

• Johnson County Health Dept wanted $160 for the Yellow Fever shot.  *I didn't ask about Typhoid or Malaria pills.
• Trinidad Yellow Fever shot $400 TT each or $66 US each.
• Trinidad Typhoid shot $350 TT each or $58 US each.
• Dr visit for cough $250 TT or $41 US.
• FREE box of Augmentin (14 tablets)
• Trinidad total $1750 TT or $291 US
• Malaria med - Lariam 3 boxes $628.32 TT total or $95.00 US.  *Dr said "Whose name do you want the malaria scrip in?"  I asked "Don't we each need one?"  "Not necessary as you will just share.  I will make it out in your name."   Okay.  

What is Next - Guyana

Did you figure it out on your own?  Yes we are headed to Guyana.  For our American readers educated in public school we will wait a minute while you look that up on the internet. Go ahead.  I will give you a clue, we are NOT going to Africa.  Did you find it?  Guyana is on the northeast corner of South America.     

The idea came about in the fall of 2015 while we were still in Trinidad.  Our good friends on sv Ocean Rainbow returned from the Nereid's Rally to Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana.  They had a spectacular time.  "Hum?" we thought.  Then fellow cruiser and dockmate Bruce on sv Wild Matilda came over for dinner.  During the evenings one of the many of the interesting things that came up was Bruce's previous trip to Guyana.  A group of 9 cruising sailboats went there four or five years ago.  "I am thinking of going back." he said. " Really?" we thought.  As often is the case after an evening with Bruce, we added Guyana to our list of Sail To And Explore places.  *Oh man, is that list growing!  I believe this is how most cruising plans are made, you hear first hand from another cruiser about some really kewl cruising grounds and BOOM now you have to go.  At least that is how our plans seem to develop.

Soon everyone sailed off to different points on the compass.  Around February, I had to do some major flag repair to our Caribbean courtesy flags.  While I had the material out I went ahead and made the courtesy flags for Guyana and Suriname, just in case.  When I finished I said to Tom "Shall we go next fall?"  He said "Why not.  We've got the flags now."   While we are not big rally people, we were interested in the Nereid Rally based on the report from sv Ocean Rainbow about all the fabulous side trips.  However, that rally was leaving Sept 2nd 2016, with my parent's 60th wedding anniversary in late Aug, there was no way we would be back in time to have the boat ready to join that rally.  Oh well.  We would just go later by ourselves. 

On a whim and I emailed Bruce pics of my Guyana courtesy flag asking "Are you still thinking about going?  We're are leaning that way."  He replied "I don't know.  I hadn't given it much more thought."   Further inquiry discovered that others were thinking of heading back to Guyana - sv Liahona,  and sv Persephone as well as some newbies like us.  So here we all sit in Trinidad prepping to head to Guyana at the end of September or beginning of October.  The excitement is building as we count down the days and cross things off the Must Do list.  The big items for us are:  New boat insurance and thus survey and thus hauling, immunizations and malaria meds, new chartplotter installed and rain catcher.  Of course there are many other items as well but those are the biggies.

Now I am going to give you some basics.  This info comes from the cruisers that have been there before, and the internet.  I also got a ton of good info from fellow cruiser Sarah off sv Cape.  Thank you Sarah!

The trip from Trinidad to our destination is approx 350nm.  We will motor east along the top of Trinidad and then once we clear the corner of Trini, we will head SE.  We will be heading up the Essequibo River approx 45 nm to the town of Bartica.  I take it the Essequibo is big like the Mississippi and similar in color.  Reports are that charts of this area are not very accurate - sailing over land type inaccurate - yikes!  Luckily, those that have gone before have charted the waypoints.  We plan to anchor off Bartica and base out of there.      

Why are we going?  Guyana is reported to have one of the last remaining untouched jungles in the world.  On travel writer called it the "Lungs of the World" kewl huh?  They are trying their best to preserve and protect that.  However, they are a poor country with immense pressures for development of the jungle.  Who knows how much longer it will be there.   

