Falcon's Log 27
February 2, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

We are overcast today and rainy, but only enough to prevent working outside right now. It looks like it will clear off this
afternoon and there might be a couple of days of good work weather coming up.

Espin and Barbara got here at about when they said they would. Barbara is very nice and it was good to meet her. The
coolness and drizzle conspired to prevent much socializing.

I called Glades boatyard yesterday and may end up going there for my bottom work. They are the only yard so far that will
allow me to do my own bottom paint. The only catch is that I will have to have a wet/dry shop vacuum, and I gave it away to
Richard and Angie. I tried to trade off for a little one that they use inside, but they wouldn't do it. Can't blame them. I'll have to
buy a new shop vac to use at Glades, then leave it there.

I called Carolanne and she said she was through with the shop vac I gave her, so she's bringing it back to me tomorrow, so
I'm all set with that. I went and visited with Donny and Barb for a while, then went out with George Carter, Espin and Barbara
to the Pizza place and had at it with a big appetite. Espin bought for me as a thank you for collecting his mail and stuff.

It's cold again but the rain seems to be over. Talk to you again tomorrow.
February 3, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I have been up since 6 AM and doing stuff here, there and everywhere, but this is the first chance to get to a log. And it's
already 11:25. The temperature here is once again cold and windy. So far the sun has only been out in short flashes and the
temps are just climbing into the fifties. It sucks. It's still a must that I get out there and get some work done in the blustery cold.
This has got to be the worst winter ever in Florida. Even Canadians coming down for vacation are complaining about the cold
and wind. Not because they are chilled by it, but because it's NEVER like this here. They expected beach time, not indoor
activities. They could stay home and do those. It has been so bad here that the Parasail boats are getting in about 2 days a
month. Beaches are barren and Canadian men are not buying tiny and disgusting thongs. The economy here is in freefall.

My ribs are killing me. I'm sure it's a sign of healing, or my unwillingness to remain still and let them heal. Either way, the 'hurt
zone is spreading from a small sharp pain to a much larger dull pain. Oh, it's growing pains. Never mind.
I got the hardtop feet secured to the Dorade boxes today and had a large number of visitors, including Steve Cribben from
Massachusetts and his wife. The day started out really cold, but warmed up nicely by the afternoon. I'm hoping to get a lot
more done tomorrow than I did today, but it's hard to really predict what kind of workday it will be. Especially when I'm a bit off
my work ethic with the long cold spells we've had.
February 4, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man Ben Franklin: fat, bald and nearsighted. However, I seem to prefer it. I watch more
TV than I like and find that I am growing weary of it. The conservative media is saturated with anti-democratic propaganda
and almost ALL media is owned by super wealthy conservatives, so it just gets tiresome, repetitive and an insult to
intelligence. There are some TV shows that I do enjoy, like TMZ, NCIS, Big Bang Theory, the new Jenna Elfman show, The
Office, CSI, motor racing and golf. That's right - all stuff that's over early. Next thing you know, I'm waking up WAY before the
crack of dawn. It's 6:30 AM and I've been up since 5. I can't wait to get outside and get to work.

It was good to see Steve and his wife yesterday. Steve doesn't think I can get out of here by the end of the month. I know it
looks that way, and it might be true, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. He doesn't realize that most of what I have to
get done to be able to leave is the completion of systems that will allow me to work at anchor or on a mooring. The high value
of that work in particular is that it will be almost impossible for people to interrupt me while I'm working. Also, I simply won't
have the extra power to stop and watch a race or golf or anything else. The computer will remain turned off until it's time for
me to write or post, no music, no TV, no entertaining. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy visitors and talking about the boats and
cruising and anyone who has seen me knows it. It's just that while I'm doing that, I'm not working, and I've got to get this done.

The Dorade boxes need to be secured to the deck today and I have to make diagonal braces to stop the side to side motion
of the hardtop. I think I have that system figured out - I just have to do it. I sort of knew something would be needed, so it
doesn't come as a surprise. My one real concern is that I may have to do something more on the front bow as well. We'll see.
If I do, I will. Not a problem. Well, not a BIG problem.

The day outside just keeps getting better and better. It's hot, mildly breezy T shirt weather and everyone is taking maximum
advantage to get work done. I've completed the aft hardtop braces and removed the Taco bases from the Dorade boxes to
sand and glue the wedges into place. With that done, the bases were refastened and I marked the deck on both sides and
attached the locater blocks for the Dorade boxes. I just finished boring the big holes through the deck and gluing in the stand
pipes for the vents. I'll have to let that stuff dry well before applying caulk around the pipe. As soon as that is done, however,
the boxes will get sealed down and installed to the deck.

On the braces, I decided to use the curved section of pipe I had to sort of tie together with the two curved horizontal
handrails. When I cut it in half, the two pieces seemed much shorter than I'd originally envisioned, but when I held one up into
position, it looked MUCH better than my original idea looked. I slid the pipe end fitting up to the middle of the vertical brace
and clamped it there to start, then it occurred to me that the strain on the middle of the vertical brace might cause the pipe
itself to fail. I took my last 3 feet of 7/8 inch stainless rail, cut it in half, slightly 'ovaled' the ends with a hammer to make them
stay put where I wanted them, then pushed them dead center in the middle of the vertical braces. The upper end is riveted to
the aluminum heavy wall pipe the solar panels are mounted to.

