And so it begins.

Just about ready to lay my buzzing/throbbing head down,  but figured I’d put up a couple pics that I took today.

We’ve started on “Operation Beautification”. 

I just made that up.  There’s no real name for it,  although “sweat your ass off in the humidity” would be a good one.

Because,  it was a hot day.  A muggy day.  An “Oh please let the wind blow”,  kind of day.

 

 

I had a set of scaffolding delivered this morning, and it’s up.  So much easier to work from a scaffold if need be.  It did take us a little while to figure out exactly how we were going to go about the whole thing,  and we did get a pretty good chunk of work done.

There are a couple other little issues that have bugged me from the first time I laid eyes on this house some time back in the 80s,  and that was how the structural members on either side of the opening didn’t quite line up.  So while Carpenter Dude was busy futzing about,  I removed the metal plates that held the one side in place,  and we sorted that out.   I did have to use a two ton jack to take a strain on the cross member, since it didn’t want to budge otherwise. 

I’m talking about that shiny plate there.  Not only did I remove it and move it,  but I also routed out an inlay to make it flush with the surface of the wood.  It’s ultimately going to be covered completely,  but I didn’t want to get too far along without fixing this vexing issue. 

I don’t know what they were thinking. 

Honestly,  I wish I had taken a “before” picture,  because the way it was not lined up was pitiful.   I’ll be sure and take a picture of the other side tomorrow..

(it’s just as bad!)

We packed it in around five,  and I sent Carpenter Dude on his way.  That just left me with the task of putting the windows back in temporarily,  which ALSO meant having to trim off some bits, due to the crazy ass swelling of the wood due to the humidity.   Did I mention how drippingly humid it was today?   It was brutal.

Best part of the day?

 

Daughter Number Two and hubby brought dinner.

 

Two different kinds of steak,  along with salad and a bunch of other stuff.  The one on the right is some marinated thing that I wasn’t really too sure I liked.  Daughter Number Two couldn’t remember how it was fixed up,  but her boss had prepared it a certain way.   Whatever.

The one on the left, (I think it was porterhouse?  Gah,  can’t remember)  I marinated myself for about an hour or so.  ‘Twas very good.  Let me tell ya.

 

We’ll be back at it again tomorrow,  even though it’s Canada Day.  I need to get this done.  I’ll take pictures.

It’s going to be a bit of a rough couple weeks.  Hoping it won’t take that long.  Might need to refill my bottle of Ibuprofen.

 

 

Keep it between the ditches.

 

Thanks for looking.

Nary a bug.

Ah,  it warms the cockles of my mean spirited heart.  

There was one last bee that had been out foraging (or whatever the heck it is they do) and the Bug Man said,  “As soon as he comes in contact with that stuff,  he’s a gonner”.

OK then.    Within the hour,  there warn’t nuttin’.

All grammar mistakes are intentional.

 

And now (I wrote that a day or two ago)  there’s still nary a bug.

Anyhoodle,   I guess I’ve been meaning to write a word or two,  and somehow the thought of slipping everyone into mind numbing boredom has kept me away from the keyboard. 

It’s still a possibility.

 

Got the call the other day that the furniture that we had ordered was “in”.   Now,  when I say “we”,  I really mean Travelling Companion,  since the conversation usually goes thus: “How do you like this stuff?”   “Meh,  it’s OK.”

And that’s my entire input into the whole furniture buying process.  Mind you,  I know what I don’t like, so that often results in some consternation.

Meanwhile,  the leather love seat that has adorned out living room had to go downstairs.

Oh this is gonna be fun….

 

It’s a wee bit “bulky”,  shall we say?

I figured it out.

 

I did have to turn it around the other way,  take off the hand rail to the basement steps,  and grunt just a little.   I usually prefer to do these things on my own,  especially since there was only room for me and the love seat in that back hallway. 

It won’t ever be coming out of there with me “at the helm”,  shall we say?

 

There’s also the “fat ass chair” that’s going downstairs,  and I can do that one at my leisure.

 

Sure enough,  the Delivery Dude called about mid day yesterday (Saturday) to say they were moving right along,  and would we be home in the next hour?   Well,  I had already removed the mailbox,  and was contemplating the removal of the front door.  