So the basics - this is for you dad.
Guyana is approximately the size of England (83,000 sq miles) with a population of 750,000 to 800,000 people.  Or slightly smaller than Idaho.  The third smallest country in S America behind Suriname and Uruguay.  Georgetown is the capital.  The bulk of the population lives along the Atlantic coastline with the bulk of the interior of the country sparsely populated.  43.5% of the population is east India, 30.2% is black (African), 16.7% mixed, 9.1% Amerindian, .5% other.  It is the only English speaking country in South America.  While they were previously an English colony as British Guiana, they have been their own country of Guyana for 50 years.  FYI - 2016 is the 50th anniversary celebration of self rule as a country.  The same is true for me as I will be celebrating my 50th bday in Oct.  Religions 30.5% protestant, 28.4% Hindu, 8.1 % Catholic, 7.2% Muslim, 1.1% Jehovah's Witness, 17.7% other Christians, 1.9% other, 4.3% none, 0.0% Jim Jones Peoples Temple.  55% of Guyanese live abroad.  Gold, diamond, and bauxite mining, and sugar are the main industries with hardwood timber, rice and fish/shrimp as well.  But according to all the research, the natural wonders are the real gift of Guyana.  75% of the country is covered in rainforest. 

• A birder's paradise with more than 800 species of birds from 72 different families.  High on our list is to see the Cock of the Rock bird.
• The Giants of Guyana:  Jaguar -S American's largest cat, Giant River Otters - world's largest and rarest otters, Harpy Eagle - S American's largest eagle and most powerful raptor, Arapiam - world's largest fresh water fish, Giant Anteater - worlds largest anteater, False Vampire Bat -largest in S America, Capybara - world's largest rodent, Green Anaconda - world's largest snake, Black Caiman - world's largest of subfamily Alligatorinae (alligators and caimans), Giant S American River Turtle - world's largest freshwater turtle and finally the Victoria Amazonica Lily - world's largest lily.  Whew!
• Kaieteur Waterfall is the world's widest, single drop waterfall, falling 741 feet - four times that of Niagara Falls.  However only one of 300 waterfalls in Guyana.
• Many, many, many other "creatures" can be found in Guyana - howler monkeys, golden frogs, red-billed toucans and blue morpho butterflies just to name a few.
• Terrain is mostly rolling highlands, coastal plains and savanna in the south.
• Elevation mean is 207 meters.  High is Mount Roramia at 2,835 meters 

I am not sure how much internet we will have while there but rest assured that I will be blogging our adventures the whole time we are there and posting as internet allows.  So stay tuned and follow along as we make our first trip to South America and Guyana. 
 

Sabrina Sail Loft - Dodger Repair

We had the dodger and bimini designed so I could fix pieces and parts as needed.  At least that was the theory.  However, I have been dreading the day.  It is still very complicated stuff.

We wore a spot on the front edge of the dodger on our passage from the USA down to the Caribbean.  Our first attempt at a boom brake did this.  It has since turned into a small tear.  I knew I would need to repair it soon or it would become bigger and compromise the dodger.  However, it was on the leading edge near the bend and under tight tension.  In hind sight, there should have been chafe guard there from the beginning.  

I wasn't sure how I was going to do the repair due to location.  Heather on sv Asseance - a 1992 Caliber 40 (for sale btw) told me she saw how professional canvas guy Sean does it here in Trinidad.  He put whatever piece needs repairing in place and then makes the pattern in place, using chalk marks as a placement guide.  This allows for bends and shapes.  Makes sense. 

I bought a plastic drop cloth specifically for making canvas patterns.  However, this was a small pattern.  Instead I was able to use two sheets of tracing paper taped together.  From that I cut a muslin pattern to further test.  Before last season I found the perfect chafe guard fabric at Radica Trading here in Trinidad.  It's a marine vinyl with a slight texture.  Turns out it matches other chafe guard fabric on the back edge of the dodger.

First I sewed a tiny patch of Sunbrella over the hole to help stabilize it and keep it from spreading further.  Next I sewed the front edge of the chafe guard in place.  Then we put the dodger on, stretching it tightly into place.  Then I chalked the sewing line for the other side.  This allowed me to take into effect that the chafe guard fabric needed to come up and over the dodger metal frame - not quite 90 degree but enough to affect where the back edge was sewn.  If I had simply sewn it on flat, it would be off when put into place most likely causing fit issues.  The dodger is so tight on the frame, there is little room for error.  

