1/26-27/16     Tuesday/Wednesday    Ft. Myers Beach, FL


Contrasts:

Tuesday, CC (Colorful Crowd) on the beach 

Wednesday, Steady, soaking rain even inside the boat

Well, not really soaking inside the boat but steady all day rain. A great project, reading, napping day. But wait. Let's get the sequence correct.

Tuesday -

Beach day AGAIN. More walking. Some sitting. Some lying on the beach! Then, DQ chocolate-dipped ice cream cones. More walking....to the food store which was too far to walk after all the beach walking on Monday and Tuesday. I did a bunch of standing around (seems to my tired back and impatient self) waiting for David to do his google research. Admittedly, I was usually the one asking the questions - "How far is it to the food store?" "Is there a hardware store on island?" But, mostly, these are rhetorical questions and I'm just making conversation. He takes them seriously and looks stuff up on his phone. Arms akimbo. Roll my eyes and get snarky. Sigh.

The boat yard we chose after talking to the yard manager/mechanic yesterday became a bad choice today after David talked to the yard owner, Dominic. He was abrasive, more than assertive in what he would do, what he suggested, what we should do. His name fits his dominate personality and the reviews we'd read and heard - we will do it MY way attitude rather than let's work this out together attitude that his yard manager expressed. So, aw, shit. The fact that we couldn't live aboard if an overnight was required cinched the no deal for us. Hey, if we can't live on the boat where to live during repairs. So, back to another option and slower results. But, check that 2nd photo. Its raining so we're not going anywhere anyway. Meanwhile, both David and I were a little short on patience.

But we've made alternate arrangements with a preferred yard and will be hauled on Friday...after the rain. We'll be diagnosed - the boat will be - and maybe repaired on Friday but perhaps not until Monday. WhooHooo living in a boat yard again. Wonder if we'll be locked in over the weekend. Something to check out, for sure.

But the beach is a beach...a saying, I think, "life is a beach." And it is very mild, temperature-wise here. We discovered that there is a dock behind the food store and we can take our dinghy there. By water the distance is much diminished. Instead of taking the dinghy to the town landing then walking a mile or so we can take the dinghy maybe 1/4 mile and walk 50 yards. Better. We found this mystery waiting for the Trolley to bring us back from the food store.

What kind of palm and are these "fruits/seeds" edible? Seems red is ripe.

The Trolley let us off in Time Square where there is a tall clock in the middle of a promenade and  I wanted a Greek salad from one of the outdoor restaurants I'd noticed...across from the DQ place. We decided that would be lunch/dinner (4 PM). Perfect with stuffed grape leaves added. Chatted with the couple at the next table; he retired Superintendent (Commissioner) of Education in Michigan, she retired from Real Estate. It was pretty clear that she was not expecting to be asked what she had retired from to make there life in Ft. Myers Beach possible, but she rose to the question. I'm a bit tired of all the career/work questions going to the men. So, let's interrupt that little piece of oppression of men and women.  Lovely chat. They live part time in Michigan, part time (read winter! duh.) here.
Showers, together (!) for David and self and back in the dinghy and back to Grace, tired, well fed and well exercised. I finished my book. David started another "Hornblower" one.

Wednesday....RAIN, started last night and had wind attached to it, not bad wind but it did bring about a new clunk, clunk noise. I got up to investigate and found it was the fish weights in the mosquito screen that we'd left on the door. Don't need that in the pouring rain. So, out I went to roll it up. Might as well get the now soaked towels we'd hung out to dry, post showers, our showers. I was awake much of the night. No worries but dreams and just awake. Finally just got up and read in the newest Sun Magazine.

When I finally got up the rain was light and intermittent so I drained the dinghy of last night's rain. It so needs it again now with rain all day so far. I really needed to focus on own projects today, not wanting to pay attention to David at all. I suggested he might want to go ashore but he claimed projects of his own. Okay, but don't talk to me. I want quiet. Well, I'm okay with running the engine to charge the batteries. Sort of, but definitely appreciate that noisy need. But no talking. No expecting a response unless a direct question is asked. Okay.

I covered the other pilot house arm rest. Still some hand sewing to do but put those covering towels away! I'll also make those "chair arm sleeves", the covers that go on the arms of sofas at my grandmothers' houses to keep the place you put your hands from wearing and getting greasy,  for each of the arms. We handle them going up and down the stairs into the aft cabin.

Yellow triangle still to be covered

I'd hoped to do some research and writing of grants for FCP but that might be tomorrow's rainy day project. Or maybe I'll color.

David put a thumb hook/latch in one of the floorboards in the fo'c's'le to make access easier. All good.

New flush ring pull in the fo'c's'le next to kitty litter. Amelia will be pleased

Running the engine again to support computer work and various other communication techniques. Made tuna casserole for lunch so that might be dinner, too, since rain will, likely, prevent our cookout. A productive, indoor day with some delicious laziness included.

Last photo of the day, maybe. When our friend, Sheldon, was here he gifted us with some LED strip lights he'd purchased for his boat and then sold the boat before getting all installed. What a lighting difference. Nearly need sunglasses in our pilot house at night. I love it. Shows up tired eyes and wrinkles, though.                    

Surgical theater surround lighting.

Oh. another      

Walking umbrella in the colorfully crowded beach