UPDATE ON THE BEACH HOUSE.

Work is progressing on our little beach house. In the spring I managed to do a little gardening.  Planted a few pots and put in some perennials that my daughter gave me.  

 Mostly I was waiting to see what would come up from previous plantings.

 

And sure enough  some beautiful stuff (still unidentified) showed up in the bushes.   

Meanwhile in the house it has been a deteriorating situation.  This little Bathroom that was in the house when we bought it. 

Has now turned into this. 

But of course you do have to tear things apart to fix them, but the first part of this project of tearing everything apart, seems to have been going on forever.  Last week after constantly tearing everything apart, and saying, "yeah, I guess we have to tear that out too," and purchasing supplies, and planing everything out, we were finally making our first step forward,  with the two of us crawling around on our hands and knees, in the "crawl space ",  laying down 10 mil. poly, and hitting our heads and banging our knees we started to laugh and say, "What the hell are we doing?  We are 75 years old.  What are we doing taking on another @#$%^&; renovation".  And we both just laid back and had a good chuckle.  What else could we do, but laugh, "WE ARE INTO IT NOW". 

 

So, progress continues.  We have purchased most of our supplies.  We have cabinets, fixtures, tiles, plumbing parts etc. all stacked up in the garage.  All the old plumbing has been ripped out and Dan has almost completed installing all new drain lines.  Next weeks should see the completion of all the water supply lines.  

By then our special order flooring should be here and we will be doing some decorating, tiling and painting.  One step at a time.  We have to have a functioning bathroom before we pull the boat out of the water, so we can move back into the house.  

SO THAT IS THE BEACH HOUSE UPDATE 

Re-Post DIY: MY TWO UPHOLSTERED SALON CHAIRS

There is quite a story behind the two upholstered chairs I have in my Salon.  

 

Ever since we started the refit on Thunderbird, I had been looking for two chairs that would suit the Salon area.  I had fashioned a little game table with a chess board on top and I needed a couple of chairs to use with it.  Everything I looked at was always too large.  Then I finally came across a pattern to make fitted covers for plastic lawn chairs.  I tried a lawn chair and it was the right size so I purchased the pattern and some fabric that would go well with the Salon Couch.  I would make those covers as soon as we finished the new floors.  So, that was settled. 

Then low, and behold, one day I walked into the hangar and sitting in the kitchen were two small upholstered chairs.  I asked "What are these?"  and someone said "Oh, those are Scotties old chairs." Now there is a tradition in the storage hangar that if there is something you are disposing of, you "Donate it" to the galley and see if someone else wants it.  If nobody wants it, it eventually gets used in the galley or thrown out.  That's where a lot of the galley supplies came from.  When I redid my Condo kitchen, I even donated a a section of cabinets and countertop.  But, I digress. 

These chairs just sitting there and up for grabs were a perfect size.  There wasn't a break in the leather and the leather colour matched the accent colour in my Salon Couch.  The woodwork was a little the worse for wear, all dark wood who's finish was cracked and peeling, but that could  be dealt with, so I grabbed them.  I took them on board and found that they fit nicely, so I got busy.  Took the back and seats off and went to work on the wood.  I sanded and sanded and sanded, right down to raw wood.  Then I put a light stain on them to match my interior, then three coats of Spar varnish with sanding in between.  After three weekends they looked great sitting in my Salon.  I was so pleased,  I chucked the lawn chairs and gave away the fabric that I was going to use to pad and cover them. 

Then one day Bill Chatterly and I were sitting in the galley chatting and he asked me if I had heard what happened.  I asked "What?" and he proceeded to tell me that "Bill Phillip (Better known as Scottie) had his chairs stolen right out of the galley." Again I said "What?"  He said, "Yeah, he put his chairs from his back deck in the galley here, while he laid new carpets down on his deck and someone stole them on him."   Needless to say my heart was up in my throat and my stomach did a flip flop.  I felt sick. 

I went back to my boat and stared at my beloved chairs and thought about what I had done, and what I had to do next.  I don't lie and I don't steal, so I somehow had to fix this. 

Maybe I could offer to buy them?  If he wanted them back maybe he wouldn't like how I had stained them?  Maybe he didn't really want them anymore?  Maybe he had already bought replacements?  I knew for sure I had to go and apologize to him for stealing his chairs and offer to make whatever amends he wanted. 

So, I climbed the ladder up to his boat and asked permission to come aboard.  I was welcomed aboard and as I gave him  my description of what had happened, and started into my apology, the two Bills (Phillip and Chatterly) could no longer contain their laughter.  What started out as snickers, turned into roars of laughter, before I realized I'D BEEN HAD. 

It seems they knew I had refinished the chairs and had concocted this story to get a rise out of me.  I wasn't the least bit embarrassed or angry at their prank.  I was just happy that I got to keep my prized Salon chairs.  And lets face it. 

THEY GOT ME GOOD

 

 

THE AUGUST LONG

We decided, as it is the August long weekend and Islendingadagurin is on, we would make our obligatory cruise up to Gimli to have a look around. 

It was a beautiful day for that trip.

A bright sunny day and a very relaxing cruise.

A we approached Gimli I could see the Viking Village all set up on the hill as usual.  That is one of my favourite sites to tour.  But not today.

We just cruised through the harbour, it was pretty packed, with no conveinient docking spot for our boat.   So, we waved  to some old friends. then continued on. 

It was good-bye to Gimli and on our way back to our own stomping grounds.

Boats pulling tubers love to criss cross our wake.  And today's cruise was no exception.  Sea-doers do it too.  They are always looking for waves to jump. 

