Got your ears on??

     After we returned from Florida, I had to get something done besides this and the YouTube videos! Our port side 3 stage antenna was, well it was acquired used, and it just wasn't cutting the mustard so to speak. That antenna is dedicated to our AIS transponder. So the further reception the better! So I ordered a new antenna and 2 new extensions... I don't even want to talk about the price! With a little cable work at The Radio Shop in Sheffield, AL I had it back together an working perfectly. Well as perfect as it can laid down in this covered slip anyway!

    Next I went to work on the antenna behind it. I had a used extension and took this short antenna down, and after another visit to The Radio Shop, had it cabled properly and it will now be nearly as tall as the one in front of it. That is my fly bridge helm radio. I had a squeal on high power, turned out to be bad cable. Now with a little more life I'm hoping to be able to transmit and receive a bit further. I hate having to go downstairs to the Pilothouse radio all the time for longer distance.

     Next will be using the first stage I could recover from that first old antenna I replaced, I will be adding an extension to my Channel 16 radio that I have at both helms. But that will come another day.

     All our flags were it rough shape after our summer travels, so our new spreader flags arrived, as well as a new, and more durable US Flag for the stern.

     We left Toscana and returned to Tennessee on Feb 8 to try and get some work done there. I did get a few things accomplished, however not near what I had hoped. It rained 3/4 or the time we were there. Then we packed up on the 16th to go back to the boat. Another cold snap was coming, near single digits 2 nights plus snow. Not something we felt like fighting, so back to Joe Wheeler we went!

 

    My first project was out black water tank. I had flushed it and bleached it before we left. The output valve needed to be replaced. As well as a section of hose going to the deck fitting for pumpout, the Purisan system, and the overboard macerator.  With nearly the whole day spent sourcing hard to find parts and pieces, I got the valve replaced, and we were able to put it back in service. I have parts on order to rebuild the macerator and will reinstall that when we get back next.  

    This week of cold also gave me an opportunity to repair both Alternator brackets, change fuel pump oil, zincs, and impellers in the mains. I'm planning on waiting until we are near Chicago for a full oil change. Plus we will have a car there for used oil disposal :) 

    That about sums up our February. And with it I will be postponing our weekly posts here until we get ready to leave in May. Our YouTube videos are posting every Friday, and I will keep them flowing.  I have not decided if the blog will run 6 weeks behind or not when we start back up. I am leaning toward TRYING to do it weekly as we go. If I do, there will be weeks without a posting. But I think I can live with that as long as I can keep up with the videos. They will always be months behind. Besides our best cruising will be summer, so we want them hitting in the winter months so you all have something to enjoy when you have time to sit inside and watch the TV. Who wants to watch TV in the summer? too much to do outside!! :)

     Thanks for reading! We do post thise to Facebook, but remember you can subscribe directly on the blog. And also, please Like and subscribe to the YouTube channel. It really does matter. YouTube wants likes and subscribes to keep sharing your content. So if you like following along, please do so! :) Talk to you all in May!

 

Cold weather everywhere! Catching up on inside work!

     Today's post is going to cover the rest of January. The entire story about January has been it's cold, not going outside!

    Being cooped up has provided one positive, I had the time to sit down and complete a presentation for the inland rivers for the Spring AGLCA Rendezvous. That seemed like a fairly simple task, but well lets just say not so much! 

    Amy was finally able to wrap up and join me on the 18th. I met her in Tennessee, and we headed back to the boat that night. The next day we went shopping, then didn't set foot on the dock again until Friday. Overnight lows nearing single digits... in ALABAMA... UGH. The weather is so nasty this year we had several friends on boats on the gulf coast, getting dumped on by 7-9" of snow! Along the GULF! I don't know what happened to that "global warming" but gosh we sure could use a little bit of it now!

     Our excitement was limited to work, and two dinners out with local friends. We are out of the picture habit, and forgot to get any snaps.

    On the 28th we took off for Punta Gorda, FL for David Fuller's Celebration of Life. It was being held alongside the AGLCA Gold Looper Reunion and Winter Looper Pallooza. We did get a few pictures here! It sure was nice to put on short pants again!

     We also got to see several old friends we have met throughout this loopy adventure.  We had some great meals, though not nearly as great as the prices that are charged for them. My wallet still hurts! We spent more on food and drinks in just over 24 hours as we did for the gas for the 24 hours of driving to get there and back. We did find one meal... 2 tacos each for $12.84. that wasn't bad!

    

    We headed back to Rogersville on the 30th. and stopped and treated ourselves to Whataburger on the way home! 

     Next week I'll be doing some work on VHF antennas and some other projects, as well as Amy has to fly back for a meeting in the middle of the week. Look out, I'll be "unsupervised" for nearly a day!!!
 

Family Christmas Celebrations

     I headed for Illinois on Jan 2. Amy and I have a Christmas set for Jan 4 in WI with Grandpa, and Jan 5 with her family in Illinois.

    We drove up to WI on the morning of the 4th. Grandpa had been in the hospital with a UTI, and just got home again a couple days prior. He was not up for a big crowd. So we spent a couple hours with him, then went to dinner at Aunt Janelle's, then came back and visited with Grandpa again before we headed home.

    On the 5th we had Christmas with Amy's Family. We didn't get much for pictures, other than our new Food and Drink recipe book! 

    I wrapped up the week heading back to TN for a boat move. Amy has some appointments and will not be joining me until the 18th. The weather in TN was headed for a snowstorm, but I still picked up the houseboat on Wed at Kenlake Marina and got in to Clarksville Marina Thursday afternoon. We had very cold temps with fog Thursday morning.

    After delivery I headed home to grab a few things and headed for Joe Wheeler. I got in about midnight to beat the storm, but not by much. I woke up to a scene belonging in WI the following morning

    As unfriendly as that looks, the cameras in TN didn't have any better report!

Adventures through the rest of December

     After returning to Nashville, I took off to Joe Wheeler for a couple days to do laundry and a few odd jobs on her and fully prep for cold weather. I also needed the laptop that is 99% dedicated to Toscana these days... It also is set up for the Semi Truck. While my truck is basically "retired", I needed to make a run up to Illinois for a trailer that is still located up there.

    After a few days of prep, off I went on an overnight trip to Marengo, IL. 

    It was nice to take her out for a trip again! almost enough to think of putting her back on the road.... really heavy on the almost part! :) It was great, but I wasn't going through any congested areas, I was running at night, not dealing with DOT, and I wasn't dealing with any shippers or receivers

.      The return trip was uneventful, so now everything is home in Tennessee. I spent a couple days at the boat, returning the laptop and getting our AIS station back up and running, plus a little of the work on the sanitation system. 

    I returned home to Tennessee, working on off projects around there through Christmas, and New Years. Spent a couple evenings down at Johnny's place, and prepared for a busy first week of January in Illinois!