Grandma and Grandpa with Droz and Jayden at Disney
It’s been a busy month, which made it hard to stop and write about it. For most of the month we were either enjoying visits from the kids and grandkids in Hampton or traveling with them to distant places. We visited Orion Jr, completed some boat projects and Cathy continued to work on sewing projects both at work and on the boat (for neighbors). So, it’s finally time to catch up here with what we’ve been up to.
Doing Disney (and other fun stuff)
It was a month for amusement parks, starting with a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, organized as an anniversary surprise for our daughter by her husband. Both Bonnie’s and Adam’s families joined us at the park for a day in mid-August. We brought along a friend’s grandson to make it a even dozen, 5 of whom were 7 and under. So the big kids could ride some of the more exciting rides, Grandma and Grandpa spent the day watching the younger set and strapping and unstrapping them from the airplanes, bumper cars, dragon boats and various other amusements. It was a wonderful, exhausting day that had us closing down the park that night. Everyone had a great time.
It was a month for amusement parks, starting with a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, organized as an anniversary surprise for our daughter by her husband. Both Bonnie’s and Adam’s families joined us at the park for a day in mid-August. We brought along a friend’s grandson to make it a even dozen, 5 of whom were 7 and under. So the big kids could ride some of the more exciting rides, Grandma and Grandpa spent the day watching the younger set and strapping and unstrapping them from the airplanes, bumper cars, dragon boats and various other amusements. It was a wonderful, exhausting day that had us closing down the park that night. Everyone had a great time.
That trip was just a practice run for a trip we had been planning to visit Disney World with our 2 oldest grandsons the next week. Since we had planned to head south to check on Orion Jr, the trip to Disney was a natural fit. We took advantage of some late summer deals to stay at a hotel on Disney property, which gave us access to lots of food and entertainment beside the theme parks. With a day scheduled to travel to LaBelle and a day to visit Magic Kingdom, we had a couple of days to explore some other venues. The kids built Lego cars and raced them at Legoland in Downtown Disney, swam in the Fantasia pool at the hotel, saw the African animals on the savannah at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (even getting to use night goggles after sunset), and ate some amazing meals – everything from an African buffet to a seafood buffet. Then, of course, there was Magic Kingdom, and a day of rides and shows and more good food, ending with a fireworks display that had the kids mesmerized. We couldn’t have had a better time.
In between amusement parks, we had visits from Adam’s and then Bonnie’s family, which gave us a chance to take them to the Virginia Air and Space Center. Droz spent the first and last weeks of August with us. Some highlights of his visit were the Freaky Kon-tiki raft race on the Hampton River and the trip on the Miss Hampton tour boat.
Grandpa and Droz replace Orion's water pump.
Boat Stuff
Just before leaving for Disney, we encountered an unexpected problem on Orion. Our brand new water pump just stopped working. Before lunch, it was working; after lunch, nothing. Dave tested the circuitry and isolated it to the pump itself. Since it was still under warranty, he contacted Jabsco, whose technical support contact helped us confirm that it was a problem with a fuse at the base of the pump. He agreed to replace the pump and then advised Dave in wiring a temporary solution so we could get water in the meantime. The pump arrived early, but it was just as we were leaving for Disney. So, one of the first things Dave and Droz did when we returned to the boat was to install the replacement. And it works great. Having been without it for a week, makes us appreciate the simplicity of opening a faucet and expecting water to come on command. It’s the simple things.
Cathy’s work at a canvas shop inspired her to do some long overdue maintenance of her Sailrite sewing machine, cleaning and oiling it. Unfortunately, in the process, she adjusted the needle bar so that the machine wouldn’t complete a stitch. After completing all the adjustments suggested in the manual, she raised a ticket with Sailrite, which took her through a series of videos on adjustments she should make. Nothing was working. The next day, she got a phone call from Sailrite and Matt talked her through identifying the problem with the needle bar. In just 10 minutes, with a tiny adjustment, the machine was working great. To put it to the test, Cathy re-stitched a dodger on a friend’s boat and it performed flawlessly. Since then, she’s helped patch a sail with it and re-stitched a dodger cover for Steve. It has skipped a stitch since.
Given the time away and Cathy’s work schedule, we took advantage of the skills of a fellow boater in the marina to apply another maintenance coat of Cetol on the teak. The same boater is a diver, so he cleaned Orion’s bottom, keeping her in tip-top shape. While checking on Jr down in Florida, we were pleased that she was doing so well. She had a little water down below, but not much. The lines were in good shape and she was ready for Isaac, which was to threaten her shortly after our visit. It turned out Isaac’s actual track gave LaBelle a pretty mild impact, so reports after the storm were that Orion Jr was still in good shape. That’s always a relief. Dave even found time to help Steve install a solar controller on Bay Dreamer. There’s always something to do on our boat or someone else’s.
Heading for Fall
As August came to an end, we headed out for another road trip to Bethlehem, PA and Rochester, NY to visit Dave’s family. We’ll return just in time for Hampton’s Bay Days festival. As the grandkids head back to school, our time with them will be a little less, but it’s been a fun summer getting to know them all over again.
Just before leaving for Disney, we encountered an unexpected problem on Orion. Our brand new water pump just stopped working. Before lunch, it was working; after lunch, nothing. Dave tested the circuitry and isolated it to the pump itself. Since it was still under warranty, he contacted Jabsco, whose technical support contact helped us confirm that it was a problem with a fuse at the base of the pump. He agreed to replace the pump and then advised Dave in wiring a temporary solution so we could get water in the meantime. The pump arrived early, but it was just as we were leaving for Disney. So, one of the first things Dave and Droz did when we returned to the boat was to install the replacement. And it works great. Having been without it for a week, makes us appreciate the simplicity of opening a faucet and expecting water to come on command. It’s the simple things.
Cathy’s work at a canvas shop inspired her to do some long overdue maintenance of her Sailrite sewing machine, cleaning and oiling it. Unfortunately, in the process, she adjusted the needle bar so that the machine wouldn’t complete a stitch. After completing all the adjustments suggested in the manual, she raised a ticket with Sailrite, which took her through a series of videos on adjustments she should make. Nothing was working. The next day, she got a phone call from Sailrite and Matt talked her through identifying the problem with the needle bar. In just 10 minutes, with a tiny adjustment, the machine was working great. To put it to the test, Cathy re-stitched a dodger on a friend’s boat and it performed flawlessly. Since then, she’s helped patch a sail with it and re-stitched a dodger cover for Steve. It has skipped a stitch since.
Given the time away and Cathy’s work schedule, we took advantage of the skills of a fellow boater in the marina to apply another maintenance coat of Cetol on the teak. The same boater is a diver, so he cleaned Orion’s bottom, keeping her in tip-top shape. While checking on Jr down in Florida, we were pleased that she was doing so well. She had a little water down below, but not much. The lines were in good shape and she was ready for Isaac, which was to threaten her shortly after our visit. It turned out Isaac’s actual track gave LaBelle a pretty mild impact, so reports after the storm were that Orion Jr was still in good shape. That’s always a relief. Dave even found time to help Steve install a solar controller on Bay Dreamer. There’s always something to do on our boat or someone else’s.
Heading for Fall
As August came to an end, we headed out for another road trip to Bethlehem, PA and Rochester, NY to visit Dave’s family. We’ll return just in time for Hampton’s Bay Days festival. As the grandkids head back to school, our time with them will be a little less, but it’s been a fun summer getting to know them all over again.
