Thursday, September 3 2015 - I bicycled over the bridge to Bradenton to sign an insurance paper this morning, then returned and registered my policy with the marina. They get nervous when boats here don't have insurance during hurricane season. I also got a call from NOAA about the EPIRB (Emergency Beacon) and went online and registered it. After that, I went online and responded to an invitation on Facebook and proceeded to contact several high school and skiing friends.

Friday, September 4 - Surprise! Surprise! The mechanic called this morning at 9:00 and said he'd be here about 11:00 to reinstall the rebuilt fuel pump! ...Well, damn, he didn't show up until 1:00, then didn't get finished, so I can't sail 'til he finishes. He talked as if he'd call me tomorrow to finish, then, just after he left, I called him to see what time to expect him tomorrow and he said,"Oh, I won't be there tomorrow." So I said, "Well are you going to be here on Monday?" "No, the first of the week." This guy seems really nice and seems to be doing an excellent, meticulous job of the repair, but I sure feel like I'm being jerked around by him. He was supposed to do this job at the end of June. I guess I'm sitting on the dock of the bay for a few more days.
                I had really hoped to get out on the holiday weekend.

Saturday, September 5 - Since I don't have a useable fuel pump and can't go sailing as I had hoped to finally do today, I went in search of wind and windsurfing locations. Absolutely no success with the wind, but I did find one potential site I might be able to sail from, if I can get there early enough to get one of the two parking spaces large enough for my rig. In the process, I also discovered that policemen CAN also be helpful. I drove past a rather large and complex parking area at the only park I thought I might be able to get into and out of. I returned and pulled in, then, before I made any turns, I looked to the right and left. To the right looked safe. It appeared as if all the parking areas were tied together and, even if I couldn't park, at least I could exit further down. So I turned. I went about a hundred yards and realized that what I had thought was an entrance/exit to one of the other parking lots was, truly, a turnaround; a small turnaround. It looked as if I might be able to barely make the turn, maybe. NOT! I got to the last post and wouldn't clear it by about 2 inches. Luckily, just as I realized there really was no way, a park ranger showed up. He suggested that I back up just a little, then try again. We walked to the back of the motorhome and I showed him that I had already turned so tight that I had broken another upper running light and explained that if I tried to back up even an inch or two, all it would do was crush more of the trailer.
                He immediately got on the radio and had the grounds crew there within minutes, including the head grounds keeper, so three of us got to stand there while the head man and one helper dug the 5' post out of the ground. That last post, and the first one in the roundabout are out of line with the others. I explained that if they would move them back to smooth out the transition of the entrance and exit corners, it would help significantly. His answer was that they put them out there further to discourage people from coming in there. What? I explained to him that by the time people get to there, they're already screwed. There's no way out. You can't turn around and haven't been able to for 150 yards or more. If you want to keep people in motorhomes out, put up signs or make impossible for them to get in at all; not trap them after they've made the mistake of entering an unmarked lot. A "Dead End" sign would be enough! They were nice enough to get me out, however, and show me that there was a place for two or three motorhomes if I'd known to turn immediately left when I entered the park from the main road. Not near the water, but at least they had a couple of spots.
                I returned to the boat, reorganized a few things, took a shower and bought the fellow that had helped me out the other day with the bolts in the scupper a drink at the marina's bar.

