Saturday September 13, 2014
Today was a day or R and R…re-plan and repair. We took the inflatable off the davits and put it on deck. We have had issues with it hitting the walls of the lock. We stored some stuff differently, Mary Lynn inventoried more of the food and stuff so that we can find it without having to resort to a boat puke (moving everything and emptying everything to find the thing that isn’t there)*J. Faye.
We went on a short walkabout. We didn’t get that warm and fuzzy feeling about where we were going so we circled back to Fracas and continued to make the ship shipshape. We are in Joliet when NASCAR is here for their race at Chicago-land Speedway. We can see the fireworks and aircraft with flying billboards but that’s about all. All the guides say that one shouldn’t leave the boats for long and certainly not at night. I think we are fine…I have two flyswatters and a bad attitude…
Just down river is the next lock. We have to call them first thing and get a time that they want us to transit. Today there was a lot of barge traffic going by us. It takes a while to lock through these Tows. They have to make a living and we are on holiday so to speak. Not sure where tomorrow will find us.
Just as I was finishing this up four boats came in from Lockport lock…very dark. I helped them tie up. They were 4 to 6 hours at Lockport waiting for Tow traffic to clear. Oh well.
There is a growing list of things I have that I do not possibly ever need and things I should have brought along. I have one of Ozy’s bowls and a brush. They went to the trash…no room. I mean garbage…I’ve only been in the U.S. for a week or so.
I do miss my dog. I know she will be well cared for by Mike and Crystal. She probably thinks I abandoned her, but I know this trip would not have been good for her.
I actually did some work today for the O.R.F.A. some billable time. It was exhausting. We will be up and at it at the first crow piss like always. Mary Lynn soon after.