Thursday, 8 September 2016 - Today I repaired my old charging cord for my iPhone and beefed up a new one in the same location, assuming that it would, eventually, breakdown in the same location; preventive maintenance. I'm still fooling with the refrigeration a bit, too. It's running well and cycling on and off, but still cooling to too low a temperature. I moved the sensor and believe that will help some, as will the cooler weather ahead. The last few days and evenings have been a little cooler already. I hope it stays in this range for quite a while. I actually had to pull a sheet over my torso the last couple of nights about 4-5 am. Perfect. That's better than having to lay beneath a fan all night and saves energy, too.

Friday, 9 September - I finally got around to oiling and wiping down my guns today. Thank God that when I bought them I splurged for the most rust resistant weapons available. This is the first time since I left Utah that I've really taken the time to look at them closely and oil and wipe them down. The shotgun is in perfect shape, mostly because it's been well wrapped up so the salt air couldn't get to it. Unfortunately, having to keep it wrapped means that its purpose, self defense, is hindered because it is not as quickly accessible. I need to make a quick release bracket for it. My pistol, which I keep readily at hand had, however, obtained, even though it is stainless steel and plastic, a tiny bit of rust on the stainless, only noticeable under close inspection. Better late than never.
                  It's Friday night and I think Steve Monaghan got the final adjustment on his new teeth done today, so I think a steak dinner is in the plans and it might be a long night of celebration.

Saturday, 10 September - I took it easy today. Cleaned up a little around the boat, then finished reading "Drake's Great Armada", about Captain (later, "Sir") Francis Drake's expeditions to relieve the Spanish of much of the gold and silver they stole from the Incas.

Sunday, 11 September - More organizing on the boat and, as always, adding to or changing locations of items in my database as I change their locations on the boat, then a trip to get rid of trash and buy food at the market in the dinghy. Ft. Myers has a very low crime rate, so I've been pretty lax about locking my dinghy at the dock, but talked to a fellow the other day that had had his stolen under the bridge where we all tie up, so I dug out another lock to use. My dinghy isn't terribly impressive, but it's still in good shape and would cost about $7,000 to $8,000, maybe more, to replace with a new one, including engine, and I can't afford that.

Monday, 12 September - I started another book today, about the life of Lord Horatio Nelson's life as a sailor and officer in the Queen's navy. I also noticed that Steve hadn't gone to work today, then, later, saw that he'd posted on Facebook that he'd had to put his best friend, Seven, down. It was a tough day for him. I asked if he'd like to join me at Bonita Bill's to get his mind off her for awhile, but he declined. I had a good, but short night there. I had waited till the last minute to see if Steve wanted to go, then arrived just in time to get their last order of meatloaf and sit down for the trivia contest. I did better this week, even though I got nothing to show for my winning. The second question Ghost asked, I knew the answer before he got out more than about three words out, but thought I'd at least let him finish the question. Just before he finished, someone else yelled out the answer. Snooze, you loose! Later, when there were only a couple of bandanas left, I knew the answer to the question, "Who had a hit called 'Little Darlin", so I yelled out "The Diamonds" a couple of times, once loud and another time louder. About 10 seconds later, a girl on near the front, that had probably heard me, yelled it out and got the bandana. I didn't care, I knew I had won, and I have plenty of bandanas. The lady right next to tried to tell them I was first, but to no avail. I thanked her and told her it really didn't matter, but she said, "Yeah, but you won!" I said, "It's Okay." Their first couple of performers for the jam session were pretty good and I like the choice of songs they made, but the third was punk, or hip-hop, or rap. Just a bunch of angry yelling, so I left. I headed over to Steve's boat to see how he was feeling. He had some great stories about his dog. I enjoyed it and think it made him feel better to talk about her, too. I could see he had wash to do and had to get up tomorrow to go to work, so I headed back to the boat. It's only a few hundred yards, but my timing couldn't have been more perfect. Even though I hadn't foreseen it or even suspected it, just as I got the dinghy on the davits and pulled the drain plug, I felt a drop of rain, and just as I ducked my head into the cockpit and under the bimini, it started pouring. I barely got ten drops on me, but it was a close call.

Tuesday, 13 September - I read one chapter in my book this morning, then decided I'd repair my boat's sole. Lots of people don't know that a boat has a sole, but it really does. My boat has a broken stringer, a board that supports the sole (flooring) by the forward companionway. It's one of those things that's needed to be done ever since I got the boat and an item that the surveyor missed it the inspection. I had put it off, partly because there were other, more important things to do, and partly because I was afraid I was going to have to damage the teak flooring to fix it. It turned out to be easier than I thought, even though there was one broken stainless steel screw that was buried in the wood, totally invisible from the top. Even though it was pretty easy, it still took all day. I finished around 8pm, although some time was consumed by going to the store via dinghy and bicycle to get a new bottle of Gorilla Glue. The one I had was dried up, of course. That took about an hour. I also had to cut some all-thread to make a bolt with. It was sure nice to have the use of my vise. I had to dig it out of the lazarette, but it still saved me time and made the job a lot easier.
                  After that, I had dinner and finished my book.

Wednesday, 14 September - Yesterday, I finished repairing the broken stringer, but didn't close the sole (flooring) back up. I decided that I might want to make use of the space for storage, so this morning I jumped into that. I had to saw a 7 foot piece of the sole in two, then bevel one edge of each piece so that they can be removed and re-inserted with ease instead of just going back in once and being screwed back down in place. I got out the vise and lashed it on the foredeck, then got out my medium size wood plane and made the bevels. Again, it sure was nice to have the vise to hold the pieces. I, also, need to cut the trim to fit the shortened boards. I removed the nails that were previously used and wanted to replace them with new ones. Most of them are ruined anyway. Guess what. I can't find any of my nails. I've searched everywhere except where they are, twice...and somehow, they've avoided being entered into my database. I know I have, or at least did have, lots of types and sizes. Actually, all I need right now are the small headless trim brads, but it doesn't matter. I can't find any, no matter what kind. I've taken a break, thinking I'll figure out where I've squirreled them away, but so far, that hasn't worked. Eventually, I'll open something up, there they'll be, and I'll say, "Oh! Yeah. Now I remember."
                  I still probably have about another day's work on this ahead of me, if I can find the nails. If not, I guess it's off to the hardware store in the dingy, again.

I guess I'd better get this out, then put tools away so they don't get rained on tonight. I have tools laying everywhere.

            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