Birthday Blog and Dennis Rodman 

News flash, it’s windy! I checked the weather rope and yep, it’s windy.

Today, April 7th, my 55th trip and around the sun finds the 3 of us in sunny Gulfport Florida. A lovely little town just west of St. Pete. We’ve been on mooring ball for 4 days due to the weather and chances are we will be here a few more. The weather isn’t really all that bad other than a few thunderstorms that reminded us mother nature is always in charge. However, the winds have been pretty consistent between 20 and 30 mph.

The day started out with a nice light workout. After all I’m 55, not 22. “A workout on your birthday!?! Surely you jest.” 

Nope. Not even a little bit.

I decided due to our rapidly diminishing  power, we would replace our 4 house batteries. Not the AAAs, the 65 lb ones. All 4 of them. So first the evil 4 came out of the boat, down the 6ft high transom, onto the rock and rolling dinghy,  through the splashy bay to the dock. Then just a quick 100 yard carry to the awaiting rent a wreck. 65 lbs EACH!

And then repeat with non evil however expensive batteries in reverse order. 

And since it was a light workout,  I decided to do it all over again with 2 more for extra salar battery storage. 

Idiot.  

I do want to give a shout out to the good people at Electro Batteries for all there advise and help.  If you ever find yourselves in St. Petersburg in need of batteries…

Fortunately yesterday afternoon was more the celebration as lunch consistent of a few cold ones and some unfortunate legless chickens. I found myself in great conversation with an ex Boston patrol cop and his lovely wife who’s apparently unaware of the letter R. I was quickly on to that fact when we were discussing Maine whereabouts and she asked “Are you going to Baaa Habaaa”  I knew right then and there she was not from lower Alabama. But what a beautiful couple they were and even treated me to lunch! Don’t listen to the overhyped media people, there are a lot of great folks out there and dined with 2 of them.

Dinner was equally amazing as we found ourselves at a quaint Italian restaurant cafe for a delicious filling meal.

However, today has been more of a windy kind of shit show. I’m now acutely of what it feels like to spend eternity at the working end of a blow dryer. Our initial intent was to be moored out for 24 to 48 hours, but is now looking more like six months to eleventeen years. No end in sight either. The winds look to be pretty consistent for the next few days. 

Boat jobs are still getting done as we already had to solder our new high water alarm wiring, and do to Jana’s constant motion, also had to do some jewelry repair.

Did I mention the colorful Dennis Rodman was slinging drinks last night at the local pub? Weird.