A friend from St. Therèse parish, Ed, gave me a ride from Chesapeake to Cape Charles last Thursday. I was back at my daughter’s house by 8.30 am that morning from my MRI. The x-ray operator commented that I was the first patient he had ever seen coming in on a bicycle. The surgeon had requested this because I had not felt any improvement from the back operation when I saw him on July 27th. I have another appointment with him on the 24th. In the meantime I have less discomfort and can walk straighter. Yesterday I worked a little too hard and felt it, today I did not get going till the afternoon, with church and my administration. It rained practically uninterrrupted for most of yesterday. I have plenty of work to do on the inside of the boat. Today, when leaving the church I got wet on the way back. But the rest of the afternoon was sunny and not too hot.
The task I have take on is overwhelming. And I wondered if I made the right decision. Today was a better day than Friday and yesterday and I got more done. I enjoy the work and Cape Charles is a beautiful spot. Looking up the meaning of the mushroom circles that are sprouting up all around the boat, I learned that they are called Fairy Rings and bring good luck. In Holland they are called Heksen Ringen and in Germany Hexen Ringen (Witches Rings) and they bring bad luck.
My French two burner propane stove will need new parts and 12 volt power for the off switch and ignition. So, I have been eating out. Most of the restaurants in town cater to the summer visitors and are pricey. When I had the rental car here, I drove 5 miles to the highway shopping center and bought Chinese take out and for breakfast had my Mac Donald sausage McMuffin. René, at the marina office suggested the pub on the Bay Side golf course. I went there Friday night and used the beach runner bicycle to get there through a beautiful gated community. The food, location and service was excellent and reasonably priced, too much for me and half of it makes lunch the next day. Today I had breakfast at the Drugstore before 9 o’clock mass at St.Charles. Rob, the harbormaster, stopped by with a fishsandwich for lunch. It looked like it would be a stunning sunset tonight and rode the bike to the board walk. I decide to skip dinner and just try the ice cream parlor. There is always a lineup and probably makes more money than any of the towns restarants. So here is the picture of the purple beach runner, me and the blackberry purple icecream. Note that the bike has a white cup that is too shallow for a waterbottle but perfect for the icecream cup. But when I was done shooting the setting sun, I spotted the Mexican food truck. I had been looking for it since I arrived on Thursday. Turns out they only come on Friday and Saturday, but because of the rain they skipped Saturday and came today. I bought a Huaracho with pork and lots of fresh vegetables and avacado. I ate half and the rest is tomorrow’s lunch.
The 2008 picture of the sky after sunset was taken on August 12, 2008. I sailed from Cape Charles, via Winter Harbor to Deltaville and arrived on the 14th in Urbanna on the Rappahannock River. I met Lynne the next day at the marina. We became friends and thought that my solo sailing days were over. Nine years ago, it seems like yesterday, I hold on to the good memories.
This Wednesday I have been invited at the Portsmouth US Coast Guard station to meet the men who rescued me by helicopter on June 23. Rob McGuire, the harbormaster here, will give me a ride back to Chesapeake. On the 21st my granddaughter Gabrielle returns on the nuclear carrier “President Ford” from a six month deployment in the Med and Persian Gulf. I shall attend her homecoming in Norfolk. On the 24th I have the follow up back surgeon meeting. On the 26th there will be a funeral service at St. Thérèse for Mary Dion, a friend, who passed away on her 93rd birthday. I hope to be able to get a few days boatwork in between these dates. Before I know it fall be here and winter soon behind it. Say a prayer that I will not let “Fleetwood” down.
I am having an issue in Word Press that all of a sudden you are unable to enlarge my pictures. Another problem to solve that takes my preciuous time away. I’ll work on it.
