WE ARE LOOKING FOR A HOUSE OUT AT THE LAKE

We are looking to the future and are thinking, if we get to the point that we can no longer maintain and live on the boat, and our health will no longer allow us to travel to Texas every year, what then?  We have discussed it, and we know we do not want to spend all Summer, or all Winter for that matter in our small condo in downtown Winnipeg.  So, we have put the condo on the market (Know of anyone looking for a nice little downtown condo near U of W and Red River campus?  Call Jeff Arnason 204-333-2736)  and we are looking for a place in Winnipeg Beach and surrounding areas.   

I don't want to be in the beach without being east of #9 highway, hopefully within walking distance of the lake.  We definitely do not want lake front, having once owned river property at one point and dealing with all the erosion issues that entails.  We also want a place that has the potential of being turned into a year round, full time home.  

We have already found this one place that we really like.  It is an older, very small, (only an 800 sq.ft.) house in Winnipeg Beach.  With this move we will gain a porch, a garage and an extra small bedroom/den that I can have my computer in.  And of course we will gain a nice big yard for our Sea-Enna.  

But as with most of everything we have ever done, there is going to be work involved. The house is very small, but it's a solid little house on a good  foundation.  But it was built in 1955 so, the bathroom and kitchen need to be gutted and totally updated.  New fixtures, cupboards and appliances, etc.  It also needs a deck and patio doors off the dining room onto that deck.  So, this will be our project for the next few years.  But first, our condo has to sell, or this plan is not moving forward.  So we are waiting for that to happen. 




WE ARE LIVING WITH UNCERTAINTY

I THINK I'M BACK ON LINE

I have some tenuous internet access.  Dan checked and solved the problem of the missing “airport” and connected it back up today.   It’s not quite as good as I had it last year, but that could be my laptop.  I’ll have to check that all out.  Meanwhile I will try to get a blog done.  

We arrived in the harbour 12 days ago and it has been as expected.  Sublime, relaxing and very enjoyable.  I spent my usual first 2 days of boating, cleaning the hangar dust and grime off and out of the boat. 

It is spring and the harbour is full of goose families.  This year we have about 7 breeding pairs with lots of goslings everywhere.  Right now they are the adorable yellow little babies that everyone envisions.  In no time at all, we will not be able to tell the goslings from their parents as they grow so fast.  Soon they will be what I call the walking eating pooping machines that leave a mess everywhere they go.  But, we have all learned to put up with this every spring (It is part of living with nature.) by mid-summer this will all be a memory.   

Meanwhile our Marina changed hands over the winter while we were down in Texas.  The new owners seem to be very nice and very accommodating.  We now have daily access to the “Full Service” Club House restaurant, which is very convenient. 

The weather has NOT been great, so we haven’t been out cruising and swimming off of the boat yet this year, but we have still had our adventures.  Today our Sea-Enna found a dead rotting carp laying along the shore of the harbour and decided to roll in it.  OMG!   What a stench!.  Dan was sooo angry, with her, he just tied her to the picnic table and left her there until he calmed down.  She knew she was in trouble, (I don’t think she knew what for, she thought she smelled fine!).  But when Dan calmed down, she was hosed down, he then shampooed her and left her tied to the picnic table to drip dry.  Dan of course, then had to have a shower, himself.  She looked so forlorn.  Dan finally calmed down enough to dry her off and let her back on the boat.  She settled in under the galley table trying to stay out of the way and out of trouble.  Later in the afternoon she followed me into the pilot house and started to climb up onto the pilot house couch and I gave her a firm “NO’ and she slinked back under the galley table.  I then got back to my internet problems and after a while I suddenly realized she was not under my feet.  I went straight to the pilot house couch, but she wasn’t there as expected.  A quick look down into the captains quarters and there she was, a smelly wet dog, right in the middle of our bed.  And I just finished washing that quilt yesterday.  She didn’t look guilty or anything.  She just looked up at me curiously, wagging her tail, after all I had not said she couldn’t go on the bed. 