I got it complete and we got it into place.  Repair done - check mark.  The best part?  I was able to do this in one day and put the machine away again.  That never happens on my canvas projects!

Bye Bye Microwave Faraday Box

Sv Honey Ryder came with a small microwave.  We rarely used it.  I just don't cook much with microwaves.  We prefer stovetop, grill and the occasional oven meal.  We mainly stored spices in there.  During the odd storm with lightening -- which thankfully we don't see much (knock on wood), I would toss all the spices into the sink and shove various electronics into the microwave, making it a Faraday box - hopefully.  However, this was rare.

At the end of this past season (number 3 - can you believe it), we decided to yank out the microwave and make a proper cabinet for spices and such.  Sv Cape was happy to take the microwave off our hands for use while they are living on the hard.  Ho lee cow - the space behind the microwave was even bigger than we thought.  Woo hoo.  

Tom measured and pondered, and measure some more.  While back in the USA he bought five pieces of teak (cha-ching, cha-ching) but luckily only used two (single cha-Ching) for this project.

A couple of evening in our buddy Kevin's shop and the cabinet facing was complete.  He sealed and stained it and then carefully packaged it up for transport back.  

It's now installed and yesterday I loaded it up with spices and such.  Very nice!

Spices and such

Are you seeing all this space we gained?  We still have the oven as a Faraday box should we need. 

Aft Hanging Locker Conversion

After picture - I don't have a before but it was a jumbled mess

Hanging lockers are not really needed on a boat.  Okay, one for foulies but other than that, they don't make sense.  They are a waste of good space for most cruisers.  We don't have clothes that need hanging.  If we do, they are folded and then brought out well in advance of wearing and 1.) hung to get the wrinkles out and 2.) to get the boat smell out.  And let's be really honest.....well in advance of wearing?  This just doesn't happen and thus...hanging clothes are very rarely worn.  Also, constant movement of the boat and thus constant movement of all things in the boat causes hanging clothes to swing (even tightly packed) and this cause rubbing and wearing.  Nothing like finally digging out your nice hanging shirt to find a hole worn in the front shoulder.  D-oh!

Patterns

For some reason most boat builders have not gotten the message that hanging lockers aren't needed or wanted.  The average cruising boat has more an one hanging locker.  If you are lucky, the other two, three, four lockers have already been converted to shelves by the previous owner.  *Something tells me that readers of this blog are used boat type peeps vs brand new boat out the factory door owners. However, if you are in the latter group, you will have customized  your boat anyway with shelved lockers vs numerous hanging so we are good.  We had three hanging lockers.  None had been converted to shelves other than using hanging cloth shelves as a temporary solution.  We converted hanging locker number two in our stateroom during season two in Antigua.  Tomo in Antigua did the conversion.  My Tom watched over his shoulder to learn the tricks.

Making the patterns

Shelves in place

At the end of this season, Tom started the process of converting our aft hanging locker (#3)  to shelves.  He completed it yesterday.  So very nice.  Before, it was chaos.  No matter how we tried, things ended up getting shoved around and stuffed in.  Now we have a nice, orderly locker with shelves for all our safety gear.  Lovely! 

Fiddles

Random

Sunday September 11, 2016
A fellow cruiser and blogger (Paul on Lat43) occasionally does a Random Thoughts blog.  Usually on Sunday.  I enjoy his and thought it was a good idea.  Random thoughts happen often to me, turns out the key to keeping friends, staying married, not freaking out the people at the next table is to not blurt them out loud.  Therefore why not save them up and cram them together in my own blog posting?  So here goes - in no particular order

Love our cockpit enclosure but man is it a pain in the ass to put back together at the beginning of each season.  It takes a Phillips screw driver, two people (minimum - a third person is nice when we can trick someone into helping) - four arms, shoulders, and heads, contorting our bodies for several hours (3-4 minimum) to get it all back on.  Oh yeah, and swearing. 

Trini's love their music.  7AM Soca alarm this morn for us compliments of our neighbor.  Nice of him as it was a new Soca song we have not yet heard.  No really, we don't mind.  It's just how they roll here and we are good with it.

There is no sleep like sleeping on a boat.  Ahhhhh.....

