It is more routine than you'd think.

Now that we're settled for the winter here in Marmaris, I am shocked to see just how settled we are.  We wake up at 7:30 am, have coffee and breakfast, then the kids are off to 'school' with Code. I head off for a workout (MWF is yoga; T,TH, Sa is a 10K run) and then to the library to work (or snooze, if I worked out too hard) until about 1.  We usually take a trip to town to take the kids to tennis lessons or go to the farmer's market, or we work on the boat, until dinner time.  Then we do a little more work (usually Code), read (usually me), maybe watch a movie, and that's it.  Lights out by 10-ish.  Can we be any more routine?  It is amazing how we human creatures are so habitual. 

We have established a little community here at the marina.  There's Jane, Linda, and Lillian for yoga, and Linda, Debbie, and me for running.  Monday nights are quiz night.  Thursdays are billiards.  Fridays are 'meeting days' where there are exciting topics of discussion in the bar/restaurant such as how to eliminate odors and clean your head, weather predictions, when the sauna hours are to be designated clothing optional (a hot topic, no pun intended), and where to buy bacon in a predominantly Muslim country.

If nothing else it has shown me how we organize and need eachother, and need stability.  Even a population of reputed 'nomads' need to settle down and regroup.

The last two weeks have been 'on the hard', which is, the boat has been out of the water.  It feels like land living is a nasty dirty existance.  Well, that is to say, land-living on a boat is a nasty dirty existance.  Grey water (sink water) goes on the ground and black water (the rest of it) supposedly gets drained into holding tanks which are subsequently emptied into the main sewer system.  In reality, there is no holding tank pumps, which means that you're left with a step above a privy pot, with a hose leading into an outdoor container, whose contents are destined for the toilet.  I never knew how really gross we humans are.  I dont think waste management is much better elsewhere, but I do think it is better disguised.

Out of the water also means being elevated about 10 feet in the air, supported upright on a rack and supports, with a ladder to reach the deck from the ground.  Code painted the boat bottom, replaced the zinc, and replaced through-hulls (the 'drains' where grey and black water normally exits to the ocean blue--do it wrong, and your boat sinks!), and I helped but mostly cleaned and waxed to boat bottom until my arms ached. We got a brand new dodger (aka: spray hood) and had our bashed-in transom repaired.

As clean and pretty that our boat got on land, the top and interior were neglected totally.  The marina dirt and sand got carried into our boat (despite being separated by a ladder).  Our stuff was pulled out from everywhere, as tools, electrical extension cords, clothes...everything topside was turned inside out and upside down.  We finally got splashed into the water again after two weeks of sanitation decrepitude.  The through-holds are watertight and we pull into our new slip.  The fact that our bottom is clean (nevermind the top) is all we cared about at that point.

So, who shows up?  Reuters.  As in photos, video, and interviews.  Oh, f_(#  !!!.  We're the only family in the marina, and they showed up for an interview.  It wasnt just about us...they were doing a story on sailing in Turkey, but they were looking for that typical family living aboard.  Yep, the ones with the disgustingly dirty boat.  We cleaned up (sort of) very fast:  tools and towels in the freezer, stray bundles of wire shoved through portholes, laundry (clean and dirty) in the kids bunk, Graeme's Michael Jackson poster flipped to the other side of the door.  Votive candles were lit and weren't we pretty...  We'll post the article, even if we're on the cutting room floor.   It was pretty exciting and fun, for sure. 

I suppose it is routine peppered with excitment.  Just like regular life.  Still, I much prefer it on a boat than in a house, at least for now!