See,  the pieces that were coming were just a tad on the large size.

 

Somehow of course,  in my addled state of consciousness,  it had totally slipped my mind that T.C. had ordered THREE pieces.   But hey,  we’ve paid for them,  so it had to all come in. 

There two are strapping lads,  and the cash I handed over to them was money well spent,  let me tell ya.

 

No pictures on the walls of course, since we were waiting on the furniture.  Has to all be “congruent”.  

Don’t ask.

 

So now it’s like, “The house of couches”.   It turns out  these pieces are BIGGER than what T.C. had imagined. 

I suggested we either need a bigger house,  or maybe a slide out?   Maybe two. That would work.

Oh,  and let’s not forget the “Edith Ann”  chair.

 

 

Remember Edith Ann?

For the life of me I can’t seem to embed the video,  so you’ll have to click on the link.

 

I think that chair is going to find another spot in the house.  Some sort of “reading corner”.   Or something.  It’s just freakin’ huge.   Like,  “Grand Hotel Lobby” huge.

The good news is,  we’re “done” with buying sh*t.    Thank gawd.

 

I spent a sweaty half hour or so this morning dealing with all the cardboard and other packaging that it came in.

 

And by “sweaty”,  I mean our lovely humidity is back.   It’s never really summertime in Southern Ontario unless there’s a hefty dose of humidity.

We’ve had our share of cold and miserable weather,  so it is what it is.   I ain’t complainin’.   Especially now that we have air conditioning.

Just push that button!   Eeeeee!

Um ya,  *that* was definitely a purchase that was long overdue.

 

So later today we’re off to the annual “Can-Am”  festivities.   Our good friends Steve and Lovely are gracious enough to host an annual celebration of both Canada Day and Independence Day.   He’s a Canuck,  she’s a Yank. 

Um, don’t judge me,  if I can say “Canuck”,  then I’m sure I’m allowed to say “Yank”.   She’s originally from Indiana.  That fits,  right?

Oh geez,  I just started to skim that article.  It’s a lengthy subject.   Whereas the definition of Canuck seems to be a bit more cut and dried.  

Knock yourself out.

 

I suppose that’s all I have to bore you with today.   Tomorrow morning I start ripping cedar.  Hopefully the humidity lets up just a tad.  Gah.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Waiting on the Bug Man.

But first I have to say, “What’s up with Tuesdays?”

Last Tuesday there was a tornado that ripped through Angus,  Ontario.   And then yesterday there was another tornado that touched down in in New Tecumseth,  which is a few kilometers south west of Barrie.   Anyway,  these events were both on a Tuesday.   Puts a crimp in the Tuesday sailing program,  although I’ve opted to go out on Thursdays this year.  

But of course,  that didn’t matter last week anyway,  since our race Thursday night was first “delayed” and then cancelled due to lack of wind.  Gotta have at least some wind to sail the boats.  And with a keel boat such as the C & C 27 (Mark 3), you’re better served with at least 15 knots.  She ain’t no “light air boat”.

Anyway,  it was as dead as a fart out there,  and hopefully tomorrow night will be better.  We’ve been having some goofy early summer weather,  that’s for sure.

But there’s no “Global Warming”,  right? 

Nah.

 

 

So the Bug Man said he’d be here at 10:30 a.m.,  which of course meant I had to scurry home from Breakfast Babes.  Naturally he didn’t show up until almost noon.

Let’s just put it this way,  this is a good business to be in.  If you can handle dealing with the critters,  hanging off of and falling off of ladders,  (he was telling me stories)  then you can make a killing.   I think there’s a pun in there.  

I wanted to kill off the remaining carpenter bees before Carpenter Dude and I start working on this project.   These treatments tend to work for a couple years,  and if we can keep the bees at bay,  that would be a good thing.

One summer I actually counted over 60 bees that I killed.  And don’t be giving me the gears about killing off carpenter bees.  It’s not like they’re even remotely like honey bees.  Plus the bastards and all their ancestors have been chewing on the house for the last several decades.

