Heading South 11/1/08

Heading South 11/1/08

It’s still Nancy at the helm and I’m steering a rocky course. Jim’s busy at work and I can’t think of a good reason to make him start doing this blog, yet. He drove shuttle for the McCain rally Friday night at the high school. That’s not a political statement. Doesn’t his boss know that I need him for repairs here more than the train does?

If any couple survives 35 years of marriage and kids, they ought to be given a wedding and shower to prepare them for the next 35 years of domesticality. We’re finishing year 37 together, and everything we have is old, duct tapped, and broken. I’ve replaced old/bent silverware, handleless pans, stringy towels, and water tumblers for the umpteenth time, etc., etc., etc…. I sound like Andy Rooney when I’m really trying for Erma Bombeck. Yesterday, my pride and joy, the 25 + year old Electrolux died. Then, the washing machine’s cold water did not turn off when it filled and was not caught until the laundry room was an inch deep and much of the kitchen wet. Sweeping the water out the door created an ice slick on the back porch that lasted until 11:00, the wet extension cord to the new (the water’s is too dirty to use) water purifier gave me a tingle-surprise, surprise, and the now extremely clean laundry room wasn’t even high on my priority list. But, it all turned into a learning experience as my having put off cleaning for a while, a long while, it became top priority because company was coming. I had to relearn how to use a broom, and actually, I’m not sure Mother ever taught me how to chase dust bunnies properly with a broom. She had two Electroluxes!

I can only count by threes and now I’m on the second set of very important Jim repairs for April. He really won’t want to come back this time! Ironically, they all involve water. The garden bathtub faucet leaked under our new tile floor, and the only way to really fix it is to remove the tub or cut a hole in it! Ah, sailors’ trailers. We are working on a duct-tape-type cure. Despite the dry air out here, we’ve got water damage where the porch attaches to the house. It is now plasticized and also awaiting Builder JimHo’s attention.

Most people think boats can only fill with water when in the water. Not true. Twice the MacGregor (Wet Seasons, not Summer Breeze) has had 1 + foot of water in her while firmly planted on soil here in dry Durango. The first time was during a wet snowstorm years ago. We discovered the second time this week. A huge hose that drains the cockpit undid and we had a boat cistern. Cisterns are a valuable part of SW CO life. Jim spent two days cleaning up the mess of rusty anchors and moldy lines (really), wet cushions, rugs, and general mess. Ah, the sailors’ life… even when not sailing.

The 3 big, expensive, boat projects under way are the new laptop, a climbing harness, and 4 new huge batteries. (1) The new laptop is our best contact to the outside world. Its most important use is to obtain information & weather, but its most fun use is to find out where our sailing friends are headed. The emails have started appearing as we all close up shop & head out. Sometimes we are ships (boats) passing in the night, but with reliable email we visit in daylight. What fun! (2) The new climbing harness is to replace our $50 secondhand, but never used, orange bosom’s chair. A broken anchoring/steaming light has pressed the issue. One of us is going up there and its not me! I did play in the bosom’s chair at dock last winter just 3 feet off the ground and that brought a crowd of grinning old sailors hoping for excitement. Not all of them were drunk! Jim, lacking confidence, has decided to avoid me having to be the puller or the pullee. Rock climbing gear is better and cheaper than boat climbing gear, and a patient, amazed, young salesman explained the brakes and backup system to Jim. He will be hanging out back on the deck beam Saturday practicing. (3) 4 new batteries will maximize the use of our solar system (no, it doesn’t rotate) for our new 2 cubic foot refrigerator. We’ll do that upgrade in Indiantown.

Saturday night, we’ll be sitting in a waterless, rapidly-cooling house with only enough electricity on to watch TV. GEO will be polished, packed, gassed, and facing south. We’ll go to bed early and wake up for our 2:30 potty call, trying to await our 5:00 AM departure time. I will lie (a lay) in bed trying to not think, to just be still and sleep. Then Jim will sigh and say, “We might as well go,” and I’ll bounce out of bed wondering what took him so long. We’ll slowly drive through the moonless, deer-filled, night until the sun comes up somewhere between Cuba and and ABQ, and it will be an awesome event. Backward speech patterns are Yoda, not PA Dutch.

Ah, the sailors’ life….