Wednesday 09.29.2010

I did it. I got up at 0700. I could have slept that last couple of hours or so, but I got up and got in the shower.

After breakfast, I looked at the computer a bit, finished packing, loaded the car, and was on the road about 0915.

A safe trip up, thank you God, and Daniel was happy to see me. Sunny and 60 degrees at the lake. He was cleaning his jet boat, and we were planning to put it in the water today.

We unloaded my car and I got unpacked as he finished up with the boat. We were just going out of the house, getting to the garage, when Tom and Kathy Sue came up. Perfect timing!

We found a jacket for Tom (it's cold out on the water) and the 4 of us rode over to the boat launch. I was glad Tom was with us, being mechanical and all. We got the boat in the water, and the guys were off. It didn't seem to be doing so well, but after a bit, they were in the next bay and on their way. KS and I went back to the JC to wait for them.

At the dock, Tom and Dan putzed around with the motor for quite some time, and decided to put it back on the trailer. Back to the launch I went; KS took their vehicle and went on her way. I met the guys there, and got the boat loaded up. Aha! Weeds blocking the impeller!

Dan got under the trailer and removed the weeds, and wanted to try it again. So, back in the water it went. And it took off pretty good, and Dan decided he wanted it at the dock for the night. Ok...

It was my turn to drive the boat. Tom went with me, and Dan took the van and trailer back to the JC. It's a fun little boat. I dropped Tom at his in-law's, where he was meeting KS, and I went back to the JC.

Dan took the boat out for some fun, but it wouldn't go again. He put on his wetsuit (!) and goggles and went under the boat, removing the weeds again. Then he went out for some fun. And the engine quit. But he thinks he ran out of gas, because he flipped over to the reserve tank and it ran. Ok. Back to the dock. It was time for the insulation guy to arrive.

He did. Mike started by accessing the crawlspace and looking in there. We talked about options, then went inside to look in the attic. I stood on the ladder and held a couple more flashlights so that we could see better. It looked pretty good up there, too. He saw a bat sleeping in there and we searched and found a few gaps that need to be closed up. When we were moving a board, there were eaten acorns under it. Uh oh. And as we were looking around we saw some movement of gray. A rodent, either a mouse or a chipmunk. Looked like the chipmunk acorns that we have on the deck.

And let me say, I put the chipmunk bucket out before we left earlier. There was one in it when we got back, and another one the next time we got back. One was gray, with a faint darker gray stripe.

Mike and I were finishing up when Dan came in saying we had to take to boat back out of the water, as it is taking on water. It was getting into dusk. Dan left in the boat, and as I was closing up the house, I noticed the "ramp" was off of the chipmunk bucket again. I checked--2 more chipmunks, one the reddish color, and another a grayish color, for a total of 4 more tonight. Grand total so far = 20. These are the first two that I've seen the gray color.

I got over to the launch, picked up Daniel and the boat, and it was pretty much dark by now. We were not too far down the road when a deer ran out in front of us. I was able to brake enough to slow us enough that we didn't get any fur on the front right corner of the van, but it was close. Thank you God for taking care of us.

We finally got home and we're hungry. Dan showered while I put together something for us to eat. With dinner done and kitchen cleaned up, it was after 10. Dan checked websites for information about that jetboat, and has gone to bed.

I'll be going soon, too. We've had a busy day.

I took tylenol tonight for the joint pain. I'm pretty sure the left wrist is trying to be affected, too. Bummer.

But I thank God I'm alive and cancer free.

And thank you for reading. Hugs.