We have tentatively made the end of the month the time when we will move from the marina. It will be bitter sweet in so many ways. We have formed some good friendships...that will hopefully last the distances that are to come...and we know where everything that we need is, around here.
Casting off from our 'safety net' and our 'comfort zone' will be challenging for me. I cant wait to get going, but on the other hand, there are so many unknowns out there. This, after all, is what we came to the USA to do!!
The past two days have been physically wearing. Who would think that taking about 300 staples out of each chair would require first the two of us, then just Waz, to turn ourselves inside out and back to front...sitting, sprawling and contorting.The photos will show you why! Whoever did the last recover on these chairs used thinner and shorter staples and Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many of them for the purpose of securing the fabric.
He started out sitting on the seat, but ended up on the floor mostly. Waz is beginning the unstapling marathon which took about an hour on the first chair back and more than two on the second.
Here it is 'naked'. I'm not going to replace the padding at all...too expensive and the current padding looks like it might do another five years with care.
and who said dressmaking skills were just for making dresses??
This is 60inches wide fabric, so it two of us on our hands and knees to get this just right.
the old adage...measure twice, cut once, certainly was relevent here. Because I am cutting two of everything (to do both chairs at once), care had to be taken to make sure I was cutting mirror images of the right pieces.
I have sewn the cover ...well, all but one piece...for the right hand chair, and most of the other. I have ironed the seams flat, which makes a huge difference to the look of it when situated on the chair itself. Today will be another marathon to get both chairs finished.
We went food shopping in the morning yesterday and filled the larder. We went to Kroger's again this time. We get a special lunch fix there at the same time. I get Sushi and Waz buys two pieces of broiled chicken and two Bolillo rolls.
The lovely chinese people who lease the sushi concession know us now and we always have a chat. Their english isnt that brilliant, after 10 yrs in the US, but we get by. They said they drive 70 miles return to get to and from work. The Kroger supermarket is in the middle of new subdivisions, and the wife would love one of the new homes opposite the supermarket, but they think they are SOOO expensive. these are the homes we decided to take a look through (I posted the pics) that sell for around $278k.
They would be looking for homes under that amount, they said. Because Waz and I are ALWAYS looking at real Estate we know that there are many homes in the $90 - $170k bracket...decent homes, just older and not in the new subdivisions. What woman wouldnt love a fancy, brand new home?
I just look at them and think of the time I have to spend keeping them looking lovely! lol...
It takes me half and hour to vacuum the boat, and about the same to do the rest of the cleaning.
Speaking of cleaning. We have been having loo wars...well, of sorts. The master loo hasnt been working as we would expect it too, so have been reading up on how to clean, flush out etc. Because it draws salt water (that which is in the marina) in for flushing, we get the smells from the water that surrounds the boat. The effluent goes into our holding tank, of course. Inside the tank is bacteria which keeps the tank 'clean', if you know what I mean.
We made a trip to the harware store for some Muriatic (sp?) acid, which Waz then dosed the look with the required amount, and bingo!! the difference is amazing. Our loo is working the way it should. The acid surely did a good job of cleaning out the hose lines.
It is almost 8am, and I am going to go and get Waz up. I have been up since just after 6am..coughing. It appears I have a little asthma this morning.
We had a lovely dinner last night of fresh baby spinach salad with the works included. Nice to have spinach for a change, instead of lettuce. I bought a rotisserie chicken at Kroger's for $5.99, and dismembered it for ease of eating/cooking while we are so involved in the recovering of the chairs. I dont feel like making food, in particular, after a hard day sewing and fitting. The shredded chicken was added to the chopped fruit and veg in the salad, a little lemon infused Olive oil, a sprinkling of Pear vinegar and voila! fantastico salada:)
After that dinner we went for a tiki-tour in the car. We had done this the night before also. We have gone past Lakewood drive so many times, and each time said "we must go and take a look where that leads"! Well, this time we did. Last night we went further and found the homes on Taylor Lake. WOWOWOWOW! HUGE homes!!! They all face the wide lake or canals leading off the lake, and must be in excess of 7k sq. ft. no kidding. these homes are monstrous. Who lives there, for goodness sake. Nobody LIVES in homes that big. Most have fancy wrought iron fences and gates...some spectacularly so, and all the accoutrement of the lifestyle...boats on slings in boat houses, personal water craft (seadoo's), fountains, porte corchere to drive under at the front door, the obligatory palms lining the long and short driveways etc etc.
It makes fascinating viewing, but again...who cleans these monsters?? the staff do! Yes, inevitably, the Mexican or south/central american peoples who have limited education and few other job prospects do the menial jobs. Well, at least they have jobs, is all I can say.
The lawns and gardens are mostly manicured to within an inch of their lives too.
We came back towards home, stopped for a Dairy Queen Blizzard, on the way, and then went for our nightly walk. Veronica met us on the bridge and we all walked the half mile around to the fuel dock and back together. It was humid with little wind, last night, which makes walking a challenge. We went to say hello to our doggy friend Raven, but because we had a new person with us, she was VERY challenging towards us. We had to call Will, her owner, to get her to back down. She wouldnt let us move on, at all. This isnt good! Normally she would recognize us and we can walk on, but last night was a difficult situation. Will called her off, and then she wouldnt leave warren alone...demanding love and attention:)
We are concerned that strangers will be bailed up by this dog which has been trained to be a guard dog. Being a great dane/pit bull mix, and even though she is quiet as a lamb under 'normal' circumstances, her owner needs to either chain her so she cannot accost people who walk at night, or train her to not leave the dock where his boat is. He now has a puppy to join the chorus. Shay is a Catahoula mix. Catahoula are the Louisiana 'native' dog. Shay is lovely...but she is learning the ropes from Raven, of course.
Well, Im off to wake the sleeping fella downstairs and make a cuppa...perhaps I will do that in reverse order?? good idea:)
the day has dawned bright and sunny ...again! cant really complain too much, it could be worse.
More later.
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