BIG BIDS!!

 Ooowee ... we heated up to a hot 95 degrees yesterday.  That made for a lot of inside air conditioned sitting around after 10:00 in the morning.  I headed out early to water the crops.  We're doing that twice a day now to keep things alive.  I harvested another bowl of tomatoes and two yellow squash.  I'm guessing my farming endeavor has save me about $20.00 so far.  We're in the MONEY!!!  Oh wait ... I think maybe we just broke even.

Here's Mr. Cooper begging for his morning snacks.  After 15 years, I think we are finally on the same page.  I say NO MORE and he goes and lays down.  It's a miracle!

After a morning hair cut appointment, I pondered my gate dilemma.  I received the FIRST bid from the company in Modesto, a week after it was promised.  I knew it was going to be ridiculously high to replace the gate control, but $8,878.00 was still a shock.  Nope ... not happening.

Well he said ... I do work on the side!  Hmmm how did I know that?  I received the second bid 8 hours later.  $2,800.00 for a cheaper gate opener that he would install for $2,200.00.  WHAT SAY YE?  

I'm spoiled ... and I love my clicker to get in and out of the gate, but good grief!!  Here's the side rail and the end of the gate.  There's no way to put a chain around the pillar to lock it up, so here was my third thought.  If I can find someone to weld a steel loop onto the side rail, I could just chain it to the gate and be done with it.  I've asked around, but so far have not been able to find someone who has a portable welder.  And really, I'm not sure what that side rail is attached to.

This is the top of the rail looking down.  Almost looks like it's just wrapped around a 2 x 4 and painted with some kind of tar.  Even if it's "fake", a chain might deter the bad guys.

Decisions ... decisions!!

I gave up on the gate and went for lunch instead.  Someone brought huge tomatoes into the lodge bar last week, and I was lucky enough to snatch two of them.  Apparently my taste buds have gone south, because they just didn't taste as sweet as they used to in the old days.  Still, the grilled cheese/tomato was DELICIOUS!!

Company showed up right after I swallowed the last bite.  That was it for the day, since all we did was catch up on all the gossip from both sides of the fence.  

What about my fancy expensive sewing machine going on the boat?  Here's the problem.  The handle on the gadget to pull out and secure the fishing rods, broke in half.  It cannot be replaced without drilling holes too close to the water level.  

 I might be able to stitch another handle on since it's just strapping material.  I got out my trusty Bernina sewing machine.  This thing has never let me down ... until now.  No matter how many times I plugged it in, it would not turn on.  Well that's not good.

So I got out my second not-so-trusty Janome.  It tried to sew, but the bobbin kept getting hung up.  That was also a NO-GO.  Good grief ... I still have to try my Singer machine from 1963 ... yes I still have the one I bought when I was two years old!  If that doesn't work, the only one left is my big sewing machine.  It's huge and heavy ... not really something you want to be hauling around on a boat.  

He couldn't find any strapping that would work, so I recommended he buy a dog leash.  I tried stitching it on my table, and it worked just fine.  Sewing when it's on a boat on an uneven surface might be another story.  At any rate, we'll try it next week and see how it goes.  

That was it for the day.  Company went out to dinner with friends and got home late, which means I was up much later than normal.  I've got a big Elks initiation tonight, so I have to be there at 4:00 and won't get home until 10:30 or so.  I'm tired just thinking about it.

No rest for the wicked I guess, because I'll be working my fingers to the bone until Saturday.  Maybe then I'll finally get to rest up ... or not, because Saturday is the big Bingo Volunteer Party at my friend's house, so I get to help set up!!  50 people for a back yard barbecue!  OH BOY!!