Back for a few moments

Busy week was had. The Spousal Unit had two family members visit last week, very nice! The 60 foot oak tree on the side of our house decided to come crashing down on our neighbor's property... Yikes! Thankfully, it was raining heavily and no children were playing where the tree struck--a spot two feet from their trampoline and ten feet from their pool!

No real damage, our fence needed to have a new section put in and the tree (and accompanying mess) was cut up by our yard feller, Jerry. The tree now resides in a hundred pieces stacked nicely in the side yard. I will let it season and dry before I rent a log splitter to make smaller and more usefully sized chunks for barbecuing. Helps to make lemonade when we are given lemons.

Went to a retirement ceremony at NAS Jax. The Flag Aide to the local Admiral finished up 26 years of service. He got the Navy Band for his doo, it was nice and properly done on Friday morning. There was a party to celebrate the retirement which was held at the Yacht Club later on in the evening. I closed that down, oh yessiree! Good time was had by all.

Other than that which I have described, we are making like hamsters on the wheel, running fast but getting no where.

This morning, I will be at the Barco and shall bring her to Sadler Point Marina for a yard period. Possibly a bottom paint job but more likely just having a cleaning of the undersides with a treatment being applied chemically to the running gear to prevent barnacle infestation of the props and shafts.

Break Out Another Thousand! (B.O.A.T.) I'm glad to be able to enjoy these challenges!

Please to have a good week, all of you.

UPDATE:
The Port side engine decided not to start. I tried wiggling wires, tapping the solenoid and even using a large screwdriver to jump the posts.... Nothing. And it was almost 0900, the appointed time of our haul out!

Unhooked from the dock and decided to do it on single engine which sounded like a good thing to do (Much cheaper to get repairs done at the facility) and the tides seemed to be slack. It was a quick process to enter the Ortega river and the Marina had three people at the hauling berth to help me maneuver into place. I got the boat in the dock with a minimum of control input and actually got the boat stopped (straight!) with the  one engine. I looked like a pro to the maintainers who were about to haul and block the boat!

The undersides looked really clean so the only work to be done is to strip the shaft and props to yellow metal and seal them with a patented chemical which preserves the shafts and prop from barnacles and slime attachment . Allegedly.

We will need the starter specialist to go through the port side starter system and also check the alternator and battery charger output system, too.

I'm sure the bill will be two and a half B.O.A.T. units. At least the targeted relaunch date is this Friday, just in time for the weekend.

See you all later!

 

And the barbecued pork was indeed fit.

Sorry for no follow up. The Spousal Unit was kept out late and Phil came by to help with the beer. The pork was moist, tender, smoky and incredibly good. The sandwich I ate at lunch was equal to last nights dinner, too.

Went to the Barco, ran the motors and gave the topsides a wash down. Perhaps tomorrow we might take a little spin on the water, who knows? The weather is still quite warm, but the humidity seems to be drying a bit. I like the October through May weather around here, maybe we can be seeing an early Autumn.

Have a nice weekend (We sure will!) and continue to be safe out there.

See you at the Club!

Bbq!

What can a poor boy do but plan a great dinner at 0730? (Part of the day-to-day Living Well Series...)

First; The Rub.
4 Tbsp:  Paprika

5 Tbsp:  Brown Sugar

4 Tsp: Salt
           Garlic Powder
           Dried Onion Flakes

3 Tsp:  Pepper

2 Tsp: Cumin

1 Tsp: Cayenne Pepper Powder

Special Mustard Sauce made with unknown spices and horseradish.

Mix dry rub in bowl.

Retrieve 11 Pound Boston Butt from fridge, wash down with fresh water.

Rub Special Mustard Sauce made with unknown spices and horseradish all over pork. Wash hands.

Rub dry spice rub over entire butt. Let sit for awhile, let it consider the future...

Start charcoal. Gather hickory chips for smoking...

Place gray charcoal into smoker, cover with hickory chips. This will be an all day affair, at least an hour per pound.

Charcoal is started!

Butt awaits a warm fate. Kinda like Hassan The Murderer, cooling his heels over in Leavenworth.

Ol' Hickory

And away... we go!!!

Ignore that tall boy standing watch. Proper barbecue requires a beer to be present at all times. Texas Rules.


Phil the Viater; You coming by for some pulled pork???

Update:
Jerry the Yard Dude has just mowed the lawns and cleaned up so now I feel like I have accomplished something, namely having given Jerry his check while we chatted barbecue!

The Mission Continues and the pork smokes...

Some Jerry Jeff to ennertain (Sp. Int!)

Happy Patriots Day

Ok, not real comfortable with the official day's title. I guess it's better than calling it Atrocity against Humanity Day, or Victory of 38 people from Saudi Arabia who hated the West Day, or some other poorly worded day.

For my part, I have been watching closely the 2Million Bikers who were denied a rally permit. Funny how the Muslim Political Action Committee had no problem getting a rally permit on Patriots Day.

Funny how things like that happen in the District of Columbia, which is completely run by the Federal Government. The same folks who summon the forces of the IRS against non-Muslim groups whenever possible.

Funny. Not.

The Bikers have been riding in a swarm to D.C., but none of the Lame Stream Media has noticed, not even Murdoch's Merry Pranksters. Well, ok, there was a brief spot at 2:30, or so.

Go here and here to get news about the Patriot Riders who are making Washington DC feel a bit nervous with the diversity of opinions present, in one place. Turns out the government is kinda ok with impromptu rallies, just not ones that aren't about hating George W. Bush..

Heh.

I have chicken on the barby outside and some brussell sprouts in the oven, so this has to be short...

Have a fine evening and live well in honor of the Patriots who died twelve years ago. Living well is the best revenge we can do over and over again, which is sure to piss off an enemy who is stuck in the seventh century.

First batch of pictures

Jet lag had us up at 0300, this am. I started on collating photos a little later, I think there are a hundred or so ready for viewing.

Here we go!

First Winery on Deck!

This nice person was very keen on us listening...

Next up; Waverly.

This Gent acted surprised that we had shown up!

Coat of Arms for the recently deceased owner.

Catching a buzz at 1100

Vineyard Dog

Back view from Waverly.

Heading down the road to Tamburlane.

Brian, our tour guide setting us up.

Next to the Cheese shop.

Lunch location

Lunch was part of the deal.

Next!

Irongate had the most attractive host!

There are 100 wineries in Hunter but only three grow and squeeze their own grapes. 

Skins and seeds grapes. Might be useful interrogating perps...

On to Saddler's Creek! Last but best of all.

Exactly.

Autographed bottles

The blonde fellow is the future of Australian wine. Count on it!

Evaporation in progress

Tasmania Photos

A few of the nicer photos of Hobart and Mount Wellington.

Breakfast at the local bakery.

Hobart is clean and orderly.

Obviously, a place to have a fine dinner.

Our hotel, the Mercure, was sold by Lottery in 1958. Nice place.

Heading up Mt Wellington

Southern Ocean. Next stop; Antarctica!

Still winter!

Snappy looks out on the world.

Antenna!

Nice walkways are provided. There is chicken wire to aid in traction because conditions are often icy.

Roger and Janice at the summit.

I enjoy following in Twain's foot steps. Hope to see all the places for myself!