Here Be Winter!

SHIP'S LOG:

     Winter seems to be getting serious about showing up. Temps have been going down and today inches of snow is scheduled to show up. And I hate snow.  Snow is fine in the mountains and hills but along the coast, well it makes no sense.Along the coast it should be the the 70's and humid. I hate snow!

     It has been snowing since early morning and, while I am not sure just how much we already have, from mu perch high above the street,  it looks significant and it is scheduled to keep right on snowing until tomorrow morning. I hate snow!

     It wouldn't be so bad if it were say March but it is not March, no even February. It is bloody January, and while the days are getting longer, it is still winter time, astronomically as well as atmospherically. Basically that means that any snow we get is likely to stick around for more than awhile. I hate snow.

     There supposed to be a little party for all the members of TYC who took their boats north to Portland for winter storage. It was (is?) going to be at Portland Riverside Marina, a simple affair of hot dogs and BYOB. Teddy Paulsen, who was "hosting" the event, sent out an email this morning that it was still on, but I decide that discretion is the better part of partying.  Just the last quarter mile or so to the marina is downhill from route 66 to the riverside, on a road that certainly is high on Portland Street maintenance for snow removal at this time of the year. Getting to the party won't be as challenging as leaving it. I hate snow.

     Kevin, the owner of the sail loft where I toil, wiped -out last weekend up at Sugarbush, where he does ski patrol. He tore up his "hammy" on his left leg. He will find out on Tuesday if he needs an operation so bad did he tear it. He is not a happy camper. His attendance at the loft has been limited to a few "painful" hours Thursday and Friday which were even more limited due to the meds. Actually important work got done as we actually were able to sync-up sails with work orders. The best part about that it the lack of demand for washing. Washing sails is an incredible pain in the butt. Imagine sewing all your sheets and bed linens together into one large structure and then washing it is a tub of cold water laced with bleach and Dawn. The after an hour or so, pulling that soggy mass out of the "cleaning solution" into the rising solution, another tub of cold water. And after another hour, hauling the clean soggy mass out of that tub and stinging over several lines that criss-cross the room so they might drip dry. There is no way to stay dry. Indeed there is no way to prevent yourself from getting soaked. If any of the owners of the sails had to do this, they would agree that we don't charge enough fore the service.

     One las thought, not only do I hate snow, I hate winter itself. Spring can't come soon enough!