 

Carpenter bee:

Honey bee:

I have been bitten by a carpenter bee.  It hurt.

They use their jaws to excavate those perfectly round holes.  So those same jaws are really proficient at taking a chunk out of Bob’s little finger. Can’t remember why I didn’t have the gloves on at that particular moment.  Silly bunt. 

He didn’t live long.

 

So that was today’s big “adventure”.   Notice how I’m NOT the one on the ladder?  Standing and watching is my preferred activity.

 

Keep it between the ditches,  and thanks for stopping by.

One more off the list.

 

And outta here!

And really,  it only took me so long due to my own fussing about.  You know,  putting on coats of clear finish, trying different things.

Doing eighteen other things at the same time.

You know,  the usual.

I’m pretty sure I haven’t used an actual set of plans to make anything for a good twenty years.  Which basically sucks.

There’s something to be said for plans,  since they do tend to speed up the process.

You might recall that “box” that I had started for Daughter Number Two once upon a time?  Yes?

 

Well,  it’s as of today in its new home.

 

 

yay!

 

The function is two fold,  as it acts as a work surface as well as a storage area.  So mounting it on the wall at the correct height was kinda important.

 

Then when the fold down part is put back up,  the support part acts as a frame,  behind which she can put a poster or some such thing.

 

No poster in there yet,  but you get the idea.

It’s been a while since I’ve actually made anything,  so I did sort of bumble along a bit,  although I never did have to take anything apart. 

I’ve heard this can take place when it comes to sewing?  However,  on the woodworking end of things,  if it’s wrong,  it usually ends up in the scrap heap or fireplace.   We still do have one downstairs for just such an eventuality.

 

I suppose that’s my big accomplishment for the day,  and that’s pretty much all I got.

 

 

Here’s a half-assed recap,  in case you missed it.

(those were taken months ago,  I’m ashamed to admit)

 

Just to assure you that yes,  it did come from my shop.

I’m sure the next one I make will be heaps easier.  Only thing is,  there’s rarely a second one of most anything I make.

Gah.

 

Not much else going on today.

Oh, I did take a little jaunt down to the Etobicoke Yacht Club just after lunch to drop off the skipper of the boat I crew on,  along with one other crew person,  as they were going to sail the boat back to Bronte this afternoon.  It was the WOW regatta,  wherein three of the female crew members sailed in a regatta on Saturday.

 

The story goes that,  there were others who were amazed that: 1) The skipper of the boat was not only not there for the Saturday,  but had arranged to deliver the boat for the crew,  and 2) That there were only these three individuals on the boat.   “How did you manage?”

Well,  lemme see now,  two of the individuals have been crewing or helming that boat for 13 and 14 years respectively,  while the third lady (of an undetermined age)  has been crewing on various boats for at least a couple decades,  shall we say?  I’ll have to ask her one day.

Anyway,  the reason behind the WOW (Women on Water) regatta is to encourage all those who may be somewhat intimidated by the idea of sailing a boat in a race. (Which is usually the ladies,  the men won’t admit they’re confused….)

There’s a bunch of “stuff” to remember,  but the organisers made it easy peasy for everyone,  by calling out the signals and start times over the radio.  Which,  if you want to get fussy,  is NOT really the copasetic thing to do over a marine radio,  but I’m sure the Coast Guard simply ignored all that blather.  Plus,  they’re way down on channel 9,  which isn’t anywhere near the more important ones.

So don’t any of you Coast Guard Types get your epaulettes in a knot.

 

Looking back to Toronto from The spit.   Not sure that’s what they call it,  but that’s where the club is.

I didn’t have a chance to get any photos of them sailing off towards Bronte,  since I simply let them off in front of the clubhouse and that was that.

 

The logistics of these things can sometimes be a challenge,  although the last time I was involved with sailing the boat home,  we took the train to Toronto,  and then hopped on a street car that took us down to the National Yacht Club. 

Most times though,  it involves some “taxi” type person who is willing and able to either go and fetch someone or drop them off.  

Of course,  what is a half hour trip from here into Etobicoke, can be a three or four hour boat ride back home,  but their vehicles are there waiting for them,  so they’re on their own.

