SHIP'S LOG:
The last two days it has been August! It has been HAZY! It has been HOT!! It has been HUMID!!!! And unfortunately, it has proven my lack of invincibility.
Yesterday, I opened the clubhouse at 6:30AM and it was an oven inside. It wasn't quite an oven outside but it was getting there. Collecting and dumping the garbage, washing the bathrooms, washing down the porches, putting all the tables and chairs back where they belong . . . doing everything took about two hours and I was ringing wet by the end. And then it hit me. I am not sure if it was heat exhaustion or simple dehydration, but even after my morning shower I was spent. I literally spent the rest of the day, sitting in a cool breeze out on my boat, consuming all the water I could. It was nasty. By about 4pm I was feeling close to normal again but I was still drinking fluids. I am siding with my "unprofessional diagnosis" of dehydration as I literally didn't have to hit the head until then and what came out didn't measure up anywhere near what I had put in. I am feeling normal this morning but the day is supposed to be a repeat of the last two and so I will be very careful.
I got a call from Doctor O'Donnell and he confirmed what the PA said, two torn cartilages. He doesn't want to rush to surgery so we' continue with the anti-inflammatories and possibly some physical therapy. Surgery might not totally alleviate the pain because of the arthritis involvement, but if it does happen, it will probably not be until the fall.
One of the things that the triple "H's" bring with them is fog, something all boaters hate with a passion. "Oh fatal vapor,
thrice accursed brew.
Thou gloom of doom,
thou deadly devil's stew."
-Shakespeare All Ashore That's Going Ashore, Act III, Scene I
Right now, there is fog in the river, but just in the river. It hasn't spread out. It is a river of fog on the river, filled with the ferries going in and out, blowing horns wildly. Some crazy sailor, sans radar, went sailing by awhile back, hope he makes it wherever it is he is going. Maybe a Hurricane Hole? Tropical Storm Arthur is now Hurricane Arthur and is around North Carolina. It appears that it will turn east and that it will miss us though we should feel some effects Friday evening - rain and wind and the like. O Joy!
Still no license from the Coasties yet. Glad this wasn't an emergency!
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
This Is What Sailing In The Summer Is All About!
SHIP'S LOG:
It was a beautiful day to go sailing . . . . . and so I went.
It was a beautiful day to go sailing . . . . . and so I went.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Now The Yet!
SHIP'S LOG:
About that email from the Coasties . . . . it seems that they were absolutely correct. The credentials did arrive within 10 days of receiving the email. In fact, they came even before I got the email. Turns out that the credential they were referring to was not the Merchant Mariner credential but the medical certificate for the Merchant Mariner license. Like I said, the every thing I got days before the email announcing that I would be getting it. I'll be getting the Merchant Mariner Credentials as soon as one more group reviews the paperwork and signs off on my qualifications. Any day now. SIGH!
And the MRI! As I said, my ortho guy is on vacation this week, so after two tries, I got a phone call from the physician's assistant, Tom. The good news is that I don't have a torn cartilage in my knee, I have two torn cartilages in my knee, one on the inside and one on the outside, and while the tear on the inside feels the more painful, the tear on the outside is the greater. I'll have to wait until sometime next week before I can sit down with Dr. Sean and we can decide what to do.There isn't anything they can do stop the pain, no wrap, no brace, nothing like that. I have to live on Aleve or some other anti-inflammatory. With the arthritis that is present, there is a chance that even if they go in and scope the knee, they pain relief may not be complete. And how is your day going?
About that email from the Coasties . . . . it seems that they were absolutely correct. The credentials did arrive within 10 days of receiving the email. In fact, they came even before I got the email. Turns out that the credential they were referring to was not the Merchant Mariner credential but the medical certificate for the Merchant Mariner license. Like I said, the every thing I got days before the email announcing that I would be getting it. I'll be getting the Merchant Mariner Credentials as soon as one more group reviews the paperwork and signs off on my qualifications. Any day now. SIGH!
And the MRI! As I said, my ortho guy is on vacation this week, so after two tries, I got a phone call from the physician's assistant, Tom. The good news is that I don't have a torn cartilage in my knee, I have two torn cartilages in my knee, one on the inside and one on the outside, and while the tear on the inside feels the more painful, the tear on the outside is the greater. I'll have to wait until sometime next week before I can sit down with Dr. Sean and we can decide what to do.There isn't anything they can do stop the pain, no wrap, no brace, nothing like that. I have to live on Aleve or some other anti-inflammatory. With the arthritis that is present, there is a chance that even if they go in and scope the knee, they pain relief may not be complete. And how is your day going?
