A shameful time!

I'm feeling awful. Amy from Shirts and Skirts Galore nominated me for the same award that Angelia did and I forgot to mention it. I was already behind in thanking everyone and in my hurry she was left out! Sounds like grade school mean girls doesn't it!

Hans and I took Friday as a vacation day and came down to to the boat for our last weekend sail. We'll be coming back down in November but that will be to close her up for the winter so there won't be any sailing.

This has been a bit of a crazy month. I've had some health issues that are, to say the least, very frustrating to me. Put is this way; it's female related and if Dracula were to show up at my house, he would go away a very frustrated vampire as I have nothing left for him!

I've been training a new girl at work and I'm not used to having someone sit with me ALL DAY!! Thank God she's a really nice person.

And then we finally got a charter for our boat. I think Angelia's husband (The Bald Man from Bald Man Blurbs) would agree with me that this has been a very dry year for boating. Well, someone decided that our boat would be just peachy for a long weekend sail, so the company that handles our boat for charters notified Hans and then the fun began.

What a brouhaha! (I love that word)

Hans had to kick in the special insurance needed for such excursions.

The insurance cost was more than he made on the charter.

I kid you not.

This is because he has to keep the coverage for 6 months and because of the weather there is no way anyone is going to charter again this year.

Then there was the issue of the cleanliness of the boat and what happens when there is a total lack of communication.

I was under the impression that the charter company 'detailed' the boat before charters because when I told the charter manager that I was going to sweep and clean the interior he said not to worry because that was their job.

Not!!

The first email to Hans (on the day the renters were moving aboard) mentioned that they were so very disappointed in us as there were no fire extinguishers or air horns aboard, and shame on us! BTW, he added, the boat was dusty.

Now, even I, probably the most unobservant person in the world, know where the fire extinguishers and air horns are as they are impossible to miss.

I let Hans know how I felt about this and he wisely did not pass my feelings on to the charter manager.

Then the 2nd email arrived and Hans wouldn't even let me see it.

It would appear that we are pigs. Filthy pigs. The charter company was under the impression that we had thoroughly cleaned the boat and they were very upset with us. I think there may even have been mention that my mother wears army boots.

I saw red! I told Hans that since I was under the impression that they were going to clean the boat I almost hadn't cleaned the toothpaste spatters from the mirrors and sinks in the head when we were on the boat last month.

Imagine what their reaction to that would have been!

More heated emails ensued and Hans told him that if they felt the need to charge so much then by God we'd better be coming down to a spic and span boat this weekend.

Well, it does look nice but don't think we haven't had fun trying to find things they missed.

The loudest geese I've ever heard flew in to where we are anchored.

They landed long enough to have a huge gab fest and then took off again. Probably some man wouldn't stop to ask directions and the 'ladies' were expressing their opinions.

This house is on the bay where we are anchored. A charming little cottage, isn't it?