Bradenton, FL  Part 2

Friday, April 22 thru Friday, April 29, 2016

We are still in Bradenton and work on the bimini and sun screens has begun.  More about that later.

Friday

Bringing you up to date:  We attended the open air concert last Friday and the Alternative music was a real  bust.  The crowd was leaving after the first four numbers. However, we sat next to a very gracious couple, whose home is Chester, England.   They spend 6 months here, coming for 3 months segments.  They own a condo in Bradenton and a home on Anna-Maria Island.  Dave had made gin and tonics to drink during the concert.   Unfortunately, the bottle overturned, leaked and snacks were soggy.  They insisted on buying us a beer and a soda.  (We had come with empty pockets.)

Saturday

Dave fastened the struts for the canvas work and Don arrived with the ridge pole for the bimini.  Structural components are complete.

After lunch, we drove down to the Red Barn Flea Market.  It is mostly indoors and air conditioned but the booths sell the same things as Daytona, Tampa, and other flea markets.  We went on down the road to the Good Will.  We were looking for used beach chairs but no luck.  I did find a gauze shirt in the men’s department.  As much as I use sun screen I still can’t seem to not get brown.  Of course not the even tan I used to get with all the sun damage I have.  I have already made my appointment with the dermatologist.  I wonder if he can write me a prescription that will give us a medical break for the sun barriers we are putting on the boat. 

On return to the marina we showered and dressed.  Nancy and Jess Shrom arrived from Sun City Center and we had a long cocktail hour by the pool and then over to Edelweiss Restaurant.  (A nice meal but not the tastiest.)  They brought Dave a gift.  On our last visit with them, we had tomato sauce that found its way to Dave’s shirt.  He mentioned he thought he should have a bib.  They found one at a craft sale……

Sunday

Dave was up early as usual and online found an event in East Sarasota.  The Sarasota Remote Control Flying Club was holding a flying event.  The club is the largest on the east Coast with 270 members.  We arrived with our new, cheap, chairs from Walmart.  What an array of planes!  One member from Tarpon Springs is into flying jet RC craft.  They sounded and smelled like the real thing; from a distance, you would not have told the difference.  Donuts and coffee were free, later they sold burgers and hot dogs.  The county paved their airfield on the top of a landfill.  They maintain the grounds they use, buildings and shelters.  They passed out balsa gliders to all the kids and encouraged folks to become interested in the sport.  Their members range from 14 to 95 years.  The starter planes, referred to as ‘foamies’, begin at $200.  Your will see in my pictures how serious these folks are.  (Do they spend more than boaters on their hobby, we won’t go there.)  There was an opportunity to walk around and speak with the hobbyist and learn how the controls worked.  Most all the planes were replicas of military aircraft.  The commentator was very well versed in military history; making it very interesting and informative.

Food shopping and liquor run on the way home before pool time.  Cocktails in the cockpit and leftovers made for a relaxing evening.

Monday

Don arrived and made patterns for the bimini and the side curtains.  To allow the starboard curtain to be tight Dave will need to reroute the VHF antenna cable and the VHF radio will need to be relocated for us to store the side curtains by lifting them underneath the hard top.  A shopping run, this one to Harbor Freight and West Marine for parts. 

Next stop, Bradenton Beach; now we have been to three local beaches.  Our trip to Anna-Maria Island earned us a parking ticket for parking on the wrong side of the street.  I think Anna-Maria was our favorite.  The water has warmed considerably but shells are virtually nonexistent here.

Tuesday

I think Dave has spent as much time working on the boat as he does when it is in NMB.  Relocating the VHF radio and cable, painting the welds on the bimini framework and adhering the new  Chris Craft logo on the sides of the boat.  Yes, he couldn’t resist going to the Chris Craft plant and making his request.  Now when folks go by they don’t have to ask, "What kind of boat is it?"

I got to go with him to the Hope Thrift Shop where I found a pair of TEVA’s for $4 and a $1 gauze cover up.  Do I care whether Dave thinks it is gaudy?  He on the other hand, is so pleased with his find, a Cuisinart  Espresso machine for a fifth of the new price.  He can’t stop playing with it and the only place to store it is on the floor.  Maybe he can get a job at Starbuck’s when we get home.

Wednesday

The dreaded laundry day; lucky for me all three machines were open.

Don came by for a fitting of the bimini, what a difference it will make. 

An easy day, reading by the pool.  I have read 12 books since our trip began and have started the next. I have no count for Dave, his reading is more in depth so he needs more concentration.  Our boat neighbors Mike and Neila exchange books with us and we find others in the book exchanges in different marinas.  I did not finish Girl on the Train.

Thursday

We took a long bike ride through the neighborhood along the river.  There is a mixture of new and older homes.  There is also a Westminster Senior Living Apartment along the water and another on Old Main Street.  We have seen them in several of the cities we have explored.  If you are looking to relocate, check Sotheby’s waterfront listings.

Don came by with the bimini.  We are very pleased! The air seems to funnel through the cockpit now.  Don took more patterns for the screens and will bring them tomorrow.  Then we will head to Caladesi  State Park, claimed to be the “best beach” in Florida.   Hopefully, I will find some good shelling. When we return the side curtains should be finished and  we will start the journey home.

Friday

Dave returned the rental car this morning and our neighbor brought him back.  Now he is doing some polishing on the boat.

Don and Ramona surprised us with the sun screen shades this afternoon.  What a difference!  The boat looks so much larger.  We will be getting one for the windshield next week.  Unfortunately, I forgot to get pictures  before dark.

Tonight we enjoyed a wonderful concert at the amphitheater, Latin and Jazz.  Dave bought an album from the group, La Lucha.

Tomorrow will be busy;  Farmers’ Market in the morning for our produce.  From 1 to 3 PM the marina is treating the boaters to lunch at Pier 22.  Then in the evening there will be the Hernando  De Soto Heritage Festival Grand Parade  at 6:30 pm.  It is billed as the largest parade in SW Florida.  Be that as it may, chairs have lined the street since Wednesday.  (Reminds me of the residents of Hamburg preparing for the King Frost Parade.)  Look for pictures in the next blog.