Author: Life Unfolding

MY Jane tells me that her singed fingers are feeling much better. She just took the bandage off her palm and her hand looks really good. I am very relieved. Putting it in cold water immediately and keeping it in there until seen by the doctor was a good thing to do. By the way, just last week, I had installed an App on my I Pad called First Aid. That’s what I referenced immediately when Jane burnt her hand. If you have an I Phone or I Pad, I would recommend you download this free app. It’s got very good information on all things related to First Aid.

I likely will head back to the marina in Midland to sort a few more things out on Georgian Spirit. I also want to get our dinghy in the water and maybe even go for a spin on Midland Bay. It  looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous day.

When I go for my spin, I will leave Bayport (top of picture), toodle over to the Town Dock (right of picture) and if I see someone I know over there, I’ll stop and chat for awhile and then head over to Wye Heritage Marina, a couple of kilometers to the West.

I also have to arrange to get the horn working on Georgian Spirit and look into getting an additional 100 feet of anchor line to go with the existing 100 feet of anchor chain. Lots to do. But it’s all fun and will all get done in due course.

MY Jane joined me after she finished work yesterday and brought up 4 big carts full of stuff including groceries. The fridge is stocked. She made a great dinner and afterwards, we sat on the aft deck taking in the view and talking.

We got to bed about 4am and returned to Barrie this morning. Jane says it feels not too bad, but if she moves around, her hand begins to throb. Right now she is resting in bed and will probably fall asleep soon.

It is a glorious morning on board Georgian Spirit. The only thing that could make it any better would be if MY Jane was here too, but she has to work and will be up later today. I slept right through until 7am, only waking because of the beautiful sunshine streaming in the master stateroom window. I left the curtain open last night. Here’s the view 

There was a bit of dampness this morning so I had to turn the reverse air system on to get the aft stateroom feeling cozy and warm. This vessel is equipped with everything to make living aboard her comfortable.

Last night I spent most of the evening perusing the many systems manuals that are on board. There are manuals for everything. I focused on learning how the water system works, when we are in port, I can hook up to the town water supply so there is no concern about water conservation, However, when we are anchored out, it’s a different story. There is a 70 gallon fresh water holding tank and 11 gallon hot water tank, so everyone is going to have to learn to take a shower in the most water efficient way. Or just jump in the lake.

There is a water level indicator in the aft head to let you know your water level.

And the controls for the toilet are similar to that of an airplane. You just hold the button to flush.

It’s nice to wake up in our slip at Bayport Yachting Centre in Midland.

We left Bridgeport Marina about 8am

Arrived at Bay Port around 4pm

At about 10am yesterday, we headed over to Birch Point marina from the lock at Bobcaygeon. There, the boat would be taken out by a hydraulic trailer to allow for the inspection of hull, shafts, and propeller. 

They inched it up the ramp slowly when all of a sudden, there was a big bang 

It is a very peaceful setting here.

Today we head for Atherly where we will stay the night. Ted and Brian will leave and Chis will join Harry and me for the final leg to Georgian Bay on Saturday.

Last night MY Jane drove me down to Bobcaygeon accompanied by our good friends, Harry and Rena. We met up at the Bobcaygeon lock where the current owner of the boat, Ted, and his friend Brian, had tied up above the lock.

This afternoon MY Jane will be driving me to Bobcaygeon to meet up with the current owner of the Four C’s, Ted and his friend Brian. Our friends, Harry and Rina, will be accompanying us and then Harry and I will stay on the boat.

The purple line on the map shows the route we will be taking. I am hoping to get to Orillia by Friday where Ted and Brian will leave us. Chris will join Harry and me and on Saturday we should be able to complete that leg of the trip. The one uncertainty is how long it will take to get through locks because Parks Canada has cut staff and now one team of lock staff is responsible for clusters of locks which will probably slow things down.

The dockside survey yesterday went very well. The surveyor, Mr. David Wells, from the area, proved to be very thorough and knowledgeable. His ongoing feedback to me throughout his inspection will be extremely useful to keep the boat in tip top shape. His main concern after his inspection was that the large batteries for the bow thruster were not secure and in rough seas might slide forward and break one of the sea cocks. If that happened the boat would start taking on water. Ted, the current owner, showed up and when told of this said he would get it done right away.

The only other thing was regarding original inline water hoses and fuel lines which he said would be a good idea to replace. This is something that I can do myself. 

I was very pleased with this part of the survey. Thursday, the boat will be taken out of the water and the hull inspection and shafts and propellers checked. It will then be ours.

Yesterday morning was a beautiful day and began with breakfast of bacon and eggs which we ate on the patio. This was the first time this year. The weather finally was warm enough to do that.

After breakfast we did some gardening. Because I know one end of a shovel from the other, MY Jane decided to let me do the important stuff. So I got to dig wherever she pointed. I never knew that digging was considered important until she told me. She’s so smart! 

Eventually the flower bed pictured above will be removed and there will be trees against the fence with a sculpted kind of layout for flowers in front of the trees. Right now this flower bed is sort of a holding pen for plants that will be placed in other locations. We started yesterday with a couple of yews, one if which is that little tree to the right. The plan is to put three cedars along there as well.

