Naked Trailer

I'm about 20 hours in to stripping paint off the trailer. Layers upon layers of paint. I've used a chemical stripper until this point and will start sanding tomorrow. The windows and little splash guards above the windows need to be removed; unfortunately ALL of the screws have lost their grooves. I've tried everything to get them out: prying, drilling, a cheap screw extractor from Autozone... and nothing seems to be working-- or at least working fast enough for my schedule. I shelled out 20 bucks for a fancier screw extractor set today and am hoping it won't strip after one use like the last one did. The MSRP likely reflects the desperation felt by people trying to get dozens of corroded screws out of a vintage trailer. On the bright side, the trailer's skin is excellent shape.

60 years of screw corrosion

Hopefully this works.

Little House

Lots of crazy wonderful changes around here lately. Sadly, I'm way behind schedule on boat progress this summer. Happily, I have a new job that I love and I am starting graduate school in two weeks! 

I've also recently succumbed to the American anti-feudal impulse. 

While I don't have that plot of land yet, I do have a covered wagon I can roll across the country. This sweet little darling is all mine. Isn't she cute?

Ramon and I rigged up this super safe-looking wiring system to get the little lady home from Crocket, TX. The wires stretched all the way to the passenger seat of the pickup where I would cross wires whenever Ramon yelled, "Braking!" or "Left-blinker!" Our scheme worked-- no trouble with the law on the way home.

I now work (and will be attending school) about an hour and twenty minutes from our home on the ranch, and I realized that commuting over 50 hours a month isn't really my cup of tea.  I'd much rather spend that time on the boat, so I bought Minnie Mae to live in during the week.

She's an older gal-- 58 years young to be exact-- but she's in great shape. Of course, there are still lots of things to do to get her liveable in two weeks: scraping off a bajillion layers of lead paint, re-painting, re-caulking the windows, re-sealing the roof vent, installing AC, repairing some water damage in the closet (that was a fun discovery today), running new electrical, putting new gaskets around the window panes, testing and possibly fixing the plumbing, installing a porta-potty in the closet for late-night use, and deep-cleaning the interior.

I thought I'd document this little detour from the boat project here on the blog over the next two weeks. Boat postings should resume in early September.

This here is my Charles Ingalls. I never could have gotten Minnie M. home without him.

Happy Independence Day!

Fabulous day today! 
Ramon joined me at the boat shop this morning and we were able to put up three frames. This afternoon while he went on a cactus-gathering expedition to get us some nopales and pears, I worked on another frame. Just THREE left to go!

Lots of non-boat stuff happened too:

Ramon and I whipped up a 4th of July dinner of baked brie, apple chutney, bruschetta, and tabouleh. Yum!

After dinner the ranch owner's wife joined us for an evening chat. The around-town gossip usually involves drug smuggling, so-and-so public official who went to prison for human trafficking, so-and-so neighbor who fires his automatic weapons too close to the street, etc. You know, the usual boring small-town stuff.

Oh yes! AND I just submitted my application for graduate school.

Machete and tongs in hand, Ramon prepares to hack up the neighbor's yapping chihuahua. Just kidding. He's getting us some cactus to chow down on tomorrow.

Yum! Pear cactus sorbet, anyone?

As American as apple chutney.

I made re-fried beans with 15 different bean varieties. Not too bad-- but it tasted like the regular kind.

Done and done! Let freedom ring.

Bigelow Bingo

The BINGO competition is fierce on this ship. Below: A toast to sea legs.

Right whales in Canadian waters

Having a wonderful time out here-- stormy today but it has let up a bit. We've documented a lot of right whales these past few days. I need to get the scoop on posting right whale photos-- we are under a permit and I need to figure out how all of that works.

More details at my NOAA blog.

Henry B. Bigelow

Having an absolutely amazing time out here-- sighted many whale species (just saw two blue whales a few hours ago), lots of dolphins, and mola molas. On June 19th, dozens of dolphins surrounded the ship. Miniature dolphin calves swam next to their protective mothers while the others had a hell of a time jumping and dancing with each other. Just lovely. I went down to the weatherdecks and listened to them chattering.

You can track us in real-time here--just select Henry B. Bigelow as the ship.

My "official" NOAA blog is up and running! Find it here.

A Whale of an Adventure Begins

Traveled all day yesterday to board the NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow at the Newport, RI naval base. As part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea program, I get to join scientists monitoring whale populations for the next week and a half in the Gulf of Maine!

Hoooo weee!

Pictures of the ship to come, as well as a link to my “official” NOAA blog that will be up and running in the next few days.