My ribs are killing me. Not really. I won't die. But I do stop once in a while and hold them. I'll be glad when they start hurting
less each day instead of more. I'm going to take some aspirin and lie down while the glue outside dries. Just to see if it helps.
All this is done and attached to the boat. I applied sealer around the tubes and to the bottom of the Dorade boxes, after
cleaning up the cured glue, then installed them and screwed them down. I didn't take the aspirin. I don't like taking any kind of
medication if I can avoid it. It's always better to wait and be sure you need it. I did eat and relax for an hour or so, then went
back outside until just now. I cleaned up the dock and boat and whatever tools are not inside right now are right at the hatch.
The forecast is for rain tomorrow - - - again. What a shock. One really good work day and that's all. At least I got a full day of
work done and the panels are secure. I still have to rivet the aft rails and solar panel frames together, and I might have to add
some washers and do a super tighten on some of these pin joints to make it stiffer. I also have to get more stainless steel
rivets and a bigger riveting tool to make all connections solid and tight. This whole structure will need to take some high
winds at some point. But I'm happy with the way it's coming out.
February 5, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

This morning dawns cloudy, but not cold. There is a cold front coming from the West that promises to make life on the
Northeast Coast hell for a day or so, but will only squall past us and drop temperatures. There might be some scattered
showers behind it, but not so much.

I have quite a few little details to complete on the framework for the hardtop, beginning with rivets and varnish and ending
with the canvas work, but more and more I am committed to pressing for a March first departure. Even though some are
already saying that it is unlikely probably ill advised. I have to press for it anyway. I just went outside and installed the last set
screws in the Taco bases. They were still in my pocket with the Allen wrench. I've decided to do all the aluminum and small
rivets on the project before trying the new rivet tool on the 3/16 inch stainless rivets. It might not survive. I might also have to
get more stainless rivets. I have plenty of smaller sizes, but only about 8 or 10 of the 3/16 inch units.

I just made a command decision and placed an order with Harbor Freight for the big riveter, 2 cheap tarps for under the boat
at Glades, tarp tape, and 36 chip brushes. This added up to just enough to get a $10 gift certificate, which I will probably
trade to Eddie for a cheeseburger. I would have had to pay just about the same amount for just the tarps at Glades, so I
decided to do it this way and get the riveter and chip brushed to boot.

It is 12:18 right now and we are about 45 minutes away from getting stampeded by this very violent front coming at us. The
only good news is that it should be about over by 7 PM and the weekend is supposed to be good. I'm hoping it won't be too
windy. The present wind outside is a steady 31 MPH with gusts to 35 and above. We might see wind speeds in the 50 to 60
MPH when the real front comes through. I'm glad the hardtop is secure. I hope the hardtop is secure.

Here it comes. The rain and wind have been on us for a while, and now the big red blotches on the radar are right offshore,
just minutes away. This is fun.

It's after 4 PM now with no sign of let-up in the rain. Having the Bimini off and the forward extension down is allowing the rain
to pour into the cockpit. It revealed a fairly serious leak around the lid of the battery switch box. That has to be dealt with. I
can't have rain running over the battery switches all the time or they won't last very long.
February 6, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

The storm has passed and it's calm and normal temperature this morning. I've already done a great deal of searching on line
and ordered 200 3/16 inch stainless steel rivets. They cost $21. Through the very BEST marine suppliers, they would have
been about $150 for the exact same item and quantity. It's totally worth it to search and wade through strange websites. I
wonder if people say that when they are here. The hardtop frame may well be fine with aluminum rivets, but stainless is much
stronger and will make me feel better. I could have used screws, but even with the best preparation, screws can fall out at the
worst possible time and cause a calamity. Hey! I just thought of a good name for the dinghy. Calamity Jane. Hmm, I like it.
Working outside in the wind and cold started giving me
earaches so I wrapped up out there and found something to do
inside.

I cut, drilled and riveted the hoops for the insect screens in the
Dorade scoops, then installed them and heated the rubber
scoops with the heat gun. I got them so hot I could hardly
touch them, then shaped them and taped them into position.
What you see is about the best I'm going to be able to do. The
wonk is too deeply embedded into the fabric of their being.
They are direct descendant's of original wonks, with wonky
walks and wonky talk and wore helmets and went to school on
the short bus. I think of these hoops as their retainers and love
them as they are.

I'll be painting the interiors Largo Blue, like the electrical panel,
the instrument panel, the hull, etcetera, etcetera. I hope I didn't
toss out the small roll of screening that I had.

It's getting to be about time to get myself a freaking hoodie so I
can work outside with a knit hat and not have my ears hurt,
and also be occasionally mistaken for a gang member and
approached for drugs. I only have aspirin, but it's powdered
and should give them a good rush if they snort it.

