Kitty's Gone

KITTY’S GONE

By Roxie’s daddy

We rescued you from the trailer park
How special you’ve been from the very start
You were beautiful with your colorful fur
Were shocked when we heard your gruff purr
Now silence
Kitty’s gone

You were almost human, you reached out to touch
Pets are precious, we loved you so much
It was always a joy, when we’d open the door
You’d come to meet us from lying on the floor
So happy
Kitty’s gone

After our showers, the water you’d lick
For some reason, you liked the carpet to pick
On your pillow you’d lie under the coffee table
We long to see you if only we were able
Our Calico
Kitty’s gone

You followed your mommy from room to room
Now only memories and sometimes gloom
To the recliner you’d jump into daddy’s lap
And soon get down after a little nap
Lap’s empty
Kitty’s gone

You were not allowed on mommy’s couch
But you were so sweet in your little pouch
We’d be busy about our day
Around the corner, you’d come join the fray
Where’s Kitty?
Kitty’s gone

In time you started the door jamb to scratch
You didn’t know daddy would have to patch
Into the kitchen begging for a treat
You seemed to gather around our feet
Treats are there
Kitty’s gone

Out of bed, we watched where we stepped
We’d wonder and search to see where you slept
Usually a mess in the utility room,
Nothing we couldn’t fix with a dust pan and broom
All is clean
Kitty’s gone

During the day, came time to explore
To make you happy we’d open the door
You’d jump on the bed, disturb our sleep
Then came the time you no longer could leap
Wish you could
Kitty’s gone

To fill your bowls with food and water
To be sure it was no bother
Maybe now we’ll decorate a big tree
It won’t be the same without Kitty
Just stillness
Kitty’s gone

Your beautiful coat you were always grooming
When you stopped, we feared the end was looming
No longer we’ll see you lying in the sun
We had to take you in just like Bun
And sadly
Kitty’s gone

After keeping us company for 17 sweet years,
We had to say goodbye through a flood of tears,
When you last went to sleep, in my arms I did hold
I laid you in the ground, oh so cold
Grief is real
Kitty’s gone

Now you can sleep under the flowers
Where the grass will grow from the gentle showers
You’ll never know how much your life
Meant to me and especially my wife
Our Roxie
Kitty’s gone

Companion, comforter, ally and friend
You were true and loyal to the very end
Father Time finally tore us apart
But you’ll forever be in our heart
Even though
Kitty’s gone

October 24, 2023

G17 "The Gathering" 2023

I went to the Glen-L Gathering again this year. This makes about 4 times that I've been to it. I took Pixie, Little Bit to at least one; I think two for Little Bit. I stopped at one on Anago with Robin. I also took Ike Clarkson to one on an afternoon and we were able to catch a ride on Butch Barto's Innocence. 

This year I wanted to take Disciple Ship. I wasn't quite finished with her last year to go. I decided that I'd go for a longer time than previously. They start on Thursday and go through Sunday. I took Friday and Saturday to go. 

I left early Friday in time to get up there for the river run. I arrived at Blue Water RV Resort in Dayton around 9:45. 

Around 10:30 people started loading up for the run. I wound up with Ed on his Scooter, a Glen-L Gentry. She's a two-seater and fast! We made the 24 mile run with about 40+ others gathered for a lunch at Zois at the Harbor Lights Marina which is just south of the nuclear power plant.  

  

The ride back was just as much fun as the ride down. During the afternoon I took my boat out for a brief sail. The wind was blowing out so I was able to sail the 1/2 mile out to the main river where I met Ron and Claire on their Minuet, the only other sailboat there, coming back in. They had a motor and offered to tow me in so I'd make supper. I gratefully accepted. 

I ate supper with Ed, walked around a bit, talked to Robin on the phone a while and set up my tent around dark. Folks were quite interested in my boat. Several asked about the mast. The sleeping platform was intriguing to some. I hunkered down in the cockpit on my sleeping pad and read til around 10:00 then into the tent, and it was lights out. 

I slept but only so-so. I arose about 7:00 to a pretty scene.

David, another pastor, made waffles and sausage links for anyone who wanted some. I ate two along with some orange juice. After breakfast, I put some of my stuff away, and waited for stuff to dry after the heavy dew.

Ron and Claire made plans to sail after lunch (which I skipped), so I joined them. The plan was to sail in tandem and have them tow me back again in time to retrieve our boats before the barbeque supper. The wind was fluky but it was a decent afternoon. I got to put my boat to more of a test than any time previously in my limited experience on her. I estimate that we sailed about 4 miles total. Some of the winds probably hit 10 mph but most were much gentler than that. 

Ron got some great shots of my boat while we were out. 

Retrieval went smoothly with a couple of guys helping me at the ramp which was good since we had a cross wind. After supper I said some good-byes and headed home. Made it about dark. 

Here are a few shots of some of the boats at the gathering.

And here's a good shot of mine in my slip without the tent.

It was a good event. Plan to return again. 

Didn't Have Fun

Dateline: September 1, 2023

Did I really say that?

I did.

I took Disciple Ship out for a brief time yesterday. Hadn't been out in a month (my super moon outing). Forecast was for 8 mph winds. (I really needed to be out on Wednesday on the back edge of Idalia with steady NE winds in the 11-13 mph range but Weds don't work for me).

I didn't leave the house until 2:00. I was tired when I left. Got out and the winds were just so erratic. Wind, no wind, from here, from there. I'm getting old. My 68th year is not being kind. Not as much energy. Hips and shoulders hurting. It was hot (though not as hot as last week when I didn't dare). I had maybe two good puffs. Other than that... Really didn't feel like rowing.

I get frustrated with inland lake winds. Yesterday it just hit me wrong.

