Finally there
25 August 2008 | Tonawanda (again)
Mostly sunny, 70's
Got up at 6:00, put the coffee on and thought about all the teachers convening on the building today to begin their in-services as well as start working on their rooms, etc... It feels strange not to be there this year. I'd be making and copying my syllabus, handouts, etc., etc., etc., and instead I spent the dayin my own personal "in-service": being hoisted up the mast to put the bridle for the hoist around the spreaders so that when they lift the mast out, they don't break the radar, ("hey can you see the mist from Niagara Falls?" "No, hoist me higher" D'wayne (the crane operator) said: You should be able to see the mist from the falls now!" "Okay" "Okay guys - I'm ready to come down now!" Hello? Hey no coffee breaks!" "Honey... Honey..."); helping to unstep the mast; settling it in on the deck; falling down the cabin stairs; then finally riding past Wardell's and going under the 17 ft bridges to finally - at long last - entering the Erie Canal.
It finally feels like we're on our way. We are now officially out of the Great Lakes, and I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. We tied up on the Erie Canal and ran into Tonawanda (okay walked...) for pop, beer and to find a pharmacy.
I can't begin to tell you how great the guys at Rich's Marina were. I wish I'd have gotten all their names but the only one I know is D'waynes because when they called him I thought his name was Wayne. They assisted, when needed, and I learned a lot about the crane operations there. They didn't mind my questions and didn't rush us.
After we tied up on the Canal we walked to the Walgreens, Burger King, and the Beverage store. I walked over to the old lift, Railroad Bridge that goes over the water and climbed it to take a picture of Wayne sitting by the boat. I thought that it was no longer in use, but � hour after I came down, an Amtrak train came speeding across, then later a long train carrying all manner of ores, etc..., glad I wasn't up there when they came by, I'd have been in the drink instead of having one with my hon...
Sat and watched the world go by for a bit on the park bench before going below. Wayne got the TV on and we were able to watch a couple of channels -it was good to see the news again, it's been awhile...
By the way - I've posted pictures and will add more today. The one on the blog is one Wayne shot of me attaching the bridle to the mast