Big Shovel Fulls

This scoop hold 70 cubic yards and needs the big Letourneau rubber tired loader to heft it into the haul trucks.  Just some truly serious heavy metal.

Steamship in Cottage Country

Spent some time touring the lake(s) around Muskoka, Ontario this past week on an actual steamship, the R.M.S Segwun which is celebrating 125 years of service this year.

http://www.segwun.com/

Dawn over Cottage Country

Spent the last week at a conference a couple of hours north of Toronto in Muskoka---affectionately known as "cottage country" by the locals. 

Mac and the Cat named Tom

Successful trip to the University of Memphis today which included a lengthy visit talking with the Confucious Institute about their International Studies program.

St. James park and Cathedral

Looking out the window this morning I realized my room overlooked St. James cathedral and the associated park---with a population of black squirrels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_Church_of_St._James_(Toronto)

The Love of Younger Siblings

Throughout the years the two youngest siblings have shown a special fondness for their older sister no matter where their travels have taken them which has been lovingly captured in these cherished photos.

At sea level on Treasure Island...

And greater than a mile high at Clingmans Dome.

Brings back fond memories :)

World Geography

Once upon a time.....showing the crew my next trip during my stint with a previous employer.  From the pins I'd say I was traveling to the Tri-cities of Washington state to visit an aluminum plant that was making tubes for baseball bats and F-22 Raptors.  Little did I know I'd have to add many more pins in the years to come.

Marine Maintenance Weekly Challenge

This week's challenge....the Forward Head!

We've got a complete new replacement pump assembly!

Just in case it has simple, no frills, view on which model heads it replaces---yep, does them all.

Even includes detailed instructions.  Of course if you have a Man Card then these are not necessary.  Certain young and wayward nephews may be allowed to view the complicated procedure if they have a sponsor from a certified Man Card holder :)

We'll be using the Stanley All-in-One Socket and Ratchet kit today...sans the 7/16" combination wrench which it's loss is a truly sad nautical tale best told over a mug of grog.

From previous experience we've liberally applied an excess of bleach---and continued to use it as needed throughout the process.

First step is to dis-assemble the hosing.

Due to a leaky (though minor) bowl gasket we'll be disassembling this as well as replacing the valve.  Notice that just one nut holding down the bowl has been removed----I found out I need to get to both sides in order to split the bowl and base.  Certainly a design defect in design in my book.

Here is the probable culprit we're after today---a pinch valve that is not quite "pinching".

Looks like the stainless screws are not quite stainless--typical of foreign made (read China) metals over the last couple of decades.

Completed removal of the entire head.

Here is the bowl base showing the results of the weeping gasket.  Note the expert grip applied from the gifted Craftsman Robo-grips!

Here is the bottom of the base showing the reason why you have to remove the base along with the porcelain bowl.  No capture mechanism for the through-bolts.

 

The spiffy clean base ready to install. 

The base has been cleaned and is ready as well.

A long time favorite---111 Silicone Grease!

And the part we've been waiting for. 

All assembled and ready to go!!!

It's Someone's Birthday Today!!!

Whose birthday is it? Moi?

The crew of the Time and Tide say it's Mom's birthday!

The Captain checks the calendar and today is most certainly the Admiral's big day!

Happy Birthday Moyia!!!

Not exactly sailing weather but still a great time

The summer doldrums are still with us as this morning shot testifies.  Great afternoon and evening anchoring out the previous day with just a little hint of the approaching autumn.

Heading home from Home

The little woman is heading home!  All the microwaveable food was depleted days ago and we did briefly consider actually going grocery shopping before we remembered that we can order pizza, chicken wings and nachos online for delivery in 30 minutes or less!  But the kids and I can only live on this for so long and even Dudley is pining for a can of dog food opened by his favorite girl.

Variety from the Garden

The little woman has been busy picking more veggies:  tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, jalepeno peppers and basil leaves are in this batch.  Also looks like she's already sliced and diced some for lunch as well.

New take on a more familiar plumage

A couple of the boys hanging out back checking things out.  These two are new to the menagerie but differed little from their North American cousins other than the obvious change of wing markings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-winged_Blackbird

A little bas relief

The sign out in front of my home away from home (for 2012) has some bas relief features that lend themselves well to the cha-cha 3D photography method with burst engaged.

Laying Low

My two favorite Brazilian koi (actually the only two koi I know in the southern hemisphere though they may just be large goldfish for all I know) are laying low waiting for the sun to warm up their pond.  Nightime lows are ~50F which is great for sleeping but might be a bit cool for my finned friends.

Happy Birthday from One Shutterbug to Another!!!

Over the years I've built a bit of a perception that I take a lot of photos.....and I tell people that if you think I take a lot, you should see my dad!!!  Dad infected me with the shutterbug early on when he used a Kodak Instamatic shooting 126 Kodachrome slide film.  The slides were then viewed in handheld viewers or on family nights with a carousel projector while eating popcorn (I think mom was secretly in on this as well).  The coup de grâce was in giving me my very own camera---the venerable Instamatic X-15.  It was an insidious move combining, not only the ultimate in a stylish camera with Magic Cube flash capability, but also with the shared name of the record breaking rocket plane which, to a young boy growing up watching moonshots punch holes in the sky from his front yard, was about as good as it good gets :)

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!

 

Waiting for the Spring Thaw

The garden at the Pousada da Villa barely survived the harsh winter this year and is looking sparse.  Hopefully the spring weather will come soon and revive the greenery.