We had a drink and a snack as we meandered back to the beach.  We pulled into the shallows just south of  the tower, which years ago used to be known as South Beach, but that name got relegated to the area near the mouth of the river, so now it's known as Tower Beach or Dog Beach.  This is my favourite spot.  Sea-enna's too. 

I put my roast on the Bar-B-Que, then we swam and relaxed the rest of the day away. 

MY FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND A SUNDAY.

A CRUISE TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE

Seeing as how we have not been cruising and have been busy with boring work on our house, I have nothing to post about.   So, I thought I would re-post a cruise across the lake that we did in 2012 for anyone that hasn't seen it. 

We set off in the morning for a cruise to the far side of the lake. 

It was around 10:00 am as we left the harbour and the west shore started to disappear off our back deck. 

Our boat has 10 mph top speed so, we left early and Sharon and Casey said they would catch up with us later. 

When we were about half way across the lake, there comes Sharon and Casey right on schedule.  She had given me the co-ordinates earlier, so we took pictures of each other as they passed us and said we will meet you later at 50'47.37 N     96'31.39 W    and they carried on to get anchored. 

As we rounded the last large point on Elk Island there was Loafhaven, at anchor waiting for us.  Sharon's enthusiasm for this spot was absolutely contagious, so we had to see it.   

We hooked up the re Boarding ladder we made for Sea-Enna, as this is the first time we have been out of the harbour since we finished building it. 

Sea-Enna took one look at it, barked and would not go near it again.  We are obviously going to have to work on this.       But, not today. 

Casey and Sharon climbed the huge sand hill that backs this beach.  They challenged Dan & I to do it, but we declined.    I did give Sharon my camera when she climbed up again and she got some great pictures for me. 

The is one I took of "The Bird", at anchor. 

We all relaxed on the Beach.  Even Sea-Enna relaxed and enjoyed the swimming and chasing her floater. 

Here is Sharon and Casey with Loafhaven in the back ground. 

Then Sharon climbed that big hill and took these great pictures. 

This time Sea-Enna followed her all the way up,  We never would have gotten all of these great shots of our dog and our boat  from such a great perspective. 

I think Sea-Enna liked the perspective too. 

She also loved the in and out of the water at her leisure.  

It was a wonderful day of Sun, Surf and Cruising.  Sharon's descriptions were not overstated.  Beautiful sand beach, no sand flies, the water was lovely an clean and no horse flies either.  We relaxed and had drinks and snacks on the beach,  all in all it was ideal. 

But as 4:00pm approached we know it was time to call it a day and head back across the lake.  It took us 3 hours to get here, there is no short cut to get home.  So we upped anchor and headed west. 

It was so calm and sunny on the lake you could hardly tell where the sky ended and the lake began.  As Elk Island disappeared in our wake. 

So with an hour under our belts and 2 more hours of travel to go, Dan started the new Bar-B-Q for me and I put a roast on to cook as we crossed the lake.    

Then I took over the helm so Dan could stow the anchor. 

When it's clear but has that sun haze out on the lake, you really have to rely on your instruments. And of course just like happened to Sharon & Casey last weekend, our GPS went out in the middle of the lake.  We do have a good compass though so we just carried on and in about 20 minutes it came back on.  But it's eerie when you can't see the normal things that tell you where you are, like the familiar shoreline etc.  But when the GPS came back on there we were right on course. 

Then our familiar landmark came into view right on cue. 

It's that little stick, sticking up on this horizon picture. 

The good old Winnipeg Beach water tower,  familiar to all us boaters.  It's what we head for from anywhere on the lake.  It means home to us. 

So, that was our wonderful day on the lake.  The only full day we have had on the lake this year.  But then again we were rather distracted early in the summer, with our out of town guests, and Anniversary Party.  We are still thinking about a fall cruise on the Red River, but haven't made up our minds yet. 

A CRUISE AND A SWIM

After a very hectic week and weekend with guests etc,, on Sunday night as things quietened down, we decided to go out for a cruise and a swim.  

It was calm and warm, just like you want for an evening swim. 

There were a few boats out there enjoying the evening.

Sea-Enna certainly enjoyed it, as she always does. 

Not Daisy though, she stayed in the galley.  She prefers to walk into the lake when she swims.  Not this jumping in off the boat.  

The rest of us had a wonderful time.  

And as we headed back into the harbour we all thought.......



WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO END THE WEEKEND.  

A FAMILY VISIT.

Dan's sister Brenda and her husband Gary flew into Winnipeg on Tuesday for a short stay.  We had them on board on Wednesday and had a wonderful visit.  

Then on Friday we went across to the other side of the lake to Grand Beach to visit with her other brother Dwight.  The three of them had not been together for a few years.  

That turned out great because some of Dwight's family were there from out of town as well.  

Even Shaylene (Brenda and Gary's Daughter) flew in for the day, and turned around and flew back home with them the next day.  



That was a great surprise. 

ALL IN ALL, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

 

OUR GRANDSON'S WEDDING

Murray and Wendy's son Blake is the first of our grandchildren to get married.  I am including some pictures of the event in a pretty little non denominational outdoor chapel just south of Steinbach, Manitoba.  

And here are Blake and his attendants.  His older brother Dayne is the second last in line.  

And the Bride's attendants.  

And of course "The Beautiful Bride"

 The lovely couple take their vows.  

Then a walk down a path, to the lovely outdoor reception venue.  

And here is a photo of my son Jim and his wife Rachelle and their two sons Alex and Matthew.  I certainly DO have four really nice looking grandsons.  

And here we have the mother and father of the Groom, my daughter Wendy and her husband Murray.  

The Bride and Groom, start the dance off with their first dance.  

And finally Nana and Grampa say our goodbyes to the Bride and Groom.  

A VERY LOVELY DAY.