Suspended Animation

View from my dinghy on my early morning rowing routine

Since last writing, the refrigerator has gone out and now after a week, it works again.  We'd called a refrigeration guy who was supposed to come on Tuesday morning, but didn't.  And thank goodness he didn't.  Stan stopped by and, after wiggling some wires on the pump, it started.  We'll check these wires more carefully and clean connections.  On boats, it's all about connections.  After being shaken and stirred in a salt water/air environment, wire connections easily become loose and corrode.  Let's hope that this is it.  Not having the generator for a week and then not having the refrigerator for a week, especially during this hot weather spell, has been difficult. 

While the refrigerator was on the blink, the windless (anchor winch) stopped working.  We'd known that we were on borrowed time with this one.  Then the aft head started acting up.  I had manuals and diagrams spread all over the table.  It was really discouraging for a few days.  Stan helped us out with the head.  Our other neighbor on Spa Creek, Jeff, who spent a year working on windlasses at a marine shop, just last night offered to come over and work on ours saying, "I like to take things apart."  We are beholden to these kind spirits.

The other day we went sailing on Plane to Sea with our Texan neighbors, Don and Janis.  Stan was the motivating force, and while the wind was light, it was a nice afternoon and gave Don and Janis "seat time," as Stan calls it, on their boat.  Though they've had their boat for four years, they are new to sailing and have only lived aboard for one month here on Spa Creek.  They are eager to learn, so Stan and Dave gave advice as we sailed along.  I even showed Janis how to call the bridge tender on the radio to request an opening.  What a switch in roles for me!

Stan and Don

A note about Plane to Sea.  Don grew up on a farm in Iowa where he lived with his brothers and parents.  Due to a tragic family circumstance, at the age of eight he was needed to take over the early morning chore of milking their many cows.  When he was a young man, he moved to Texas where among other things, he learned auto mechanics, how to fly a small plane, first aide and beyond as well as how to fight fires culminating in his being a fireman for thirty years.  Janis grew up in Texas and worked in an office for her county health department for many years.  Their home port is Pottsboro, Texas, where they have been married for 17 years.  Both are retired.  Friendly, friendly people.

Don (full-blooded Norwegian American) and Janis

When I told Don I was a retired teacher, he said, "As a student, I was your worst nightmare."   He says he wasn't interested in school but was more interested in doing things -- sometimes naughty things.  Janis says, "I wouldn't have liked him then."  She says that she wasn't a bad girl, but she "wasn't no goody-two-shoes, neither."  If her parents didn't want her to do something, then she wouldn't.  Both grew up in close-knit families.  It's apparent that their upbringing contributes to their mutual respect for each other.  They work as a team and their enthusiastic nature is infectious.  It's plain to see how the crew of  Plain to Sea are a breath of fresh air!

Sunrise on Spa Creek