I am closer to finishing up the hardtop and moving onto other
things. I just REALLY, REALLY need a break in this awful
weather. I am SO SICK of waiting this out, thinking maybe in a
day or two - a week - maybe?
February 7, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I've slipped into a full 8 hour sleep pattern - unusual - must be boredom. It runs from 9 PM to 5 AM and I can't complain
because I feel great. Even my ribs feel fine this morning. There's just a small area of minor pain left, meaning that if there was
a crack, it was small and has started bonding - typical of my healing processes, I've always been like that - and if it was just a
painful bruise, the two days off have allowed it to heal. There was no discoloration. It really takes a hell of a hit for me to get a
black and blue. I've had very few of them my whole life and the ones I have had came as a result of motorcycle crashes and
the like. Those can hurt pretty good.

It's cold and heavily overcast with a nasty look of rain and the forecast promise of high winds all day.  The boat is so full of
stuff that it is absolutely discouraging to think about getting real work done in here. It's awful. I have to be able to get a bunch
of work done outside, then build a temporary shelter over the deck area so I can store inside stuff out there, then finish things
up inside, a little at a time.

I just went upstairs to the laundry room and it is about 45 degrees outside. I know that sounds warm to you folks in the great
white north, but it's pretty cold for those of us who are used to 70 being the average winter temperature.

I was just outside again and it's colder. The temps are dropping. It smells like snow. Right now, I have to wonder if Florida or
Massachusetts has the worse weather. You expect it in Boston and your blood isn't as thin as acetone. I'll bet Boston folks
are getting more done outside than Florida folks. And complaining less. It just isn't supposed to be as suck as this here. Did
you know that the French Riviera is the same Latitude as Boston? Why is it warm there year around? Why doesn't Monaco
have snow plows? I would move to Monaco except that I heard the traffic is bad and there are no McDonald's.
February 8, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I no longer think I can rally interest in the Super Bowl. I went to bed without caring how it turned out and woke up just in time
to see the Colts NOT complete a pass to the end zone and the crowd went wild. There was only 44 seconds left and the
announcers were already declaring New Orleans the winner. Yay. Or not. Who cares? Let's face it, when the much
ballyhooed commercials aren't enough to hold your interest, which they weren't in my case, why stay up and watch? I have
too much work to do on the boat and am getting no help from the weather. We're expecting more rain and colder weather
tomorrow. I'm presently in the middle of a sneezing fit that heralds the change in wind direction that brings a huge wave of
allergens over me. Cool. I might as well take the aspirin now for the headache that'll be here in an hour.

I've decided how to do at least one or two more stages in the hardtop saga and am looking forward to getting out there today
and making it happen. I hope I can actually get something done. It's also about time for me to begin expecting the water tank
bladder. I know it's only the 8th and not really the 'middle' of February, but it's close enough for me to start getting impatient.

It warmed up nicely for a while and I've been getting a lot done. All the rivets are in the solar panels and they are solid as a
rock. Watch one or both of them be bad now. I've fitted the angles for the inside section to the hardtop and I'm about to drill
them and get them ready for installation. I should probably dig out some of the Largo Blue and throw a coat of that inside the
scoops. I can't find my mosquito netting, so I must have given it away. I'll need a little bit to keep mud dauber wasps from
building nests inside the Dorade boxes. The mud daubers are very non-aggressive and I've never heard of anyone getting
stung by them, but once they get a nest location they use it forever. Back to work. I was just here to eat.
I got all the rivets in on both projects. Drilled 110 holes - some in stainless - and installed 72 rivets, half aluminum, half
stainless steel. There were times during the day when it was warm and pleasant and other times when a cold breeze chilled
everything off. I still have to go outside and clean up, but the hardtop project is moving forward.

I've made split pea and lentil soup and so far haven't added anything to is as far as seasoning. I will probably use sea salt,
black pepper, and olive oil. That's all I have, so I'm sure it'll do just fine.
February 9, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I guess I have to concede that Steve is right and there's no possible way I can get everything done that I need done by the
end of the month. Of course, what is turning out to be the coldest, worst winter ever in the state of Florida is most of the
reason. This was once the place where people came to get away from winter. Now, winter is here. Even people from the far
north are walking around bundled up in long sleeves and pants. Everyone except Ken, who still walks around in shorts and a
T shirt. People look at him, you know, and you can almost see the little question marks hovering over their heads. When they
glance at me, I point at my head, make the circular motion and say, "Unibomber", and nod. Then they get it.

Yesterday when I was drilling the forward top holes in the hardtop frame, I noticed that it was a bit more 'flexible' than I like. I
will be thinking about it as I continue finishing the project and see what Ideas I might have that could stiffen it up substantially.
I have one more length of the heavy aluminum tubing and am considering bolting it right up directly forward of the existing
tube, effectively doubling them up. We'll see.

It's not as cold this morning as it was yesterday so I should be able to get something more done today. The rain isn't
supposed to start until some time after the noon hour. I suppose I could finally bring my new tool boxes and all the rest of my
tools inside and sort them into some semblance of order and put them away. That's one thing I can do in the rain. I could also
finally assembly the ancient bronze lamp I have that I want to use for an 'at anchor' cockpit light. That'll get two more things
done.

