One cold day after another!

[singlepic id=142 w=320 h=240 float=left]We are here in sunny Florida and this winter has been real cold down here – like 40’s nights and 50’s days.  The days are rolling by and pretty soon it will be time to launch the boat.  We cannot wait for the gentle bobbing of the water underneath us.

We looked at some more places down here and it is exciting but I wonder about the practicality of having a permanent land base.  Still…

Went to get a tooth cleaning  this afternoon and they used an ultrasonic cleaner.  It fet strange and the water was spraying in my face most of the time.  SAM said I had it done before but I surely do not remember.  It was not that pleasant of an experience.

I got paid for the site I worked on down here for a friend.  It does look pretty cool and I got to use some new tools too.  I bought some new tools before I started the job so all my profits have been spent.  That is the problem with being a techno guy – the technology is an end to the means.

A picking day

We picked Kumquats today and some Oranges too.  The neighbors allowed us to pick the fruit from their trees.  They said they would not be using any of them.  We picked several boxes of Kumquats and these are ready for transport back to Indiana.  We used about half of the oranges picked for juice tonight.  It was very good.  I’ll make some more tomorrow.

This afternoon late we went down to Gulfport Geocaching and found 1 but got skunked on 2.  We must be getting old or rusty as we rarely get skunked.

The time to return home will come all too soon and the cold weather on our return will not be welcomed.  This winter down here has been cold and wet.  The promise is for this continue until we leave.

2 Chronicles 7:14

An internet brother sent me this message in the AM today.  It is from 2 Chronicles 7:14 and depending on which version should say something like the King James version:

2Ch 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Greek Orthodox Festival

[singlepic id=141 w=320 h=240 float=right]The local Greek Orthodox church was having festival today and we decided to attend.  They had some of the usual craft tables and food.  I had the Dolmades, stuffed grape leaves, and SAM had Spanakopita and then later a Gyro and of course it was all authentic.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely in spite of the high winds and 60’s temperatures.

This afternoon we went to Walmart to refresh the larder and to get my special chocolate.  When we arrived back at home the Star Fruit tree next door was gone.  The guys next door cut it because it froze in the cold temperatures of 3 weeks ago.  They did invite us to take as many oranges and Kumquats as we wanted.  I told them we would get some next week.  They are good neighbors.

Sixty Five Past

Well the day of trauma is past and now I am officially 65 and counting. I received a couple of congratulatory calls, an email from Daryl, and several Facebook congrats from old school mates.  My son Marc called too and we had a good chat: It is one time I can really talk technical with someone who really understands what I am talking about.  Thanks Marc!

Truthfully, I did not sleep well last night. I think it was a product of too much to eat at my birthday dinner at Sonny’s. SAM slept like a baby but Martha and I prowl’s the house to all hours befor falling asleep – for me around 0400 hrs.

Today is bright and mostly sunny so far and around 64 degrees with moderate wind. We anticipate the Greek Festival with mouths watering.

No sun today & very wet

[singlepic id=140 w=320 h=240 float=left]To make up for yesterday the weatherman gave us no sun and much heavy rain ( like summer in the tropics).

This morning we did drive to downtown Tampa to the Port Authority area to visit a tall ship named Gunilla.  She is a Barque of three masts and is of Swedish registry and is about 150 ft length.  Ostensibly, she is a training vessel for the youth of Sweden to learn a post high school level trade in a nautical environment.  Our guide, Anna, was blue eyed and blonde and a social science major.  I am not sure what other specialties were represented.  The tour was sort of a disappointment to me as I had envisioned  a below decks tour – no such luck.  It was all above decks and cursory but still we were on water again and it felt good to bob around.

SAM was not too happy about our direct return to the house.  She wanted to roam around a bit and let me know of her displeasure.  However, since today is my birthday I prevailed but we will go out tonight to Sonny’s for dinner.  Just what I need as i am getting fatter and fatter.

As I write the rain continues as can be seen from the radar pic I snapped a few minutes earlier.  My old buddy Daryl sent me a birthday greeting.  Every year he is  faithful to recognize my birthday.  BTW-his birthday is the same day as mine (;-)

Sun Today & I got some

I had a whole paragraph but it got lost so this is the sunny part.

Tonight we went to the library looking for a reference book called “The Seaweeds of Florida” but they did not have it in the whole system.  There is a book that is available on Amazon for $10 by the s author called “Seaweeds of Western Florida”.  I may just buy that one to see what it looks like.  We are interested in the edible seaweeds and want to try a few species.

Yesterday Jerry & I went up to Don’s Marine Salvage.  I had sent an email asking if they had an Andersen 10 winch.  When I arrived they had a Barient 10 winch and they wanted $60 for it.  I thought that was too much for a winch 30 years old.  Jerry and I cruised the yard looking for “treasures” and found a lot but nothing we had to have.  We left after about an hour.  After that we went down to Gulfport and outred the beach area and the marina for another hour or two.  That pretty much killed the day.

A rainy day

[singlepic id=136 w=160 h=120 float=right]I spent most of the morning looking for batteries and shorty socks over on the Tyrone Blvd area.  After returning to the house it was time of lunch and then work on the boat research projects.  These items are on the list.

• Reefing winch – Andersen #10 or even a #6 if I can find one
• Xantrex Temp Sensor for batteries
• How To connect solar/wind/water chargers so it shows on the Freedom 2500
• Locate some marine salvage companies for neded parts.

So here it is 1953 hrs and another day is rapidly coming to an end.  BTW-it was lightly raining and overcast all day.  We have the oil filled heater at the 600W setting on the back porch to cut the chill.

Farmers Market

went to the farmers market in downtown St. Petersburg.  The St. Pete version includes lots of fast food and a jazz band with lots of downtown people and dogs.  There were a couple of stands that had actual green veggies.  Perhaps the freezing cold killed all the vegetables and that was the reason why there were so few  farm related stands. 

I did get to see all the boats at the municipal marina.  Man, there are a lot of them.  The municipality allows only boat owners and escorted guests on the docks so I could not get a close look at some of the boats.  I think you could spend all day on the docks.

After we returned, the rain started.  Not real heavy rain but rain nonetheless.  I took a nap & so did SAM. End-of-day

Today at the beach

We went again to the Gulfport beach and enjoyed the somewhat warmer sun that seems to appear around 1400 hrs local.  We got a good 1.5 hours and a slight burn.  I think this is good and we will be sun hardened in a few days.  After the beach we drove all the way to Indian Shoures and then Clearwater where we exited and took 49th Street back.

I sent for free tickets to the Swedish SS Gunilla that will be arriving here in a few days.  My birthday will be spent on tour of the 195′ tall ship.  Pretty cool.  Speaking of sailboats – there is one that has sunk just off of Gulfport Beach.  Wierd as it has been down for two days and there is no activity around it at all.  It must be in about 20′ of water as the mast is sticking out about 20-30′.