 

Lemme see?  Anything else?  Don’t think so.

 

Hope that wasn’t too taxing.  Thanks for stopping by.

 

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Some light at the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately,  I’m speaking literally.   If I were speaking figuratively,  I’d be dreaming.

I thought I’d tackle a bit of the fireplace disaster this morning.  You know,  just to get a little dirty and such.  I also prefer to get involved with these little issues when left to my own devices in the house.  

It’s usually best to not have any witnesses.  If I make a mess,  I’ll clean it up. 

I did manage to get a few more sections of old rusty stove pipe out of the flue.   Gah!

I can’t begin to tell you what a shitty job that is.   Should have had Mike Rowe here from “Dirty Jobs”.    I’m sure he would have had a fine time.  This is also when having a sink in the garage comes in really handy.  Sure wouldn’t have wanted to wash up in the house anywhere.

I’m “done” with that little issue for the day.  Can only take so much. 

Not that I should ever speak harshly about this issue,  but this is exactly why you don’t use regular stove pipe in this situation.  It rotted,  and fell in on itself.    Gotta go with stainless steel.  The powers that be specify it for a reason.

 

Anyway,  I’ll get it sorted out eventually.   I’m at least able to look up the old flue a good eight feet or so.  That’s my best guess.  I might take another gander from up on the roof.  But not today.

Meanwhile of course,  Travelling Companion and I took that trailer on a little expedition on Thursday and managed to pick up a good half of all the cedar we’ll be needing.   Ironically,  the clear one by six tongue and groove that we were admiring on Tuesday had all be sold,  so that portion of the materials will get delivered in a week or so.   The sooner the better.

I have to touch base with Carpenter Dude today and see when he wants to start.

I measured for new windows for the front,  but I need to take into consideration the proper dimensions after we’ve cladded the old cedar with new stuff.  

It’s never that simple it seems.

 

Some days I truly wish it could be “that simple”.   But we’ll persevere.  

We have another small family gathering to go to today up in Guelph,  so I only have time for a few minutes of World Cup,  all the while resting my back just a tad.

Beautiful weather here in the area.  Not sure where that dreaded humidity is, but I’m not complaining.

 

Keep those sticks on the ice,  and thanks for taking a look.

Just a bit of catching up.

Um,  lemme see.   Hope all those to whom it applies had a great Father’s Day.

I still ended up “doing stuff”,  but I somehow don’t think it really matters.  Some of us like to BBQ.  Or cut grass.   Oh wait,  scratch that last one.  But I did BBQ. 

Always good to eat.

 

Meanwhile,  we’ve been moving forward with “house work”,  and I don’t mean the kind involving a hose and a central vac.

We’re going to be hiring a Carpenter Dude,  as we will be recladding the front cedar sections of the Ponderosa.   It’s long overdue.

We’ve come up with our list of materials,  and I’m off tomorrow to part with some cash.

We’ve had the help of one of Daughter Number One’s architect associates,  who declared that structurally,  all of the cedar is sound,  but now we just have to make it all pretty and such.  

It’s been chewed by squirrels,  carpenter bees,  and woodpeckers.   I think they were after the bees.  At least I hope so.

 

Let’s just say there have been many different “strategies” put forth for this type of reno,  from the guy last year who basically wanted to build us a new house,  to a couple others who have come by to look,  and rather than saying,  “this is beyond the scope of my abilities”,  simply never show up again. 

Really annoying.

And yes,  sixteen footers will fit nicely on a landscape trailer.   I’ll be picking up my nephew’s truck tomorrow in the a.m.

I have to make two stops,  mostly due to the availability and/or price of dimensional cedar.   It all comes from the Left Coast,  but it’s a matter of trying to come up with a decent price and decent quality.  It’s a challenge.

 

You may recall that we had our new dining room set delivered a few days ago?  Weeks?  Whatever,  doesn’t matter when.

The sad reality however is,  the old set had to go.

I took a stab at selling it on Kijiji,  and maybe if I had been willing to pony up the dough to keep it on the first page, I would have had more interest.  There was some,  but nobody seems to really want old stuff.   At least not somewhat run of the mill old stuff,   so it ended up getting donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. 

