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November 30, 2018
IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!
We had a great Thanksgiving with our family. There were 16 of us and it was one of those rare times when we were able to get all five grandgirls together at the same time. Jason fixed the best turkey ever! He soaked it in brine for 8 hours and then slow roasted it. We stuffed ourselves and there wasn't much left but I managed to bring the carcass home and made homemade turkey soup. I think that is the best part! We spent a couple of nights in Salem before we headed home on Friday. We brought the flatbed trailer back with us as Jason was through using it and they wanted to get it out of their driveway. We got home around 3:30 and fed one starving cat who was tapping his foot waiting for us when we got home. He had been on his own while we were gone.
The weatherman had been predicting high winds along our section of the coast for a couple of days but when they didn't show up, we began to think it was just another false alarm. But then, Saturday the winds picked up quickly and we had one heck of a storm with the banging of tree limbs on the roof most of the night. We even lost our power for a short time. We woke up to our flag pole bent in half from the high winds. Dave had repaired it one time before and even reinforced it but the repair didn't survive the first storm of the season. So he will have to repair it again and we also will have to replace the flag as it looks pretty weather beaten.
The countertop guys showed up late Monday. They gave us a window between 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. They arrived at 5:15 p.m. and began the installation. We were delayed a week because they had to take it back to the shop because it didn't fit. Well, it fit this time but by the time they finished, it was 8:30 p.m. and they still had to drive back to Hubbard - a 2 1/2 hour drive. The countertop came with a new sink, so it had to be plumbed in and the cooktop stove had to be re-installed the next day. But it's all done and I am in full force again in my kitchen. Dave and Ray still have the backsplash to install behind the cooktop and then it should be completely finished. I just love it!!
The sun finally came out on Thursday so I spent a couple of hours raking up the leaves in the yard. The Walnut tree is completely bare but the Sugar Maple still has a ways to go. If it takes a strong wind like we had the last time then bring it on! That would be great and I could get all the leaves raked up for good.
Dave has been working every day on the steamboat. He has a lot of the repair work complete and is now waiting on parts to be delivered so he can get it all put back together again. He has been polishing a lot of the brass and copper on the boat and then coating those items with lacquer so that it should never have to be polished again. Some of the things that we have never polished before got done this time - like the forward steering wheel. It received a thorough polish and knowing that it will stay bright is a nice feeling. Dave couldn't get the whole thing done on the buffing wheel, so he brought it to the "old reliable" first mate to finish it up. I'm glad I never have to do that again!
Christmas is just around the corner and so Dave got busy and put up the lights outside. I won't get the rest of the decorating done for a couple of weeks. I am busy working on the Christmas letter and getting my cards ready. Some neighbors have their tree up already and we have received a few cards in the mail. Way too early for me!
We have to make a run into town today. Dave has an appointment with the VA for yet another evaluation and then we are going to stop and visit with our dear friends/shirt-tail relatives, Kay and Terri. It's been way too long since we have seen them.
