New Work Boat

Well today I saw the new work boat for the first time, it does not belong to the Snapper, but I wish it did. We on the Snapper are expected to keep up with our training at the same rate as the people on the large streamer boats, yet are given less equipment and often it is of lesser quality. A big example is the boat, we no longer have any that we can use to go out in, and the streamer has this boat. Hard to train on small boats without one... Enough about training......

I get off the boat Monday the 23rd of Nov, if the weather is nice... if not then will be on the boat for Thanksgiving... Forecast at the moment can go either way... We will get off by helicopter the same as the big boys, as you can see the chopper looks small on the boat in the photo. If I could get a photo of one on the Snapper it would look a lot bigger, because the Snapper is smaller..

One good thing about being on the Snapper is it is an all American crew, big boats are mixed and we folks are not always welcome... Truly can not say I blame them seeing how we are always telling everyone that "we" are the best of this and the best of that... About the only thing we are "best " at is tooting our own hone..... I have been to several other countries and no longer see how we can say we are better than anyone.... it is just not true... Enough of that also...

Been trying to learn Spanish and so far feel like a great big failure, if my mother was still alive I can hear her calling me stupid.... Thinking back I wonder why a mother would call her own child stupid.... Yes, I had subjects that I had problems with, but what I needed was help, not name calling. have lots of bad memories about growing up that center around my mother. Funny thing is that none of my really good ones center around her.. She is in some of them but never as the center, then again I do not think her children were the center of her life anyway.

This is turning into a bitch and cry session, so be it... Not a lot of people read my blog so I guess I can say whatever I bloody well please.

Thinking a lot of my trip to the Yucatan coming up in a week.... Hope the drive is worth it, I am looking forward to stopping to take lots of photos and maybe stopping along some small beach? Sight seeing, eating, taken photos, and being with Kay and the fur kids will be fun no matter what. We are hoping to cross into Mexico on the 25th or 26th of Nov. all depends on when I get off the boat..... Hmmmmm How many times have I said that???

Bye, bye Port Galveston

Well it has been a lot of fun... NOT... But we are finally leaving Galveston to go and make some money... Only have a week before crew change so my feelings are split on leaving, I want to get back to shooting so we make money, but at the same time would like to crew change at the dock and not have to take a long helicopter ride.

Did a lot of work on the equipment when in port so hoping it will all work the first time and we do not have to fool with it for the rest of the trip... Have picture of the way in so here are some of the way out..

With anyluck the next entry will be about the trip into Mexico, driving to the Yucatan.... Should be fun and some good photos...

Galveston Texas

Seems I have been here before, Going into Galveston Port for repairs Nov. 5 2009. Seems the Snapper has developed engine problems and needs some port time. Hoping it will only be a few days but we never know. Other thing is IDA is on radar headed North to Galveston, it is still a long ways off and we will have to wait and see.

Pictures are of us coming into port, believe me it is much more scenic on the way in then it is at dock...

Friday Nov. 06, we are headed back out for at least 24 hours to test the fixes. If all is well we go out just in time to meet what is left of IDA..

Back to the boat I go

Wednesday the 28th it is off to the Airport, then on the 29th I am back on the boat until at least the 23rd of Nov. When I get off Kay and I are planning a trip to Mexico.

Still waiting for confirmation on a place to stay in Mareda, hoping to get a cheap hotel or room to stay as we look around. It will take a few days to figure out were we want to stay and if we want to sign a long term rental for six months to a year or not.

My main object when on the boat is to find time to study Spanish, so that I am not at a total loss when in Mexico. So far I have tried Rosetta stone, Spanish for Dummies, Rush Hour Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Spanish in a week, Quick and simple Spanish,Spanish in 10 minutes a day and Synergy Spanish.

To date I can say hi, tell you my name, count from 1 to 12, Days of the week, Most of the Months of the year, ask for the time of day, ( still having problems giving time )... Everything else is hit and miss, just a lot of odd words bouncing around in my head. So the question is have I made progress???? Yes, I have made progress, but the question is will I make enough before I go? This is a question yet to be answered. Time will tell.... If we do go I will look for a local willing to teach me to speak and read.

Hoping to get good news soon ( maybe before I go to the boat ) about a place to stay. We sent off several emails asking about places, but no respones as of yet. Will ad to this page if things change before I leave. So ,,, Hasta Luego!

Hola!!!! We have an update...

May have found a house to rent in Mareda, It accepts pets and looks really nice from the photos. We have sent email asking a few more questions about the place, but I think it may be the one at least to start. See pictures below.. VILLA EN COLONIA MÉXICO Not the best pictures but the best I could do...

As of 10/27/09 it is not a done deal..












1st floor:
Guest bathroom, cellar, furnished living room, furnished dining room, kitchen with fridge & stove, service room, .
2nd floor.- Bathroom, 3 bedrooms with closets, a/c’s, mosquito screens.
Pets & children allowed.Totally private, in a closed street.
Close to main shopping centers and Prolongación Montejo.
Mínimum stay: 6 months
Payments: $460 usd monthly.
1 month payment in advance
1 month payment as a deposit
1 month payment for lawyer/contract fee.