I got a good early start this morning and have the area all cleaned up and the tools inside. The new boxes are on the bunk
and the old light has been riveted together with aluminum rivets that I hand made from scrap pop rivet anvil pins. The wind is
just now picking up and I have a feeling that if I tune into the Weather Underground that I will see the front very near. It has
been cloudy all morning with little or no sun. Oh, yeah. I'm watching it now. It's huge and right on the doorstep. The good
news is that I probably won't be hit by a bus. You have to reach a little for good news this winter.

Randy called me to go out on the dock and help Celeste dock a 40 foot Hunter she's probably doing a delivery on. She's a
Charter Captain, and pretty good at it. RJ joined me and we had to fight 20 knots of wind and 4 knots of current, both going
South to North. She came in hard on the North side of the dock and the owners tossed lines to both RJ and I and I mean to
say, the fight was on. It was raining and the dock was a slippery as greased linoleum. There was no possible way we could
overcome the wind and the current, but with the help of a bow thruster and 15 minutes of sincere effort, we were able to get
the boat tied up properly with no injury to vessel or personnel. Can't complain about that. By the time I got back aboard
Falcon I was damn near soaked to the skin. At least it wasn't cold. The temperature was about 65 and I was dressed well.

It's 3:17 PM and it has been raining since about 11:30 AM. The sky seems to be brightening and the rain is tapering off, but
there's still no telling when it will be over. The Wunderground shows it completely clear for 20 miles around us and all stormy
stuff is now well to the South and East of us and traveling in those directions.
February 10, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

The wind is howling outside this morning and I'm not sure what, if anything, I can hope to accomplish out there. I mean, it is
roaring through the rigging from a steady wind of about 20 knots to gusts that must be around 40. Not really conducive to
doing canvas work on the dock.

I worked for a couple of hours last night on stripping apart the old Bimini top. It fought hard, but I won. Winning meant that I
cut a million threads without once damaging the material. Very good, considering my earlier sorties into the fray. No need to
talk about that now. As the time draws nearer to apply the fabric to the hardtop, my list of options is also growing shorter. I'd
considered the possibility of clear or smoked Plexiglas, Isinglass, or fabric with an Isinglass window that I could cover from
below with matching fabric held in place by Velcro tape. I may be left to the only option I have available today, which is to do it
with the old fabric from the Bimini and move on to other jobs. If this weather remains bad, I might have to bring the Sailrite
upstairs to the laundry room and work there. No. It can't be THAT bad. I'll make a little table for down below before I do that.

I am also condensing the pages of the Logs a little to make them more uniform. I may eventually reduce each Log page to a
single html document to speed loading and improve security. We'll see. That's down the road. In anticipation of heading
South and seeing my friends in Naples and Marco Island, I've started checking the prices to stay for a week at a Marco Island
marina. So far, the number is over $600 - for a single week - I'm flabbergasted. You just never get to say flabbergasted
anymore. What does it mean? Does it mean you have flabber that has become gasted? Or is your gast flabberized? Anyway,
I'm not sure what the future holds as far as that visit goes. My friend Paul said that he could help out by calling in a favor, but I
can't let that happen at these prices. I'll have to do more checking around.

I just checked the prices at Factory Bay on Marco and they are a bit more reasonable, but still around $500 for a week,
including the 25% Boat US discount. I pay less than that for a month here.
February 11, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

The wind has eased a great deal, but the temps have once again dropped. It is about 40 degrees here this morning, if that,
but the sky is partially clear and there is hope that the sun will warm up the world for us. I worked more on the old Bimini cloth
yesterday and sorted out some tools. I'll definitely get more done outside today and hopefully get a ride to Home Depot to get
a couple of small aluminum angles - I like the effect between the solar panels and have decided to do the same on the outer
edges - and possibly check out some of the other panel resources there. The thin wood I've been holding onto for the leading
curved edges inside the cabin house are gone. I tossed them out after realizing they were not going to work. They were too
brittle and snapped easily. That area has been a problem since day one. I swear, I will maul some foam panel over it,
fiberglass it in and be done with it.
This morning I pulled out the drain plug for the windlass -
very quickly, with the water trap set to go in - and installed
this water trap I made up a while back.

My original problems with the windlass last year were
directly related to water in the gear case. You're supposed
to change the oil every year. Having a great deal of
experience with this sort of equipment and recognizing that
a yearly change of gear case oil is a little unusual - it just
doesn't 'go bad' - I should have realized that the reason for
the maintenance was to remove any water that had
migrated in. It came to me when I noticed gear lube running
down my foredeck.

After spending a healthy wad of cash to fix the problem, I
concocted this version of an idea to trap the water at the
bottom of the case in a lower chamber. The idea is good,
but the execution is all I had at the time. I installed it this
morning to see what the situation was with the oil and
water. No water. Good. Now, I'm going to replace the 1/2
inch by 6 inch nipple in the middle with 2 hose barbs and
about a foot or so of clear plastic tubing. I can secure the
tubing to the foremast compression post, seen on the right,
and that will show me if there is water, get the device out of
the way, and prevent it from being snapped off, dumping
the gear oil into the forward bilge.

