Daughter number two from Texas, is visiting our rainy and cold territory this weekend. Amazing how loud the house gets when she's home :)
Apparently they do not have good bagels in Texas. So when she finally drags her butt down here we'll get her a good old New York bagel. She's amazed at how green everything is here. Texas is kind of brown, but here in NY we have the green. Why? Because it rains ALL THE TIME!
We plan to sail on Saturday, as the weather should be better. I am itching to sail the tub, and the next few days we will have about 15 knots, so it should be decent. Gary and Deb got out. Get the sails up you guys!
You know you're getting old when you totally enclose your cockpit. We used to sail with no canvas at all, because we felt it interfered with the wind on our faces, and kept you from moving around the boat. Sun, wind, water in the face felt great, now it's only fun once in a while. We do get to extend our season a little, plus it's nice to be in the cockpit when it's raining, and it keeps the cold lake wind off our old bones. Yes, we're wimps. Oh yea, we still have the cat. She's going to fly out on Monday....right.
I race on Tuesday nights with GYC in Rochester. I'm currently crew on a Santana 20, which is a fast little boat, when the waves are down. We went out last night in what looked like a passing thunderstorm. The race was postponed for a half hour, then we started, late to the line, but caught up to the leader downwind. It looked like we were going to catch them at the leeward mark, but all holy hell broke loose. The lightning and thunder started, and radio calls announcing DNF's were starting to come in. One more bolt, and the race committee bagged the race. We turned in towards the Genesee river, and WHAM, the wind and rain smacked into us, flogging the sail as we motored in; the little outboard screaming to fight the wind. The lightning was a bit too much for me, and I held on to the mainsheet with fingers crossed while we motor sailed to port.We broke a batten, and it poked through the sail. Skipper will not be happy. Now if lightning struck that little Tohatsu "piece of crap" outboard he has, I would be smiling the whole summer.
Yesterday was very frustrating, as I was stuck at the house, again, trying to get the cat on a flight out of here. This time it looked like a go, and I went to the airport for the drop off. Continental was the slowest moving ticket counter I have ever seen. I waited an hour and a half to hear the flight was 2 hrs delayed, and the cat would miss it's connector. Son of a $^%$. I just got to the yacht club in time for the opportunity to get zapped. Now the cat is going out at 8am tomorrow, so I miss an overnight on the boat, because I have to be at the airport at 6:30 AM! This week sucks so far.
It will get better when my daughter Nicole shows up. We haven't seen "Tex" in a while. Maybe she can help me fix the windlass :) She better bring a raincoat, and a fleece. The temps up here are a bit cooler than the coastal bend.
Finally, we are healthy! All Deb and I have is this nagging cough, though mine is just about gone. Thankfully it did not turn into pneumonia, or bronchitis. We had a party to go to with some of our old friends, but Deb was still running a fever, so she stayed on the boat. I however, was feeling fine, and decided to go. It was not a warm reception. Everyone looked like I had just walked in with the black death. I think they expected me to point a bony finger at them and call them to the dark side. I guess I can't blame them, but I was not contagious at that point. The coughing kind of freaked them out, but I coughed the proper way, as pointed out in this video. LOL
What's with the rain? Geez, this has been a crappy summer so far at Lat.43 north. I am off all this week, but the rain is still on. We were too sick and tired to sail last weekend, so boat projects were on order. I got a few odd things done. Replaced the belt on the engine, which was throwing rubber dust everywhere. Nothing like burning rubber smell after running the engine, not to mention the smoke. My nav light in the bow has been replaced. The bulb was shot, and the lens was all clouded over. Done. The v-berth was partially cleaned out, and one more day should do it. Then I'll have to paint the headliner in the bow. I would re-bed some items on the deck, but the rain keeps ruining my plans. So far every layoff I've had, has been in bad weather. Oh well, at least the rain hits me before the ground. Wouldn't want it reversed.
