Saturday 7 December 2019

Barb’ll tell you that one of my faults is that I tend to be early for everything. No, not THAT! Rather, when there is an event that we are going to attend I like to be early to scope things out, get a seat, decide if we actually want to be there etc. Last night was no exception. We showed up on the parade route an hour and a half early and good thing too. We were not the first. Folks we already setting up with lawn chairs, picnic tables, blankets on the ground, and all sorts. There were a number of vendors there with food trucks and tables selling every from hot dogs to philly cheese steaks, pizza to conch fritters, and flashing lights, coloured wands and reindeer antlers. Families from great grand parents to infants, people brining their dogs, folks coming with strollers, walkers and wheelchairs. And overall was playing Elvis and Jose Christmas music on the PA system. This was really very American. Canadians can’t come close to the involvement cooperation and overall participation that our US neighbours throw into events like this.

As for us we got what was probably the best seats for someone as ill prepared as we were. We found a cement wall to sit on right across from the reviewing stand where the judges were going to be sitting. This is where the entries were going to really be strutting their stuff.

The only negative thing I had to say about getting there early was we had to sit through about ten versions of White Christmas by ten different singers. It was getting to the point that I wanted to shove needles in my ears! Nice song but let’s have a little variety, please.

The parade was similar to the one we have at home: police, fire trucks and first responders, community organizations, churches, majorettes, marching bands, all sorts, just a lot more of them. Truth be told Barb and I couldn’t hold out until Santa arrived the parade was so long but clearly everyone had a good time.

This morning we got up and made contact with our friends aboard Silverheels III in Grenada. Ken, was able to help me to convince myself that there was nothing wrong with our SSB except the operator except for the wiring to the power supply. I needed to beef that up so I was off to BOW to get some heavier gauge wire to connect it to it’s 12V supply. Hopefully when I get that done we should be good to go. As it was he had us listening to other folk talking so the radio and antenna were functioning fine I just wasn’t providing 13V of power to it so at full power it could draw the 25A it’s needing. Besides the wire I also needed the connections and a heavy fuse to protect the wire from fire.

Another seasonal even was the boating parade of lights that we had to go ashore and walk around to the other side of the US 1 bridge to watch. We were joined by the crew of Carlinda and went to the bleachers to get a seat.