It's 9:45 AM and time for me to see if it has warmed up
outside.

It is NOT a bit warm outside. I've been out there for an hour
talking with Paul and RJ and Eddie, and it is cold and very un-Florida-like. Now I'm inside and will need time to warm up
before trying to adjust the hardtop framing. The side handrails need to be leveled.

I called Ahoy Captain to see about the progress of the back ordered water tank bladder and got bad news. Not only did it not
come in the February container, as they said it would, but it is not scheduled to be in the March container. He said that for
$50 more I could get an entire tank, and would I rather try that. I asked if he knew where there was one. He once again
checked with the supplier over the phone - I could hear him talking to her - and she said there were none. That Defender had
gotten two, but they were probably for filling back orders. I said I'd just wait and we'd see what happened. Then I called
Defender and verified that they had it in stock and ordered it. It will be here in three days. I called Ahoy Captain back and
cancelled the order. It will cost me $44 more for a complete tank, but it will be worth it. Now to see how long it takes for me to
get my money back from Ahoy Captain. I also got and paid my cellular bill this morning. My bank account is a tad thin until I
get the money back from Ahoy Captain.
February 12, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I got a ride to Publix last night with Espin and Barbara and we ran into Steve, the guy from Massachusetts with the Cape
Dory 30 MS. We chatted a little and he was delighted to meet Espin and Barbara. It turns out he also has experience with the
Vega 27, Espin's new boat. It also turns out that Barbara has spent time in Golfito, Costa Rica, a town that I am becoming
increasingly interested in.

I got the hardtop frame adjusted yesterday in the best part of the day. The 'best' didn't last long and it soon drove me back
into the boat. I have a little frame finishing to do out there and then it's mostly sewing to finish up. Cold and wind are not
happy 'sewing on the dock' things, and setting up in the laundry room, where I get a 150 yard walk back and forth to the boat
while everything is spread out upstairs, is also not an option in my mind. However, since the weather is looking like
record-breaking aggravation for the foreseeable future, I WILL borrow one of Eddie's small folding tables and start sewing
down below. So there.

For three or four days I have been condensing the logs by increasing the length of the pages. The result is that I am now -
again - on the 27th page instead of the 38th. I'm about to upload the last of the project and check out the site to see if it
completed properly.

Okay, everything seems to be okay, though I suppose there will be some momentary confusion out there. Sorry. Just trying to
do things better once in a while and still not sure what really constitutes 'better'. I've thought about making the pages wider,
but think that might screw up the presentation on Laptops, so I don't dare. Once I start selling books, anything that irritates
potential buyers is a real no-no, in technical terms.

I'm going to have to call St. Brendan's Isle today to see how to go about retrieving my mail. I might have to go for the new
program they offer that allows me to view and discard individual pieces and only have sent to me that which is essential. The
thing is, it's another $8 a month, bringing my mail service to about $24 a month. Or so. I'm not completely sure. Should check I
guess.

I walked down to the Post Office this morning and got there at 10 AM - it's a ten or fifteen minute walk - and picked up two
items that were sent to my old PO Box by mistake. It was cool and I should have worn a better jacket, but it wasn't
uncomfortable. It's good to get out and walk in the brisk air. I helped Espin and Celeste get the Hunter off the dock and she
brought it around to N.E. Taylor to get it hauled and have a bottom job done. Then Espin took off to bring them up to St. Pete
by car. That's where they were from. They'll have to come back down to pick the boat up when it's done.

I called St. Brendan's Isle and started the new scanning service. It's the only way to get any level of control over the mail. It
turns out that I will also have to pay 50 cents to get envelopes opened and 10 cents per page for scanning, up to a total of $1
max per envelope. Then I can simply download what I want on the computer and send everything I don't want to the shredder.

Wow, I just found my morning coffee sitting here ice cold. It's good. I should forget it more often. I also called the VA to get my
prescriptions restarted. The new Primary Care Physician was supposed to do it, but she forgot and I forgot to tell her. I also
just got one of my packages from Harbor Freight, but a second package containing the two tarps is still on the way. I should
also be getting a package soon of 200 stainless rivets.
February 13, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

It turns out my estimates of wind speed may be very close. I generally have a tendency to hedge a little, trying to avoid a
natural exaggeration, and guess low. I've been doing that for so long that I might be coming fairly close to the actual wind
speeds. Ken has been sending me the true wind speeds recorded by his anemometer and the numbers are about what I was
thinking. Yesterdays front brought 46 mph winds and the front that blew through last night was 54 mph. I'm increasingly
confident in the hardtops security.
Right out of the blue, the sunset dropped below the layer of clouds and put on a pretty good show last evening. It was still
cold and rainy and I got my stocking feet soaked, but it was good to be able to get a few shots anyway.

I've already tried out the St. Brendan's Isle mail scanning service and I like it. It's a brave new world. The adaptation to being
untethered continues. I still have to change my Drivers License address and a few other things, though.

