Computer from hell....

Well shoot......done lost a entire well thought out post.

First thing happen this morn'n was a locked up computer. What the hell??? I were think'n I done fix this sucker. When I reboot, everthing what I had neatly arranged on the desktop was all changed up. Everthing up there in one corner. Some program want'n to be installed. A little video screen pops up....where the hell that come from? Undesirable content. Another notice pops up...."do ya wanna restart now". Well hell no I don't wanna restart now....what go'n on?  

Woke up this morn'n with my head under the covers....it were cold last night. Not a uncomfortable cold, but cold enough for the old Billy Bob to be want'n warmer weather to sleep in. You know, something like bout 60 degs or somewheres around there. Wak'n up to 40 degs ain't my idea of fun and adventure. And it gonna get worse if'n I don't get out of here pretty soon. "Monday Billy Bob...let's leave Monday".

Let me tell ya bout them winds we had yesterday. It were blow'n I mean to tell ya. Something like bout 30 to 40 mile a hour. Gusts bout a hunnert mile a hour or so. Stuff was blow'n all over the place. Anything what weren't tied down is out there in the field, hang'n in the mesquite bushes...scattered all over the place out there in the desert. Kind of remind me of when I live on the boat during a hurricane....or something like that.

Ya see, when ya live on a sailboat on the Texas gulf coast, the wind is gonna blow. Not 'cause ya live on a sailboat, but just 'cause that the way it is. Storms brew up out in the Gulf of Mexico for no reason what so ever.....torment hell out ya, harass ya and make your life miserable.

 500 mph Winds

by Barnacle Bill (1997)

 Just a couple years back, we had some fierce weather right here on the southern coast of Texas.
I seen it rain 5" in less than an hour. And, you know what that can do to the 'Captains' bunk.
The winds were nothing to speak of on some of the rainy days.
    It was just another dreary day. Overcast skies. A drizzle of rain here and there. With temps in the lower 60s. All seemed well, as I finished my nightly chores and prepared myself for a quiet nights sleep.
JoJo lay next to me in the Captains bunk as all lights were put out.
I dozed off into a dream world of sailing into Montego Bay. Dozens of sailing craft were anchored
in this little harbor, lights flickering in the moonlight. All was calm.
But then, changes were made in the heavens. God upgraded from 486 to Pentium Pro.
    Then all hell broke loose.
The 'Great Norther' slammed down on this peaceful little fishing village of Port Aransas Texas like a sledgehammer.
Boats were rocking like they had never rocked before. JoJo, my faithful boat dog, began to howl.
I heard torrential rain pelting the decks above, 'Captains' bunk was taking on water fast.
    Being the calm person I am, I proceeded to open the companionway hatch to take a look see what's going on.
The winds were screaming out of the north making the the most god-alful sound you ever heard.
People were running every which way, making fast loose mooring lines and stowing loose gear.
My bimini (canopy) over the cockpit was straining against makeshift tie downs. Bellowed out like a balloon.
I thought "what the hell, I'll just jump up there, let it down and all will be fine".
    Jumping through the hatch to the slippery deck, I was met by my now blowed out bimini trying to get inside out of the rain and wind. Met me head on.
I had nothing on at the time but my old salt stained sailing cap and a lot of courage.
The rains pelted me like pellets from a shotgun.  We had one hell of a battle, that bimini an' me, of which the bimini came out on top. Beat me half to death it did.
My dock lines strained by the forces pulling against them, so I thought it best to check them real good, double up where needed.
A turn on a cleat here and a little slack there put me at ease for the present.
As I stood on deck, drenching wet, admiring my seamanship abilities, I received a grand applause, standing ovation, from onlookers not 30 feet away. Clapping and cheering me on.
Scurrying to the open hatch, the wet decks send me sliding into yet another embarrassing situation.
Arms and legs frailing, I crawled into the safety of the now water soaked galley below decks.
Now, there are only so many pots and pans on a boat, but that is another story!!!
Happy Sailing !!!



This is a true story, one of many from the wonderful world of "liv'n on a boat".