Some Exciting Stuff!

Some exciting stuff!  I think I have said Renne' has a book signing this weekend.  The Navy Exchange is sponsoring her, and there has apparently been a great deal of effort in announcing this event.  Renne' was asked yesterday if she had enough books on hand for this.  We are hoping 60 of each is enough.  If not, we will have to take names and deliver!  As you see in this picture, she has her name on the Marquee!!  She said she has never known anyone who had their name on a marquee before!!  Ha!

Renne' is also working on the illustrations for her new children's book, Nighty Night Sailboat Goes To Spain.

She has sent it to her niece, Sharon Segrest, Ph.D, who will translate it into Spanish for her.  This one will have the English with some Spanish word references on one page, and on the opposite side will have Spanish with some English word references on the opposing side.  She also decided to have a couple of 5 and 6 year old relatives read and critique the book.  That worked really well on the first volume.  Renne' found CreateSpace, the publishing side of Amazon for self-publishing.  Once she figured out the process, she discovered using them is not nearly as difficult as working with Publish America, who published her novel, The Last Payload.

Our friend, Keith Davis (violin maker extraordinaire and master story teller), has just moved from his previous publisher to CreateSpace for the second printing of his first book, The Iron Lake Fishing Club, on Renne's recommendation, and is close to publishing his second edition.

 

Keith is also publishing his second book, Kitchen Stories from the Iron Lake Fishing Club.

Keith's stories derive from his living on the Northern Michigan Peninsula NORTH of Wisconsin!!  He was my roommate during my freshman year in school and finally got smart and moved south and set up his new violin shop in Hammond, Louisianna during the months PRECEEDING Hurricane Katrina!  His response following that devastation was he would rather that than another COLD winter in the Frozen Tundra of Northern Michigan!!  So Keith's outlook on life, and the stories of Gershom and Ernie, allow me to have a better outlook of our life on this boat.  Life throws a lot at you, and the philosophy these guys have is you just kind of swing with life and look at it with a jaundiced eye and you just keep on going.

You can get the one's that exist already at Amazon and Createspace (https://www.createspace.com/3729974 for Nighty Night Sailboat, and https://www.createspace.com/3823482 for Nighty Night Sailboat Goes To Spain when it becomes available).  Keith's will be coming soon and I will let you know how to get them.

Our projects this week have included tracing out a fresh water leak SOMEWHERE on the boat!!  When the pressure begins to drop (because of the leak) the "on-demand" pump comes on to re-pressurize the system.  There are so many places to look for the leak, and I have found three.  But also found a major leak under the sink in the drain hose unrelated to the pressure system.  That took all day yesterday and several trips to Home Depot!  But the worst leak turned out to be the Water Heater!  Doggone, I had to take that one completely apart to find the source.  It turns out, there is this microscopic pin hole in the water tank, caused by corrosion.  That called for replacing either the tank or the waterheater itself.  After searching the entire country, the water heater we have is on back order for several weeks and we were able to finally find one!  So we ordered it and it will be in today (Wednesday).  It should be installed tomorrow.  Then the floor in the aft head has to be replaced (there is a big hole-2' x 2'- there - we had to get the teak and holly replacement when we were back in Houston last month).  So our project list continues.

Here is the current list of remaining projects before we leave in May:


Install Watermaker                                               Complete

Install SSB                                                            Complete

Replace block on mast                                        Complete

Move spare halyard forward                             Complete

Inspect/Replace Voltage Regulator                   Not Required

Inspect/Repair (I/R) Manual Bilge Pump

I/R Secondary Bilge Pump

Change Fuel Filter                                                Complete

Clean Air Conditioner Filter                               Complete

Clean Hot Water Line in fwd head                     Complete

I/R commode pump mechanics                          Complete

Repair floor in aft head

Re-organize V-Berth

Install snaps on sun screen                                Complete

Replace snaps on full enclosure

Repair Sail Covers

Replace motor-lift line                                          Complete

Replace dinghy lift lines                                      Complete

Make mosquito screens for hatches

Repair hatch arms                                                 Complete

Replace all port-light seals

Install on/off switch to refrigerator fan

I/R sailing instrument switches

Replace aft navigation light                                Complete

Seal water inlet to stop leak                                Complete

Cut Spare 3/4" Dock Line

Copy Movies over to spare Disk

Install Binocular Holder

Move Music over to MP3

Clean Refrigerator                                                Complete

Add Diesel Treatment and Filter Fuel

Change Engine Oil                                               Complete

Change Oil in Generator                                      Complete

Reorganize Garage Area                                     Complete
Replace Bow Chock                                             Complete
I/R Water Heater                                                

This afternoon, Renne' and I are going to the beach to enjoy Spring Break.  So catch us about 6 this evening for Sundowners!  We have the Jack, rum and gin, bring your own glasses and join us!!

JonNe'