國中家政課時,我總是羨慕男生可以上工藝課。弟弟在做書架、學雕刻我也要搶來做。回想起來,現在我是自作自受。
抵達時西雅圖時晴空萬里。
只是,我們的運氣總是喜歡跟我們開玩笑。今天清晨,居然開始下起雨來。我們倆人拿著塑膠布與塑膠袋,挖空心思發揮創意將剛完成的窗戶遮蔽起來,像照顧新生兒一般守在船中。
而我來之前的焦慮與猶豫也一掃而空。
(Translation)
In middle school I was always envious of the boys in shop class. My brother was learning how to make book cases and how to carve wood. I wanted to to do it too. Looking back, it seems that my current life is of my own making.
I arrived in Seattle on a crystal clear day.
Rob is not chauvinistic about boat work at all and harbors no thoughts that women cannot take on the work. His passionate sharing sometimes makes me wonder whether I should laugh or cry. I have no idea how to fix electrical installations or marine toilet systems, but Rob is perfectly happy to teach me his secret techniques in great detail. He holds nothing back.
On the first morning we measured the anchor rode. How much anchor rode to put out is dependent on how deep the water is and how strong the wind is. So we sat on the sunny deck intermittently chatting and working, putting a marker in the line every ten meters.
Relaxing and Easy.
The second day, also sunny, we took on the challenge of a larger task, re-bedding the four windows Rob had net yet set in new sealant.
We used great strength to pry the window frames from the side of the cabin. Then we spent several hours removing the old bedding-compound from the frame and the cabin. First we removed larger pieces of the old silicon sealant with a screwdriver, and then used a putty knife to remove each remaining trace of old residue. Since the windows are just above the deck, coming upon our boat from a distance, all you would see is two people kneeling down, butts in the air, shaking back and forth.
After we scraped until our whole bodies ached, our eyes blurry, and our heads dizzy, we were to apply the new sealant and re-bed the windows. After a week, we would do the final tightening and the job would be done. Except for one thing.
Our luck decided to play tricks on us. The day had started out sunny. But as we neared completion, it started to rain. We rushed to cover our work with plastic bags and tarps and retreated to the interior of the cabin, keeping an eye out for leaks with the care one would normally give a newborn baby.
Two out of four windows almost done, but not quite.
The rain fell incessantly. Finally we quit waiting for it to stop. We worked in the lulls and retreated to the cabin when it fell harder. As odd as it seems, theses punctuated moments of rain reminded me of exactly why I put everything aside and decided to come on this journey.
All of the stress and nervousness which preceded my departure were washed clean away.
抵達時西雅圖時晴空萬里。
我們毫不遲疑的投入船的維修工作。
Rob對於維修工作從不大男人的認為小女子無法勝任。他分享的熱情有時令我啼笑皆非。即使對於我不是很熱衷的電線、廁所管線工程等,他也還是滔滔不絕的將自己維修秘技大分享。
第一天早上,我們幫船錨的鐵鍊測量長度。船下錨時,該放多少長度端賴當時的水深和風力強度。Rob和我坐在船首,有一搭沒一搭的聊著,每隔十公尺就做記號。
輕鬆愜意。
第二天仍然陽光普照,我們決定挑件偉大工程進行──將Rob剩餘四個尚未完成的船艙窗戶重新密封。
費力的將窗戶周邊原先封緊的窗框費力拆下,然後盡力數小時的清除密封膠工作。我們先用螺絲起子清除大塊已老舊的密封膠,然後再用刮刀做細部清除。由於窗戶就在甲板上來一點的地方,從遠處看來,只見甲板上二個人跪在地上,屁股翹的老高的全身費力抖動。等我們全身酸痛、頭昏眼花的清理之後,再將新的密封塗料糊上,重新密合,然後等待七天
完全乾燥之後鎖緊窗戶,就完成窗戶的更新工程。

只是,我們的運氣總是喜歡跟我們開玩笑。今天清晨,居然開始下起雨來。我們倆人拿著塑膠布與塑膠袋,挖空心思發揮創意將剛完成的窗戶遮蔽起來,像照顧新生兒一般守在船中。
二個窗戶即將完成。
雨不停的下著,我們選擇在雨小一些時趕工,在雨大時回到船艙等待。奇怪的是,像這樣簡單、微小的時刻,反而提醒著我自己願意暫停一切來此的初衷。
而我來之前的焦慮與猶豫也一掃而空。
(Translation)
In middle school I was always envious of the boys in shop class. My brother was learning how to make book cases and how to carve wood. I wanted to to do it too. Looking back, it seems that my current life is of my own making.
I arrived in Seattle on a crystal clear day.
Rob is not chauvinistic about boat work at all and harbors no thoughts that women cannot take on the work. His passionate sharing sometimes makes me wonder whether I should laugh or cry. I have no idea how to fix electrical installations or marine toilet systems, but Rob is perfectly happy to teach me his secret techniques in great detail. He holds nothing back.
On the first morning we measured the anchor rode. How much anchor rode to put out is dependent on how deep the water is and how strong the wind is. So we sat on the sunny deck intermittently chatting and working, putting a marker in the line every ten meters.
Relaxing and Easy.
The second day, also sunny, we took on the challenge of a larger task, re-bedding the four windows Rob had net yet set in new sealant.
We used great strength to pry the window frames from the side of the cabin. Then we spent several hours removing the old bedding-compound from the frame and the cabin. First we removed larger pieces of the old silicon sealant with a screwdriver, and then used a putty knife to remove each remaining trace of old residue. Since the windows are just above the deck, coming upon our boat from a distance, all you would see is two people kneeling down, butts in the air, shaking back and forth.
After we scraped until our whole bodies ached, our eyes blurry, and our heads dizzy, we were to apply the new sealant and re-bed the windows. After a week, we would do the final tightening and the job would be done. Except for one thing.
Our luck decided to play tricks on us. The day had started out sunny. But as we neared completion, it started to rain. We rushed to cover our work with plastic bags and tarps and retreated to the interior of the cabin, keeping an eye out for leaks with the care one would normally give a newborn baby.
Two out of four windows almost done, but not quite.
The rain fell incessantly. Finally we quit waiting for it to stop. We worked in the lulls and retreated to the cabin when it fell harder. As odd as it seems, theses punctuated moments of rain reminded me of exactly why I put everything aside and decided to come on this journey.
All of the stress and nervousness which preceded my departure were washed clean away.