TOTAL: $1,380 USD TO MOVE IN.

The Yucatan the next stop??????

Well, we have been looking at sites with information about the Yucatan. At first we talked about Lake Capala, Ajijic, and San Miguel, all have become to expensive for our taste. So we have shifted our attention to the Yucatan.

So far the city of Merida is leading the pack on were we will go, at least in the beginning. Kay ( check photo ) has been busy looking for a place to rent when we get there. She has several leads that are being looked at but nothing solid at the time.

As Kay looks, I study Spanish. Took it back in High School, and have tried several times over the years to learn it. Never seems to sink in for any length of time. This time it is crunch time, if I can not learn it I do not want to live in Mexico for any length of time. So I will study now, and get a tutor when I get to Mexico. Then we will see what happens.

This time all plans getting us to Merda are up to Kay, I do make suggestions and have let her know what I must have. The rest is up to her...

My must haves are

• (2) two bedrooms, or at least a big room with two beds
• Fenced in back yard for the dogs
• Workable Kitchen
• Close enough to places to walk to when bored
• Able to take the dogs for walks
• Able to have the dogs in the house
• price is not so much I can not save

Rain, Rain and yet more rain

Been home since the fist of the month, it is now the 13th and I have only seen two days of sun. The rest of the time it has been raining, the ground is so wet now that we are getting our own ponds. Hoping we do not get any lakes in the yards.

So with all the rain I have had time to read and do puzzles. Have also been "working" on learning Spanish.... Okay, over the years I have tried to learn, French, German, and Spanish. So far I have been able to learn a small amount of English, and not very well I might add.

I have tried Rosetta stone, Spanish for dummies, fast learn Spanish, pocket book types, to name a few... None seem to help, have now sent away for a few more just to see what will help... I do not learn well from books so do not hold much hope, but will continue to try. Maybe if I go to Mexico I can get a person to teach me one on one???? That maybe my only hope... Will see what happens. Even through I am getting upset with myself, I am not ready to call it quits.

If I can learn a word or two a week then at least I will feel like I am making progress... Just wish the rain would stop and the sun would come out... I would feel better if I could take a walk in the sun once in a while.

Currently looking at a trip to the Yucatan ( Merida Mexico ) to see what it is like. To be honest I would love to move out of the USA. The land of the free is fast becoming the land of Big Brother. Seems like just about everything we do or say ( including this ) is taped, or recorded and can be used against us... Question is can I learn enough Spanish to be comfortable in Mexico??? If not then what????

Off the Boat

Well been off the boat for a week now, not much going on. We go to Wal Mart, and other stores. It is better then being on the boat, but I find the "farm" extremely boring without and animals. Nothing to do except read, sleep, watch television, and play on the computer.

Talk is of going back to Mexico again.... Would feel better about it if we did not have the house payments on this place in Texas. I do not make the money I did last year because of loss of certain extras. Not sure I can handle duel payments and still save for when I can no longer work at this job. I find the job more difficult each time I go out, I am now 55 years old and my body will not be able to hold up to the amount of work involved for much longer.

So what happens if we go to Mexico and I get laid off???? I will have to come back to the US to even hope to find any work. I do not qualify for SS for at least 7 to 8 more years so no help they..

Guess I have to do what I always do, say fuck it and go with the flow.... Feel like a leaf in the wind.....

I WAZ Here

Returned to the boat on Sept. 3rd, five days before scheduled, due to a change in crew change schedules. We will get off on or about Oct. 1st if all goes well.. Get to take a 2.5 hour long ride in a helocopter, oh joy.. I hate flying and helocopters scare the SSSS out of me... Not much to say except I will be glad to get off, as always..

Drove in Canada

Got up early and drove around some back roads around were I am staying... Here a some of what I saw, could not always stop so some of the best of what I got to see could not have a photo taken.

During the drive the one thing that I noticed was that when away from the city traffic was next to zero. I drove for over an hour at one point without seeing another car, truck, bike, or human.

Wish I could have found a place to pull over in downtown Calgary to take pictures, but it was bumper to bumper, and not a parking place that I could see. So wanted to walk around and check out the shops, maybe have a cup of tea at a place I passed twice..

Now back in my room after turning in the car, guess I will check email, then watch television until bedtime....

Class again

Back in class this week taken yet another course, as always it is a mixture of learning, games, and boredom. This class is called QHSE2 and is to help me understand and assist in implementation of polices, and standards. So far I believe I have learned a few things, even if I do not always agree with the method of teaching them. The morning goes by fast, but by 3 in the afternoon I start having problems keeping myself focused on the class, I have by then grown sick of sitting and need to walk around. One instructor will not mention his name can put me to sleep in a matter of a few moments...

We review using Jeopardy and so far my team is in last place and going strong... Who knows maybe we can do better tomorrow....