There were still rain drops falling this AM and I was up an hour earlier than ususal so I could make the ITS Michigan meeting in Ann Arbor at UMTRI on U of M campus.  After the meeting I drove back to the Indiana Home Office because of a possible field trip to the Gary area.  Well, at least I think it is in that area.  I will know tomorrow.   I have some site surveys to do.

 I have to get off my behind and wire up the new voltmeter I installed in the panel a couple of weeks ago.  I would like to see it working before I close down the boat for the winter.  I officially move off October 21st and they will put in heated storage when they get around to it a week or two later.  Then back to the motel -ugh.

Thunderstorms passed throught about 1800 hrsw local.  They were pretty heavy and some branches are down.  It started to brighten up but the sun went down so it is hard to telll, but I cannot see the full moon.

Beer Brats tonight with some greens, nuts and a tin of applesauce.  Showered too.  These are nice showers because there are no water savers on them and it rushes out.  I have the marina pretty much to myself and it is a bit lonely.  I will be up early and on my way to Detroit for the ITS Michigan meeting and then on to PL.  Thursday I might have some field work so I will stage from there.  If i does not materialize then it will be Monday somewhere in the Gary area I think.

I ordered a Badger hair brush and a brush spinner last night.  I am going to try it with the Cetol Gloss coat and see if the bubbles are reduced.  Hope it comes soon.  I am excited since it will reduce brush cleaning time.  I bought a 2″ and a 1.5″ Thin brush.  I have been using China bristle ones but they do no hold a lot of paint since they are to thin.  I’ll let you know.

I have not seen the YS35 Omega again.  Where did they go I wonder?  I saw then on anchor for a day or so but then Poof – gone.

Arriving at the boat early I ate dinner earlier than ususal.  After doing this and with some relaxed time on my hands I went down to the Saugatuck public Beach called Oval Beach.  There I listened to a book on tape – Horse Whisperers- and watched the sun go down.  From the time of touching the horizon to the full departure took only 5 minutes but I was there for 45 minutes listening to the tape.  This is a good book and the characters are still developing.  It would be a very good read – probably better than the tape. 

There were not very many people compared to the summer.  Sailboats are being hauled every day and I feel a bit forelorn.  Retirement is not too far away and I can expect to spend a lot of winter hours varnishing things if all goes as planned.  I have plenty of seams to caulk too – that will take a full months of 8 hour days.

I Installed the new Hoyt Model 560 voltmeter in the boat tonight.  The P/N on the box is N9263-D2391-00.  It is just like the original.  Price was about $70 but it exactly fits the old holes and bolt patterns so it was worth it.  Now I can tell if shore power is connected and the voltage before I flip the switch to the charger/inverter and if the circuits are really dead before I work on things electrical.  However, I am not entirely convinced that I should put it on the hot side of the circuit breaker.  I will have to think about it for a while.

Weather has been pretty cool for the past two evenings but tonight is warm and I have the fan on.  I was thinking of removing the portable aircon but maybe I should not.

I have been on sort of a bummer for the past several ??? whatevers.  But the one bright spot has been the arrival of another YS35 and he came into the slip next to mine.  I thiink we asked so many questions of each other it just raised more questions.  He was gone the next day but I saw him on the anchor further out.  Maybe he got tired of my questions..

The rainy weather of the past month has generated a hoard of mosquitoes.  I do not like those pesky little whinny things.  I cannot sleep with the companionway open like usual.  I used the airconditioner twice last week for this very reason.  For some reason, spiders are also very prolific this year as well.  Any one know of an organic spider repellent?

 I spent the evening putting the two Autohelm 3000 units I have up on eBay.  It is probably a good deal since I know the units cost much, much more than what I put them on the net.

The last Yacht Club party was this past weekend and they went late into the night.  I was in the sack at the usual time and with the fan blowing the extra noise did not matter too much.  It was also nice to have SAM on board too.  My brother and his wife drove a long way to come to this party and we appreciated it. 

 Friday we were out on the lake but the air was light and we just motored for a couple of hours.  When we got back the transient slip was occupied by a power boater.  They were nice an we struck up a friendship and hope to get to the quiet harbor for a weekend before the season closes.

The lake is very much lower this year than last year.  I was not floating one day due to the wind and moon.  If this continues I will have to find another marina with deeper waters.  Several tears will be shed if we have to do this.