March 27th, 2024 - Update

  Carter has to install a mini-split today for a couple we met some months ago.  He had to go to Jacksonville yesterday to get aluminum channel for this guy, Rich, an some for himself for the solar panel install.  Rich is going to assist Carter with the install in exchange for the mini-split install.  But, before we left for Jacksonville, we put on a 2nd coat of epoxy on the superstructure and a large portion of the sides. He rolled in on while I tipped it right behind him. He had already sanded all parts of the 1st coat. That made the job go much faster.  This project is going well.

While Carter went over to Rich's to work, I stayed home and worked on my latest embroidery project.  I completed the embroidery before leaving Tennessee (2 16 hour days to complete) so today I fray checked all the ends, dissolved the stabilizer and pre-cut some iron on softy to cover the embroidery on the inside so it doesn't scratch the baby's head.

Update:  Here's the finished baby bonnet and booties for Ezri.

Love it!  And so did Zach and Tera.

March 22, 2024 Update - Back in Florida

  I worked with elections the entire month of February!  I arrived back in Florida at midnight on the 14th of March.  Carter had singlehanded the Arc down to Palatka City Dock that day so we arrived to the boat at 2:00 am.  Nick, Jackie and the girls were there having been visiting Tera and Carter during spring break.  I arrived just in time to say goodbye, they left for home that day...Friday.  Vivian had a conference game on Saturday and Jackie wanted a day home before going back to work.

After Nick and family left, we got to work.  First on the list was to wash the panels.  They had quite a bit of pollen build up on them.  Here's before and after pics.

Carter and I stayed at the dock for an entire week while I had blood work and a doctors appointment and we would go over to the cove on the other side of the bridge while Carter sanded on the top deck of the boat.  As of yesterday, the entire top deck is sanded and 1 coat of epoxy on the entire top is complete.  There will still be a few more coats and sanding between each.

The first 1/3 toward the bow.

Then the remaining 2/3rds sanded and 1 coat of epoxy with the first 1/3 forward has epoxy but has been sanded again.

How we look on the dock.  Pretty bad!

Carter worked on wiring for the 2nd battery bank located under the settee while it was raining.

He also replaced the fan from the mechanical room into the salon with a much quieter fan.

We will be meeting with Ward and Connie for a meal at Corkey Bell's tomorrow, my birthday.  Sounds good to me!

We will be heading over to Crystal Cove soon after for potty dump but we have found that we can easily fill up our water tanks at the other public dock at Palatka.  Seeing as Crystal Cove had decided to charge for water this is a great find.

Then by the end of next week it will be time to return to Tennessee, make a few adjustments to the house with the addition of Marilyn and Kija, and then we will high tail it out to Arkansas for the Eclipse of the Sun on April 8th.  We will be staying with Mark and Angie for a couple of days.  Can't wait!!

Then back to Tennessee for a little bit more work until May 1st when we will return to Florida to visit Tera and new baby and to complete certain projects (installing some of the new panels), so that we are ready to begin cruising when we return again for the winter season.  Then back to Tennessee for the summer season.

Talk about a crazy season.  

January 20th, 2024 Update - Steps...Complete...Nice

 Carter very often says "Safety First".  It's been raining so much lately making it difficult getting up and down the hill to the boat without slipping/sliding in the mud.  Well, not anymore.  Check out the steps he built.

He's also been working on the insulation project in the conex.

Insulating the conex.

Second coat of primer on the whaler.

More shelving for the conex.

January 17, 2024 Update - Whaler, Steps and Conex

 We both decided that the single slat steps, as they were, was an accident waiting to happen so Carter added a 2nd slat to the steps and a ramp at the top to finish out the project.  We are both very happy with the steps as they are now.  It has also been decided that we will build a full size deck the entire width of the poles we had pounded in last season and take it 13' over to the property which will keep it entirely out of the water even in the extremely high tides we've been experiencing.  We will build a handrail for the steps when the deck is complete as we may have to adjust their final position when the deck comes into play.

