Newport Aug 2

So the month is out.  It is just four weeks since Nic and I stepped onboard the boat in the shipyard and it already seems like a lifetime ago.  Its amazing to think how every aspect of our life has changed - even mundane things like shopping and laundry become major events when you have to use a dingy.
This week was meant to be a fix up week where we would tidy up any outstanding loose ends and start the schooling leaving us free to commence cruising north towards Maine next week.  So far schooling hasn't been touched and the loose ends are proving difficult to tie up.  We had three things we really needed to get done:  Get a heading fix for the chart plotter, get the autopilot onboard and working and get the second freezer compressor commissioned.  So far the chartplotter glitch has been fixed, the compressor for the freezer is commissiond and working but the autopilot is another story.  We got the refurbished motor back yesterday but after a test sail, it now seems that the controller for the motor is faulty (this is another bit in the system).  We really need the autopilot for when we start serious cruising as it relieves someone being on the helm for 100% of the time.  Should get a new controller board next week and hopefully be fixed up by midweek.  On the positive side it gives up some more time to look at the kids schooling.
Had a minor scare during the week when the genset shutdown around 7.00pm.  No fuel getting to the injectors.  Thought it was due to blockage, sludge build up in tanks etc- all the nightmare scenarios came to mind of having to rip out the fuel tanks to clean them etc etc so we did the only sensible thing and turned in for the night.  Next morning looked at it with a bit of help from Skip and we figured out it was just out of fuel.  Not as straight forward as it sounds as we have a number of fuel tanks.  Anyway all good now and we have learned how to bleed the fuel system at the same time and the configuration of the fuel tanks and lines - we have four tanks onboard.
So the adventure continues.  Our typical day here so far involves getting up when we are woken by the light streaming into the cabin - generally we do not use alarm clocks anymore.  We then wake up and have coffee/breakfast and get the kids some food.  Then we start doing the jobs onboard which can be actual hitting punch list ltems or going into get provisions or other bits and pieces.  We may also take the boat on a run somewhere to get work done.  Not sure where the time goes but before you know it is 6 or 7 o'clock and time for dinner.  Thought we would be early to bed but the nights are really light (northern summer) so we stay up till 10 or 11 most nights although the kids drift off to bed earlier.  Sam and Calley seem to occupy their time pretty well and both are adjusting to life onboard.  They both still watch a bit too much TV but both try and help out where they can.  Sam is learning to drive the runabout and he should have it sussed pretty soon.  The great thing is that whilst we have an overall schedule we do not run to the clock - we do what we can and then anything else is left until the next day. 
Heading off to a place called Block Island this afternoon which is about 15 miles of the coast.  We will moor up and spend the weekend there.  Suppossed to be really nice and the weather forecast looks good.