Thursday, 27 July 2017 - Another coat went on the belaying pins today along with a first coat of Cetol to the entry to the aft companionway. After that, I walked a couple of miles to the grocery store, bought groceries, then caught a cab back to my dinghy with the groceries. I don't understand, it doesn't seem to matter how many groceries I need, I almost always spend about $100 every time I go to the grocery store.

Friday, 28 July - Most of today was spent cleaning some of the cockpit and companionway woodwork in preparation for painting it with Cetol. I, also, cleaned up a brass and copper nautical themed bottle opener that is mounted on the inside companionway by the refrigerators. It had a well deserved old patina to it, but now looks brand new again. I'm sure the patina will return, the only question is, how long will it take. It looks nice, all shiny and new looking again. It took awhile with sandpaper, steel brush, ice pick, and Brasso. If the patina comes back too quickly, I'll coat it with Cetol next time I clean it.

Saturday, 29 July - I spent most of the day sanding some of the interior and companionway woodwork in preparation for painting, then cleaned up and went over to the Keys Steak and Seafood Restaurant for dinner and a movie at the city park with a fellow Texan and new next door neighbor, Will Aitken, on the sloop Menorah. He's just sailed in from St. Thomas and, unfortunately for me, is flying back to Texas for about three weeks to do some work and get his dogs and bring them back to the boat.

Sunday, 30 July - A second coat of Cetol was added to some items in the companionways and aft cabin and others, a first coat. The house batteries were low and I didn't have time to run the generator yesterday evening, so at 3am, I turned off the refrigeration, then ran the generator for an hour this morning after I got up and turned the refrigeration back on. It's fairly breezy today, so the batteries should be back up to about 90% before evening. I think I'll head over to Dockside for their open mic entertainment around 7ish. In the meantime, I'm watching the paint dry. Pretty exciting stuff! More importantly, I'm trying not to touch anything! It's a bit of a challenge getting up these ladders every time without using my hands to grab something. Actually, the bigger challenge is breaking the habit of grabbing the handholds as I go up or down.

Monday, 31 July - A high chance of rain showers and thunderstorms was predicted for today, so I decided I'b better not do any painting, plus I needed to look into either renewing my boat insurance or changing insurers. Unfortunately, I didn't get that done either. Between trying to determine who to call, trying to contact them and waiting for return phone calls, not much happened there, either. Tomorrow, I suppose.
                  I do believe, however, that I finally collected about 20 gallons of rainwater off the top of the bimini top. That'll save one trip to the docks.

Tuesday, 1 August - Most of today was spent sanding different pieces that I'll be coating with Cetol tomorrow.

Wednesday, 2 August - I painted again today, but cut it in order to go to the library to see the movie "Good Morning Vietnam" with Robin Williams.

Thursday, 3 August - Third coats of Cetol were added to the companionway jams and thresholds, second coats to the hatch covers, first coats to new items on the interior of the saloon and staterooms and heads, some of which is just touch-up work and won't need as many coats. I think I'll put four or more coats on the thresholds leading out of the cockpit into the saloon and aft cabin. Just before sunset I decided to add a fourth coat to the grates that go on the forward, gabled hatch covers. They started off in pretty bad, dried out condition. I finished just as it got too dark to see what I had and hadn't painted yet.

            Until next time.
                        "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson

                                          Rick