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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Of two minds

I'm in a strange state of mind. Part of the time I'm thinking of everything I'm going to need to go sailing and camping. Call it my warm weather thoughts.

To make that trip happen, I've got to deal with getting everything ready up here in the frostlands. Call it my cold weather reality.

Take today for example. The new tires on the boat trailer needed to be pumped up. The air compressor had to be kept near the kitchen woodstove so it'd be warm enough to run. Bearing buddies could use a bit more grease, but it's a struggle in sub zero temperatures.

Even simple things like screwing on the new license plate is a hassle. Do I put it on in the morning when it's 15 below, or hope for it to warm up a bit and take a chance the next snowstorm won't bury the trailer again. Decisions. Decisions.

My windshield washer motor has been broken for some time. Really want that to work for the trip. Stopped the project when the temperature dropped below zero. I had to remove some plastic panels, but from experience I've learned the truck's plastic cracks and shatters at low temperatures.

There are a few small projects I want to do on the sailboat before putting it in the water. Those will wait until I get to my friend's place in Florida. The best that can be done here in snow country is to get all the parts and tools together and store them on the boat.

I'm trying to remember to pack my shorts and sandals while bundled up like Nanook of the North. Warm weather doesn't even seem quite real to me right now.

It'll all come together by Saturday moring . . . it'd better.

-Sixbears

8 comments:

  1. You be a brave man coming down I95 this time of year. Giving world situation, I hope you're packing for the possible long haul my friend.
    Remember, you can never have enuff anchors !

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  2. Spud, you meet your destiny where you meet it. Definitely packing with trouble in mind. Anchors? Bigger and more!

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  3. You got that right ! When we cruised on our little 26 ft boat. We had a 35 CQR, 25 Bruse & two 22 lb Danforths.
    About destiny, we all gotta die sometime !
    Just no sense rushing it or letting some other bastard determine when it's gonna be !

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  4. The cold will make you appreciate the warm south, once you get there. Just don't take the cold down there with you.

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  5. Dizzy: I'm curious to see how far south I'll have to drive to melt the ice off the boat.

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  6. "Warm south" blew away this morning. The wind is howling and the temperature is dropping like a rock! They're calling for sleet, and possibly snow in the next couple days. Don't know how much of this Florida will get, but you might want to stock up on orange juice concentrate...

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  7. It's 74 and overcast here in Tampa. But it's supposed to get colder by this weekend, about 69, but it'll be clear and sunny. :)

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  8. Six, your cited a number of reasons why I moved to Florida 25 years ago. I think snow and zero cold is great to visit but not to live with. Hope you two get going south before the next snow storm locks you in for several more weeks!

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