ZEBRA MUSSELS ARE NOW IN MANITOBA

Once our boat was pulled from the water at RMYC, it was discovered that we had a few Zebra mussels on our hull.  

 

 

They were so small that we didn't even notice them.  But someone else recognized them and we were contacted by Oceans and Fisheries and they interviewed us about where our boat had been recently.  Well it had never been out of this province or this waterway, so where did they come  from. 

 

They then proceeded to do inspections at both Boundary Creek Marina and Gimli Harbour and found Zebra mussels at both locations, under the docks and on some

boats.  These Zebra mussels appear to arrive on boats and trailers from infected waterways, so they could have been brought in on an imported boat.  Or up the Red River, because they have already been reported in North Dakota.  But how long ago?  How long have they been here?  How well established are they?  I guess that, is yet to be determined. 

 

 

IT'S TO BAD THAT THIS MENACE HAS MADE IT TO OUR WATERWAYS

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS DECOR FOR TEXAS ???

This year, because we are going down to Texas in November, I am going to take my little ceramic Christmas tree with me.  When we moved into the Condo I had a hard time giving up on all the Christmas decorations I was used to putting up each year.  At first I totally disrupted my whole apartment to make room for that huge tree.  Now, I have accepted the idea that the Condo is too small to have a lot of people over, so who was I doing all this for.  And the first time we went south on Boxing Day, I had these decorations to put away in April, when we returned.  That cured me and I started looking for one of these little trees. 

 

 

This little tree has served me well for a couple of years.  And now that we are leaving to go to Texas in November I will take it with me. 

 

 

In the spring, I started to work on a carry bag for it, to keep it safe in transport.  Then Summer arrived and boating happened, so I never finished it.  All it needs is some bubble wrap and a carry handle and it should be ready to go. 

 

 

That was one of the things on my To-Do list and now it's done. 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS IN TEXAS, SHOULD BE INTERESTING

 

 

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING

We've  had a lovely Thanksgiving.  I cooked a Ham this year instead of a Turkey.  I never have Turkey during the Summer, so immediately after moving back into the Condo, I got a hankering for Turkey and they were just starting to come on sale.  So, at the end of September we had a Turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  It was great, but now in mid October, I'm not ready for another Turkey yet, so we opted for a Ham.

 

 

We will also be cooking a Turkey at the end of October.  It has become our  tradition to cook a Turkey just before we head south so that I can pack  a picnic cooler of some Turkey Sandwiches.  We don't like to stop for lunch when we travel, so Breakfast and Dinner in a restaurant, but sandwiches on the road at mid day. 

 

 

STILL MORE STUFF TO DO BEFORE WE LEAVE

 

 

PACKING FOR TEXAS - WHAT DO I HAVE TO TAKE

Cloths -  At least most of the summer stuff I have taken off of the boat is to go directly to  Texas, so it was packed directly into a bin for the back of the truck. 

Foods I can't do without - My Canadian Pure Pork Sausages. 

Medications - Dan and I are each on a couple of medications that we can't be without.  (getting old sucks.)
Christmas Decorations - This year we are going to be in Texas for Christmas, so we need decorations. 
 

 

Money$ - Have to purchase some more US funds before we go. 

Atlas and GPS -  We might find our way without them, but I'm sure we would get off track a few times. 

Our US cell phone - all charged and ready to use when we cross the border. 

My laptop computer - with Phone numbers, and Address's  etc. and constant contact with family.   

 

How did people manage years ago without all this magical electronic stuff that makes everything so much easier when we travel.  Now-a-days there's no more traveller's cheques, no big paper maps, and you can keep in constant touch with family,  no matter where you go.  It really is quite marvelous. 

 

 

 

I HOPE I DON'T FORGET ANYTHING

 

   

THE BIRD IS TUCKED AWAY

We have completed the final step in putting the Thunderbird away for the winter.   Today we went out to RMYC, where the boats in the water are getting as scarce as the leaves left on the trees. 

 

 

We have hung onto the huge haystack tarp that we purchased back in the days when we first started our refit and had Thunderbird, beside the house, in our yard on Henderson highway.  It was an expensive purchase at the time, but we kept it and now it is coming back into service again. 

 

 

The winterizing is all done, so now it is time to tarp her down.    We were not well prepared for this job and had to use a lot of ropes this time, but now we know what we need we will be prepared with a lot of bungees next year. 

 

 

 So, she's all snuggled in for the winter.  Now we can turn our attention to our journey South. 

 

 

PARADISE PARK HERE WE COME. 

 

 

 

SIX MONTHS OF MEDICATIONS $$$

This year we are planning to go to Texas from November through March.

Until now we have always only stayed three months, so all our prescriptions call for 3 month refills.  So this year I have to arrange for them to changed all our prescriptions to 6 month refills.  That should prove to be another challenge. 

 

 

First of all none of our prescriptions seem to run out at the same time.  So I have to count how many I have left of all of them.  Figure out how many more I need of each prescription to last till April 1st.  Then talk to my pharmacist about topping them all up for 6 months. 

 

 

 

THIS SHOULD ALSO PROVE COSTLY JUST BEFORE WE LEAVE. 

 

 

 

 

MY BOAT IS A MESS

We have been busy, busy, busy.  Yesterday, Dan put anti-freeze in both toilets, into the water supply tank, then ran it through both taps on all three sinks.  That should protect everything.  Including the hot water tank.  We hope.  We removed more stuff.  Emptied the bar, which we almost forgot.  And I stripped our bed to wash the sheets and quilt. 

 

 

But my boat is turning into a real mess.  Everything that we don't want exposed to the elements all winter has been brought indoors.  Oh, those terrible Manitoba Winters, even we don't want to be exposed to those.  That is why we go south.   






Even the outboard motor for our dinghy, is under my galley table.  And there are tools everywhere.  What a mess. 




Oh well, it will all be put back to normal when we get back from Texas in the spring and open her up. 

TOMORROW DAN WILL WINTERIZE THE ENGINE.