Wednesday, 02-05-2014

We had a nice drive and a great dinner at St. Augustine’s Mojo Barbecue last night with Brian and DawnAnne.  The big platter contained barbecued pulled pork, half a chicken, brisket, ribs and turkey breast.  Our sides were side salads, pit barbecue beans and a sweet potato mash which would be a great desert.  B&D had a platter just like it with different sides.  Delicious, and enough left over for lunch today!

The new “house” batteries were installed yesterday without serious injury.  No hoist systems, no overloaded and broken ladders, etc.  Turns out that is why God invented fork lifts!  Barbara and I each spent time in the lazarettes.  I did the disconnecting, then Barbara went below to guide the batteries to where I could reach them for the lift out, then guiding the new ones into place and then she did most of the re-connecting.  No, I did not have to use grease, but it was darn close!

HOWEVER!  Not all went well.  When trying to turn the breaker back on for the DC power in the boat, Barbara discovered the breaker was broken.  Oh no!  would everything in the freezer die?  Maybe we should cook it up right away, mussels, cod, hamburger and all so it wouldn't spoil.  But, no, the propane cannot be turned on without DC power, either, so, no cooking.

Brian and DawnAnne were kind enough to stop at West Marine for us in St. Augustine last night.  We picked up a new breaker of a different kind which will not fit our electrical panel and was able to McIver it in as a temporary solution.  After much research, I was able to locate and order the correct breaker, but it won’t be here for 7-10 days.  Actually, I ordered two, because, if I have a replacement for the one I install, it will never die!

I started work on pulling the transmission this afternoon during the rain storm.  I have to get an 11/16 crow’s foot wrench to get at two of the nuts (that will get some folks thinking).  Part of last year’s work paid off because the telescoping drive shaft actually telescoped.

We purchased a flat rolling hose last weekend at a marine flea market.  We used it for the first time today and to my dismay, it had a substantial leak…for a minute or two and then it healed itself!  It did its task without further leaks and back on its reel it went.

Our neighbors launched today.  They told us they had been trying to take off to the Bahamas since November.  Bon chance!

Barbara added some mushrooms and roast tomatoes to our take home spaghetti and meatballs entre from Maggiano’s and made us a great dinner, chased down with a little corrugated cabernet.  At Sunset.  On our old sailboat.  In the boatyard.  Where it wasn’t 10 degrees below zero like at home.  What a life!