From The Laffin Gaff

These shots were taken from our boat "The Laffin Gaff". The lighthouse is one of our favorite places to visit. The harbor (Matanzas Bay) is usually loaded with yachts, sailboats & runabouts. The 2nd picture was taken from just inside the inlet to allow a wide angle view of 'Our Town'. Fortunately, boat traffic was light that day.

Both locations figure heavily in my YA adventure. The lighthouse & bay have reputations for being seriously haunted. (Matanzas translated means 'slaughters')Maybe I'll post some photos of the lighthouse at night - there's something in one of them that we just can't explain.

An Old Shortcut

The large heavy steel ball attached to the cable is called a headache ball (shown in both pictures). It's used to stabilize a heavy load being lifted by a crane. The story behind the nickname should be obvious, if you get hit in the head......

Back in the day - before safety was the priority, we would ride the headache ball to get to the upper floors (avoiding ladders). Standing on the ball, we would grab the cable & hold on tight, while the crane operator boomed (lifted) us to whatever floor we needed to reach. Today, I couldn't see myself dangling 6 or 8 stories in the air like that. Some would say I've become a sissy. Some would say I've become more sensible. I say, I don't want to deal with the fines from OSHA. It's a stunt that would cost at least $20K nowadays.

But if I was really pressed for a totally honest answer? I guess I'd have to admit to being a sissy.

Road Trip

Haven't blogged much - had to run to Tampa for a week to cover a project. I miss my ocean breezes - geez, it's humid here.

On the job, we're doing what's called 'flying steel' meaning the guys are running the heck out of a crane & setting beams & joists. It can be dangerous work so I'm glad I'm just the guy barkin' at everyone.

Deb decided to make the trip. I kept bugging her saying there was no sense in her staying home alone rattling around in that house. We took a suite for the week to give ourselves some space. (That was a compromise on my part.)

Our niece lives a mile from the hotel so we had a chance to meet up with Ryane and her boyfriend Ryan (try keepin' that straight) last night. They want us to go out with them tonight. I keep tryin' to 'splain to everybody that - "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was' - This old guy trying to keep up with 20something year olds? Whaddya kiddin' me? . Deb, on the other hand, seems to think she's still a 20something & keeps pace quite well. The word Paaaaaarty - doesn't do much for me, especially during the week, but I'll manage.