The waterfall corner, as we call it, will have some tall ornamental grass behind it just about where Minnie’s steps are to conceal the fence there too.

The flower pots have been placed each in front of a tree and different flowers put in each. Unfortunately, when I moved the blue one, it cracked on its own ( not really—- I just plunked it on the ground a bit hard-don’t tell Jane!) so it has to be replaced.

In the front of the house, the same approach has been taken to fill in bare spots which will appear when the tulips die off. We bought two cedars to put on either side of the garage door to soften it up a bit.

Today I am meeting with the marine surveyor at the boat which is a bout a two hour drive from here.

Yesterday MY Jane and I picked Jane’s Mom, Ted, up and we headed out so they could have a look at the boat we are in the process of buying. The current owners, Ted and Karen, were gracious in letting us spend some time aboard before finalizing the deal i.e. once the marine survey is done and everything is satisfactory. That should be happening in e next few days.

Soon after our arrival, the current owners showed up and spent some time showing us around and pointing out features of the boat. They then invited us to stay after they left and even suggested that we might want to stay the night. We couldn’t do that, of course, because we weren’t prepared. Nice gesture, nonetheless.

I discovered more features that I was not aware of like trim tab indicators and indirect cabin lighting as well as accent lighting on all the stairways. The anchor rode is all chain although the owner did not know what length hit was. Something I will have to know later on.

MY Jane and I have a lot of special people in our lives. We are fortunate that our friends are supportive of us and have been riding this roller coaster along with us as we seek out our dream boat. They understand our passion for boating and Georgian Bay. When the deal for the Black Pearl fell through, our friends rallied around and felt the same disappointment that we did. At the same time, they gave us a lot of positive encouragement. We are grateful to have friends like that including those on Facebook whose positive comments are so helpful. That encouragement and support has brought us to the cusp of actually fulfilling that dream.

Yesterday, MY Jane and I met up with our friends Larry & Marge who were on their way up to their boat in Midland. Larry brought me navigational charts for the Trent Severn waterway in anticipation that I will be making that trip with the new boat.

Sometimes a whole bunch of things happen at once. Yesterday, while I was on the phone finalizing the deal for this new boat, some animal fell into our Family Room through the window well in the back yard. We leave this window open so Minnie the Queen can come and go as she pleases.

Minnie happened to be in the Family Room at the time and the chase was on. She chased this thing all over but luckily, it eluded her and ended up hiding under the buffet. MY Jane was on the phone at the time working and I was on my phone trying to talk about this boat deal. Just then, the repairman showed up at the front door to fix the garage door because the torsion Spring had broken. This is what we call a KERFUFFLE!

After looking closely at the object under the buffet, I concluded that it was a baby rabbit. In the meantime, the garage repairman was finished and looking for payment, so I did that. Then I had a brilliant idea. I would place a large clear glass vase on its side at the end of the buffet and have Jane standing by with a cover. I would then gently prod the bunny towards the vase and it would run in there and Jane would cover it up and we would take it outside and let it go. Brilliant!

After getting it outside, she set it down on the back lawn where it stayed still for a few minutes and finally hopped away into the neighbour’s yard.

Well, as posted a couple of days ago, the deal for the Black Pearl fell through because of serious motor issues. However, when one door closes, another opens. So we are looking at putting an offer in on a much better boat. It’s a 36 Carver aft cabin and it’s in immaculate condition. 

I travelled down to see the boat yesterday without MY Jane because she had to work. 

If our offer gets accepted and the survey and sea trial are satisfactory, I’ll need to find someone to help me take it through the locks to Georgian Bay.

So I’m mushy. I like being mushy. I save my mushiness for MY Jane. She seems to like it, so I keep doing it. I want her to know every minute of the day how much she is loved. I don’t mind that everyone knows I’m mushy. Or how much I love Jane. Truth be known, it makes me feel good. I would would much rather be known as a mushy man instead of a bitter unhappy person. 

I know that my mood can affect people around me so I always try to project an upbeat demeanour. I know this, because the moods of people around me have an impact on me. Of course, when you’re happy from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep and the whole day in between, it’s easier. And depending on what I dream, I am sometimes even happy when I’m asleep. So, for me it’s very easy.

A few years ago, I was talking with one of my good friends and during the conversation I said, “I sometimes worry about what my friends and family think about what I am doing.” His response during that difficult time was, “To hell with them (I’m paraphrasing here because there might be youngsters reading…lol). It’s your life, not theirs.” 

I am thankful that I followed that advice and continue to follow it every day. It’s one of many reasons I am where I am and why I’m with Jane. That’s why you may see or hear of me doing something silly like sliding down a kids slide, like playing street hockey with kids 50 years my junior, like allowing Steven and Chris to take me tubing on Georgian Bay, like talking to Minnie like she’s a baby and understands or asking Jane to tell me a story. Stuff like that.

That’s why I’m mushy! It’s fun and I like it! To hell with it! It’s me and I’m staying this way! On with mushiness!

Well, the deal for this boat is off the table. Yesterday, I went to Port Severn while MY Jane stayed back and worked on window cleaning.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed. 

