A day in the Grove

We got up and about early today to get some chores done. One chore was to schlep water. I now use a 25 gallon bladder tank in the dinghy which i fill in a once in a while empty slip designated for us mooring types. Sometimes there's a sailboat in the slip getting pumped out and refilling their tanks. Sometimes there's a sailboat in there enjoying free dockage for the day or night as well. Cheap bastards. 

I use a DC pump to move the water from the bladder to the tanks. Notice I said DC not AC. I needed to move the pump closer to the tank and, well, an electrical controls engineer getting electrocuted in his wet dinghy is not how I want to be remembered. The whole process is slick. No sore back or busted nuts. Now I can say I empty my bladder in the dinghy. 

Yes, I told that whole story just to type that sentence. 

We hit the streets to spend more money today. Deb and I both needed some things. We hopped the bus to head to the marine store, Crook and Crook. Yes, that's their name and they live up to it. Like the law firm Dewey, Cheatem and Howe. 

On the bus there was an old woman with a walker sitting across from us. She seemed nice. She told the driver she wanted the next stop near her home. We were getting off there too. The bus stopped and she couldn't get up from the seat so I helped her. Before I could snag her arm she dug both hands and her boney fingers into my forearms and clamped on. We got her up and off the bus but her fingers were like sand paper and she broke skin with her witchy nails. Crap. I'll probably get exema on my forearms. 

The bus driver got out and was talking to the woman asking her where she needed to go. She seemed confused. I felt concerned for her but also wanted to get another look at her hands and check for a rash. While watching the driver and the old woman and not where i was walking I stepped right into a huge pile of dog shit. I wear Keen sandals. The ones with all the tiny slits for wet traction. Damn. I did the usual swearing and wiped my sandal in the grass. When I looked up I thought I saw the old woman look at me and smile.  

While walking the aisles at the marine store I kept telling Deb it smelled like shit in here. We got back on the bus and I could still smell it. So could the cute girl across the aisle from me. 

We decided to eat lunch in town and I decided an outdoor cafe would be a good choice considering I smell like a kennel.  We ate at Greenstreets Cafe. Good food. I had this portabella sandwich where the mushroom was breaded and fried. Awesome. Add some sweet potato fries and a Sea Dog blueberry wheat beer and I was a happy camper. The occasional whiff of dog shit didn't even bother me. 

We popped into Fresh Market for some groceries. I had to visit the little sailors room but some guy beat me to it. I waited in the corner by a drinking fountain. I could smell it. A girl wanted the fountain to wash off an apple for her break. She smelled it too. I had thoughts of washing the shit off my sandal in the bathroom if this guy would ever get the hell out of there. Try some flomax buddy! He finally finished up and when I got in there I just couldn't get myself to wash the dog crap off in a public sink. Kind of gross. I did take the time to wash my forearms. 

Cheers from Coconut Grove. Still. 

P