6/23/2019

I’m OK. My boat was sinking last week. She’s been taking on water for a while, but the pump kept it up. Then I watched a houseboat smack her pretty hard while I was paying the rent this first. Later, the pump failed and the water came in much faster. The yard installed a 110 pump, to keep her afloat and called me at work. Louis pulled the electric plug as it was sucking dry, she was half full in an hour when I got there. I bought and installed a new pump. Monday they pulled her out to the hard. I took the afternoon off and power washed the bottom after the yard had already scraped her down. There is some worm damage in a few places and the caulking is shot in a few places fore and aft. It’s actually not that bad. Smith’s clear penetrating epoxy sealer should kill the worms according to the web research.

Yesterday I drove down and removed the rudder as there is a lot of damage near the water line. I’ll need to cut out a small section of the mahogany and replace it with screws and epoxy, easy. I also removed the caulking from the top of the first garboard plank as that was where the most water was flowing. I pulled the caulk and cotton around the bow and stern where it was leaking the most. Rick came by and offered a few tips, he’s good. I brought home the tiller too, for a new coat of varnish. The boat needs a lot of work. Fortunately, Matt the Harbor Master is OK to leave her on the hard for the same cost per month while she gets repaired.

Today, I made a batch of pickles I picked up at the farmers market yesterday on the way. I scored a bundle of tarragon, then some early medium cucumbers and a few carrots. Tarragon, garden thyme, garlic, onion quarter, yellow mustard seed, 50/50 water to white vinegar and two teaspoons salt (plus salt on the cukes last night).  I got three pints of pickles, but added carrots then more onions. Finally, I had a lot of onions left and made a cup jar of that plus a few carrot sticks. It’s a good mix. I also made a choice batch of chicken and veggie with noodles soup.

I’m missing working on my instruments with the boat precedence. I really want to get the electric micro bass built. I have a soprano uke needs glue up. Tom gave me a bare baritone uke needs a lot. Sal at work requested a walnut pickup cover. I have a choice piece of walnut needs cutting for that and several bass fret boards. I have a new wide band saw blade to install for that.

Life’s been interesting. And I really enjoy my day job. Cookies on Friday, ice cream next Friday. Good challenges.

6/3/2019

The Kinetic race was good fun and a lot of exercise. I was support truck driver, running from truck to rig several times each day. The first day we busted a chain three times in the sand and lost our ace coming in late under tow with a bike. After that we did OK, just for fun. We won the best splash award for water entry. Hey alright.

I picked up three jars of Larrupin sauce, a Swedish mustard dill sauce you can only find in Eureka. I gave one to Dean at cost as his wife likes it. I actually still have an old one so I still have three. Makes great potato salad.

I’ve been working on my electric micro bass some, just received pickup jacks this evening for the electrics. Studying the schematic to make an amp. I have the parts but this one needs the tiny input jack I just got for the piezo pickup. I made a jig yesterday to hold the bridge so I can router a slot for the bone bridge and a smaller deeper slot for the piezo pickup.

So I’ll be able to make more.

I cooked a batch of spaghetti sauce with rotini noodles enough for the smaller tech work gang, and a batch of Pasta Fagioli soup with turnips and mushrooms from the farmers market, a good lunch today. TJ’s fried chicken rice for tomorrow’s lunch, good stuff, recommended, add a dash of soy sauce.

Back to the normal grind work week, but it’s OK, I like it. Last week I 3D printed a new gizmo that works with a few modifications. That was fun.