I don't mean to be negative, but it is what it is. No pretending.

The Hunter is waiting to try out the new Honda 2.3. Got to work out the trailer issues first. I do want to do the TN River gorge this year - the whole 30 miles. Never done it before. When the leaves turn, I'll take 2 days to do it with my wife. I think she'll be up to it.

As fall approaches, I'll be looking for some steady breezes, maybe some fronts coming through. I also plan to go up to Lake Ocoee and camp on the far shore of the lake which has me inside of Cherokee National Forest and free/legal camping. I've enjoyed several of those trips in the past.

Until next time.

Rudder Cover

Quick, simple post. I took some left over sumbrella, pulled out the sewing maching and I made a cover for my rudder. The tarp doesn't cover it and I know that sun will eventually do it's number on any exposed surface. 

Didn't take long and turned out just right. 

Now I need to make a cover for my new outboard.

Super Moon

Well, I finally got out for a brief sail a week ago, Monday evening July 31 . It's been pretty busy this summer and HOT! The forecast was for clear skies, a decent breeze and the super moon  was less than 24 hours away which meant the moon would rise just barely before sunset. 

As I drove into the ramp parking lot, I saw this poor fellow getting towed in. I know the feeling. That's one reason I chose a "sail and oar" boat.

All went very well except for getting away from the ramp. The onshore breeze made it just about impossible. I had to pull my boat out to the dock and depart from there. Now I know.

Once I got out onto the water, it took a few minutes to set the boat up for sailing, but I finally get her ready. I need to figure a way to keep all those lines straight and in order. One thing is the extra time it takes to reattached the mainsheet bridle each time. Problem is I use the same straps for the ratchet strap that holds the mast down during transport. 

The wind was blowing lightly - maybe 5-8 mph. Got a few good puffs in. And then the sun set. 

A few minutes later the moon appeared opposite the sunset. I hung a lantern from the boom since I don't have marker lights. Not legal, but there wasn't much traffic out there. I also carried a good flashlight (just in case).

There was also a power boat that watched the moon come up. Once up, the power boat took off.

After a bit I returned the ramp and readied the boat for the trip home.

I was a nice evening. And, surprisingly, I hardly broke a sweat. I rigged in the shade, had the nice breeze on the water and retrieved in the dark by lamp light. 

It was a fairly quick trip out. One good thing about a smaller boat. You can afford those quick times out.

Oh, yeah, as I was packing up the boat, the ISS passed over and the Starlink satellite train was visible with it. Pretty cool. 

So, until next time....

First Overnighter

First overnighter is in the books. 

Forecast for Monday into Tuesday morning was good. Good breeze for the evening, clear skies through the night and only slight chance of rain in the morning - so I took it. I had started planning a couple weeks ago but just couldn't get out, but I knew what I had to do to pull off a short trip. I had already chosen an anchor and rode from my "stock" of anchors. I wasn't planning big eats. Grabbed several Powerades, a few protein bars and some trail mix. Oh, yea - I also bought a collapsible porta-pot and gel. Got to be prepared you know. I bought a tent last fall and already had a Thermarest pad and sleeping bag. Temps were due to drop down into the upper 50's overnight.

 
Got a little bit of a late start so altered my plans on a destination. Rigging and launch went well. Breeze was lighter than I expected but it picked up after a bit. Had a nice, short sail to a cove just two miles up the lake. 

Somebody has money!

Here's the sun setting as I was at the entrance to the cove where I was going to anchor.

It looked to be shallow, so I raised my rudder and daggerboard to row the last half mile into the long narrow cove.

I sent a screen shot of my location to Robin.

It was about 8:00 by the time I anchored. That only gave me an hour or so of daylight left to get setup for the evening. I quickly ate a bar and went to setting up. 

I emptied my lockers of the things I would need and raised the floor sections to create the sleeping platform. 

As I was in the process of setting up the tent, one of the two tent poles went overboard!!!!! Oh, no! Since there was no rain in the overnight forecast, I didn't fret too much. 

As the sun set, I settled into a reading mode. My daggerboard was lying on the floor in front of the thwart. I looked and figured that it would make a good sitting position if I laid my sleeping pad over it. It turned out to be quite comfortable. I used the seat as a backrest and stretched my feet out toward the forward bulkhead. One of my church members had given me a book written by an atheist (formerly so anyway) doctor about near death/out of the body experiences. Quite interesting! I read until 11:00.

The dew was falling quite heavily. I decided that I would throw the tent over my sleeping bag like a blanket. Worked great. Kept me fairly warm and dry. I didn't fall asleep for quite some time, but I did get some rest.

I got up to a dew-drenched, chilly, misty morning. Love those misty mornings!

I ate some trail mix and pitched my stuff forward of the main thwart to one side. I didn't bother to repack anything into the lockers. 

There was very little breeze which was my expectation, so I rowed back to the ramp - maybe a 2 mile row. 

Here's the view out of the cove back towards the dam. The sun is coming up behind me. 

Here's a shot of the looking back at the cove as I rowed out with my mizzen shielding the sun.

Here's a sunken boat I passed in the cove.

Made the distance in a little under an hour. I didn't row hard, but like I said earlier, it takes a little "umpf" to row the CIY16. It's three times the size of my previous dinghy. I tried to take long strokes using my back as much as possible to save my arms. It does give the hands quite a workout though!

Here's the ramp as I aproached. The mist has all burned off. Clear skies. 

At takeout, about 6 guys came over and admired my boat for quite some times. A wooden, lapstrake, lug yawl is not a common sight around these parts.

I was home mid-morning and finished the day with my lovely wife. Even took a ride in her convertible in the afternoon up to Lookout Mountain.

I'll be eager to do it all over again!