We've Got Boats!

Word of the Day

Stupedious - Describing something that is both stupid and tedious.

#1 Son had a change in plans so he wasn't able to come up to The Lake to see us this weekend but, we saw him on Sunday when he joined us in The Big City to celebrate HTP's Dad's 92nd birthday. However, this didn't at all change my opportunity to blog. As it was, I ended up killing my fish in Fish World because I forgot to feed them. *sigh* Poor little floaters. I still feel guilty. At least my dogs didn't run away from my FarmVille farms.

We took Kylee to the vet on Friday. She got a clean bill of health along with her last puppy shot and her first Lyme's disease shot. She'll get her rabies vaccination and her Lyme's disease booster shot next week.

After the vet appointment, and after doing some basic shopping, HTP and I enjoyed a leisurely dinner at The China Buffet in the city. We don't make a habit of going out to eat a lot but The China Buffet on a Friday night sounded wonderful.

Saturday? Kylee and I resumed obedience training and I spaded another garden bed. It was five down and two to go. And I was tired but...Sis called and got me all excited about wild leeks. So, I put my garden gloves back on, grabbed a trowel, a plastic bag to hold the leeks, put my cell phone in my pocket and hiked back up the road to where the wild leeks grow. Sounds like a perfect title for a book. Where the Wild Leeks Grow. Anyway, I forgot that the trowel that I took with me is totally useless. I should have thrown it away years ago because whenever I try to use the thing, it bends. Useless. I hiked back to the house and grabbed a garden spade (which works a lot better) and hiked back out where the wild leeks grow which isn't all that far but...hey, I was tired. I dug up a nice sack full of wild leeks and trudged on back to the house. At this point, I put the sack into my kitchen sink, fully intending to start the cleaning process but first...I needed to take off my sweater, roll up my sleeves, and put my cell phone away. OH NO! Where was my cell phone. *sigh* Somewhere between the house and where the wild leeks grow...my cell phone fell out of my sweater pocket. So...I took HTP's cell phone with me and using it, I called my cell phone. On the fifth calling attempt, I heard the faint sound of my cell phone...ringing beneath the leaves by a patch of wild leeks. Needless to say, at this point, I didn't feel much like cleaning leeks...not to mention...I still needed to make some pizzelle to bring to HTP's folks as a birthday present for HTP's Dad. However, I cleaned the leeks and then put the pork roast that I'd planned to make for supper in the oven. And then...

If I weren't already exhausted, HTP told me that he was ready to help me clear away the stuff that was growing and shading my garden but he needed my help to haul debris and let him know what I wanted cut and what he wasn't supposed to touch. This was an offer I wanted to resist but knew that if I told HTP I was too tired to add even one more thing to my plate, chances were that the offer wouldn't be repeated any time soon. So...HTP helped me saw down and remove a tree that has been shading my garden while I hauled away the debris...and then, that looked so nice that he sawed down a few smaller trees that were getting a bit too close to our propane tank...and the garden. And then he used the weed-whacker/saw thing to remove the wild raspberry bushes that have been sending roots into my garden beds. Hopefully, all our work will make my raised bed gardens more productive this summer. After that, HTP and I had to unload all the potting soil that we'd purchased on Friday. Ten cubic feet of potting soil. HTP hauled one of the bags out to the deck for me while I hauled the remaining four down to the lower patio to use in my four HUGE green pots. I'm not Super Woman, nor am I crazy...I used a wheel barrel. Regardless, we were both darn tired.

I was going to make two batches of pizzelle but ended up making one batch...which was greatly appreciated. And...I chopped a few leeks into the salad I served with the pork roast we had for supper...and that's all I have to say about Saturday.

Sunday was spent in The Big City with HTP's folks, #1 Son, HTP's brother and his fiance, and HTP's sister and her family. We brought Kylee with us but were able to leave her out in the car. We all enjoyed the pizza that HTP's brother brought and the salad that HTP's sister brought. We lit the candles on the cake that HTP and I bought and sang Happy Birthday to HTP's Dad who turned 92 years old on Saturday.

Today? Kylee and I continued her obedience training. Sit. She's doing quite well but her attention span tend to lapse after the first half mile. Perhaps I'm pushing things a bit. I'm not sure how long it takes us to walk the entire mile but I'm going to time things tomorrow. After walking fifteen minutes, no matter where we are, we'll turn around and head back home. A half hour of lessons is plenty for one day.

I spaded another of my garden beds. Six down and one to go. Then, I got some bread started before heading outside to help HTP roll our big boat out of the garage. We never launched the Lund boat last summer, so I had to do a lot of cleaning before we could launch her this year. HTP hauled the vacuum cleaner outside for me but left me to the cleaning. After changing into an outfit that I wouldn't mind ruining, I vacuumed the entire boat and then tackled the mildew. Mildew removal can ruin clothes...thus the change of outfit. The stuff I used worked really well but, thank goodness I wore gloves and the boat was outside where there was plenty of ventilation. Nasty stuff. Afterwards, I sprayed everything with something at promises to prevent the mildew from returning...for three months. We'll see. Mildew and The Lake seem to go hand in hand.

With a clean boat, HTP and I hooked the boat up to the Gator, gassed up the tank and filled the trailer tires with air at our local BP, and then drove right to the boat landing. What a perfect day to launch a boat! There was hardly any wind at all. The only glitch came about when HTP tried to put the boat in reverse. The engine started right up but.... Last spring HTP installed a brand new throttle in the boat...to replace the throttle that he installed previously to replace the original throttle that came with the boat. In other words, this was our third throttle but since HTP installed it last spring and we never launched the boat, he wasn't sure that everything was quite tweaked properly. Needless to say...it wasn't...not quite. As I watched HTP and the boat drift toward shallow water as he pulled the motor cowling off to adjust things, I noted that someone was waiting patiently for me to pull our car out of the way so he could install a boat lift...right where our car was blocking the way. I raced to pull the car and the trailer out of his way and then ran back to see if I could help HTP. Never fear...HTP got things adjusted just in time and the sticky throttle became unstuck. Phew! As he pulled away from the shore, I ran back to Gator to take the trailer back home so I could be down on the dock to help land and tie up the boat.

So, the Lund boat is firmly tied to the dock and the rowboat and its bumpers have been moved to the other side of the dock. I took care of installing the tie-downs and moving the rowboat while HTP was putting the batteries back in the Lund. The end result is that we've got two boats tied to our dock and we're all ready for fishing opener which isn't until May. But...we're ready...and I'm too tired to do anything but get the bread baked and make some pizza for tonight's TV night. I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and relaxing. Tomorrow is another day.

Random Thought of the Day

If a bee is allergic to pollen would it get the hives?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Grasp the subject, the words will follow.

- Cato the Elder (234 BC - 149 BC)