Typhoid, yellow fever, Volvo Ocean Race and Calvert Homeschool

How exactly are we going to bring all this stuff to "Zen"? Our pile of boat-supplies, currently accumulating on Tom's office floor, is gaining in real estate. Counting down the days until we leave is fun, but the list of "must haves" seems to be elongating. Since the boat is in Antigua, we'll be flying all this stuff down w/us. The big items have been checked off: medical kit, doctor visits and vaccinations. The Yellow Fever and Typhoid, the Hep A and B, and let's not forget Tetanus and Malaria pills are all administered and/or ordered. Now, my big anxiety, is to administer the Placement Test from Calvert Homeschool.

Both the kids will take a test to figure out which curriculum should accompany us in July. There's lots of customization, but basically, all I want is Cole to learn 4th grade and Cammi to master 6th. We've begun Rosetta Stone French.... ce bon! A guitar, or two, and a keyboard are now on the "List". We hope someday to share a sibling song on the blog, but in case it's not pretty, we have a large supply of earplugs onboard.

It's starting to finally feel "real". We're getting flights nailed down and planning our goodbye weekend. Meetings for financial and property mgt are taking place and mail is being rerouted. Skype will be a new form of communication we'll test out and I am downloading as many things as I can to supplement studies onboard.

It's weird receiving emails from our friends in Antigua describing how Zen is faring without us in Falmouth. Sitting pretty w/fair winds. A joke from Don on "s/v Persuasion" about the Arabs cooking goat in our heads was hysterical. Some other adventurous cruisers from RI are on "s/v Someday Came". They have been emailing w/us and making us feel like we already have a floating welcoming committee awaiting us in the Caribbean.

Today, walking around at Newport Shipyard, was a very "salty" event. Seeing Puma, a multi-million-dollar Volvo Ocean Race boat, being lowered into the water for the first time, set off strong emotions in all of us. The 4 of us congratulated our friends, the Read Family, on the official beginning of their fast trek around the globe. We reconnected w/sailing friends and marina workers who helped us while Zen was in RI. Now, it's only 2.5 months away from our watery trek. Since our first cruise, we've spent 7 years on land. Wow, I look at the kids and they reflect how much has happened. Today, Cole and a friend sang a capella at a school talent show audition and Cammi performed Swan Lake with the state ballet company. Yup, they've gotten so big. Maybe the reason why our boat list is getting longer is because our crew has elongated as well. But, the fun is bigger too!

Keep in touch, we love all the notes and well wishes!