I want to insert a quick factoid about the steps...they were made 100% (exception of the screws) from the deck Carter found beached in a very deserted area of the St. Johns River last April while we were out pressure washing the Arc.

100% recycled...that's our style.

Some framing has been done and a few insulation panels in place but not glued down yet.  

We will be working on this again this afternoon and evening.

In between, Carter built a small shelf unit to store small stuff like spray cans.  We continue working on emptying the studio trailer.

I found a dog kennel in the studio trailer and brought it down to the conex so we can have Radar up top with us while we are working/filming and not have to worry about him wandering away.

And then, in between all of this, Carter put a 2nd coat of primer on the whaler.

He said that the final coat will go on tomorrow.  Wow!

Then the new rub rail goes on.

Late Start to this Season - January 13th, 2024

 With all the traveling back and forth to Tennessee, Merritt Island, Virginia, and Crystal River, this season has taken it's time getting started.  And now, it's also getting real close to February 1st, which is when I have to go back to Tennessee for election work.  But, Carter has been vigilant about getting his supplies ordered and delivered.  Also, he has begun to work on getting the Conex ready to be loaded.  The plan is to unload everything from the Studio Trailer into the Conex and sell the trailer.

Carter found a really good deal on insulation for the Conex across the state in Crystal River and ran over with the truck to pick it up while I was gone to Virginia  visiting the grands.  So he has been in full swing installing it for the  past couple days upon my return. 

Step 1 is to fill in the indention on the walls.  The insulation is 'glued' in with foam-o-fill.

The insulation is complete on this wall.

Sheathing is all that is left here.

He framed these 2 walls and I will get pictures tomorrow.  It was cold.  I went inside to warm up.

In the middle of all of this, it has been raining ... a lot ... so the property is drenched and very difficult to navigate, especially the little hill that we come down to get to the waterfront.  So after Carter himself slipped dramatically, he decided it was time to build some steps ... for the safety of both of us.  I love it.

The beginning.

Cutting the slats

Lining it up.

Beginning to screw in the slats.

Almost to the top.

Looking pretty good.

No more slipping on the mud.

December 2, 2023 - Let the 2023 Winter Season Begin

 We left Tennessee a couple days after Thanksgiving in a hurry to arrive to the boat and immediately leave for a rondeaux in Merritt Island with Bob to pick up the solar panels.  We arrived and immediately rented a U-Haul trailer to haul the pallet to Bonita Drive.  All went well with the pick up and then the unloading of the pallet into our new Conex.  Carter had come down here about 1 1/2 months ago and purchased a 20' Conex.  The delivery truck couldn't get it placed too far back into our property so Carter rolled it Egyptian style into place with 2 wenches.  It worked great.

So onward to Merritt Island to pick up the pallet of solar panels.

As soon as we unloaded this, we went to return the rental trailer, and on the way back to the property, the truck decided to break down.  We called triple A and got towed back to the property, leaving us with no ground transportation at all.  So, we untied the Arc and headed for Palatka.  Ha!  There is always a solution.  The first night we anchored out at Mason Creek.  The next morning Carter pressure washed the top deck which is one of the first matters of business upon our return for the season.  Later that day we continued on to Palatka and anchored at the SE side of Palatka Bridge which is within walking distance of the auto parts store and CVS pharmacy so I could pick up my meds.

We got the parts needed to fix the truck and headed back to the property after stopping by Crystal Cove Marina for the regular maintenance items.

Carter got the truck fixed just in time to head back to Tennessee for his final EPA Cert class in Lebanon.  He will drop me off at the house and then head on over to the class.  

We brought the Rebel down with us when we returned to the property and found the water was REALLY high after some pretty serious rain.

 

After the water receded enough, Carter and I pumped the water out of Ellen.  Let the daily rowing begin!

Not much happening now until after the holidays and a trip to VA to visit Jeff and family.