Kaimusailing

The canvas prints came in and I had accidentally ordered a duplicate of one of the photos. The actual cost of the prints comes out to just under $15 per print. I took the 2X4' project panel and scribed it for 12X18" backings. I could make 5 of these out of the project panel. I will give away some prints unmounted unframed. I have now 5 cylindrical shipping tubes.
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I used the multitool with halfmoon blade to cut the backings. I then tested out the spray adhesive , Elmer's Multi Purpose Spray Adhesive, on my first print that I have had for a while. A quick spray over the surface of the backing wood, then quickly place the print onto the tacky adhesive. Works great. I fitted the print and backing wood into the only frame I had and added a drop of Gorilla wood glue to each corner in the back.
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I reported to Eve, the artist, that the adhesive worked a treat, and the first print was put together, let's see how that turns out. She said she was going to the Legion at 5 and I said my liver needed a rest. I took my time and finally showered, putting on a flaming Hawaiian shirt. I called her and asked if she needed an escort to the Legion. I played a computer game online at the Shanty till she showed up. Off we went to the Legion.
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It was Taco Tuesday, but no tacos, different bartender, no fresh oranges for Orange Crushes, but I had a fraudulent Orange Crush and Eve had Pinot Grigio and we went outside. I had ordered a fish sandwich, I was hungry. It was Eve's bag of food that made me want to eat something else. The bartender must have put extra vodka in the drink, my liver rebelled, but it had still a lot of vitamin C, healthy drink. We talked about the birds, some at a distance, some I could see with my own eyes, and Eve, who complains about cataracts, identified some eagles maybe 2 miles away. Good vision.
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My fish sandwich came out and I ate it like a famished boatyard puppy. More Pinot Grigio and another faux Orange Crush. I took a picture of the venue and texted Cornelia Marie's mom, Legion it said. It's strange, but whenever I send her a text she responds by showing up. Eve tried, maybe they are best friends now, no reply. Maybe they are between the sheets I said, she would have slapped me, but she was hoping I would buy drinks. A storm was brewing and it cut off the whole horizon, on one side blanked out, on the other side somewhat sunny. You know, Eve, your beautiful blue eyes will not get the good light today. She doesn't blush. She likes to hear it, but she can't say the same about me.
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She orders the same fish sandwich and we have more Pinot Grigio and faux Orange Crush. On my way to and fro, the chef, who smokes big cigars, engaged me in conversation. He was wanting a crowd for a tuna grille Friday, we spoke about fish, Hawaii, best fish market around Crisfield, Ray's Shanty, on Chincoteague Road. I texted to CM's mom, the best fresh fish. She always complains about the fish, not like up North in Massachusetts, maybe she'll find it here.
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After watching for eagles and ospreys I notice at a distance a couple walking a dog. Is that dog Nori, the wonder dog? But that can't be Buster and CM's mom, her hair is too black, unless she dyed it. Eve got her binoculars. No, it's not them. But then she said yes, it's Nori. By that time I realized it was them, They approached. We were ready to leave, having had enough, but now we had to entertain. The Royals.
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Nori responded to my announcement, "Clippins", along with clipping actions with my fingers around her ears and face. She sniffed and took her place next to Buster who had a bowl of ice water for her. We were all friends but sometimes friendship is a facade for something else. Buster went inside to the bar, we were outside with the dog, I said to Eve and CM's mom, you know I love you both. I look into their eyes to see a response.
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More drinks. Some investment talk, talk about money, I just can't add anything. I'm just a poor old barefoot homeless boat person. CM's mom says, sometimes they find out there was money on some of these derelicts. Love her. Not with me, I say. The mosquitoes are biting heavily. I go inside to pee and get Eve another Pinot.
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It's getting worse, I'm crushing mosquitoes that are substantial. Time to go. I go inside to pay up. Outside we are all ready to get out of the mosquitoes, you're more likely to die from a mosquito someone says, bill paid I says, We all leave.
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Back at the marina, six digit code to get in, can you ride a bike, love you, bye. Bike to the boat.
I like so much to be alone at sea with nature to contend with, contending on land is different, we live and thrive or fail, it is rough now with the virus. This town was moderate, but now it's in the red zone.
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I will start wearing a mask. We all have to do it. Go ahead. We're experienced with this. Wear a mask and finish off this virus.
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The next day I didn't have much of a hangover. It was windy and it was almost 11 am. Slept well. Breakfast. I'm looking at the first mounted print and it's not totally glued to its backing, like big bubbles in the canvas. Fortunately my glue job to fit the backing into the frame was easily sliced and the print removed from the frame. I peeled back the print from the backing, not adhered well at all.
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It was humid, better to be outside in the breeze than inside the boat, sweating on the art prints. I thought the backing panels needed to be coated with something. It was like the adhesive had soaked into the wood and there wasn't enough left to hold the canvas on the backing. I now had 6 backing panels and brought them into the cockpit in the breeze and wiped tung oil finish onto them. Then I went for a bike ride, cooling, but then I needed water. It looked stormy. I drank water on board. I removed the cushion from the settee and started gluing the prints onto the backing panels.
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I had marked on the back of the prints where the corners of the printed area on the front were. Then I laid down a print backside up, used it as a drop cloth to spray the back of a panel with adhesive. The panels were dry of the tung oil already, the adhesive wouldn't soak into the wood. I sprayed the back of the print and placed the backing panel down adhesive side down of course, lining it up with the marks, then the next print and panel, and so on. After they were all layered like this I put some heavy items on top of the pile to make sure everything stuck together.
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I closed up the boat with storm clouds brewing, went to the Red Shell Shanty to sit under the tent and access the internet with the laptop. It looked like we were really going to get it. I searched for picture frames or molding to make frames out of. Rumblings of thunder. Fantastic clouds all roiled up. I could get no response from the picture frame vendor, then I saw it was after 5 and they close at 5. Well I better make lunch, skipped again, maybe crackers with cheese and ham, wait, I'm almost out of ham. I need eggs too. Back to the boat, head to the grocers, the storm never happened. Steak was on sale. Get steak, 50/50 salad mix, eggs, ham, and of course water.
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Steak salad with my vinaigrette dressing, some of the last of the merlot wine. Listening to that radio station again, the song that was playing sounded like someone imitating Neil Young, something about 21st century dude. I can usually search part of the lyrics and find the song. The line was not 21st century dude, it was 21st century loses. David Bowie. Time Will Crawl.
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A cloud lit up with the sunset light and I went up on deck, perspiring, to see if it was worth a photo. I had been looking at the same scene that was captured in one of the prints, different but the same view. I took the photo, then hopped on the bike and went out through the pedestrian gate to the city dock to take another shot. Worth the effort.