I joined Ken and Sandy for a quick excursion to Anna Maria Island. We went to a small Flea Market with lots of excellent
produce and a number of trinket and 'odds and ends' booths. From there, we went to Island Lumber and I got the two
aluminum angles I need for the hardtop, then across the street to the TruValue Hardware where I found the hose barbs and
hose for the windlass drain water trap. It's only 10:15 AM and I feel like I've accomplished something. I suppose it's because I
have. I'm heating up gruel for dinner.

Espin called and I went with him to his storage unit and then to Home Depot. I didn't get anything, but I did look through items
and talk with him about materials and methods for making his own hardtop dodger on Minnie Pearl. He also needs some
sewing done on the sacrificial strip on his roller furling jib. As soon as I can get the sewing machine out on the dock, I'll take
care of all the sewing jobs at once.
February 14, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I woke up early this morning, though I stayed up later than usual last night to watch Apolo Ohno win a silver medal. The 1500
final was an exciting race, in the best definition of the term. When it appeared that the best he might do was 4th, with the
other American 5th and the 3 Koreans in front, two of the Koreans collided and fell and the two Americans took 2nd and 3rd.
One of the Koreans had grabbed Ohno from behind and held him, which meant he should be disqualified, but it must have
been one of the two that fell, so nothing was said about it. Blazing speed all around. Excellent race. Naturally, I got to bed
late. The only reason I'm up early is because I haven't been able to get much work done. Staying out of the weather all day
doesn't much help expend energy. I'll have to try doing less of that, but today is forecast to be the coldest day yet, and
tomorrow is supposed to be freezing rain. There is one day in about a week, however, that they weather people say might get
within a few degrees of the 'average' for this time of year. Right now we're running almost 20 degrees below average.
February 15, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I'm afraid I have to say something you may not believe. It's cold here this morning. There, it's out. Who'd'a thunk? For
someone who did very little yesterday, I'm enjoying a smug sense of accomplishment. I can't explain it, but if I could produce it
in pill form I'd become an overnight billionaire. I did get one thing done. Let me get a picture.
I got the Ideal Windlass Water Trap
upgraded with the hose barbs and clear
tubing I picked up on the island the other
day. The hose was only 99 cents per
foot, so I went for two feet rather than
discover that one foot was too short to
easily secure it to the compression post,
and when I installed it, I just didn't bother
shortening it. As it is, I'll mount the bottom
end somewhere easy to view but safe
from accidental opening. No need to
unexpectedly drain the gear case into the
bilge. I should probably put a little safety
cap over the bottom hose barb.

The Daytona race was a trial in patience.
I suppose six hours isn't TOO long for
200 mph cars to travel 500 miles. Next
year I'll warm up by sitting through the
excruciating half-hour of the final 2
minutes in football and basketball games. Someday a brilliant statistician will begin logging the real duration of final '2
minutes' and major teams can vie for state and national records.

I did go out on the dock yesterday to mill around and talk with everyone. It was during the warmest part of the day and I
looked at it as conditioning my blood to thicken up for the Ice Age republicans swear is coming. I'll have to wait and see. They
haven't been right about anything yet.

At 9 AM I went to Marine Surplus with Ken and Sandy to mill around and look at stuff they were assembling to build a special
table in their aft cockpit. When we got back her right front brake was burning and after a while Ken pulled the wheel and I
adjusted the position of a pad shim that was falling out. The retaining tab hadn't been bent over to hold it in place. When that
was fixed we made a run to Walmart for a propane regulator they decided they didn't need, then they bought me dinner at the
Golden Corral. Yumm. We all over ate. It's the theme of the place.

Back at the ranch, Espin and I went over his hardtop design and I talked with RJ and tried to get some lie down time to treat a
headache I've been dealing with all day. Then Ken came back for fasteners and we dug some out of the 5 gallon bucket that I
will hopefully be done with soon.

Espin and Barbara came over and borrowed a couple of movies and Donny showed up to explain the reason no one has
seen him for three days is because he's been at deaths door with a stomach virus for about that long. It's just been a
whirlwind today and it isn't over yet.
February 16, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I was going to head back to Home Depot with Espin to get the materials to construct his new hardtop dodger. He said we
should wait until the rain that never came had passed and now that it's the next morning I'm wondering if we shouldn't wait
until the temperatures go back up to the 'normal' range. That's due to happen in another five days or so.

I've been checking out the electrical end of the solar panels and also want to get them connected and online. They put out
awesome power and I will probably not try putting the wires on my tongue again. The final additions to the hardware on the
hardtop are now supplied and ready to go. Most of that has already been worked out in my head and only needs to be
carefully executed to be done. What a huge accomplishment that will be for this miserable winter.

