Just for you, Mom

Ok, mom.  This one is for you.  In our telephone conversation this morning you expressed displeasure in me for not blogging everyday.  I explained that I had not moved from the mooring field yet so I really don’t have anything interesting to write about.  You went on to express more displeasure, sounding like an English teacher I once had.  So I write for you.

Your awesome grandson

Saturday (Dec 21):  Bryce left on Friday (Dec. 20) leaving me with a week to complete a long list.  Don, a friend who is moored near and recently brought his boat from Kemah, rented a car for the day and offered to bring us to the airport.  We accepted his nice offer in lieu of an Uber.  It was such a treat to have Bryce for a week.   I’m so proud of the man he has become.  I miss you buddy.

Monday (Dec 23):  The weather has been windy and rainy since Bryce left.  Today I saw steady winds of 30 knots gusting to 45 for about an hour.  Without the sun the solar panels are not able to keep up with the electrical requirements of the refrigerator and freezer so I’ve run the generator and the engine a time or two.  This is needed anyway to make hot water for showering and to warm the engine oil to change it as I did on Saturday. 

Raw water strainer

The last two days I haven’t left the boat; completing Maintenance projects.  So Mom, here is what I’ve done:  changed the oil, changed the raw water impeller, built a new fender board, maintained the batteries checking each cell with a hydrometer, cleaned the raw water intake strainer, tightened the belts, adjusted the fuel gauge sender, replaced a foam bumper on the dinghy davit, glued a section of the v-berth liner, adjusted the mooring lines and a few more meaningless tasks.  I still need to change the primary fuel filter and a few other things.  Of course I’ve cooked and all that too.  Now you know why I haven’t blogged.

The maintenance list

By the way Mom, I know how much you like pictures in the blog so I’ll add some as exciting as my  

actions.

Also, Steve is here to help Don bring his boat south.  They are probably leaving Wednesday.  They dinghied over around noon; Steve with his go-pro strapped to his head.  So, maybe there will be a video somewhere.  It’s good to see a familiar face.  Ruth and I will head south Saturday or Sunday if weather permits. 

I’ll talk to you in the morning (Tuesday), Mom.