Blog  

Just a quickie from my (new) phone.  Dorothy and I continue to plug away. Low temps and hand sanding the faired area above the chine & below the waterline have slowed us down significantly. 

The low temps increase the drying / curing times for the anti-corrosion coatings.  The fairing material (think bondo) below the waterline make it inappropriate to simply sandblast all the coatings -- the would be a 'ledge' due to the difference in coatings above and below the waterline, resulting in 'chipping' during power-washing and providing a foothold critters (eg barnacles). 

Anyway, finished the hand-sanding today; 2nd "dimetcote" going on this evening as Dot and I shower and wash our work clothes at the laundromat. Brilliant sunshine the last 2 days  with highs in the low 20s lows in the teens -- supposed to go to 12F tonight. 

We are well taken care of by Clay (old family friend who lives here in Wrangell). Clay organized a small, cozy travel trailer for us to stay in (when the b&b's and other rooms balked at taking Rusty -- how can anyone not love Rusty?). He also provided us a 4 whl drive truck for transport. (which has been very handy given the amount of snow on the ground). He's been off moose-hunting this past week.

Don Sorric (our contractor) has been great, providing lots of OJT and explanations about how and why. 

We changed our flight back to Seattle, which was to be Tues 22nd to Saturday 26th. There's no way DE will be ready to go back in the water before we leave, but we trust Don and the harbor guys to get the boat put away. 

We tried to put off the shoulder surgery for another week, but unable to make that small a change (one month would've worked for the doc, but we'll be out of the country and pushing it farther off put me into trying to operate the boat with my arm still in a sling; not a good idea. 

Short of putting off the surgery to next fall, I've run out of options and I think Dorothy will smother me in my sleep if I put her through more months of tossing, turning and groaning each night in bed (when the discomfort from the injured shoulder is at it's zenith). 

Rusty enjoys frollicking in the snow; the deeper the better; he bounds around like a deer or a kangaroo in it. He's like a little kid who won't come out of the cold water at the beach even though his teeth are chattering and lips are blue -- in Rusty's case shivering; he's just not built for these temps. 

So it's happening; slower and more work than we expected -- but then it usually is (don't know why I always think it will be easier.). We're achey and tired, but happy to be working at it together; and as always, enjoying the great people we meet along the way.