I am also expecting the last water tank to arrive soon and being able to finish the cabin sole will be another giant step. I just
desperately need to clamber over these huge roadblocks and force my way forward without producing crap in the name of
advancement. Anything that I have to do over again down the road is not, in my opinion, an acceptable method of moving
ahead. More than anything else, as I finish each of these projects, I want to put them behind me and scratch them off the
extensive 'to do' list.
February 17, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I have been using a website analysis software called WebLog Expert for a while now. As a small accessory program, it could
be thought a little expensive at $125, as a traffic analysis tool, it's priceless. Of course, like everything else, a tool only works
for you if you have a job for it to do and if you know how to use it. I got it early so I could get used to it and learn how to use it,
then put it into serious service to tune up my marketing efforts once the books begin to appear on the site. I'm telling you this
because I just received an unexpected bump in traffic and bandwidth on the site and it coincides with a mention of this site on
Justin and Jenny's 'Madrigal' website. I have their links on my home page and they have mine on theirs, but this is the first
time that I can actually view the data looking for something concrete and see it. Cool. Thanks, guys. And it's good to see you
getting internet active again.

This morning I emailed Ahoy Captain about getting my money back. It's been about a week and still no sign of it, so we'll see
what happens. It may be a bad sign for this vendor. Every good businessman knows better than to alienate a customer in
your first encounter. Their claim to fame is that they are 'cruisers' and can get you anything, wherever you are, and get it to
you. So far, I'm not impressed, but the Plastimo Flexible Water Tank bladders are REALLY a rare commodity and may be all
but impossible to get in this economy. But my money? That's easy - it's in their pocket and they should send it back. What
would I do if I didn't have at least one issue treating me like a pebble in my shoe?

There are rumors that the weather is going to warm up soon. There are also rumors that Bigfoot wanders the Great
Northwest looking for a job at Microsoft. I don't know which to believe. The Bigfoot one offers better photo ops and is more
likely to be true. It will also be less disappointing if it turns out to be another mean-spirited hoax. One good thing for
Canadians is that it is apparently warmer at the Olympics than it is here, so vacations to Vancouver are providing more
sunbathing than those unfortunates who opted for Orlando. Film at 11.

Espin and I went to Home Depot and got the materials for the Vega hardtop, then brought them down to my boat so I could
cut the big sheets there. My water tank came in and Ahoy Captain sent me a confirmation of the cancelled order and notice
that the funds were returned to my account. Donny came over and we sat and talked for a while, but we didn't complain about
the cold for more than 50 to 60%  of the conversation. Donny and Barb are still on schedule to leave on the first of March,
just 12 days away. He still seems a little wore down from the stomach virus. RJ just stopped by and looked at pictures of
Golfito in Costa Rica I downloaded from Google Earth. It's a pretty place with a low cost of living and a lot of open space. RJ
is talking about taking a two or three day flight down there to check it out and get a better feel for the area. Espin's lady,
Barbara and a couple who were looking around on the docks the other day, all agree the place is great.

Ken and Sandy are done with the aft cockpit table and it looks fine. I'll get a picture tomorrow. I'm still waiting for two blue
tarps to come in and I think that's the last outstanding loose end I have just now. I'll create new ones soon enough to keep the
tension up.
February 18, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

It's a little warmer this morning than it has been, so I'll be working outside today and preparing to do some big stuff tomorrow.
I'd like to get RJ's headsail strip sewn - owe him that for the scoops - and Espin's as well - might as well do 2 identical jobs at
the same time. It would also be nice to get a little sewing done on my own hardtop, but I might have to do some jig making
and Vega hardtop laminating first. Strike while the iron is hot. There's no telling how long this window of seasonal weather will
last. At any moment, Florida might again become North Dakota.
This is the table Ken and Sandy made for their aft cockpit. Very
clever and effective. I helped. I made Espresso and Biscotti with
Truffles. No. I mostly watched and said, "What's that?"

I got the tarps today. Now, the only thing outstanding is the cash
back from Ahoy Sailor. Below is Espin's Vega that I am now making
the hardtop dodger for. There is a picture of the beginning
lamination - prior to adhesive - in the other shot.
February 19, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I'm hoping for a quick warm up outside so I can forge ahead here. Once again, agreeing to help someone - Espin - has got
me involved in working on his boat instead of my own. I will try to quickly get to that place where he and Barbara can finish it
up, but forming and laminating the hardtop is one of those jobs that takes a special set of abilities. Not that someone else
can't do it, they certainly can, but can they do it right? That's another question. It has to be done right so it will last. And not
be butt-ugly.

I just went to Big Lots and Walmart with Ken and Sandy and picked up an antenna amplifier that doesn't do a thing. It will
have to be returned. And I don't mean 'it doesn't work any better than the old one', I mean it doesn't work at all. I also got more
reading glasses - dirt cheap - and a couple of hoodies that are pretty much guaranteed to shrink down to 'infant' size the first
time I wash them.

