MORE OF OUR FLORIDA TRIP

Dan's brother Dwight welcomed us to Florida.     

 

My readers should remember Debra and her husband Kevin, whom you met along with Dan's brother Dwight in my earlier blog of St.Patrick's Day in Texas.  

 

Later we were joined by another niece  Bonnie and her Brad.

 

 

That night we had a few toasts to Barb.  Then the next morning we took off to the other side of Florida, to West Palm Beach ,where Barb's favourite beach was.  That was where Barb and Dwight's third daughter Deanna was catching up with us. 

 

 

That night, we, including Dan's sister Brenda and her husband Gary, all gathered for dinner at the Blue Anchor restaurant and bar.

 

 

Our  three Thacker Nieces.  Bonnie, Deanna and Debra.

 

 

The next day was the Memorial service, which I covered in an earlier blog.  Before the little ceremony some had a refreshing swim in the ocean.  Then after the memorial the wind picked up a bit and we headed back to the hotel. 

 

 

Dwight put us all up at the beautiful Marriot Courtyard in West Palm beach.  We all spent a lot of time gathered pool side, well into the evenings. That was really, lovely. 

 

 

That night we all gathered again for dinner.  This time at The Old Key Lime House on the ocean. 

 

 

Another lovely dinner with family and friends reminiscing and sharing stories of Barb. 

 

 

 

Then it was back again to the west side of Florida and our flight from Tampa back to Winnipeg. 

 

 

 

 

NOW IT'S TIME TO GET TO OUR SPRING TODO LISTS

 

I LOVE THE FLORIDA WILD LIFE

The Geckos are so cute.  They are so common in Florida they are called house lizards.  

 

 

The Herons are just like at home except they are almost tame.  They hang around when they see someone fishing in the hopes of getting the unwanted catch.  This one hovered around even trying to swoop down onto the boat dock where Brad was fishing, but got spooked away. 

 

 

So when Brad did make a small catch he tossed it up onto the grass to him and we watched him flip it up and eat it.  You can see the big lump in his throat from the fish.  I guess that's how they got so tame.  

 

 

These little Egrets are so lovely darting around the yard.  I think they are after the Geckos. 

 

 

None of this wildlife seems timid or threatened in anyway. 

 

 

 

I ENJOYED IT

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE IF YOU HAVE A BOAT

Dan's brother Dwight lives in a house on a canal that runs out to the gulf. 

 He has a boat which he can park right behind the house and leave in the water all year round. 

The house is on a pie shaped lot at the end of a Cul du sac, which makes for a huge long water front area on this lot. 

 

The sea wall runs in two directions around the property where two canals come together. 

 

 

It makes for a lovely waterfront seating area with views in two directions.

 

 

 

 And being on the West coast of Florida it has beautiful sunsets. 

 

 

 

VERY NICE

BARB'S BEACH

 

This Beach in West Palm Beach was Barbs favourite, and so we gathered there to spread her ashes. 

 

 

We gathered to spread flowers and ashes in her memory.    

 

 

To share memories and stories and love.   

 

It was sad. 

It was beautiful.

 

 

We even had an appropriate Fly-By as the little ceremony ended.

 

 

She was such a wonderful, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister-in-law.

 

 

She will be missed. 

 

 

She will live on as long as she is remembered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WE HAVE ARRIVED IN NEW PORT RICHEY FLORIDA

 

This is the view from our plane window as we approached the airport in Tampa. 

 

 

 

 

It was an OK flight, but I hate flying.  I hate being herded like cattle, told where to go and and what to do, when to do it.  They can cancel on you, but you better be there 2 hours in advance, so they can give you a rough time about your luggage.  Then you have to sit in those uncomfortable seats for hours on end without moving, not to mention the NOISE from the engines that is deafening. 

 

 

 

 

If we have the time, I would always much rather drive, But we are here now and enjoying ourselves

 

We had a relaxing day on Wednesday, then we are off to West Palm Beach on Thursday, with the memorial service on Friday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WE'RE OFF TO FLORIDA

Our sister-in-law Barbara Thacker, passed away late last year and the family is getting together on her favourite beach for a little Memorial ceremony on May 16th.  We are only going for 5 days, flying out on Tuesday May 13th and will be back home late on Sunday May 18th. 

 

 

It is a sad occasion, but it is always nice to be with all the family and share our memories with each other. 

 

 

 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO THE OTHER THACKER FAMILY

 

 

 

DIY: REBUILDING THE REAR DECK

Our third major rebuilding on Thunderbird was the rear deck.  A few years after purchasing the boat, we came to the realization that the back deck was in really bad shape.  In fact we didn't really know how bad it was until we started to pull it apart in the fall of 2006.  Then we realized we are lucky someone hadn't fallen through it when boarding. 
 

 

The rear deck is completely exposed to the elements at all times.  I was also using a couple of old cushions that I had made from salvaged material from the original V berth.  They were quite heavy, not water proof and a nuisance to have to store inside when it rained.  So we gave a lot of consideration to how we should rebuild and improve it.  The original structure was built with 2X4s and plywood and had lasted since the mid 70s so we could rebuild it as it was originally designed and it would out last us, but we decided to see if we couldn't find newer longer lasting materials that would not need as much maintenance.  I also wanted new cushions and a way to keep them dry without bringing them indoors, to clutter up the interior, when it rained. 
 

We were able to track down new structural 2X4s made of recycled plastic and a 4X8' sheet of 1/2 inch sheeting material called "Star Board", that is just like kitchen cutting board, plus sheets of ridged fibre glass.  All products that would be maintenance free. 
 

Next came the deconstruction.  As we removed each piece of the old deck of course we saved it and put it aside, as templates for our re-construction.  It's a rather complicated structure, that we never would have been able to come up with on our own, so we were grateful for patterns.  As we deconstructed deeper and deeper, we realized how dangerous the original structure had become.  Some spots were mush.  By the time we had removed everything that was rotten, the back wall of the boat was wide open.  The inside of the broom closet was exposed, the compartments under the dinette were wide open and rear door sill were totally removed. 

 

 

 

So, in the spring of 2007, we started the rebuild.  We made some minor adjustments to allow for easier access to fuel tank and steering mechanisms and moved our electrical connection but other than that we rebuilt it as originally designed with all the new materials.  The framing was the new structural 2X4s.  The seat, steps and compartments were all built of star board.  The rear wall was rebuilt of plywood, then laminated with rigid fibre glass. 
 

We got it totally deconstructed and reconstructed in one fall/winter/spring session.  I still had to use the old cushions for a year or so, but now I have made all new cushions and a run-off cover for them so that we no longer have to bring the cushions indoors, to take up space when it rains. 


 
We have also installed a gas Bar-B-Q, which I have made a matching cover for.  I love it. 



And I'm sure it will all last longer than the 30 years the previous deck lasted. 
 

 





SO PRACTICAL WHEN IT RAINS.  I LOVE IT.

ANOTHER REFIT PROJECT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF