It's been a while since I posted, and a lot has happened, so watch out. I've been to California and fulfilled my obligations there, plus I've been spending more time away from the boat than on the boat. All my predictions about the beautiful spring weather have come to naught, and winter decided to do a bit more dumping before going on her merry way. I last thought the wws (weekend warriors) would be racing up and down the docks by now, but that has not happened. We've discovered that many are timid souls, and they will not head for their boats and the water until it's absolutely guaranteed that they are enveloped in lots of warmth. We should get that this weekend, but we also have a 30% chance of rain. We'll see what happens. We've also found quite an easy and fast way to get back and forth, so our trips either way are not the hassle they used to be, and we can be more flexible with our travel plans.

Our time home is always well spent and something we thoroughly appreciate. While roaming around Ottawa I made it a point to go by my old golf course, and though it was still early, the course was open and there were a few hardy golfo-guys braving the cool weather. The course looked in really good shape for late April. I might mention I also got to play two rounds in Calif, and the courses were in really good shape as one might expect. We're now getting things sorted out in both Ottawa and Toronto, and I'll be spending more time in TO than in Ottawa. Seems like Toronto is more my home than anywhere else, and I guess that's cause both my friends and memories are there. I don't like Calif much anymore, and if I didn't have relatives there I probably would never go back even for a visit. I must mention, I've dusted off my old computer tower, bought a new monitor and bought an adaptor with four additional USB ports, and I'm now using it instead of the laptop. Surprisingly, the new monitor actually takes up less space than the laptop did.

What's next? I haven't a clue. We have a lot of work to do, but that's always the case. This is the prettiest time of the year wherever in North America one is, and we're both ready to soak up as much of the good weather as we can. We're healthy and happy and that's about as much as anyone can ask for. I'll be in touch.

Aaaaarrrr...the weekend warriors have started to arrive, and so has the spring weather. Yippee. I'm always amazed when spring actually arrives on time. It's almost as if the heavens have opened up and said, "Enough of this winter nonsense. The calendar says it's spring, so act accordingly and get sprouting." All of a sudden, the morning frost is gone, and the yellow forsythia is popping out everywhere. In this area, one of the phenoms is the coming of the chives. Yeah, that's right, chives. Someone must have sprinkled chive seeds like Johnny
Appleseed, for as soon as the ground frost disappears the little chive plants pop up everywhere. We thought it was only a St. Micheals thing, but it happens all around the Eastern Shore. Of course, be careful what you pick and eat...doggy dogs may have tried to water them to make them grow.

I'm off to L.A. on the 4th, and I'll be gone for two weeks for a bit of family caretaking. After a serious operation bro is doing very well and recovering right on schedule. I'll be there just before he goes home for continued recuperation, so I'll have my hands full. That's okay, part of what one does when it's time to do it. A big plus..the weather is predicted to be clear and averaging around 75°, not too hot, not too cold. I'll try to get in a blog while I'm there, but it's not too likely I'll find a way with no computer on sight and no broadband available. It's like going back to the time when there was nothing but black and white radio.

Back to the WWs. They started arriving last weekend, but they'll be really active starting today. It's the end of the month, and a number of owners who came to this marina to keep their boats under cover for the winter now must move back to their bare uncovered slips in Annapolis for the summer. Yesterday a couple of them started their engines, one even went out for a sea trial, but as they leave new ones will arrive, and they'll have their interesting stories to pass on. It's one of the really enjoyable things about this lifestyle. One meets many new and interesting people and friendly conversations are started almost always revolving only about their boats and their adventures. Friendships are made, but everyone understands that nothing in the boating world is permanent. The time will come to move on, and when that happens we shake hands and hug a bit and thoroughly appreciate the time we've been able to spend with our new friends and acquaintances. Of course, the common denominator here is "a boat and water." We all have the same involvement, in varying degrees of course, but no one is richer or poorer better or worse than the other, and that creates a wonderful atmosphere. Funny thing; it's the same all over the world, and that's one of the things that makes this lifestyle so attractive. So come on WWs, unwinterize your boats, hoot and holler, laugh and giggle, and let's get this 2007 season underway. It's really something to look forward to.

I'll be in touch in a couple weeks.

Wonder of wonders, after a bit of manipulation I was able to log on to a New Post. Something's a little bit goofy with the Google sign in, so I have to use my old blog account. What the heck, it works, and I don't have the patience to sort out the specifics. It's cold here today, but I think this is the last of it with warmer air coming in this evening and sticking around (like Emeril) for a couple weeks..maybe longer. Still no change in my L.A. plans, so I'll likely leave on the 4th as scheduled. I am going to try to get a couple rounds of golf in before I leave assuming that the weather will cooperate.

It's hard to believe, but it was one year ago we returned to Chelsea after our vacation trip to Maryland. We took that trip just to revisit St. Michaels, MD, to get a break from the frigid weather and the snow. What a lifestyle change that incubated along with a journey that continues to this date. We often use the well-worn cliché, "Be careful what you ask for," and this time it really is true. We were asking for a business improvement, and that took off shortly after we got back. We asked for a boat, and though we went through a tortuous path to make it happen, bingo, here we are. So what do we ask for next? Be careful. Now that we've
accomplished the most difficult part, we are really looking forward to spending our summers in TO and running toward the warmer climes in Jan and Feb. We'll do it, and it will happen because we asked for it.

