Happy Floatday

Well, one year ago today Avalon was gently lowered into the water.  Where did that year go?

Launch Pics again

 Well weve had a great year of cruising the Gt. Ouse waterways and meeting an making new friends. We have clocked up 187 hours which equates to about 750 miles covered. We have learnt how to mostly keep control on her. Weve had friends come to stay, tried most of the pubs and restaurants on the riverside, and most of all enjoyed it more than we can say.  I have still managed to find things to tinker with a couple of days a week.   

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Happy Independence Day!

Fabulous day today! 
Ramon joined me at the boat shop this morning and we were able to put up three frames. This afternoon while he went on a cactus-gathering expedition to get us some nopales and pears, I worked on another frame. Just THREE left to go!

Lots of non-boat stuff happened too:

Ramon and I whipped up a 4th of July dinner of baked brie, apple chutney, bruschetta, and tabouleh. Yum!

After dinner the ranch owners wife joined us for an evening chat. Here on the border, the around-town gossip usually involves drug smuggling, so-and-so public official who went to prison for human trafficking, so-and-so neighbor who fires his automatic weapons too close to the street, etc. You know, the usual boring small-town stuff.

Oh yes! AND I just submitted my application for graduate school.

Machete and tongs in hand, Ramon prepares to hack up the neighbors yapping chihuahua. Just kidding. Hes getting us some cactus to chow down on tomorrow.

Yum! Pear cactus sorbet, anyone?

As American as apple chutney.

I made re-fried beans with 15 different bean varieties. Not too bad-- but it tasted like the regular kind.

Done and done! Let freedom ring.

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