Bad news. I set up and oiled the Sailrite, sewed RJ's Jib, fixed his Mizzen sail cover - something I put on wrong a year ago -
and started going at Espin's jib. There was something wrong and I couldn't tell what it was. All I knew was that I was
beginning to feel bad. After I finished the sail, I picked up everything and visited with Ken and Sandy briefly, then went aboard
Falcon, laid down on turned on the heat. I felt COLD. Really shivering cold. Now, I know I have a fever and totally feel like
crap. My head is hot and I have no energy and forcing my way through this so I can lay back down. I just took some aspirin
for the headache, but don't expect it to help much. My stomach feels bad and I'm wondering if I got the same thing that Donny
had. Phooey. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
February 20, 2010 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida

I took aspirin after uploading the log last night. Much to my amazement, it stopped the temperature rise and the headache.
Within an hour, I felt fine and watched some of the Olympics before going to sleep. I awoke this morning feeling fine. I am not
usually prone to fevers and cannot remember a similar occurrence where the sickness came on and was stopped dead in its
tracks by aspirin. I've heard doctors say aspirin helps fever and had my mother give it to me when I was a kid, but it never
worked before. I wonder if my immune system was never this robust before. All of what I am doing in my diet and vitamin -
mineral, holistic health regimens are aimed toward improving liver health and fortifying the immune system. This is because
the VA gave me Hepatitis C during a procedure there in about 1992. I started this stuff when I discovered it in 2002. At the
time my viral load was through the roof and I was already dying. It was their opinion that the treatment was so violent on my
system that it might kill me, plus, there was a real concern about suicide while undergoing treatment. Sounds like a barrel of
monkeys, doesn't it?

Anyway, I went online and found out what Hep C patients were doing OUTSIDE of the AMA to treat the disease and started
doing it. By virtue of the throw of the dice, I'd already eliminated alcohol and drugs - AA, I'm a recovered alcoholic - and after
14 years of trying, successfully quit smoking. The drinking/drugs ended on September 29th, 1985 and the smoking ended on
March 1st, 2000. Hey! I'm coming up on 10 years of no smoking! Cool. Of course, I don't so much celebrate these
anniversaries as notice when they pass. September this year will be 25 years for the drugs and booze. They are days to be
grateful, but the far better life would have been not to use the substances at all.

The VA screwed up (what a shocker, huh?) and moved the infectious disease center to St Pete's Bay Pines Facility, meaning
I had to move from Naples to within reach of Bay Pines for treatment. I made the move to Regatta Point Marina and the
unChristian Heathens threw me out in three months for being an unChristian Heathen. Then they got fired and the new
management asked me to move back - since the place was now half empty while all the other marinas around were stuffed,
with waiting lists (names of people trying to get out of Regatta Point).

Anyway, it would not be until 2005 that the VA was once again ready to evaluate me for treatment. This time they discovered
that my viral load was VERY low. They asked when I'd started treatment - I replied 'never'. They asked what I had done that
could account for the drop in viral load. When I told them, they wrote down 'no notable cause', because the VA and AMA are
not 'allowed' to see improvements that do not include service from approved medical practices or drugs from the nations big
drug manufacturers. To them, my improvement is purely a medical mystery. It's no wonder that I look right in the eyes of these
idiots and see idiots who operate purely for the dollar and no nothing about the essence of the Hippocratic Oath.

Eddie just showed up and knocked on my boat. Be back later.

I talked with Eddie for a while, then tried the antenna amplifier on his TV. It did nothing good that could make me want to keep
it. I put the jig together to build Espin's hardtop and we took more measurements and cut the laminations down 4 inches. It
looks like we may have to cut off even more once we have the lamination laid up. It's better than having to add some.
The Cortez Fish Festival is happening this weekend
but I'm not interested in going over. It's just about
across the street, but I hate spending like, $15 to $20
a pound for Mullet that they'd be throwing away if
hungry party goers didn't finally break down and buy
something to eat. I've gone to it for the past four years
and I'm over it.

Donny and Barb called me and I went with them to
Walmart, where I returned the bad antenna amp and
bought Lentils, garlic salt, sharp cheddar cheese and
a pound of frozen shrimp. It will be thawed come
morning and I will fire up the electric frying pan, add
some olive oil and garlic salt, and sear and wolf down
the shrimp and cheese for breakfast. I'm expecting it to
be good.

The money from Ahoy Sailor is back in my account, so
all is right with the world.
The day started out pretty cold and for a long time we all thought it was going to remain cold, but it started to warm up around
noon sometime and turned into a fairly nice day, though it did keep sprinkling on us for quite a while. The temperature thing
kicked in again today just as it did yesterday, though not quite as bad. I took the aspirin just before going to Walmart and it
had the same effect. Temp dropped right away and the small headache also vanished. I don't know what to think, you know,
except that I might have been beamed up by aliens and they probed my butt and left something up there, but I don't think so,
really. I'd hear it beeping when I back up. We'll see how it carries on for the next few days.

My ribs still hurt a little, but only a little and I'm sure that's all but over. I sure do wish this long, cold winter would get over with.
I also wish Tiger Woods would return to golf. Especially now that I know we are so much alike, because I swear, if I'd been in
his position I would have done exactly the same thing. Exactly. And I'd'a been proud as a banty rooster. No doubt. Mostly
because I'm 62 and that's what folks would be expecting. I'd tattoo their names on my pasty old butt. Okay, enough of that.
Even writing about it wears me out.