They were the only ones who were willing to come and fetch it,  so it was picked up this morning.

 

I had already disassembled the table,  so that was the easy part.  Nice to get my garage emptied out again.  Relatively speaking of course.

I just put in that gratuitous photo to show that it was in fact,  well made.

 

We bought the set used back some time in the 80s,  and it has served us well for all that time.  Nary an issue in terms of structural integrity.   Made by the Andrew Malcolm Furniture Company of Kindcardine,  Ontario.    Kind of sad to see it go,  but now some deserving family can enjoy it for another few decades.  Or longer.

 

 

 

I guess that’s it for any kind of updates.  Like you care.

 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Off to vote.

Didn’t think I could hold my nose for that long,  but I managed.   Not going to say how I voted.   The members of our household have never been ones to stick to one particular party or another.   Mind you,  these days we do try and have a unified effort,  since one year many years ago,  we all cancelled each other out.  May as well have stayed home.

Today’s title was going to be something along the lines of “If you put out your junk,  they will come”,  and maybe in some obscure way that ties in with the voting thing.  I’ll let you sort that out.

Anyway,  today is one of those “put out your junk” days,  and I complied.  The thing is,  most times it’s best to put the stuff out the night before,  as the Region really and truly prefer not to pick up “metal items” or “appliances”.  

Well now,  that could be an issue.

That was pretty much all I had.  There was the old dishwasher and the fireplace insert.

I regret to say that I failed to get any photos,  but the fireplace insert was the first thing I put out,  and it was gone already by 5:00 p.m.  with a couple scavengers arguing about who “saw it first”.    Really?

The one guy,  who is the local brain addled bum that we refer to as “Dan Two Cells”, ‘cause that’s just about the number of brain cells he has functioning after having spent his youth sniffing glue,  had walked home to fetch his wheelbarrow,  (doesn’t have a vehicle,  are you kidding?) probably with the intention of using the insert in his shed,  or garage or wherever.  Not the best plan by the way,  as I had taken out the fire bricks.

(*that’s* why the damned thing was so heavy!)

Anyway,  by the time he got there,  some other scavenger Dude had shown up with his trailer,  and was about to load up.   I didn’t intervene,  and the only reason I was privy to this “conversation”,  was because I had mentioned to the trailer Dude that there was also a dishwasher available.

“Too much plastic”  was his reply.

OK, whatever!

Too bad for him though,  as I put it out later on,  and it was gone lickety split.   It was a Miele,  and I somewhat doubt that there was “too much plastic”.  So he lost out on that one.  Too bad.   Jack-ass.

There’s also that expression having to do with “looking a gift horse in the mouth”?    Um, ya.

 

Damned if I didn’t forget about the old snow blower though!  Gah!   Oh well.  Next time.

My preference with that item would be to give it to a vocational school for one of the small engine shops.  They’re always looking for stuff to take apart and/or repair.   I may have to look into that.

 

 

Sometimes Travelling Companion and I have these little miscommunications when it comes to “what to eat”  right around dinner time.

Kind of along the lines of “he said, she said”, or something like that.   Or maybe more like,  “what did I say?”

So I had to come up with something quickly,  since there was a memo or something that I missed regarding dinner.

So we have,  “colourful”,  and “not so colourful”.  Just some veggies and a couple of those frozen burgers.

 

They’re certainly a far cry from “Bob’s burgers”,  but they’ll do in a pinch.  Helps to slather on lots of BBQ sauce…..

 

Oh,  and in the photo department,  we have this.

 

That’s our neighbour using our lawn mower.  

A few days ago she and her hubby were out there trying to get their machine going,  and while I’ll admit that I basically haven’t a clue on the subject,  it sounded suspiciously like the carburetor needed to be rebuilt.   There were questions about what kind of gas they had been using, and whether it contained ethanol?  

They weren’t entirely sure,  and that tells me that they were probably using the wrong fuel.   It almost seems like one of those “wives tales” or “internet legends” or something but no,  you’d best keep ethanol away from anything with a carb. 