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Already But Not Yet!
SHIP'S LOG:
Fourteen days ago, I got an email from the Coast Guard Documentation Center In West Virginia(?) stating that my Merchant Marine Certificate with the Launch Operator Endorsement, had been issued and "would be sent by FIRST CLASS MAIL" and that I should expect to receive it " in less than ten days." Like I said, that was fourteen days ago! So technically I am a launch river, the "Already," but can't actually drive the launch, the "Not Yet," as I do not have the certificate in hand.
Another example is my right knee. I had an MRI done on it on June 14th, but I am still awaiting the results. I have called the doctors office twice in the last few days and the receptionist said she would pull the file and give it to him and he would call me to discuss the results. That was this past Friday. I called again yesterday and another receptionist said that the doctor was away for a few days but that she would pull the file and the physician's assistant would call me and discuss the results. I am still waiting! In the meantime, the cortisone has worn off and the knee feels as it first did when I went to the doctor some weeks ago now. This is not making me happy!
Fourteen days ago, I got an email from the Coast Guard Documentation Center In West Virginia(?) stating that my Merchant Marine Certificate with the Launch Operator Endorsement, had been issued and "would be sent by FIRST CLASS MAIL" and that I should expect to receive it " in less than ten days." Like I said, that was fourteen days ago! So technically I am a launch river, the "Already," but can't actually drive the launch, the "Not Yet," as I do not have the certificate in hand.
Another example is my right knee. I had an MRI done on it on June 14th, but I am still awaiting the results. I have called the doctors office twice in the last few days and the receptionist said she would pull the file and give it to him and he would call me to discuss the results. That was this past Friday. I called again yesterday and another receptionist said that the doctor was away for a few days but that she would pull the file and the physician's assistant would call me and discuss the results. I am still waiting! In the meantime, the cortisone has worn off and the knee feels as it first did when I went to the doctor some weeks ago now. This is not making me happy!
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Almost Done
SHIP'S LOG:
There are about 25 ceiling panels in ABISHAG's salon, galley and aft cabin. All have been Velcro-ed in place except for four. I'll finish those off today and then the ceiling will be complete. Not perfect but complete and hanging in place. Some of the panels are just a bit warped and don't make as good contact with the Velcro as I would like. The Masonite is also a bit on the heavy side. so some extra fairing strips and a reduction in the size of the panels will be coming this fall. But not now, now is sailing time.
Still no Merchant Mariner Certificate as of yet. It has been issued and is being sent by First Class Mil from West Virginia. The CG said it would take about 10 days. Ten Day Mai From West Virginia First Class? Your tax dollars at work!
There are about 25 ceiling panels in ABISHAG's salon, galley and aft cabin. All have been Velcro-ed in place except for four. I'll finish those off today and then the ceiling will be complete. Not perfect but complete and hanging in place. Some of the panels are just a bit warped and don't make as good contact with the Velcro as I would like. The Masonite is also a bit on the heavy side. so some extra fairing strips and a reduction in the size of the panels will be coming this fall. But not now, now is sailing time.
Still no Merchant Mariner Certificate as of yet. It has been issued and is being sent by First Class Mil from West Virginia. The CG said it would take about 10 days. Ten Day Mai From West Virginia First Class? Your tax dollars at work!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Summer's Here!
SHIP'S LOG:
Of course you would not know it from the water temperature, which is 70 for the first four feet and 40 below that, but from the air temp which is in the high 70's and wonderfully, mildly humid. It feels like Summer!
To celebrate, I locked my keys in my car! I called around and finally found a friend who had AAA and an hour or so free. The came to my car, right outside TYC, made the call and we waited and idly chatted for a good 50 minutes. The AAA guy showed up and it took longer to fill out the paper work than it did for him to open the car. That's twice no in the last 30 days that I have had a senior moment and locked my keys in the car. When I had the little blue Hyundai Hatchback P.o.S., I never locked the hatch and so could always access the inside. I am going to have to train myself to manually lock the doors and not use the electronic lock switch.
I check with the House Chairman and I got permission to salvage a few scraps from under the clubhouse. These will work perfectly to make the slating necessary to put the ceiling panels back in place. ABISHAG locks a little ratty with everything stuff in the bow and I want to get it over and done with.
Still no word from my orthopedist on the results of the MRI. It will probably be a few days more before I hear the "hopefully" good news.