So ends the adventures aboard the Thunderbird for today.  I just hope the internet holds up and I can continue to blog for the rest of the summer.  

I HOPE TO BE BACK AT YOU SOON   

NO NEW POSTS

I will not be making any posts to my Blog until I find a solution to my lack of internet access at the Marina.  

I have to come up with a new cell phone to create a hot spot for myself or a Roger's stick or something.  I'm still looking into what will be the best permanent solution for me.  I will do a blog as soon as I solve this.  

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.  

LAUNCH DAY 2016

We went out to the hangar on Thursday evening to be sure we were ready to launch when the launch crew came to get us.  

Then suddenly, the hangar doors opened up.  

They lined up the trailer.  

Backed it on under "The Bird"  

And just as suddenly away it went on the way to the harbour.  

 

We got to the harbour first and awaited the boats arrival.   And there she is.  

 

And just as suddenly she was launched.  Dan started her up to let the engine run, as we awaited Kam's launch.  

Once Kam got a chance to get his engines warmed up, we ventured out of the harbour and waited for him there.  

Kam shared this shot of us, that he took while we were on escort duty.  

Kam had no problems and it was a very uneventful cruise and before we knew it, we were entering our home sweet home port.    

WE ARE HOME FOR THE SUMMER

OUR LAUNCH IS PLANNED FOR FRIDAY MORNING

We are launching early Friday morning along with Kam Lo.  Because it has to be really early, we will go out to Gimli Thursday evening and stay on board in the hangar one more night.  

Apparently it has to be early, due to traffic concerns in the harbour area. Wind Finder says there is going to be a little squall go through the South Basin between 4:00am and 7:00am.  So, that should be subsiding by the time we get down to the harbour.  

Hopefully, Kam is going to launch "Lo Tide" first so that he can fuss with his new engine and make sure it is running to his satisfaction, while the  launch crew take the trailer back to the hangar and get "Thunderbird" and bring her down to the harbour. 

 Once we splash, Kam should have "Lo Tide" ready to cast off and it will be Bon Vouyage and goodbye to Gimli Harbour and a pleasant cruise south to  BCYC.  (Boundary Creek Yacht Club) 

THE START OF OUR SUMMER LIVING ABOARD

WE ARE READY TO LAUNCH

Well, I finally cooked my last crock pot meal for my work crew.  They had Stew this Saturday and now it is time to put the crock pot away for a while.  I'm looking forward to Bar-B-Q. 

The crew have finished painting the boat, plus they installed the new drive shaft packing and prepped her for launch. Ropes, Fenders batteries, etc. etc. etc are all set. 

The hangar was busier than usual this weekend.  Balu was getting new bottom paint.  

And Cam Lo was putting the final touches on Lo Tide and asked us to let him know when we are launching as he would like to travel with us from Gimli to Boundary Creek Marina.  

He installed a new engine over this past winter and will not be confident in it until he has put some hours on it.  Best to be safe than sorry. 

Dan even found time to take our Bumpers and steps down to our dock and install them, so that is even done.

All I have to do now is check the weather forecast, pick the launch date and book it with Barb, let Cam know and ............

WINNIPEG BEACH HERE WE COME!. 

DIY: MAKING ANOTHER WINDSHEILD COVER

A couple of years ago I made a windshield cover out of "SunShade".  It is a fine screening that blocks out a good percentage of the suns rays, but it still allows you to see out.  It has worked out very well, keeps the boat from getting over heated, on most summer days.  But on a real scorcher of a day, the pilot house can still get too hot.  

The other problem is privacy.   When we have guests staying over and sleeping in the pilot house you can see right in,  when the lights are on at night.  So they have to get dressed and undressed in the dark. 

So this spring I am going to make one of these covers out of the blue "Sunbrella", which is what all my other canvas covers are made of.  It should be a matter of simply copying the existing one.  

I THINK THAT WILL HELP TO KEEP IT COOL AND PRIVATE