It will be a while till we are in the water which is all apart of the experience.
5-24-10 Here is Ben helping the guys de-mast. I got to stay out of everyone's way and just take pictures. I'm sure the boatyard people are used to owners helping out. I was amazed at how you detach a few wires, untangle the boom with all the rigging, secure the halyards and it is ready to be removed. our mast is about 55 feet (our clearance is about 60 from water level). that is super long and on the ground laying down it looks very long or tall depending on its whereabouts. There was never a hairy moment or thinking I needed to bit my nails with worry. The Rigging guys know their stuff. This was a day event - readying the mast and such, then wait and wait, then work, then wait.
I'm still in land mode where you want people around you to be on a schedule and us to follow along with time frames that need to be met. My Minnesota "nice" doesn't get us anywhere. For example I went to talk with the boatyard scheduler to ask if he could tell us when things would be started, or atleast give us a certain day when he "thinks" they might get to us. He looked like I was rushing him, when I know he does not know the exact day but he at least knows the time the day before. He schedules the boat yard guys so he knows when he say who does what on which boat on which day. All I wanted was an email the night before the day they will come and work on the boat. It is all about communication. If we know what day then we won't sit around at the boat but we will explore, or meet other boaters, or go into town, or go visiting friends i.e. Becca and Jason (Steinmeier) Vande Wettering. So being MN I did not demand or talk more forceful about making sure he lets us know. The conversation ended by him saying, "well, if I have a guy ready to send to your boat but I don't give you notice, should I send him anyway" The answer was, "Of Course, yes!" oh well, I tried.
The weather is perfect. so what is a part of this experience? Well today is May 25th Happy Birthday to my father! "Happy Birthday Dad!" This morning we got up later than normal due to the boatyard was pretty quiet till about 8am. Had a banana and while on the hard we have refrigeration which makes it easy and yummy for food choices. Then Kurt the coffee partner came over with his dog Maggie. Then I did a bunch of computer work, personal and work. Tried to video chat with the staff but better luck tomorrow. We biked all around Stingray point. Very cute. Our bikes are funny, you get bikes as a part of the package here in Deltaville Marina. They are bikes where you sit tall (not like ten speeds) it is an old fashion - one speed - with brakes like when we were kids (not hand brakes but foot brakes) they all have big baskets so we can go to the market and to top it off big seats. I feel funny but I like them!
Oh yesterday we visited an old man named "Jimmy". He is 87 living alone and obviously has the beginnings of dementia. He has amazing stories and colorful language. He is so happy to see Ben and Kurt. The two guys met him at the park where they play tennis. since then they have come to visit Jimmy. Jimmy loves his chicken. oh my! he cooks his chicken everyday in a crockpot and leaves the chicken in there overnight and then in the morning turns on the crockpot to cook the chicken again for the next day using BBQ sauce. He manages on his own just fine, in-terms of "he knows what he knows". Like the mail lady seems to help him with little things, like calling the cable company etc. He does have a social worker that he says is trying to get him in a nursing home. He does not want to go. He has Meals on Wheels once a week. Someone mows his lawn now and again. He sits out in the front lawn to watch the neighborhood going ons. or sits in the back porch to be with his two precious cats, both tabbys and both have many ticks on them. I'm sure with his eye sight he can't see them. He has cable tv but since things are digital now his tv is stuck on channel 3! oh that is so funny, the cable works fine and the channels do switch but the tv only displays CH03. so he thinks it is only on Channel 3 and no matter how many times you explain it he won't get it, that CH03 is what the tv needs to be set at so the other channels work through the remote. oh my - try explaining that over and over and over. We took Jimmy to the grocery story, normally he walks or hitch hikes, its about a mile. One day Kurt took him to the boat yard and he had no idea there were boats over here. He's lived here 50 years. imagine! Our prayers and friendship go out to him. God put Jimmy in our lives and us in his.
welp it is getting late and I'll try to blog everyday, I had a few days to catch up so this got a little long. I'm going to post a few more pictures on my facebook for people to see.
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