I was given strongly worded advise about using gas WITHOUT ethanol when I bought our machine.    So if they were using a fuel with ethanol for three seasons (their machine is only three years old)  then that tells you just how quickly ethanol with muck up your carburettor. 

Naturally,  the repair place advised them that it might take “three weeks” before they get their machine back.    And you know what?  That’s the way she goes.   I happen to know the owner of that business (which is why I sent them there)  and his main bread and butter are the “Lawn Care Technicians”  who need their machines to make a living.   If you’re a “walk-in”,  you have to cue up.   Of hello,  don’t use the wrong fuel.

My neighbours understood.

Meanwhile,  they’re welcome to use my machine.   Oh,  but of course,  I put in my own fuel.  

*ahem*

 

 

Not sure how the sailing will go tonight.   We might only be racing to the clubhouse for a pitcher of beer,  as they’re calling for thundershowers or some such thing.  Never a swell idea to be on the water during an electrical storm.

We’ll see.

 

 

Meanwhile,  keep it between the ditches.  And thanks for taking a look.

 

Cheers.

 

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When you can’t sleep.

Mind you,  I might have been fretting about my Slovenian class.  We’re pretty much drinking from the fire hydrant at this point.  It’s overwhelming.

So I spent a fair amount of time on Friday trying to get somewhat caught up,  as I had given the previous weeks class a pass.  That was the Boy’s weekend.   No class.  And you can take that any way you like,  but try not to judge me.

Anyway, we survived our third last class.  At least I *think* we only have two more.  That’s OK.  Note previous fire hydrant reference.  Besides,  there was only Daughter Number Two,  Travelling Companion,  one other person and I.   Great class size,  but there’s no hiding behind someone else,  trying to figure out what you’re going to say or do next.  There’s another six participants,  all of whom are in one family, plus fiancé,  who are currently travelling in Slovenia.  Sort of why they were trying to brush up.  I suppose you could say they didn’t plan the timing of their trip all that well,  but I suspect they had booked their travel time quite some time ago and well,  sometimes that’s the these things play out.

I did have something that I thought I wanted to say for yesterday,  but I guess I was a bit weary.  Plus,  I’ve been a tad busy,  and I don’t mean just with the removal of the old fireplace insert. 

It’s OUT, by the way,  and siting in the garage waiting for the BIG PICK-UP later this week.   We’re once again having one of those “bring out your dead” kind of garbage days,  and I’ll be putting out a couple items the night before,  in anticipation of the transient metal picker-uppers who always manage to end up with a pick-up truck full of stuff. 

More power to them,  I say.

 

I thought there was an old “clean out” at the back of the hearth, and I was happy to find it there. That’ll do just nicely for my gas line and power supply. The insert requires a half inch line,  and that’s the same size as the hot water heater,  so we’ll figure that one out.  Probably right around the time that we install the gas fired stand-by generator.  Yes,  it’s still sitting in the garage.  Cut me some slack.

 

I’ll just show you some pics,  and you can see what we had delivered yesterday.

Of course I had to put a couple bits together,  but that was no big deal.

Put it this way,  when the manufacturer uses cherry wood to act as braces that get removed and “thrown away” after assembly?  That’s a pretty good indication that the quality of the piece is maybe not too shabby?

I also liked the way they packed everything.  The roll there keeps the chair away from the sides of the box,  and then there was the usual coverings and such.   Even the fabric they used to protect the feet was nice stuff!

 

 

 

 

Got a little conjested in the dining room this afternoon.

 

 

It looks a little redder in the photo than it really is.  I’ll not bother to try and do any kind of correction.

With the exception of getting rid of the hutch and buffet now,  we’re into the next phase of what’s to take place in here.

It’ll involve some cabinets along the back wall there.  That’s only something I’ve been planning of for a long,  long time.  I mean,  there was that whole time spent in Europe that sort of got in the way,  but now we’re back at it.

I wasn’t quite sure what the cabinets would look like,  but now that the table and chairs have arrived,  I’m pretty sure I can incorporate some of the design elements of the set.

I’m not very creative,  so I need these little hints once in a while.

 

Of course,  the grass needs cutting and it’s raining,  but what else is new?   I’ll see if it’s dry by mid day tomorrow.

