Yarrgh! Rudder’s gone, Dad’s still in the hospital, my boat’s being delivered tomorrow, and I leave for the Netherlands Saturday evening.
The first and last of those are complications and the middle two are complicated. They still don’t know what’s wrong with Dad, he’s still forgetful though not as badly as before, and Mom just emailed to say he’s having chest pains. He’s never had those before; ministrokes and blood pressure issues, but not a heart condition.
Since I’m leaving this weekend, I spoke to the boat company’s US rep (whom I purchased through) and asked them to delay shipping until I get back. He said it would be no problem. I just got a call on my mobile phone from the shipping company – good thing they called during work hours so I could ask a coworker to speak to them in Chinese. Apparently the boat will be here tomorrow so now I’m just hoping it will get through customs and to me before I have to leave. I will probably have to ask another coworker (one of the Dutch ones, who lives in Taipei) to help me get the boat on the rack, unless the shippers will take it there (the difficulty is that I don’t have the address to give them, of the park where boats are stored). I also don’t have the phone number of the local rowing coach – hopefully I can get that from Rudder. We tried telling him the boat would be coming, but I’m not certain he understood. Unfortunately, even if everything works out I still won’t get to row the boat until I get back, in early July. (When it will probably be too hot, anyway.)