My medical certification for the Launch Operator License arrived in the mail today. Boy, they are sure dragging this thing out. The launch goes into full-time service Friday and Wayne is getting a little nervous.
Of course you would not know it from the water temperature, which is 70 for the first four feet and 40 below that, but from the air temp which is in the high 70's and wonderfully, mildly humid. It feels like Summer!
To celebrate, I locked my keys in my car! I called around and finally found a friend who had AAA and an hour or so free. The came to my car, right outside TYC, made the call and we waited and idly chatted for a good 50 minutes. The AAA guy showed up and it took longer to fill out the paper work than it did for him to open the car. That's twice no in the last 30 days that I have had a senior moment and locked my keys in the car. When I had the little blue Hyundai Hatchback P.o.S., I never locked the hatch and so could always access the inside. I am going to have to train myself to manually lock the doors and not use the electronic lock switch.
I check with the House Chairman and I got permission to salvage a few scraps from under the clubhouse. These will work perfectly to make the slating necessary to put the ceiling panels back in place. ABISHAG locks a little ratty with everything stuff in the bow and I want to get it over and done with.
Still no word from my orthopedist on the results of the MRI. It will probably be a few days more before I hear the "hopefully" good news.
My medical certification for the Launch Operator License arrived in the mail today. Boy, they are sure dragging this thing out. The launch goes into full-time service Friday and Wayne is getting a little nervous.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Blah!
SHIP'S LOG:
Well, this has certainly been a crappy week! That is to say the weather has been crappy. Winds were supposed to top-out at 10 knots but have been blowing a steady 15 with gust to 25! The wind was supposed to come out of the south, but it has been mostly from the East/North East which in the Thames sets up a nasty chop . . . not good for sleeping. And the there is the rain which has happened several times every day this week. It is sort of like the old joke that goes: it only rained twice this week, once for three day and once for four. And when there has been no rain and no wind, we have had fog. right now from high atop the clubhouse, I can barely see then end of the dock. this should make it "simply wonderful" for all those involved in the Off Sounding Race. Today they are supposed to race from Watch Hill to Block Island. Right now, it would be more a drift than a race and in the fog as well.
Joy of joys, I got an email from the Coast Guard stating that my Merchant Mariner's Certificate, with the Launch Operator endorsement, has been approved and issued. I have been working on this since February!What a paper chase. Hopefully, the actually papers will show up this week and that's a good think too because we will be going to full time launch hours on the weekend and I have to carry the license with me when I operate the launch. We only have two launch operators currently and they have been getting worn from just the limited hours currently in place.They could use the help.
Oh, by the way, let's hear it for "snail mail." The License obtaining process could be done electronically on-line or the old fashion way by way of the Post Office. While I have a computer, i didn't have access to a scanner nor a printer so had to opt for the old fashion method. The other three "candidates" all chose to do it electronically. It would appear that old fashion beats new fashion as none of the others have gotten notification of approval and issuance. How 'bout that!
Well, this has certainly been a crappy week! That is to say the weather has been crappy. Winds were supposed to top-out at 10 knots but have been blowing a steady 15 with gust to 25! The wind was supposed to come out of the south, but it has been mostly from the East/North East which in the Thames sets up a nasty chop . . . not good for sleeping. And the there is the rain which has happened several times every day this week. It is sort of like the old joke that goes: it only rained twice this week, once for three day and once for four. And when there has been no rain and no wind, we have had fog. right now from high atop the clubhouse, I can barely see then end of the dock. this should make it "simply wonderful" for all those involved in the Off Sounding Race. Today they are supposed to race from Watch Hill to Block Island. Right now, it would be more a drift than a race and in the fog as well.
Joy of joys, I got an email from the Coast Guard stating that my Merchant Mariner's Certificate, with the Launch Operator endorsement, has been approved and issued. I have been working on this since February!What a paper chase. Hopefully, the actually papers will show up this week and that's a good think too because we will be going to full time launch hours on the weekend and I have to carry the license with me when I operate the launch. We only have two launch operators currently and they have been getting worn from just the limited hours currently in place.They could use the help.
Oh, by the way, let's hear it for "snail mail." The License obtaining process could be done electronically on-line or the old fashion way by way of the Post Office. While I have a computer, i didn't have access to a scanner nor a printer so had to opt for the old fashion method. The other three "candidates" all chose to do it electronically. It would appear that old fashion beats new fashion as none of the others have gotten notification of approval and issuance. How 'bout that!
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