Mozzies were circling me last night.  I sprayed myself but with the nice smelling, weaker stuff vs Deet.  I had just taken a shower and couldn't bring myself to coat myself in Deet so I went with the weaker stuff.  Mozzies found the few spots in between sprays.  Ugh!  

Mozzies suck.  I know, I know, they are probably necessary to balance out the whole insect, animal, planet thing but a girl can wish.  Was the Butterfly Effect that bad?  

Boat hair is back.  Good thing I didn't cave in while stateside and go with bangs.  It would have been a big mistake.  Although maybe layered fly-aways all the way around ones face is the new style.  Yeah, right! 

Cruising friends that take care of your home while you are away are tops!!!  Even if they do swipe a pen or two.  *Running joke with the boat watchers.  Thank you Mark and David.

Dehumidifier rocks!  Thank you Pat and Joan.  FYI - Dehumidify and its tenses is hard for non- English speaking people to say.  But fun to hear them try.  They win regardless as they are multi-lingual, we are not sadly.

Cruising friends that make you fresh, boatmade bread are good friends to have.    Thank you Sarah.  She bakes in the tropics, impressive! 

We are at 10 something latitude aka Nutella starts to turn to liquid at this latitude.  Shot of Nutella anyone?  

Tom loves one pot meals.  I love him for that....and many other reasons.

It's the rainy season.  Boat projects must be planned accordingly.

The open close hatches game is in full swing.  For you non-boaters, it's much like the in out game cats and dogs so love to play and just as much fun for humans - not!

We've nearly found a spot of all the stuff we hauled back from the USA.  Sheesh....all those little things add up.  However, some serious sorting and off loading needs to happen as well.

My new swimsuit top has become my uniform aboard - see melting Nutella above.

Yes, we rented an air conditioner last year.  No, we probably won't this year.  We don't plan to be here long enough.  It cools down nicely at night.  D-Oh - several nights later I am editing and Ho Lee Cow it's hot!

It's good to be back in the pool at Coral Cove no matter how small and how many leaves, etc.... are floating in it.  

French press boat coffee is so good.

My husband likes leftovers.  I like him for that and many other reasons.  

Cruising friends that are also master divers and help you find a used diving BCD for $50 vs $350+ are fabo friends to have.  Thank you Laura and Jason.

The tall sport fishing boats on either side of us seem to be blocking our access to wifi signals.  This means we can't currently get wifi on the boat.  This also means we must go to Cafe Feel Oh for wifi....where there is AC and cold beer.  Update - we are now getting wifi and internet.

Still seems to be a fair number of Trinidad fishing pirogues cruising (or zooming) through the area without any nav lights night.  No Nanny State here!

Of course we also take time today to remember 9-11.

What Is Next

Next season?

You guess.
Hint is below.

No cheating.  You can't use the Internet for this contest.  Those of you that already know because we've told you can't play either.   

Well?  

End Of Season Prep -Stripping Her Down

Stripped down for hurricane season

June 2016
Below is a list of the things that we did to prep sv Honey Ryder for hurricane season.  We are in NO WAY experts.  And not all these things had to be done.  It's just how we chose to prep our boat for us being absent for a bit.  Additionally, we had the time.

Day One

Complete boat scrub including hosing down inside of cockpit enclosure, hardware, lines, ect...

Soaking of jack lines, harnesses, tethers, boom brake, boarding step, dinghy ratchets/webbing straps

Screens hosed off and wiped down

Cockpit electronics wiped down 

Vinyl window material rinsed 

Port lights cleaned and stainless polished outside 

Windlass taken apart, cleaned, greased and back together

Engine oil purchased - 2 gallons of 15-40

Day Two - Alarm 5:50am 

Waxing deck 6:05AM- 1st coat  - NO, not the non-skid.  The other parts.  Sheesh!