 

Keep those sticks on the ice,  and thanks for stopping by.

 

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Gardening and Golfing and Sailing Oh My.

Or perhaps,  “Life as we know it”.

I’m coming up a little sparse in the picture department though. The sailing was too lumpy for picture taking and of course, it would have been a good idea to actually take along a camera.  Just as well I didn’t.  Too lumpy.

That’s OK.  We can handle “lumpy”.   Only thing is,  I sort of gravitated up to the foredeck,  which meant that doing a sail change (we were over canvassed with a Genoa ready to go) resulted in getting thrown about like being on the far end of a giant teeter totter.  I’m a wee bit sore in places this morning.  Especially my knees.  Gah!

Just a reminder that I ain’t no spring chicken.  That too is OK,  there’s always Ibuprofen. 

Not that you give a rat’s tiny behind,  but we were also doing OK on the racing end of things,  since there’s at least one boat in our fleet that owes us time,  and my GRAND STRATEGY is,  if we can keep him within 10 to 20 boat lengths,  we can beat him.  It’s that whole handicap thing.

I’m putting these links in here so you can’t come along and say, “I have NO IDEA what you’re talking about.” 

So there.

Anyhoodle,  we could at least see the name on their transom, but we made a fatal error the second time we rounded the mark.   Um,  that one is worth looking at by the way,  as it will become clear just what we did wrong.

Or,  what our skipper did wrong.

He’s too polite.

That’s the conclusion we came to over a beer later that evening.   And by being too polite, I mean he didn’t enforce his “rights” at the mark,  since we were within three boat lengths of rounding and could have called off any other boats bearing down on us,  even though we were on port tack. 

Ya see?  It ain’t that simple,  now is it?

So,  we came in contact with the big yellow inflated thingy that they put out there that you sail around. You’re not supposed to do that. 

That would have meant a penalty of doing a three sixty at some point before finishing the race,  except for the slight issue of having snagged the ground tackle with our rudder!

Well now.  We were then totally screwed.  Ended up having to haul up the weights they had put on the other end of the thing,  deflating it and taking it with us back to the slip.  We made the skipper take it all over to the committee boat.  

Kind of like when your dog has to wear the “cone of shame”?

Later that night,  since we didn’t have our paper bags over our heads,  we got the WTF award. 

I’ll not explain that one.

 

BUT,  here’s what I learned!   That buoy should have had at least twenty feet of chain attached,  going down into the water.  That would have mitigated the chance of getting snagged on the ground tackle and dragging the whole contraption along the bottom.   The chain is heavy, you see.  And would therefor hang straight down.

I think they’ll be changing that.   One of the wise old sailors made a comment at the clubhouse along the lines of, “Those lazy buggers,  they’re supposed to use chain.” 

Hm.

I mean,  we still hit the damned thing,  but at least we wouldn’t have been dragging it half way to Hamilton. 

Possibly a slight exaggeration.

 

 

Well,  I put a couple other things in the title,  but now I’m starting to get a wee bit wordy with all this sailing business,  so I’ll only put in a couple pics for your amusement.

 

This is the joy of having trees.   Sometimes you just have to get up there and try and sort things out.  That dead bit has been hanging around for….a while.

The top of the shed is only 12 feet off the ground,  but I quickly realised just how lousy my balance is.  And no,  I didn’t take a header into the neighbour’s yard,  but man of man I was a wee bit unsteady.   That’s the extent of my aerial  tree pruning.   Just saying.

 

Plus then of course,  there’s the mess to deal with.

Oh,  and I’ve started the process of removing the old fireplace insert/stove/whatever the hell.

 

I now just have to put it on a dolly.  Off you go!

It has to go down the front steps,  but gravity is my friend.

 

And,  in keeping with the title.  (catchy title,  no?)

I’ll include at least one picture from our golf outing on Saturday.

 

Gotta do it again.  Ball swackin’ was fun.

 

I’m approaching my “word limit”.  

 

*thinks*.   That wasn’t really “gardening”,  now was it?  Meh,  whatever.

 

If I don’t check back, enjoy your weekend.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

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