1974 23' Aquarius

In my last post I mentioned that Don "won" an auction on e-Bay. Saturday we went to Dana Point to complete the transaction and see the 23 foot 1974 Aquarius we would be calling ours. We met Tim (seller) and his son, Noah and traded our dollars for the pink slip.
We were able to get a key to the dock, having been able to get the slip at a pro-rated fee until the end of the month when we plan to pull it home on a trailer. Tim was nice enough to give us the slip for 7 days from purchase, free.
With the two 17 foot McGregor Ventures we had the swing keel corroded into a fixed position and Don was concerned about that so asked Tim to let us try reeling the keel up. Tim struggled with it and we decided we should see if cleaning the hull and keel of barnacles would cure the problem. While Tim went to the bank for the money certificate to pay for the dock key we bumped into a diver who was kind enough to offer to check the keel right then. He cleaned the keel and it moved freely afterward, so while we were at it, we had him clean the hull as well.
After a morning of watching the diver clean the bottom of the boat and taking photographs to send my friend Penny (and post here), we went to Harpoon Henry's there in Dana Point for lunch.

I apologize for the color. I had a little technical difficulty. (bad habbit of changing the white balance to "incandesent" and forgetting to change it back to "outdoor").

The motor was being sold separately and since we want a 5 horsepower that will also work on the dingy we bought a week ago, we were not interested in this 10 horsepower Mercury motor.
Too, Don would like to get a new motor rather than a used one.

The bubbles here are being caused by the man under the boat cleaning the hull.

After examining our boat from stem to stern, we were hungry. We came here to Harpoon Henry's. While waiting for Don busied myself photographing the pretty Christmas decorations. Don soon arrived and a lady passing by, Paula, offered to include us in the picture I'd been taking.


And this one is from the table we were seated at. I didn't quite capture the impact I was going for of the pretty Christmas decorations. I think the lighting was actually dimmer than this shows, making the faerie lights stand out more.
My friend, Penny requested details of the outside of the boat so I took an abundance of pictures of the rigging details --to the extent possible with the sails down.

Click HERE for the rest of those boat pictures.

12.5.08 Dining at the Newport Beach Marriott

My friend, Penny, came to town from Washington on business, as she does occasionally, and treated Don and I to dinner at Sam and Harry's restaurant in the Marriott Hotel in Newport Beach where she was staying. We always have a fabulous time when she comes to town and this visit was no different.
Being the first time Penny and Don met, it was particularly fun that Don had just happened to win an auction on a sail boat the night before. Fun, because Penny sails quite a bit, so getting to talk with her before seeing our "new" boat was perfect. She is extremely knowledgeable on the subjects of boats and sailing.
I'd share the picture of the three of us in front of this tree that the waiter took (he took the picture, not the tree), but, while the two of them look fabulous, I look absolutely hideous, which has not always stopped me, so you can just imagine how bad--but don't, so we're skipping that one and heading straight to this blurry one I took of the tree that we sat next to in the center of the dining room.
Our waiter was helpful in recommending dishes, even to the extent of suggesting how flavorful the meat would be at degrees of preparation, i.e., I usually go with "medium to well done" but accepted his suggestion of "lightly pink at the center"--and it was fabulous! The sides of asparagus and potatoes al gratin were equally delicious. But I must warn you the prices are steep.
I have to admit that it added to the experience that there were so few other diners. Perhaps because we started somewhat early, 6:30 p.m. on a Friday night, I'm pretty sure that aside from another table in the far corner who had a different waiter, we had the dining room to ourselves.
I

Crystal Cove-yes, again.

Maybe we should just call this the Crystal Cove page.
Don bought a digital "video" (no tapes involved) camera last week and wanted to test it out at Crystal Cove.

Here's Don setting up his little tripod on the picnic table.

And here is Don "filming" (no film involved).

And the rest are just Crystal Cove on a foggy November Sunday morning.

Ron Hayden Retirement 10.31.08

Huntington Beach Public Library had a retirement celebration today for Ron Hayden. He has been the director of that library for, oh gosh, I think some 22 years, and an employee there for still longer...38?
I've got to drag the manual back out for this camera and figure out how to reset a few things...the focus isn't set on center ..and I couldn't quite figure out what it WAS set on.
Anyway, here are a few of the morning's candid shots:

Click here to go to Flickr for further celebrating. :-)
(Once there, click on the image of Ron on the side. I apologize that the library grounds garden shots and a couple of my dining room re-carpeting project are intermingled. But if you are patient you'll find there is more than just the first couple of images of the party.)

10.18.08 Crystal Cove

Don and I visited the Beachcomber at Crystal Cove for lunch today. We were aiming for brunch, arriving at 11:45 a.m.---kind of hoping for the less expensive breakfast menu, but of course there was a "30-40" minute wait (they quote well, it was about 35 minutes), so we were forced to settle for a Salmon lunch. It was great, but yes, more than most of the breakfasts, at eighteen something a piece.

Blue Jays 10.12.08

Don and I went to Running Springs today. We had wood delivered and Don wanted to get it into a place where it'd be less likley to warp until he can work with it.
Meanwhile, I fed blue jays and photographed the approach of Fall.