Polish stainless steel on deck - 1/2 completed

Yacht surveyor contacted - to schedule return survey

Rigger contacted - for stay sail tuning

Project planning and materials procured 

Portlight inside cleaned, polished and gasket lubed inside

Water maker flushed and pickled

Harnesses, jack lines, boom brake, dinghy ratchet/webbing stowed

Cockpit waxed - 1/2 completed

Various zipper internally cleaned and treated

Zarcor doors cleaned 

Helm pedestal nuts loosened- they have been frozen

Helm stainless polished 

Storage in forward shower

Day Three - Up at 5:50AM

Port stainless steel polished

Starboard side uv wax protector coat

Portlight curtains soaked, and hand washed

Bean bag covers, cockpit throw cushions, helm cover, cockpit cubby hole cover hand washed and treated with 303 fabric proctor

Rugs washed, hung dried

Cockpit waxed - remaining 1/2 completed

Aft hanging locker conversion project started

Day Four

Trip to the mall to buy new cell phones
Session with cruising teenager to learn about new cell phones - yep, we are old!

Jam session

Day Five

Aft hanging locker conversion - shelves cut, sanded, primer on

Microwave removed

Galley - everything removed, liner removed/washed/dried, storage areas and drawers clean, unused items sorted and jettisoned, then everything put back in place, stove cleaned, spices sorted and stored in plastic bags and then plastic airtight containers

Salon shelves empty, sorted, cleaned, then everything put back in place

SSB mic unplugged and dielectric grease added

Jib lines rinsed and dried

Spare halyards soaked
Airport car service arranged

Day Six

4 huge loads of laundry

Port side uv wax protector - coat 2 of wax

Dug out winch and  hatch covers - why are these always in the far bottom of the locker!

Clean out food lockers, wipe down, boric acid to keep bugs out and put it all back in place - empty containers cleaned

Murphy's wood soap interior wood

Test 12v de-humidifier 

Serviced

Day Seven

Stay sail rinsed and stowed

Headbands washed and cleaned

Waxing complete

Various knives (rigging, dive, ect) cleaned, wd40 and stowed in baggies and container

More rigging lines soaked, rinsed and stored

Winch and hatch covers on

Oil changed

Landry - whites

Luggage out - zippers checked

Drill hole in catch basin of dehumidifier and epoxy drain hold with tube for draining into galley sink

Day Eight

Cockpit cushions scrubbed, rinsed and dried

Check out with marina - specific paperwork needed

Cabin sole cleaned - Murphy's oil soap

Fruit and veg hammock cleaned

"Kitchen Closed" - officially 

Vinegar wipe down of all surfaces - walls, ceiling, ect.... (wood done with oil soap) 

Speed log removed from thru hull, plug installed

Sarongs ( cushion back covers) cleaned

Fans wiped down with vinegar 

Cushions turned up on edge for air circulation

Day Nine - final day

Cockpit cleared - various items stored in cockpit locker

Checked out of immigration and customs

Returned customs paperwork to Coral Cove Marina

Cockpit canvas down (dodger, bimini)

Vinyl window material polished

Cockpit cushions stored upright against shower door

Vinyl window material rolled and standing in shower

Dodger vinyl window material hung over closet pole in shower

Bean bag tied up in shower

Portlights shaded - silver auto windshield shade cut to size

Shut off propane, burn off remaining gas in line

Stow and lock outboard on stern rail

Remove coconut cockpit light

Remove cockpit speakers

Arch, solar panel frame, bimini and dodger frame stainless steel polished

American and Trinidad flags washed and stowed

Arch gear bag stowed

Life sling and life ring rinsed, dried and stowed

Marked fenders with boat name

Cleaned heads

Vinegar heads

Pack for stateside visit

Bag silverware 

Clean fridge, freezer, food bins

Plug in dehumidifier 

Review items with Boat watcher

Rugs below

Remove cockpit table for storage below

Flight Day

Close thru hulls - except sink, engine

Remove portlight screens

Disconnect Zyxel wireless router and power off bullet

Trash out

Power everything off on nav staion panel except 12v (dehumidifier), bilge pump, DC in

Vinegar sinks

Open DampRid packs and place in both sinks, extra out for replacement

Notes at nav station for boat watcher

Turn salon seat cushions up on end

Lift mattress up for air flow

Move aloe plant "Sir James" to cockpit 

Showers
Depart

Of course we have to do the reverse of all of this and then some when we get back in Sept.  And so goes the cruising life.  

We Are Back

Stateside visit is over.  Blog postings to come.  It's nice to be back.  Time to get busy prepping for the upcoming season.