June 9, 2009

For the past several weeks we have been busy with settling into our summer berth here at Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina in Warwick, RI. Our welcome home from boaters on our dock has been, (as always!) overwhelming. It seems like the boating season is officially underway when The Rose arrives.

We have a list of items on The Rose that need attention. The macerator from the waste tank is bound up and needs clearing and relocating to a more accessible location. The fan motor for the head, (bathroom) exhaust fan needs attention and since our arrival the bow thruster is making ominous sounds.

The last item concerns me since I can see a "haul out" looming on the horizon. Drew, our marine mechanic is coming aboard this week to work his magic.

Physically I'm doing fine. I have another scan, (cerebral angiogram) of the malformation scheduled this week and then will probably have the gamma knife scheduled to blast the area and eliminate the blood supply. The scan this Friday is outpatient, while the Gamma Knife will be a short-overnight stay.

Last week we visited our cruising friends Peter & Carolyn who live near Toronto, Canada. We had an enjoyable visit with them and Casey their French Poodle who always remembers us from visit to visit. While we were there Carolyn & Peter hosted a dinner party with friends. What a fun evening! A superb meal with good people combined with the scenery and the Canadian Spring in their back yard.

On the way back to RI we stopped off to visit with Ted & Terry on Berlie Mae, another GH37 like ours. They spend summers at a Marina-Yacht Club in Watkins Glen, NY on Seneca Lake off the NY Canal System. Berlie Mae has been on the market and they have a serious buyer who paid for a survey and has had sea trials, etc. We did a winery tour......it's amazing how much wine we can consume, one small sip at a time. The tour was followed by "Happy Hour" at the yacht club where they spend the summer followed by dinner out. Whew! Ted & Terry are good friends whom we will continue to visit with-regardless of the boat sale.

Due to a scheduling conflict with her Father, (our son Paul), I was able to escort Sofia, our 7 year old grandaughter to her Father-Daughter dance. Connie and Sofia picked out a dress and shoes while I bought a wrist corsage for her. We had a special night together. Having Sofia one-on-one without her brothers around was a rare opportunity that I took full advantage of.

Once we've tended to my medical care, Connie & I will cruise the local area, Block Island, Bristol my home town and nearby waters into Cape Cod. A high school classmate connected me with a slip in Bristol that we can use intermittently. That will allow us to have family and friends aboard more safely than using the dinghy to a mooring in the harbor. I've been out of Bristol since I joined the Navy in 1961 but it has always been my home town.

Enjoy your summer!

Paul & Connie
M/V The Rose, GH37
Brewer Greenwich Bay N
Warwick, RI