SINGING THE REFRIGERATION BLUES!

FRIDAY, SEPT. 26 - When you are a boat owner and going on a big trip, you try to anticipate and think of every contingency.  John has many spare parts but unfortunately one does not normally think to have an extra controller for the refrigeration unit on hand.  Our Fridge went on the fritz mid-week and died.  John and his friend John worked on it a good part of the day Friday and they got it to work…for awhile.  So we are going to hold up our end of the ice market until the part arrives at a downstream marina for us.  We did find some time to play in the pool and hot tub with our new friends.

  

We saw more of the 18 Steamer cars in town that were touring the area.  The majority of them were Stanley Steamers (I just thought that was a carpet cleaning company).  They were really something to see.  I still haven’t had time to look up more about them but will have to do that and report back findings when I can.  

One night we went up the “mountain” as our Floridian friends called it (we ascended probably just 150’) to Airies Restaturant with new Looper friends Burke and Stell.  Great view albeit we got there a little later than we should have.  Only hitch in the evening  was that their shuttle service “forgot” that we needed to go back down to the marina.  A nice group of 4 local ladies offered to get out of their car while the driver gave us a ride down when our server showed up in a Gator.  Another gal came out and drove us safely home. 

Upon arrival at the marina, we heard live music.  We ran into a group of 4 guys from Kansas who were quite the characters.  One played the fiddle, one a guitar and one the harmonica with the 4^th claiming to be spiritual advisor to the crew.  The fiddle player was a pilot and had flown them in to go out on his boat for a few days.  His boat name was Fiddlin’ Around.  Well let me tell you these boys could play!  The just kept playing for the very small group of people who happened to be there and it was delightful!  

We spent the last day in Grafton hanging out with friends, taking a bike ride.  Grabbed a bite for dinner at the marina pub and the 4 guys from Kansas were at the next table and once again entertained us.   We got a coveted reservation at the next stop on the Mississippi called Hoppies.  There are not many places to stop along the big river and boaters have been vying for the slips there for weeks.  We were lucky and happened to get in on a cancellation.  On to the Mighty Mississippi we go!