The 3rd of July, Ron took the boat to Liberty Bay in Poulsbo, and we were to anchor then pick up some friends and Noreen from shore and bring them to the boat. It was late in the afternoon when we finally got to Poulsbo so we headed to a nice area that is between the Poulsbo Yacht Club and the Poulsbo marina. Ron found his spot and Dave was on the bow to drop the anchor. The anchor was dropped but when Ron went to back down on it, it didn’t hook so he drove forward so Dave could raise the anchor again for a second try. Dave was pushing on the up button and nothing was happening. Uh Oh!!!!! The hydraulics died on the anchor. Ron had to take the dinghy ashore to pick up people so Dave and I were on board watching all around us to make sure we didn’t drift back on any of the boats anchored near us. When Dave managed to maneuver the boat to keep us from drifting too far Marty and Inez showed up in their dinghy. They were at the Poulsbo Yacht Club and saw us drive in the bay so they came by to say hi. Marty was a big help to us as he pulled the anchor up by hand while Dave was at the controls. Success, the anchor was up. But now what do we do?? Ron came back to the boat and dropped off the first guests and went back to shore to get the second group. When he returned Marty and Inez had left and Ron took over the controls and tried to find someone to raft up with. Emerald Isle showed up from Brownsville Marina so we asked if we could raft with them and they said yes so we waited for them to drop their anchor and get settled and then we came along side and tied to their port side. Now we could rest and enjoy the evening. Ron made his last trip to shore to pick Noreen up and then it was party time!!! We had cocktails and dinner and waited for the fireworks to begin. At 10:30pm the fireworks started with a BANG and it was a cluster of colorful bursts. The whole show lasted half an hour but it was the best we have ever had at Poulsbo. It was fantastic!!!! People talked about it for days afterwards! We stayed the night and so did our good friends Clark and SaraNell from Florida. (They use to have a catamaran at Brownsville but sold it and moved to warmer weather). They were here to visit family and also Clark had work to conduct some business. He is a boat broker. They were only here a week so we got lucky to have them stay with us for the night. Ron and Noreen have a settee that makes into a bed so that was where they were going to sleep. We all had had much to drink and when it came time for everyone to go to bed we were more than ready. But we had to make the bed for SaraNell and Clark. Noreen took the table off to leave the pole that holds the table up and the gap where the other cushion goes to make the med. We all tried to get that pole out but it wasn’t budging. Now what!!!! It would not come out no matter how much we beat on it, wiggled it, and used brute force. Now we were faced with where SaraNell and Clark were going to sleep. They ended up sleeping on the settee cushions covered with sheets and blankets. When the morning came everyone seemed cheerful and SaraNell and Clark said they slept well. Clark was the one we were worried about as he is really tall and the living room on the boat isn’t that large. SaraNell is just a small petite little thing and would fit just about any small space. Well it ended up alright and that was good. After coffee and some breakfast we were getting ready to wash dishes when the water pump quit working!!! Oh brother!!!!!! We put the dishes on hold until we got back to Brownsville; in our slip and hooked up to the water at the dock.
For 2 days the guys fiddled with the anchor windless trying to figure out why it wasn’t working. They checked with the manufacturer and talked to a representative and did a couple more things for testing then decided it was a part they had to get. That was really good news as they thought they would have to either replace the windless or something major like that. It all worked out. Once the part arrived in the mail the guys went to work and the windless is now working great. Next project, the water pump. Ron had another water pump so he took the old one out and put the new one in and now we can use water from the tanks when at anchor. So things are working well again. The next project is to figure out why the pole isn’t coming out from under the table. That project is on hold for now. They have taken a break.
Crabbing season has started and Ron’s neighbor Fleeta has been going out almost every day except for the days it is closed. That is Tuesday and Wednesdays. Dave, me, Ron, and Noreen have helped her crack crab and then Fleeta seals and freezes it. We have some in our freezer as Ron has a couple pots out.
