WEDNESDAY MORNING WILL BE OUR THIRD ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT TO LONDON'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

 SNOWING HEAVILY THIS MORNING

Knowing we had a snow storm headed our way we waited until this morning to check our live radar feed before making a final decision whether to head for London or not.  Radar showed the storm was headed right for us with London being in its bullseye as well.  Kelly had already canceled her ultra-sound appointment once because of possible bad weather and this morning turned out to be the second time for the same reason.  There was a time years ago when we would have gone anyway, but luckily the aging process does enhance one's common sense and wiser decision making.  Well, at least it's supposed to and sometimes does.  Her appointment has been re-booked for Wednesday morning now.  Weather permitting of course.

 PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY IT LOOKS LIKE A SNOWY DRIVE AHEAD

 OFF WE GO INTO BAYFIELD TO SEE WHAT WE CAN SEE

 EVEN IF THERE'S SNOW BLOWING IN PHEEBS STILL LIKES HER WINDOW DOWN

First stop for Pheebs and I this morning of course was once again the Bayfield harbor to check on the status of that righted fishing boat.  Yep, all was good and there it sat looking like it is supposed to look.  A fishing boat on an even keel and not tilted over on its side:)) 

 THE FISHING BOAT 'LAST TIME' IS BACK ON AN EVEN KEEL

 I THINK THIS FUEL TRUCK MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT A LOAD OF DIESEL FUEL FOR THE BOAT

 I SAW FOUR FELLAS WORKING AROUND THE BOAT AND I CAN SEE THE BOW'S DECK HATCH IS STILL OPEN

It was snowing heavily with a strong east wind blowing the snow sideways so we didn't even try to venture out of town.  Had us another leisurely drive around Bayfield with the windshield wipers going to keep the snow from building up.  

 MAIN STREET BAYFIELD

 THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE BRUSHING  SNOW OFF THEIR VEHICLES THIS MORNING

Made some tracks through the cemetery stopping briefly to step out and get some snow on us.  Pheebs got more snow on her than I got on me.  We were home shortly thereafter.

 HEADING INTO BAYFIELD'S CEMETERY

 YEP, WE WAS MAKING TRACKS ALRIGHT

 OKAY THAT'S ENOUGH OF THIS SNOWY STUFF DAD LET'S GO HOME

Home again the first order of business was to re-stock the bird feeders then shovel out my paths.  Snow was light and fluffy and maybe two inches deep.  Winds died down and the snow let up a bit but continued lightly into early afternoon.  

 THESE TWO DESPERADOS LIVE IN OUR PARK....ALFIE AND MIKE

 YES IT WAS A SNOWY JEEP RIDE THIS MORNING

And another blogging day goes into the record books.  Don't know what I would do with these long winter days if I didn't have my blog to focus on.  A basket weaving course doesn't seem to hold any interest for me.  An afternoon walk had Pheebs and I trudging through some deeper snow.  Had my big boy snow boots on which interestingly enough I bought at the Thrifty Coyote' store in Borrego Springs California about 4 winters ago:))

 I JUST FOLLOW THE DOGGY TRACKS HOME

Wednesday morning will be our third attempt in a week to make it to London's University Hospital for Kelly's ultra-sound appointment.  Checking the weather, I think we have a good chance of making it this time.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man walks into the toy store to get a Barbie doll for his daughter. So he asks the assistant, as you would, "How much is Barbie?"  "Well," she says, "we have Barbie Goes to the Gym for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Ball for $19.95, Barbie Goes Shopping for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Beach for $19.95, Barbie Goes Nightclubbing for $19.95, and Divorced Barbie for $265.00."  "Hey, hang on," the guy asks, "why is Divorced Barbie $265.00 when all the others are only $19.95?"  "Yeah, well, it's like this ... Divorced Barbie comes with Ken's house, Ken's car, Ken's boat, Ken's furniture ..."