Hayley Released from Animal Hospital 10.11.08

Hey! Good news! Hayley got to go home with Vince and Sharon Saturday night after spending the day tolerating a little bite of food every two hours!

Hayley Recovering 10.10.08

You may recall that earlier on this Blog, back in June, there was a post of my brother, Vince, with his new dog, Hayley.
Well, last Wednesday he told me Hayley was sick with diarrhea and vomiting.
Friday morning he called and told me that after we last spoke he'd been sent home from the Yorba Regional Animal Hospital after x-rays that found nothing, blood work that revealed nothing, and water being injected under her skin to hydrate her, with instructions that Hayley was to have no food or drink for 18 to 24 hours. Sent home, despite the fact that on their way across the lobby a bout of diarrhea had struck that appeared so thick and blood colored that Vince asked that one of the medical personnel look at it. They responded that it was unnecessary, as this was to be expected, and not to worry. So $200 or $280, I forget which, dollars later, he reluctantly brought her home, her only treatment, if I have this right, having been the injected water.
When she first became ill, he'd confined her to his kitchen area but she'd made her way past what she'd found to be a mediocre barrier onto the more comfortable carpet, causing major clean-up work, so now Vince was sleeping outside with her. But by late Thursday night after continual vomiting and diarrhea she was listless and could no longer stand, so Vince and Sharon returned to the Yorba Regional Animal Hospital where the same doctor was apparently confrontational, asserting that he was not to blame for her worsened condition, that my brother and Sharon were...not even allowing that they'd simply been following the 18 to 24 hour advice.
Learning their sweet (young, I might add) beautiful Haley was considered to be in critical condition. With no promisses as to the chances of recovery Vince and Sharon let her stay at the hospital where an iv and three antibiotics were given (one of which apparently also has a property known to relieve nausea), with a diagnosis of an intestinal infection and a revised bill of$1102.00 (I think that was the number.)
After Don and I got off work we met Vince at the animal hospital, with Don feeling that if Haley was not recovering he would strongly advise Vince to move her to another facility.
When we arrived however, we were taken to the room where Vince was already busy willing Haley to a full recovery and Haley, while not in her usual bouncy flamboyant character, was awake, alert, and clearly pleased to have company.


The arm bandage is her iv. The tail wrapping is an attempt to keep it out of any further leakage from that end.




Finally, it occurs to me to change the "White Balance" setting to compensate for the green florescent lights.





So what I want to know is, how typical is this scene? When one of our dogs has been sick, I too have been found on the floor beside him/her. Why don't these places invest in mats? Rarely is there room on these benches for owner and ill pet, and with some pet's their little paws must go through the wood slats.
In fact, speaking of furnishings this place so resembles the animal clinic we use in Westminster; the arrangement of the counter in the middle of the lobby, the lobby furniture, and these exam rooms- right down to these benches, that for a moment I thought I'd been transported.
We originally went to ours in Westminster because they were the only place advertising that they could treat rabbits. It turns out that this is also what brought Vince to this Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. He brought his friend's rabbits here when they were sick and had been impressed with their quick response to the rabbit's troubles.

Oh look, Hayley is sitting up a little!



We were here for an hour. After the doctor had introduced himself to Don and I, he'd returned to the back area to (eat his dinner?) prepare Vince's new bill. Relieved that only another $280.00 or so had been added, Vince left with us, happy that she looks better, but sad that they expect to have to keep her another two days. Still, he knows it is best they have her as she begins eating and drinking to make certain she can tolerate it, and so they can continue administering the three antibiotics.

Thanks for reading. I know that sympathetic hearts will aid Hayley's speedy recovery.

Hayley

I'm beginning to wonder if I should start a blog just for critters--but then what would I post on all these other blogs?
My brother, Vincent, and his wife, Sharon, recently adopted my friend, Ja'Nean's dog, Hayley. Ja'Nean was moving and was forced to give Hayley up. It took me awhile before it occurred to me to mention it to Vince and Sharon, who had recently had their beloved Blue (black Labrador Retriever) pass away, leaving Goldie, their older Yellow Labrador alone and friendless...well except for a cat....and then another cat joined the family about a month ago...but back to Hayley: They adopted Hayley, a Golden Retriever, June 11th..or maybe it was the 10th--not sure, but I went by to meet my new niece on Friday the 13th at Vince's work in Brea. She wasn't very interested in having a portrait done, so these were sort of hit and miss shots.
Just before I left, Enzo (a Vizsla) joined the party. He and Hayley were quite interested in each other, which is good because I suspect they will see more of each other.

Contrary to appearances here, it was Hayley (left) who was doing most of the investigative work.

Saturday April 19, 2008 Elton John

"Sure, I'd love to see Elton John tomorrow night" is the response Don got to his e-mail on Friday morning. So Saturday night there we were. At the first Elton John concert I'd ever been to. The last time we'd been to a concert was at the Performing Arts Center when we saw Celtic Woman. This was a little different. This was the preverbial transport back in time...high school, when my friend, Tracy, had Elton's every album and was probably the first in line anywhere to see "Tommy".
We had a fabulous time. Elton may be going a little easy on his voice these days...shying away from the high notes, but energy and talent still abound!