Sunday, 6 September - While in the process of trying to figure out how to best use the resources that I have to keep the items stored in one of my bilge spaces, I heard a thunderclap. I quickly finished closing up that compartment then headed back to zip and snap the side windows in the cockpit. Too late, by the time I got everything closed up, a lot was already wet. but I don't think anything was harmed. Once I got some of the moisture wiped away, I thought I'd better check on the leak repair I did on the stanchion and scupper recently. I expected a very small drip coming off the scupper, but it from the water already on the floor, I knew something else had to be leaking. I unloaded the cupboard once again and found no dripping from the stanchion and a small drip from the scupper as I expected. I fought to staunch the flow of water coming in for about 45 minutes and, in the process, I believe this time I really found where most of the water is coming in, from the rear lower shroud chainplate. It was really hard to see because the interior of the cupboard is a very clean, shiny white with a rippled surface. I just couldn't differentiate visually the difference between water and shiny white paint...but I got it this time. I'd have liked to let things dry out, but we're expected to have heavy showers all week, so as soon as the rain stopped, I unscrewed the cover plate on the chainplate, cleaned all the old sealant off, and replaced it with automotive windshield caulk. It's black, and I would have preferred white, but I'm sure it will do very well for this purpose. The beauty of this caulk or ribbon sealer, is that it never hardens, so it won't crack.
                I've been working with my tools enough lately that I decide it was high time to make all my Phillips head screwdrivers more easily distinguishable from the slotted screwdrivers at a glance, so I selected out all my Phillips screwdrivers, got out my red fingernail polish, and painted all the ends red so I can spot them at a glance in my tool bucket. I've been meaning to do that for a long time, but hadn't had most of them in one place until now. Well, most, there are still more on the motor home.
                I'm gonna go snug up the screws on my new repair, pour a gallon of water on it and see if I still have a leak. I wanted to let the sealant ooze into the cracks before I do the final tightening. Wish me luck!
               I poured the water on, went to look, turned on my drop light, and everything looked ....wet. Fooled me again. It was only the "wet look" of the white paint. Finally. Success!!! Not a drop out of the chainplate. I put a fan in the cupboard and will let it dry out for a bit before putting everything back in. The scupper still had one drop of water on it, but I'm pretty sure I can deal with that from the outside with sealant, but I'll need for it to be drier first. Maybe tomorrow morning, if it doesn't rain too early or tonight.
               Well, dang it! I got too ambitious. I decided while I was working on stations, I might as well go around and check the screws on every one. A few needed an eighth of a turn and one or two a quarter turn...one, the head twisted off. That'll take a while to fix! At least it's a large screw. I might actually be able to center drill it and get an EaseOut in there...probably not. Stainless is pretty hard, plus it's right up against the stanchion; hard to drill straight down on.
               Time to call it quits for the day. I've done enough damage for one day!

Monday, 7 September - Labor Day 2015 - We're having a very soggy holiday here in Palmetto. I think this is the rain of longest duration I've seen since I arrived. It usually rains for 30 minutes to, maybe, three hours, but it's been raining lightly most of the day today. I took the opportunity to, finally, respond to an invitation to "Friend" someone from high school on FaceBook. I've resisted for a long time, but since I had the time, I thought why not. It was fun, but I can see that it, like so many things on the internet, can certainly eat up the hours, because, while there, I also got in touch with some skiers and relatives, some of whom, like my mother's, brother's daughter in Arlington, VA, I've never even seen even though she must be in her 30's.
                Oh, hey! There is some good news, when I arrived at the boat this morning, after rain last night, the cupboard was dry as a bone, so I loaded it back up.

Tuesday, 8 September - Aaaaaaah! Another nice surprise. I called the mechanic this morning to see when he'd arrive, fully expecting him to say, "Mañana", but he said around noon. He arrived around 1pm and worked 'til 5:30. He finished the fuel pump installation and replaced the three fuel filters, then we got rid of the old coolant, which looked like it had been in there since the boat was new, and flushed it with fresh water. He'll be back tomorrow afternoon to drain the water that we put in, then fill'er up with fresh antifreeze. He said he'd call about 30 minutes before he arrives and asked that I start the engine and let it idle to warm up and really circulate the water in the engine well before we drain it again. He's convinced that will break a lot more rust loose and avoid contaminating the fresh antifreeze. I must say, his thoroughness is as impressive as is his tardiness. He expects to finish up tomorrow. I hope so.
                I also got a follow-up call from T-Mobile about the inability to connect with the internet via my data time on my phone. The lady said they've run test on their system in the field and that everything seems to be fine, but since I'm having trouble, their going to send me a free booster/repeater that will boost a one bar signal up to four bars. Hey! It's free, I've got nothing to lose, and if it works, I'm way ahead. It's been a beautiful day in the neighborhood today.

Wednesday, 9 September - I think I may have finally figured out how to get the marina to fix the internet service here on the dock. I went into the office to pay my slip rental and told them that I wanted to put it on my Discover Card, but that I wasn't going to authorize the full payment, that I was withholding $30 for the lack of internet service and that I would continue to do so until I get reliable service at my boat, as advertised. About an hour later, one of their employees showed up at the boat to ask a few questions about what was wrong, what browser I'm using, etc. He said that he would call me back in about two hours. He returned the call shortly after the mechanic arrived, so I have been too busy to test it out much, but by golly, I think it's better. I'll really know in the next day or two if it stays up and running. I'd been telling others on the docks that I was going to withhold the money and suggested they do the same. Maybe they won't need to now. I guess when the powers that be realize that ignoring their renters is going to hit them in the pocketbook, they actually start listening.
               Yahoooo!!! 5:00pm and the mechanic finally finished the repairs that were included in the purchase of "Island Time".Yahoooo!!! What a great hump day!

Except for this. I spent an hour trying to get some photos uploaded for this episode with no success. I guess they'll have to wait until next week.

            Until next time,
                        Dream BIG, or Live in Eternal Boredom.

                                          Rick