Friday Funny 04-29/2020 (Peeping Through New Eyes)

 

🎶

Peeps are like candy corn, they elicit strong reactions, either you love them or you hate them. I'm in the love them camp, Bill is in the hate them. 

I have one small locker onboard Denali Rose that I stash a selection of treats, M&Ms, trail mix, seaweed, (yuck, but someone eats them), chocolate, Trader Joe's, (please people, stop sending chili garlic nuts), and my peeps. I think Bill was either bored, or keeping me amused from afar, as peeps started to show up on Facebook in various poses. 

Peeps in Washington have fun too. 😁

Peeps peeping through the "cheater" glasses.

Peeps reading about their cousin's vacation cruise.

Funny article about how peeps are the worst Easter candy ever.

The saying goes, "everything on a boat must have at least two uses".

I'd say that having peeps onboard qualifies, look at all of the useful things you can do with them.

Peeps are enjoying the salad, but not as part of it.

Peeps, and wine?

The morning oatmeal, and tea are kept company by the peeps.

These peeps have had a serious mishap at the factory.

Update on the cataract surgery.

I have had both eyes operated on, and have had a one day post op on both. The surgery on the right eye was first, and was a bit anxiety inducing, but I felt better about the second one the next day, since I had experienced the procedure. I didn't even have any medication to reduce nervousness, yay me. I personally feel that not having medication helped in the recovery, since I wasn't fuzzy headed. The post op exams revealed that I am seeing at 20/15 distance, and my near vision is clearing up some, but I may always need cheaters to see or read fine print. That's due to the the toric far-lens I choose to be implanted in place of the cataract. I'm staying here for my one week checkup next week, and then I will fly back to Denali Rose. 

I highly recommend Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute for this procedure. They couldn't have been more kind, caring, efficient, knowledgable, and skilled. They have clinics from Anchorage to the west coast of WA, OR, and CA, to Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico. I went to the one in Bellevue, and no, I didn't get a discount for this post. 

The stylish sunglasses you get from the clinic. 😜 I'm always up for swag.

As always, we enjoy hearing from you, either here in comments or on our Facebook Denali Rose Sailboat page.

Friday Funny 04-22/2022 (I Can See Clearly Now.. well not yet)

 

Do you think Gus is up for this? No, me neither.

I wrote last week about attending the diesel engine class in Olympia WA, and now I'm staying at my brother/sister-in-law's home, still in Washington. They have graciously extended their hospitality, with helping me to attend appointments, surgery, and post op. I found out I needed cataract surgery last March, when I had a routine eye exam. I thought I needed a stronger prescription for my contacts, and glasses, but the optometrist found the problem, and referred me to a cataract, and laser surgery clinic.

I've had my evaluation by the doctor at the clinic, and my surgery is scheduled for Monday, and Tuesday. They only do one eye at a time, so you can still see somewhat after each surgery. 

I had no idea about how all of this works, and I'm pleased to find out that they dissolve your cataract, and replace it with a lens in about 20 minutes. There are many lens choices, and you pick, based upon your needs, lifestyle, and pocketbook. The basic lens is covered by most insurances, and Medicare, but if you want an enhanced lens that would possibly eliminate the need for glasses, and contacts, the fee is a bit more, which is paid by the patient.

I chose a toric, far-sight lens, which will correct my astigmatism, and let me see distance. If I want to see up close, I will either use reading glasses, or as I used to do with my contacts, have one near contact lens in my left eye. The cost was a bit more than I wanted to pay, but if I chose the standard lens, or the non-toric lens, I would definitely need to wear glasses, or contacts in order to see both far, and near. 

I'll stay here for my one week post op appointment, and then return to Denali Rose. I need to have a 30 day followup, and I'll have to arrange that with the traveling optician, and whichever community I'm close to when they travel through SE Alaska. 

Bill, and Gus, meanwhile are out, and about enjoying SE sunshine, scenery, whales, and quiet anchorages. Rory has departed for home, so the two of them are on their own.

I can't wait to get home, and enjoy it with them. 💕

As always, we enjoy hearing from you, either here in comments or on our Facebook Denali Rose Sailboat page.

Friday Funny 04-15/2022

 

 I know you haven't heard from us in quite a while, I guess we've been hibernating. During this past winter, I was lazy, and a week would go by, quickly becoming Friday, and I didn't have anything to write about, so I didn't. I even scrolled through the photos on my iPhone, and nope, nothing.  Suddenly it's April, and I'm coming out of hibernation. 

I enrolled in a weekend beginner diesel engine class, which took place in Olympia WA, at the Olympia Yacht Club. My longtime Women Who Sail forum friend, Melissa, graciously offered to provide hospitality so I could attend the class with her. We finally met face to face, and had a wonderful time together.

Our instructor, Meredith Anderson has so many qualifications, there are too many to list here. She is passionate about diesel engines, and enabling cruisers to be able to do their own maintenance. She is a contributor to 48North magazine, and you can read about her here, and more here on the Skipper Jenn blog.

It was a total hands on class, both men and women. We had a 2 stroke engine, and a genset to tear into.

Meredith had some great graphics for us to understand the path of various fluids. She was gracious enough to share her powerpoint with us, but you'll have to take her class if you want to see it. 😀

Melissa is getting into it! She managed to get some tough bolts off, even without using PB Blaster.

Meredith gets right into it with us, time to get greasy.

We dismantled the genset, then we had to put it back together....oops, where does this bolt go......it's leftover.

This tool was very valuable, we used it constantly. It's a 3/8 stubby articulating ratchet. 

The view from the Olympia Yacht Club meeting room.

Even though we were tearing into diesels that weren't typical on our cruising boats, the parts, and the functions were the same. I tried to follow along with an online manual for our diesel, a Ford Lehman SP 90 on Denali Rose. Now I need to sit down next to "Big Red", and go over the parts with my notes, and diagrams. 

Meanwhile Bill, Gus, Denali Rose, and Bill's friend from Fairbanks, Rory are out cruising. They left me orphaned at the dock, and motored away. 😢 It was hard to see them go, even though I knew I had other adventures ahead. My flight to Seattle was the next day, so other cruising friends, John, and Artha on Arctic Jade, offered a bunk for the night, and a trip to the airport the next day. 

Leaving Heritage Harbor, headed for the fuel dock.

Bill fueling, Rory standing by. 

All done fueling, and on their way out.

They have ended up having too much wind, 20 knots gusting 40 knots, and they have had to anchor up to wait it out multiple times. The intended destination was Sitka, with some lolly-gagging on the way, but we know, the calendar is a dangerous thing, so I don't know where they will eventually end up. Somewhere, where Rory can board a plane for home, sometime. Plans in the sand, at low tide are best. 

I'm still in Washington, and staying at my brother, and sister-in-law's house. I'm enjoying my time with them, and visiting with my daughter.  I have some medical to take care of, then back to Denali Rose. 

As always, we enjoy hearing from you, either here in comments or on our Facebook Denali Rose Sailboat page.