I found out over the weekend that my windlass has frozen up. I need to open it up and check it out, but it will have to wait for the rain to stop. I would have to pull up anchor by hand this coming weekend, and I'll do it if I have to. As long as I don't lose my berries in the process. I had two hernia operations for a reason. I just hope the patch is in there pretty good.
We still have my daughters cat living with us. This is also screwing up my plans. Every day we've been trying to fly the cat to Oregon, but the weather keeps delaying flights, and she could never make the connection. So she sits here, rubbing her face and butt on me until she can make a flight. Chewy and I are on standby...all damn week.
The cat just threw up. What the hell.
What makes some people want to be doing something all the time? I was sitting here, reading some blogs, and catching up on the news, and I actually felt guilty, like I was neglecting chores, or something. Doing nothing should feel great! I guess reading is doing something, but I still feel like I should be cleaning, or fixing, or something other than relaxing. Did my parents program that into me? They would say no, as I am perceived as being the lazy dog in the family. I'm not really lazy, just not in a hurry. Guess that's why I sail :)
Don't let the rain get you down. It's just water, and unless you're a cat, it shouldn't bother you.
One more day and It's vacation time! Yahoo. OK, well it's time off, not really a vacation. You see, if the wife still has to work, then it's time off. Vacation starts the week after. That's when we can sail our asses off all damn day long, and relax all damn evening long. Can't wait. I have a few jobs to take care of the first week, and then maybe I'll get some kayaking in, and some sunfish sailing. At least that's what I hope to do.
We have a party this friday, but Deb is still suffering the flu symptoms. We may have to quarantine her on the boat, while I attend the partay. Of course, I still have to drive to the boat, so how much partay can I partake in? Not much. Our old gang does not get together like they used to, and it's a shame, but when we do we make the most of it :) There are pictures of our gatherings that will never make it to this blog. In fact I have to be careful now that my boss has found the blog. I should search the achives for any boss related posts. How bad could they be really, because it's so hard to find anything bad to say about the guy :)
I just did an online Vessel Safety Check (here), because I'm bored to tears, no, because I'm very concerned with safety on a boat. Anyway, I noticed there were no questions about propane, or alcohol on board for cooking. We have two propane tanks for the galley stove, and we also have a grill. Just about every boat I see has a grill, so they must be storing fuel. You would think there would be some questions regarding this stuff. Considering the little incident I had with stove fuel a while back, I'm a little more aware of the risks of fuel storage.
When we bought Alert, we found about 6 propane canisters for the grill, stored in the bottom of a locker, and they were rusty. Yikes. Imagine a rough day on the water and these things are clanging around in the bottom of a locker. They are gone now. I recently checked the propane line for any leaks, and it looks good, but I may replace the whole line anyway, as I think it may be at least ten years old. Of course the new one could be made in China, where quality is job 2, or 3 maybe.
How do you store your fuel? Got propane canisters rolling around? Where do you store the fuel for the dinghy motor? Does your propane system have a built in leak check? Is it all wired to standard? You would think this would be an important part of a vessel safety check, and maybe it is, and I just have not come across it.
One more day of this flu is all I can stand. I'm getting a little tired of this house, and my cat companion. The cat anticipates where I'm heading, and arrives there first, whether it's the bed, a chair, the couch, or the toilet. It's pissing me off. I'll wake up from a nap and find the thing draped over my chest, or laying on my feet. Enough! Tomorrow I go back to work. Deb can deal with the fur ball.
I wanted to go back to work today, but everyone is freaked out over this swine flu, and they'd rather I stayed home until it's gone. Well, screw it, tomorrow I'm back in business. I'll just load up on meds, and hide out in my office all day. I have to skipper a boat tomorrow evening in a race, so I'm going to have to force myself to get better. Power of positive thinking. :)
Kelly will get her cat back real soon now. I just hope she doesn't end up like this woman...
Happy Father's day! I'd love to visit Dad today, but giving him the swine flu would not be a very nice gift. It's the gift that keeps giving too, as Deb now has it. My coughing spasms have subsided, but they have been replaced with Deb's. I feel bad, but it's hard to isolate someone within a house. She tried her best, but this flu spreads pretty easy. I'm assuming it's the swine flu, as it has hit Rochester pretty hard, and is reported to be spreading throughout the city and burbs. It feels kind of special, knowing you are part of a pandemic.
