Charge!

 

Credit card use?  No.  I've been trying to get another season out of the boat battery, but it isn't holding a charge.  After getting to 100%, it drops back down to 60% once off the charger.  We got 4 1/2 years out of it, so no complaint.  When we were out at the storage unit last week, I pulled the battery off the boat.

Walmart had a better marine starting battery on sale, so that works for me.  The new one is now on the charger to top it off.  Later this week, I'll be taking the boat for bottom paint refresh... assuming the guy I made the appointment with 2 weeks ago keeps us his end of the arrangement.

This morning, I spent some time on the phone with a friend I haven't met in person (from my scooter forum)... seems he is dealing with prostate cancer and needs to make a decision on: surgery or radiation.  We had a nice visit, I answered his questions - with the understanding that I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.  I related my experiences and told him what the after-surgery situation was for me.  I didn't have anyone with recent experience to talk with before the surgery, but I spent plenty of time researching... still, it is helpful to visit with someone who has been there, done that in the very recent time frame.

Yep, coming up on 5 months at the end of this week.  Time flies when your prostate has gone missing.  How am I doing?  Thanks for asking.  Well, from what I read, I'm "within the norm" - yes, I know some of you will take issue with that statement.  ;-)  I've moved on from "big boy pull-ups" to real underwear, so that's a step in the right direction.  What?  No, I will not post photos.  I've already been accused of over-sharing.  But I can say this: a couple weeks after surgery, I felt like getting anywhere near normal again (stop snickering) wasn't going to happen.  Most of the time these days, I don't think about it... which, from my perspective, seems pretty good.

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I sent the boat yard guy who is going to be doing the bottom paint refresh a "reminder" text today.  Joan thought it was "too soon."  I figured I'd confirm today, again on Thursday, and take the boat in Friday.  I got a call from him today... seems he has "something going on" on Friday and won't be able to be there to get the boat in their service area.  I wasn't surprised.  Then, he asked me if I could bring it in Thursday morning instead?  That did surprise me... a day early?

Frankly, it wasn't easy to pin him down on a time when I first visited with him two weeks ago.  He is "very busy."  This isn't my first try at getting any kind of service done around here... there are good workers, and there are people who follow through to get the job... pretty hard to find someone who is both.  And finding someone who gets the work done when they say they will is even more rare.  That's why, in spite of the spousal advice, I was working my plan to get the boat into the queue.  My plan: I booked it two weeks ago; I went there in person one week ago to confirm it (he was a bit confused about when I was supposed to bring in the boat).  I texted him each time, so he'd have it in writing: my name, the boat, the specific bottom paint, and when we agreed I'd bring it in.

If I had waited until Thursday to remind him again (probably on my way to go get the boat), he would not have been around to take the boat in on Friday.  This is a new guy I'm dealing with, but I think they all went to the same School of Broken Promises.  He assures me he will be there on Thursday at the agreed upon time, AND will have one of his workers there to work on the boat on Friday, even though he won't be there.

We'll see how this all plays out.  But, you can be damn sure I'll confirm once more before I take it in on Thursday.