Thursday, June 25, 2015

Life goes on. Moved Mary Lee back to Johnson's family campground and marina on June first to get her cleaned up and looked over before going down to Charleston harbor for the rest of the summer.

If you read the last post then you understand the hold-up. Also.


Vivian's mom came to stay. It was Jon's graduation from Soccastee(sock-us-tea)High.

The group,off to the ceremony.

Vivian and I also posed. Someday I may even remember to comb my hair first....maybe?
  The two of them got some crafting done.


So this week I have been doing boat chores.
Drove orca down(we nicknamed the van, there is more to that story, but it is too much for the blog).

 blue canvas in the middle of the picture. Exciting to finally have her ready to sail and me healthy enough to enjoy it.

Got a couple pictures of the last week we will have Mary Lee here. Hopefully the last of Georgetown.

Leaving for Charleston on the first of July. Possibly the third....depends on the weather and whether or not Vivian wants to boat down or drive down. She has the third, fourth and fifth off. The vehicle is necessary to return on Sunday.   So, If she boats, we need someone to come pick us up.
 I found a hobby I may want to persue just for fun. I decided to do something with an old stained tee shirt.

The airbrush is a pretty cheap model as my expensive one broke. This airbrush is the wrong one for spraying acrylic enamel....also will not adjust fine enough. But that was my first scenery effort. I enjoyed doing it. It never hurt my back. Tools and paint take very little space. I need to replace my good airbrush first, but I took a couple pictures of some pictures I would like to try.


But that will happen in Florida this next winter.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

                              June 8, 2015

 The day my little brother(Robert Eugene) Bob lost his fight with cancer.


   Bob was really a great guy. He deserved much better than he got. He was a man amongst men and he always walked his own path.

  He was just 48 years old.

I am going to have great difficulty with the fact that he is no longer a part of my life.

  I always assumed that Bob was going to make it. I even expected him to outlive me.

I erred in thinking any part of life is predictable.

Happy trails Bob.

You are loved!







Tuesday, June 2, 2015

This week has been a real busy one.  Jon graduates from high school this week. Vivian's mom is coming to stay for two weeks. There were projects.
I had watched a couple utube videos on putting cushions back in covers a while back. Good thing, Vivian had the guys come and shampoo rugs. While they were here she decided to pull the covers off the couch cushions to wash and have the guys shampoo the rest.

Everything went like clockwork. We put the covers on while still wet. In case of shrinkage.

We picked up some lightweight drop cloths to wrap them in. Videos were done with dry cleaner bags. Like where do you get those on saturday? Maybe you know, I do not. I have no idea what made me think of painting drop cloths. I had pondered what to use while watching the videos. The idea for the dropcloths accurred when I needed it.

So you cut a piece big enough to loosely wrap the cushion up. I used the table so I could stand up to do it.

Then wrap the open end around the vacuum hose. The light weight plastic will pull in around the cushion and seal it.

Takes about 20 seconds...depending on how good your machine pulls air.

Takes no effort to slide cover on.

Let the air back in by pulling plastic apart.

Pull the plastic out and zip it up.

There were 13 cushions and all had batting wrapped around them.



Even the odd shaped lounge cushion was no effort. Notice the zipper is on the little end. I bet getting that one back in with the batting intact would have been no end of fun without sucking the air out first. It really went well.



And the boss is happy! :-)

We got all the cushions put back together in about an hour. We were not setting any records for speed. Just took our time. It really was much more difficult taking the covers off and washing them. Going together was pleasant. Of course they were a good while drying. But by the next morning all was dry.

I also took all the patio table and chairs apart for a good cleaning and new paint.




It was a lot more involved than I want to talk about. Suffice it to say....the rivets are now replaced with stainless bolts. It is well made furniture and replacing the seat and back material will now be easier than the factory intended.

The gazelle is becoming very important.

I use it before, during and after most everything. It stretches and warms up my lower back muscles without jarring anything.

I have noticed a change in how I am feeling overall. I think the duress from the constant manipulation in physical therapy along with trying to do too many things was making me sick. I have much of my flexibility back now. I just need to get my core strengthened. Mayhaps before going south I will get worked over a few more times.


However it goes...as I feel better...things improve between Vivian and I. 'Nuff said!




We are out walking on the beach in a very nearby state park most nights for an hour or two. We have been picking up some fossilized shark teeth. I guess Myrtle Beach is quite well known for them. Been finding them for years...lots of them.

Last for this blog. I created oil spots on the driveway. This is just one.

Used carburator cleaner and just sprayed it off. Top picture is all oily.

Then it was cleaned in seconds. I had sprayed it from the side to wash oil away. I gave it a second spray from the opposite side to get the crevices at a different angle.

It rained before it dried out. No after picture.

 I am afraid it has all been just too much for Vivian to handle. She is a dynamo....but even her batteries run down

She really is someone special.