My best girlfriend, Judy and I went to her friend’s house, Roxanne, at Ocean Shores for a couple days. Roxanne and her husband were in Leavenworth having time away and said we could use the house while they were gone. After getting to the house we sat and showed each other pictures we had on our computers, hers was of her quilting cruise and mine was my crafts. I had brought a bag of buttons, some wire and my pliers to make some earrings if I got time. I decided it would be nice to make a pair of earrings for Roxanne so I took two black buttons and two small sand dollar buttons and put them together with wire and made earrings. Roxanne’s house is on the golf course so around 4:30pm we started to see deer come out and start to graze and walk around. It was neat. Shortly thereafter we left for dinner and Judy took me to Galway’s Irish Pub and had a great dinner. After dinner we went to the grocery store and got some wine and I got a bottle for Roxanne and her husband and a thank you card. When we got back to the house Judy and I changed into our lounge clothes and settled in the living room and talked, had some wine while she worked on a couple of her quilts. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time. We hadn’t had that special time together since I moved away. The next morning I got up first, which was a shock to me------had a couple cups of coffee while watching the golfers go by; had some breakfast before Judy got up. After she had her coffee and something to eat we got dressed and headed for the shops!!!! It was fun and we went to all the thrift stores we could find and then looked around in the other shops. We stopped back at Galway’s Irish Pub to have lunch and afterwards went through some more shops then came back to the house. We were leaving that evening so I washed the sheets and put them in the dryer and left Roxanne a note telling her that before we left. We decided not to stay another night as it would have meant we had to get up really early Friday morning. I had to be at my youngest son’s house Friday at 12:30pm to watch Jon Jr. for the weekend. So we decided to start for home around dinner time and stop in Aberdeen for dinner at a place called Duffy’s. It had good food but the service wasn’t the greatest. They seemed to have been short staffed. It was around 9 when we got to the marina where we said our goodbyes. We had a wonderful time.
Next morning after my coffee and breakfast, Dave drove me to Jon’s house in Tacoma. Susannah had just gotten up so they weren’t ready to go. Dave stuck around for a while to visit with Jon Jr. and Jon, and then he headed back to Bremerton to beat the traffic. Finally late afternoon Jon and Susannah left and I was all alone with the little stinker. He had to get use to me as the last time he saw me was when he was about 3 months old. So I had some quality time with my youngest grandson and we had fun. We played ball, blocks, read a book, the same one over and over. I bought a blow up pool on Friday night and partially filled it with water so it would be warm when I put him in it the next afternoon. The weather was hot. Saturday afternoon when the shade was on the pool I let him play in it for a while. He loved to splash and thought it was funny when he got me wet!!!! Ha!!! I splashed back so there!!!! We had fun and we did bond which was nice.
Sunday morning it there was hazy sunshine so I figured it would be alright if Jonathan Jr. played in the pool for a little while. The weather forecast called for thunder showers later in the day. Grandpa showed up while Jonathan was in the pool and by then it was time to get him out. Jon and Susannah got home from Long Beach, Washington early afternoon and said it was cloudy and chilly down there. It had definitely cooled down from the last couple days in Tacoma. I filled them in on what happened over the weekend and Susannah laid down with Jonathan Jr. while Jon, Dave and I watched the World Cup final game between the U.S. and Belgium. U.S. didn’t win but did a really great job. Everyone should be proud of how they played and how far they went. It was awesome!!!! Susannah and Jonathan Jr. fell asleep so we said goodbye to Jon and asked him to give them a hug and kiss from us.
Had my yearly doctor visit today and Dr. says I am very healthy and my cholesterol is good!!!
