Progress on the Suzy-Q & Community Bonding

Today Sweetie got the 165hp Mercruiser running and removed a small section of flooring that had warped in front of the cuddy cabin doors. He discovered we need a new exhaust boot so we'll add that to the shopping list tomorrow.

My Dad is spending the night and was impressed by Sweetie's boat knowledge and persistence and stood by taking pictures. We have to find a ladder for the boat as at 80 years old my Dad cannot climb into it the way we do, Still, we're hoping to have it in the water in a few days.

This got us to thinking about its use fullness as a "second home", another escape route, and fishing. I admit to not being a big fish eater but I do like smoked fish so that has been added to the project list.

Speaking of projects, our road is gravel and dusty to the point of not being able to breathe in the front yard when there's a lot of traffic. We're out in the boonies but a religious group has a camp a couple miles down the road and at least once a month I swear EVERY one of them shows up at the place. They're so oblivious to the dust they create they zoom by even when there are people walking on the road or picking blueberries along the roadside. On the 21st they had yet another big gathering and about 200 cars dusted up the road. Instead of slowing down to create less dust, they all turned their headlights on - which did no good. Twice we saw cars nearly read end the car in front of them. Crazy people!

So, after lots of grumbling about 16 of us landowners got together, chipped in a minimum of $50 and got a huge section of road chlorided. The road commission began work yesterday by grading the road, followed early this morning by the water trucks and the chloride truck. What a difference!! We're going to solicit funds from other neighbors and establish a fund to make this a yearly event. It's ludicrous that the road commission doesn't just chloride the road every summer instead of sending a grader out here once a week - then 2-3 days later its a washboard again!

We're trying to find some free fencing to extend what we have and enclose about six acres behind the house to raise a couple feeder pigs. Would be a great way to rid out selves of the ferns, and expose any hidden trash. A neighbor whose land boarders our said he did this two years ago and claims his property has looked better. They're just now eating the last of the pork. So, maybe this project will get off the ground this year and maybe not.

In other news - totally unrelated - my Dad told me that the ex's new wife of 13 months is leaving him. Surprise, surprise, surprise. They were cut from the same cloth and richly deserved one another. But, as usual, the ex is covering the bases, if you get my drift. Not that I need a reminder, but the news sure left me feeling great about where I am and who I'm with!!!

Well, I picked two more quarts of blueberries from our driveway area and I'm bushed. So have a great tomorrow and I'll touch base in a couple days. Treesong