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THE FISHING BOAT RESCUE WORKED AND IT IS UPRIGHT AGAIN

Well if you read my Sunday post you will already know where Pheebs and I headed this morning.  Yes, at 9:15 we were down at the Bayfield harbor.  The partially submerged fishing boat tied to the wharf in the Bayfield River was still there and I suspect more than ever that its starboard (right) side was resting on the river bottom.  I could see a small cluster of men with one of them breaking the ice around the stern with a pole.  No sign of any heavy equipment on scene.  Pheebs and I continued our short Jeep ride around Bayfield before heading home again.  Figured I'd come back and check on the fishing boat progress later.

 THE FISHING BOAT HADN'T BUDGED

 A WORKER BREAKS ICE AROUND THE STERN

 THE FELLOW ON THE LEFT HOLDS AN AIR HOSE TO A DIVER UNDERNEATH  THE WATER INSPECTING THE BOAT

Back to the Bayfield Harbor at 11:30, I noticed they had a diver in the water around the stern section.  Two fellas in a rowboat were at the bow trying to get a deck hatch open with an axe and a crowbar.  They did get it open.

 WITH AN AXE AND CROWBAR THIS FELLA PRIED OPEN THAT FRONT DECK HATCH

1:30 p.m. it was back down to the harbor.  Diver was out of the water and I saw 3 large green industrial diesel water pump machines sitting on the dock ready to go.  The fishing boat was still tipped to it's right side.

 QUITE A CREW OF WORKERS ASSEMBLED FOR THE JOB OF RE-FLOATING THE FISHING BOAT

 ONE OF THREE LARGE DIESEL POWERED WATER PUMPS

 I THINK THE BOYS ARE HATCHING A PLAN

3:30 p.m.  Back down to the harbor.  Two big mobile cranes had been brought in with one ahead of the boat and one behind.  Took them a while to get the rear crane positioned but soon the lift was slowly underway.

 TWO CRANES ON SITE AND THE ONE AT LEFT IS JUST BACKING INTO POSITION

 TALKING OVER THE COMING LIFT PROCEDURE

 THE CRANES ARE FINALLY READY TO START THE LIFT

One of the big water pumps began pumping water out of the boat and it was 4:40 p.m. when the cranes slowly began their lift.  Immediately I could see movement around the frozen water line of the boat as it began to inch its way back up to a steadier keel.  

 WATER BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE BOATS' INTERIOR WHILE IT'S BEING RIGHTED

 SLOWLY THE STARBOARD SIDE BEGINS TO RISE AND I CAN SEE A COUPLE WINDOWS

 ALL WHEELHOUSE WINDOWS ARE NOW VISIBLE

 FIVE WINDOWS IN THE HULL ARE NOW VISIBLE

 THIS IS THE LAST PHOTO I TOOK BEFORE HEADING HOME AND I IMAGINE BY NOW THEY HAVE THE BOAT ON AN EVEN KEEL

Daylight was fading and the cranes had momentarily stopped the lift.  Don't know what their next step is but I will be anxious to see how they are making out tomorrow when Kelly, Pheebs, and I get back from London's University Hospital.  Kelly's ultra-sound is at 9:30 a.m. and we should be home before noon depending on the weather.  The forecast is calling for snow.

 THE EVENT TURNED OUT TO BE QUITE A SPECTATOR EVENT TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Ronald and his wife were cleaning out the attic one day when he came across a ticket from the local shoe repair shop. The date stamped on the ticket showed that it was over eleven years old. They both laughed and tried to remember which of them might have forgotten to pick up a pair of shoes over a decade ago.  "Do you think the shoes will still be in the shop?" Ronald asked.  "Not very likely," his wife said.  "It's worth a try," Ronald said, pocketing the ticket.  He went downstairs, hopped into the car, and drove to the store. With a straight face, he handed the ticket to the man behind the counter. With a face just as straight, the man said, "Just a minute. I'll have to look for these." He disappeared into a dark corner at the back of the shop.  Two minutes later, the man called out, "Here they are!"  "No kidding?" Ronald called back. "That's terrific! Who would have thought they'd still be here after all this time."  The man came back to the counter, empty-handed. "They'll be ready Thursday," he said calmly.

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