We're off Red Ranger, vacationing in New York and Texas.

I'm still blogging from my mother's basement.

The immediate purchases are done. Boxes should arrive at the marina over the next week or so.

I've been seeing friends and family. Running errands for mom. Mooching free dinners off dad.

And... That's about it.

There are three things that I should be doing

• I should be organizing my music book. Every time I drop it, all my cheat sheets with chords and lyrics get out of order (again!) Not to mention the duplicate copies of song sheets. The worst part is that I have many clean files on the computer and old ratty paper in the song book. I really should reprint everything.

• I should be capturing data from our detailed sailing logs.

• I should be creating some more videos from my Go Pro Hero3 footage.

Instead, I upgraded mom's computer, replaced the broken ceiling fan, and started rereading M. R. James ghost stories to look for screenplay ideas. Not boat-related at all.

I did have lunch with the crew of Perfect Partner. They're in the area doing some family-related stuff. That was very boat-related.

In a way, replacing the ceiling fan was a little bit like tackling a boat job. My mom has approximately zero usable tools. Replacing the fan was like a proper boat job because I had to make two extra trips to the hardware store. Unique to my mom's: I was buying tools not parts.

Here's the dilemma: Do I buy a really good tool and replace something on the boat? Or do I buy a cheap tool and leave it at mom's?

I voted for cheap tools to be left at mom's. For example, I already have four wire strippers (maybe five) on the boat. Replacing some of those with a shiny new wire stripper isn't very helpful.

I think the point is to avoid the real work I should be doing.