Life at the Dock
05 July 2011 | Westbrook, CT
Marie
We arrived on Saturday, June 11th and stayed at the original slip until June 19th when we were moved to our present slip, II3, where we have been ever since. There have many good times, but today is a "turn-down" day. We seem to be having a lot of issues: some of which are being resolved as I write. One fellow is down in the engine room installing fuel filters (he has been at it for what seems like many hours). Another fellow is fixing the AIS system, which I am not really sure what it is. Our washing machine should be arriving today and will be installed by the master installer, Craig!!
We are now a one-cat boat, Sylvie just seemed to be one cat too many. She was not very compliant with the "cat box" situation and I discovered that she had been urinating all over my hammock!! She was quite entertaining to watch, but the "entertainment" factor did not seem to be much of a priority. We found her a home on Craigslist, hopefully a very good home. In the meantime, Katrina does not seem to miss her stepsister at all. She is such a perfect boat cat. I took out the artificial grass from the "Cat Box System" and she seems to be OK to urinate on a plastic grid that overlies the head bilge. When I want to "flush" the little bilge reservoir, I simple add water by turning on the sink (the water drains into the same bilge and activates when the water level gets to a certain level. I simply "pick" up her solid waste with a baggie on my hand and drop the little tootsie rolls into the toilet which is right next to her "potty." There is virtually no odor. The artificial grass seemed to absorb urine and had a bit of a smell. Worse than that is that it did not drain 100%. I would have to take the faucet/hand shower and "rinse" off the grass. The grass would then remain somewhat wet (even after trying to absorb the "water" with a small towel). I was seeing little moist footprints leading out of the head and even going up to the salon dinette settee!! It was probably only 5% urine, but it was not quite acceptable. So now I am very happy to eliminate the artificial grass, but will probably keep it around a bit (it can store in a large ziplock in the warehouse) in case Katrina decides to create a mutiny!!!
Fireworks have been happening every night for the last 2-3 nights, without us having to even leave the dock. Connecticut takes this stuff quite seriously.
Craig has been very busy: installing LED lights nearly "everywhere;" ding-eze boarding bar, under-the-sink Culligan Filtration System, mounting clock/barometer at the NAV station; mounting the bike box to the boat; cutting the 3" memory foam for the beds, and probably many others.
We have become prolific Amazon buyers and are not done yet. There is so much stuff that we should probably still donate, but the forepeak bunks have been "debunked" and turned into two incredible storage areas: the Port side has been termed "The Pit" and the Starboard side is "The Warehouse." We pulled out the cushions and found a home for them, including the extra cushions that would have turned the dinette into a bed!!
I am trying to catalogue everything that is stored along with its location. I plan to alphabetize all items and print up the items so that we can locate them more easily!!
We had ordered another pulse oximeter and I discovered that my tachycardia has returned. I did some more research and as much as I can discern: I probably have IST or Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, a diagnosis of exclusion. I think that most of what is possible as a cause has been checked. Pheochromocytoma has not been ruled out, and I am finding that the life expectancy is not diminished in patients with this diagnosis. As long as I am asymptomatic, I think that I will just hang with it and see how it goes. It is bothersome but I will just have to live with a "Diagnosis of Exclusion."
I am proud to announce that I won the first Gin Rummy tournament and also the first Board Game (Nautical Sailing Trivia). I have continued to be able to watch the "Bachelorette." We do not yet have a DVR, and will probably buy one on Ebay.