So what's the big difference between what we accomplish with our "Process" and the new phenom "The Secret? " We don't think there's a lot. As we look back over the years we both have used our personal process to take us to exactly where we wanted to be at the time. Right or wrong, we arrived at each destination just as we wished for. Mind you, it took some work in each instance, but nothing come easy, and if one wants it bad enough he/she just has to work for it. I recall reading Napolean Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich" more than fifty years ago wherein he espoused most of the same principles. I believed in them then, and I don't think much has changed in the last half century. Sure, the authors names have changed from Hill, to Robbins, to Dyer et al, but it all boils down to much of the same: Want it, Believe in it, Work for it, It will be yours, perhaps not in the way it was initially visualized, but it will be there. So, do be careful what you ask for, it might not be exactly what you wanted in the first place. If that doesn't work where else do you find what you're looking for? Yellowpages.com. See ya' soon.

BoatTed

Amazing. I don't know what happened, but after a couple days of trying to sign in to my blog I finally made it. I kept getting the error page and couldn't access a New Post. Oh well. On the home front the first day of spring is showing its beautiful head with one of the nicest days we've had in some while. It's nice to be back blogging, and the weather may just allow a little jogging as well. Here's the story: I busted the bumper on our car about ten days ago by backing into a big dump truck. It didn't move, but my bumper did. Ouch. So now the car's in the repair shop, and so will our bank account be when we get the bill. Yikes. Oh well...so much for my failing to look in all directions with all mirrors when backing.

For the first time in a long time our boat is comfortably warm without all heaters blasting, and the prediction is for much improvement from now on. I've just made a deal to purchase 200 ft. of 5/8" double braid line (that's the pretty and soft stuff that's harder than the devil to splice), so when it arrives on Thursday I'll start splicing eight all new dock lines. I don't really have to have new lines, but the ones that came with the boat are old, ratty looking and are mismatched, so I'm going to give our pretty lady some new lines she'll be proud of. Besides, I got a great buy on the spool, one I could hardly pass up.

I'm leaving for L.A. on April 4 and will be gone for two weeks. My last scheduled departure had to be canceled because of some problems, but I think this one is going to be alright. I'm not looking forward to the trip (dealing with family illness is never much fun), but it's something that must be done. It will be interesting to see some of my old stomping grounds again since our last visit was in Nov. '99. I likely won't be able to post from there, but I'll take the laptop and try anyway.

Things are good on this end, and they'll get even better now that spring finally has arrived.

As this week comes to an end the major east coast storm has passed and is now dumping tons of the white stuff in our old stomping grounds. Toronto was hit quite hard with many downed trees and power outages all over the area. It was still nasty this morning because of slippery, slushy and wet roads. Motorists were advised to stay off the road if possible, and surprisingly many of them did take the advice making for much easier clean up and driving for those who had to use their own wheels.

As for me, I'm simply hanging out for the day. My buddies are working and won't be around until this evening when I'll likely be invited out to dinner. Hanging out is not a bad thing. It's a positive way to force one's self to cool it, take it easy, relax and try to smell the frozen roses. As you can see, I'm attempting to do all that by blogging away, one of my fun ways to let down. At home, all's well, and the storm has passed there as well after dumping more than an inch of rain. It's now 14c there, much more comfortable than here. Aaah, but don't fret. A couple days after I get back (tomorrow aft.) we'll have another short shot of slightly below freezing nights.
The good news is that the days will still be the mid 40s with sun. We can live with that. Still no word about when I'll head for L.A., but I suspect it will be around March 20. And now I'm going to be a real couch potato for a while.

This will be a shortie just to catch up on current things. I'm in the midst of a dandy of a snowstorm in Toronto, and just when I thought this mess of winter was about to come to an end. Not so. It's not good out there with about 15-25 cms of snow expected overnight before it starts to rain. Oh yes, don't forget the freezing rain. That's supposed to be part of the mix tonight. Traveling is miserable and almost impossible. I had to wait over an hour in a bus shelter waiting on the wrong side of the street for a bus, and then I had to walk a good four blocks with the snow pounding in my face. I'll remember that walk for quite a while. I'm concerned about my pals getting home from work, but they'll somehow figure out how to get through it. Nothing else to do but sit and wait it out and hope everything goes alright. I'm anxious to get back to the boat. Of course, my next trip, the one to L.A., is still pending, but at least that one won't have this kind of weather. I'll keep you informed whoever you might be.

Let's hope it was the last one of the season. We had almost four inches of wet sloppy snow yesterday, but at least there was no wind. The white stuff fell down all day and it looked as if someone had opened up a huge pillow in the sky and let all the feathers float softly to the ground and water. It was almost like an early spring snowfall, and since it was very wet all the trees and bushes looked like a fairyland. Pretty, but messy. Pacha loved it. She jumped and cavorted as if she were a pup once again. Of course, that didn't last long as her old joints quickly tired. This morning the snow is almost all gone and by afternoon there will be no lingering signs of the storm. Spring comes early and quickly in this area so close to the nation's capital, and with temperatures rising to the high forties and low fifties we'll see fresh new green in only a couple weeks. That also should herald the return of the "Weekend Warriors" and all the helter skelter madness that comes with the arrival of the new boating season. It will be fun to watch; it also will be fun to be one of the participants.