August 19, 2019 - September 6, 2019
Over the weekend when I was filling the water tanks, Bob noticed the bilge pump running several times. He removed the settee cushions and the wooden platform to check the water tank below and discovered that it was leaking badly at the vent fitting. Consequently Monday morning was dedicated to resolving this problem. We took the settee cushions and the platform off once again (Bob cut the platform in two pieces so we could replace it much easier) and hauled the water tank out onto the deck and then transferred it to our car.
On Tuesday Morning we took the tank to Maritime Plastics in Annapolis and they spun welded a new fitting in place while we waited. The rest of the day was dedicated to errands and a nice lunch.
While I was in Johnstown with Jessica we stopped at a Joann’s Fabric Store and picked out the fabrics for the quilt I wanted to make her. When I got the fabrics home and reexamined them with the help of my expert quilter neighbor, Mary, I decided I had made some mistakes in the fabric selection. Mary invited me to go along with her to the best quilt shops in the area to purchase some more appropriate fabrics for my daughter’s quilt. It was one of the best outings of the summer and I found exactly what I needed with Mary’s help and the help of some very knowledgable sales clerks.
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| Lining the fabrics up in the shop and stepping back to examine them helped me make my fabric decisions. (Mary’s advice of course) |
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| Back on the boat I cut small pieces of the various fabrics to form this mock up of a finished square. |
Mary, also, invited me to come to her friend’s house in Cape St. Claire to work on the quilt. By getting the strips cut out at Dianna’s (Mary’s friend) and working on sewing the squares on the boat I was ready to start putting the overall quilt together. I spent another whole day at Diana’s and by the end of the day I had the quilt top finished.
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| The quilt is a King size but I draped it over this full size bed to get an idea of how it looked. I’m thrilled. |
Now all I have to do is finish the backing and deliver it to Linda (a professional machine quilter) to have it machine quilted.
Between sewing quilt squares I also helped Bob with some wiring projects and in planning for the provisions we will need for our trip. I also painted the dinghy bottom.
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| We painted the dinghy on the pier and will let it dry for a day or two before putting it back in the water. |
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| Bob worked diligently on refinishing the companionway stairs and replacing the treads. Looks great! |
Labor Day weekend had great weather. I spent Saturday at my niece, Sarah’s, house for her annual summer party. It was wonderful to see everyone from that part of my family and spend some time with my two sisters, Becky and Laurie.
This past week we have been following the destruction of hurricane Dorian as it decimated one of the most beautiful groups of islands in the world, the Abacos. My heart hurts every time I see pictures of the destruction. We have donated to funds which will help the people of the islands rebuild, but wish I could do more to help. We will see what opportunities arise.
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| Hope Town, Bahamas before Dorian. I took this photo from our boat in the harbour the first time we visited Hope Town. |
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