Busy, busy, busy

It's that time of year to hit the annual maintenance hard, lots of projects to get to, since we let them sit over most of the winter. So it's  work work, work and no play. But that doesn't mean we aren't planning our play time. Looks like a fly trip is high on the list of things to do this summer. If weather cooperates we will set off for the Arctic with a lot of fun stops on the way, then return to Kodiak, and hit the high seas.

The New Year

Happy 2013 to all of our friends and family.
 Jim and I had a wonderful Christmas season and New Years filled with lots of good food, friends and family Skypes.

We are both still enjoying Kodiak and it's activities, people, wildlife and scenery.  Jim has been flying as much as possible between weather and the flu that hasn't been much. But he has begun working on our route to the Arctic this spring. We have decided to fly there, see a little of the interior of Alaska and hopefully some wildlife neither of us have seen before.

The weather this winter has been quit warm, especially after last year. It seems to be raining hard every few days with breaks of sunny days in between. Not really much snow and as we watch the weather it seems  to be much colder in Seattle than here.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror reports:

In case you were wondering ... 7.72 inches of rain so far this month. Normal for a January to this point is 6.34 inches of rain and melted snow. We have a long way to go for a record ... the January 2003 had 17.18 inches of precipitation. To even break into the top 10, we'd have to get more than a foot of rain in the month.

Boat projects are getting checked off, the list is growing smaller at the moment, but we all know it will grow  larger again.
Wishing you all smooth sailing and fair winds in 2013.

The stockings are hung friends are on their way oh what a wonderful day.

The stockings are hung , friends are on their way, oh what a wonderful day.

Let it snow!

Let it snow!

                           (Sorry the photo did not turn out- my finger was in the way)

 I just came back from the airport.  When I was taxing over to the revetment where I tie down the wind was blowing about 20 and gusting 30.  There was a lot of snow blowing around and on the ground and not much traffic today so the tower had to send a front end loader over to shovel a path for me and dig out the revetment a little.  I got a gust that shoved the tail around and was already steering pretty much with the brakes (this is what you need to do in a tail dragger when the rudder gets overpowered) so I had to really stand on the right brake to straighten the plane out and I blew the "O" ring out of the puck in the caliper. At least I hope that is what the problem is.  It was blowing and snowing enough that all I could tell for sure is that there was hydraulic fluid spewed all over the snow.  With no brake to steer with and all the snow and wind the tower had to send some crew out and  it took five guys to back the little plane into the revetment.  By the time I was done I was pretty disgusted, although grateful this didn't happen on some remote strip or beach where I'd have to fly back and land without that brake.  Back on the boat now with the heaters going and life seems a little better again.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone with and without snow.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone with and without snow.