105

Yup, the official shop thermometer registered 105° today. It's been a hot week with interruptions. The Budgetboater fambly was down and out for a few days with illness brought home by Darling Daughter. Momma, Poppa and Grin & Bear It were all sick at different stages. The weather was hot. Even the official shop lizard wasn't moving much.

The lizard has adopted a wary laissez-faire attitude, and we concur..............

Ben was unhappy with his ovals that go under the trapezoids and decided to make them again (tra-la, tra-la). He made them a long time ago and they weren't up to his current standards. We took a road trip up to Grand Prairie TX and got a bunch of white oak. We also lost another half day on a visit to the Kamakaze Dentist to get our teeth cleaned. This guy is not gentle, but fast!

Deja-vu all over again (thanks, Yogi). I worked on the Mirror again doing stuff to facilitate applying the bottom.

Like gluing some side pieces to screw the bottom to. Yeah, I know...................more clamps.

And regluing the gaff (and more clamps). I also stripped all the wood pieces with nasty stripper stuff.

Fixed some broken pieces....................

Put a couple patches in the side panels.................

Made and glued the rear corner braces.

We glued on one bottom panel before I decided I'd better epoxy coat the interior while I have good access.

So that was our week. We are becoming acclimated to the heat and can function in it. Next, I an practicing my southern drawl, or my Texan.  After working on these boats for a long time, I have developed the feel for wooden boats. There is a whole subculture out there with the affinity for wooden boats. The term "soul" comes up. I didn't completely understand this but now have developed an attraction to them. On the internet are pictures of FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) Mirror dinghies and they somehow don't seem as nice as the wooden ones. Even the old, beat up wood Mirrors seem to have more character than the plastic versions of the same design. Wooden boaters disdainfully refer to plastic boats as "bleach bottles". I won't go that far, but these floating lumberyards ate pretty cool...................

The Music♫: Some Guy from England

He's been in a couple of different bands, I think....................