Brownsville Marina is getting a facelift on E dock. That is where Ron and Noreen live on their boat and where we use to live on our boat when we were still here. They are replacing all the wood docks in the marina as they are getting pretty soft and dangerous to walk on. I am glad we are here to see the work being done as it is fun to watch the progress. The marina workers tore out half of the wood docks on E dock to prep for the barge to move in the new dock and then vibrate the pilings to secure it. It was pretty awesome to see a huge hole where E dock use to be. The guys said it would be cool to have dinghy races in that area!!!! The Port officials didn’t like that idea!!!! Bummer!! We even had an obstacle course built in as the old pilings were still in place. They will be finished with the whole project around the 8th of August. Ron and Noreen moved their boat to the breakwater which we really like as the view is gorgeous!!!! We have our own picnic table and the Port brought a BBQ down so Fleeta, Ron’s boat neighbor, could have it for when her family comes to visit. Also we don’t have to cart our recycling or garbage up the dock as there are plenty of garbage cans on the guest dock and it is up to the Port workers to empty them. So it is really nice. We’ve been spoiled!
We had dinner out with Ron, Noreen and friends of both of us and had a good time. The group tries to get together every 2 weeks just to chill and be with people we all like.
Had my eyes examined today and even though I am having some minor vision problems the dr. said my prescription hasn’t changed much. I thought I would have to get a new prescription so I brought my old pair of glasses so I wouldn’t have to buy the lenses and new frames. But now I don’t have to worry about doing any of that this year. Maybe next year. Hopefully we will be in a better place financially. So all is good.
Today is my oldest niece’s birthday, 22nd!!!! Happy, Happy 61 to you!!!!! Life is Good!!! Hope your day was a really nice one!!!
The rest of E dock got taken apart and hauled away and the new one is being put in place. It looks really nice. It will be a joy to walk on the docks now. Ron took Noreen, Dave and I in the dinghy to watch them put the last section of E dock in which is where Ron and Noreen’s boat will go. It was pretty cool. I didn’t have my camera with me so I don’t have pictures. Sorry.
Other than the new dock going on things have been pretty mellow and I have had time to make some heads for my angels, a couple button earrings and do some reading. I finished one book I brought and now am reading a book titled ‘Midnight Bayou’ by Nora Roberts. It is really good and when I get done I will give it to Noreen to read.
The weather has improved and is in the mid 80’s and will be for the next 10 days. That is awesome!! Noreen and Ron were supposed to go on vacation the week of the 20th but she had to cancel it due to an audit that week. So now that is over she has rescheduled vacation for the first week of August and they are going to Ocean Shores for three days. We are going also but only for 2 days as I have to be back on the 5th to prep for a colonoscopy on the 6th. I at least get it over and done with this year and don’t have to do it again (hopefully) for a while.
On the 26th Dave and I helped Brooke (my soon to be daughter-in-law) and Ernie, my son, move. It was a warm day so we got an early start. Dave and I took the Kingston/Edmond ferry at 6:25am and got to their old house close to 8:00am. They were already loading the U-Hauls and cars. We got most of the furniture, clothes and miscellaneous stuff moved. Jon, Susannah and Jon Jr. met us at the new house. We got to be with not only my son and his future wife but 2 of the 3 grandsons. Brody, who is 5, wasn’t there as he was spending time with his dad. We will get to see him later. Ernie made another trip back to the old house with Dave, the boys and Jon. Susannah had a baby shower to go to that afternoon so they would leave from the old house. I stayed behind to help Brooke unpack boxes. They have a 5 bedroom house in Marysville that is wonderful. It is a 2 story. The master bedroom and 3 additional rooms are upstairs along with 2 baths, a game room, and laundry room. Downstairs has a beautiful large kitchen with an island and large pantry, a living room, dining room, a small room which will be used as a den and play room for Brody and a ½ bath. As we were there the fence was being put up, the refrigerator and washer and dryer were delivered and the Direct TV was being installed. A lot going on and we did very well staying out of the way of the delivery guys. There was suppose to be a lot more people there but for one reason or another they didn’t show up. We got all the heavy stuff moved and on Sunday all that needs to be done is move whatever was left and clean the house and say goodbye to memories that had been made there. That was the house Brody has known for all his 5 years, but he will have fun in the new one. The boys, E.J. (17), and Eian (15) have their own rooms which will be wonderful as they had to share one for a while. I can see that it will be a fun and happy place for all of them!!!! We are very excited for them and happy they have a beautiful home!!!