Yesterday, MY Jane and I went to Port Severn where the boat is presently docked to meet up with Bill and Tracy, the current owners. It’s tied up in Driftwood Cove Marina, just around the corner from the Port Severn lock which connects to Georgian Bay.

Bill and Tracy have been working to get all their personal stuff off and to fix the outstanding mechanical issues. Bill had good news when we got there. The generator is working now. He had forgotten to connect one battery cable. He got it running and I was pleasantly surprised to hear how quiet it is. Mind you, there was no load on it at the time so it, no doubt, will be louder, but it was like a quiet purring. 

Last night we had Jane’s Mom, Ted, over for dinner and a visit. I decided to do Pork Back Ribs and found a great recipe on the net. First you make a seasoning rub consisting of various spices and bake them in the oven for two hours. Then they go on the BBQ for another 15 minutes or so. They are tasty McGasty. Here’s a link to the recipe.

Today, I am going to try to head up to Midland again and on the way pick up the dinghy cushions that were made at Superior Textiles on Hwy 93. Steve Tremble always does a great job whether it is a boat top or upholstery. Pretty soon I’ll be getting Bayport to put the dinghy in the water. 

I’m looking pretty tanned there, eh? 

Our old boat has now been taken by the new owner to Owen Sound. Apparently he sailed out of Bayport sometime last week. He was pretty excited.

Yesterday’s visit to Midland was worthwhile. I spoke with Scott Cain, General Manager of Bay Port Yachting Centre and he brought Chris, one of their top mechanics, into the conversation about the  issues with the boat we’re after. The main issue was the cracked intake manifold and the consensus was that it should be replaced, not welded. 

In fact, Steve will be doing them today. Then he’ll have to put fasteners on the underside so we dint lose them again. I have had boat tops done by Steve before and his work has always been top notch.

Well, I found out yesterday that the boat we made the offer on has some serious mechanical issues, one of which is a cracked intake manifold. The sellers says he can get it welded but I am not sure how reliable that might be. Also, he couldn’t get the generator started……he says he thinks it’s just the battery. I am having some doubts about this deal now so I am headed to Midland to talk to people who have marine experience to get some advice.

Dull and overcast here in Barrie today, but the future is bright! Another step has been completed in our dream.

My Jane came home last night after a busy Mothers Day weekend in Toronto. It began Saturday afternoon when Chris and Tonya took Jane and Linda, Tonya’s Mom, to Holland Marsh Winery near Newmarket Ontario.

Then to Chris and Tonya’s for a BBQ dinner and more hanging out. 

Yesterday, while MY Jane was in Toronto, I spent some time in the front and back yards pulling out dandelions. There weren’t that many but if they go to seed, they can become overwhelming. A few of our new cedar shrubs and the evergreen tree were in bad shape so I applied some special slow release fertilizer to them. Hopefully that will improve their appearance.

Today Jane spends some time helping Tonya in her garden and then goes to dinner with Steven before returning home tonight.

Today MY Jane will be leaving for Toronto for a Mothers Day weekend at Chris and Tonya’s. They will be joined by Tonya’s Mom and sister at Newmarket this morning where they will have a tour of a winery and do some wine tasting. Then it’s off to Toronto.

I cannot believe how quickly time goes by. It’s funny because I remember when I was a kid how slow time used to pass. Especially when near the end of the school year. Those last few days before the summer break seemed so very long. 

As I have mentioned in previous postings, the current name of the vessel is Black Pearl, but we are changing that to Georgian Spirit. 

Today I am heading to Midland Ontario with my cousin George who lives in Barrie about a 15 minute drive from my place.

George is very active in Habitat for Humanity and will be leading at least 3 trips on “builds” this coming year. Two of the trips are to one of his favourite places, Jordan. I look forward to the pictures from there.

MY Jane began the job of sorting through all the boat stuff from our other boat. She is deciding what to keep and what to discard. As she’s doing that, she’s listing everything and arranging and labelling the bins. Just like we did when we moved from Toronto to Barrie.

It is amazing how much stuff is involved here. And what’s in the bins is not all of it. There is more bedding and other household necessities.

Yesterday we picked up Jane’s Mom and took her shopping then to our place for dinner. I thought it would be a good idea, because Ted had not been for awhile, to order Swiss Chalet. That’s what we did and it was quite tasty. Jane made a strawberry crepe dessert and that was even tastier. She used these “ready to use” crepes. Lots of whipped cream. Very yummy!

Today I will be working in the garage cleaning it up so MY Jane can have a good look at all the bins of boat stuff we have stored there. There has to be at least a dozen. She wants to sort the stuff and label it so it will be easy to stow on the new boat.

Today, MY Jane and I are planning to head up to Port Severn to meet up with Bill and his wife Tracy at the boat that we are buying from them. We are anxious to have a longer closer look at it without it being covered by the winter tarp as it was when we first looked at it in February. 

I will be focused on asking Bill about systems such as the freshwater arrangement including winterizing methods as well as engine basics such as changing oil filters and the like. I am hoping that the engine compartment, which is under the salon floor, will be spacious enough that I can do some of the normal maintenance myself.