Not a really good time to be taking sick days at work. At a time when they are deciding who to keep, and who to throw back, you don't want to be the sick one. The only shot I have, is if I go in and germ the place, and level the playing field. Can't toss us all back! I'm kidding of course.
Well Dad I didn't even get you a card today. I was so focused on the stupid cat, and my coughing up phlegm, that I forgot. I am overdue for a visit, and if I can get a good string of good health going, I'll drop in to share a pint with ya.
I remember Saturday, or Sunday mornings laughing together over the Stooges! Good times.
A while back I mentioned that my daughter had moved to Oregon by mini-van. Along the way she lost her cat Chewy, at the first rest stop. Kelly was very upset at losing her furry friend, and had flyers made up, which her friend Eric's dad kindly posted everywhere in the vicinity of the lost feline. Two months later, Kell gets a call from a guy who says he took her cat to the humane society. I went and checked out the cat, compared photos, and what do you know, it's Chewy. So we are now pet owners again. We have to make arrangements to fly Chewy all the way to Oregon for a reunion. That shouldn't cost much :( Kelly is pretty excited, but not as much as her cat. This thing has been rubbing against me and Deb the whole time. Why is it a cat likes to shove it's ass in your face? That's why I'll never have a cat. It's the ass thing.
I woke up Thursday morning with the flu, then had to drive to Angola to pick up the cat. Now I'm living on tylenol and theraflu, and coughing my head off. Swine flu? Sucking in cat hair while coughing is pretty special too. I can't catch a break in the health department lately. Ever since my colonoscophy I've been under the weather. It's like my whole immune system was flushed down the toilet.
Looks like we'll miss another weekend of sailing, but the weather is supposed to be pretty bad tomorrow. This is like last year, where the only good days to sail were during the week. Oh well, in the meantime I will get healthy, so we can sail away for a while this summer.
Sailing at last! It was about time too. I could feel all the stress melt away as we left the dock. We had a slow sail both Saturday and Sunday, but we got out there, and the sun even came out on Sunday. We also got to try out our new canvas, and it made a big difference. Our old dodger really didn't help us dodge anything, as it was too small, and kind of awkward looking. Now the bimini comes forward, and drops down with glass to provide a great view, and it blocks all that cold Ontario air.
The new mattress we bought last fall feels great. Better than the one at home. We slept well our first weekend afloat. Still have some projects to finish up before we're ready to cruise, but first we have to figure out where we are going. With the big boat we have to choose wisely, as there are few slips we can fit into. Actually getting in is the easy part. Getting out is usually the challenge. I noticed late Sunday that my belt on the engine is throwing black powder all over everything, causing a burnt rubber smell. Time to change belts, and get some of the rust off the pulleys.
Friday we watched Pittsburgh skate with Lord Stanley's cup, much to the disappointment of my daughter, the Red Wings fan. We watched from the bar at Waypoints, while the Kid Kurry Band got everyone dancing, except us, as we were glued to the tube. We were doing the bar stool boogie. I have not missed a team skate with the Stanley Cup since the Bruins in 1970. My dad and I would put the rabbit ears out the attic window to pick up a Toronto station when the US didn't carry a game. As I recall, it was pretty damn cold up there, and the reception sucked, but we watched anyway. Damn that seems so long ago.
We will be out to the boat during the week for some measurements on our Mack Pack. We need to get this done, so I don't take a spill while putting the sail cover on. I hope to get some kayaking in too this week. I haven't done this in a while. We both feel like we're way behind this season, and there really is no excuse for it.
We sail and kayak at Latitude 43, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. This is beautiful country, when it's not frozen. We sail a Morgan 44 out of Sodus Bay, preparing for salty water :)
"That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and hull and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs. But what a ship is... is freedom." Captain Jack Sparrow
Oh yea, we still have the cat. She's going to fly out on Monday....right.
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