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Back around November my dad called me and said that he and Mom had talked about it and they had decided to give me a considerable amount of money to help re-build the camp. He wouldn't tell me how much, but he said it would be enough to do something that would make a real difference. Last Friday I opened up my mailbox and pulled out an envelope with a check for $2000!!!!!!!! Holy freakin' cow. I called up Dad immediately and he actually said that they wished it could have been more. Do y'all know I have the best parents in the world? He said the only strings attached were that it all had to be used for the camp.
Last weekend I saw a work barge at the pass putting in a big new dock for one of those fancy places in Treasure Island. I took down the number thinking I would give him a call, but I probably couldn't afford what they would quote me. So I called him on Friday and told him our situation. He said we could pick him up and take him out to look and give an estimate. On Saturday 007 and I picked him up and he came out. He quoted me $1500 for completion of the dock. This included 10 pilings installed and installation of all wood I provided. He would also remove all the derilect PVC pilings that litter the area. I called Dad about it, and he said, DO IT! The guy wants to get to it this weekend. Now I just have to get the lumber. This will likely spend all the money,, but that was Dad's intention. I am so excited about this. That will be one less thing we have to deal with. It will be so much easier to get things done with a full dock, and we'll be able to moore 4 boats again.
Now I just need to get all the lumber down there!
To back up a little, I'll give this past weekend's report. Saturday Mike (007) and I made it down there late due to a veterinary emergency I had. So we made it down around 10:30. Gilbert from met us at the ramp and we met up with another 2cooler ynggun and his dad Mark in Titlum-Tatlum and everyone came to the camp and helped us inload a couple of pilings and other things we had brought out. Mark and I were content to stay at the camp and hang out, but the other guys went fishing. They came back with tales of many bites. After a while longer of hanging out, I got set up to use some expanding foam to plug some of the holes in the walls, but I got a phone call. WhenI came back in the kitchen I found Mark up on a chair filling in holes. Thanks Man!!! I got the new stove going too, many thanks to Galveston Yankee from 2cool for that baby. She works like a charm.
Everyone finally left and we picked up the barge guy for the estimate. When that was over, it was relaxation time. I rubbed down some beautiful New York strips Mike had brought with him and we let them marinate onthe dry rub for a while. We just sat on the porch and began to imagine the new dock and how glorious it would be. Around sunset we threw the steaks on the grill and used the new stove for some fixins. Unfortunately Mike is NOT the grill master he thinks he is.
I like my steak med-rare and on 3 occasions I tried to get him to let me take mine off. He just said, "Trust me." and refused. When he finally let me take mine off, it was WELL DONE. 
He blamed the pre-Ike charcoal. It still tasted good, very smoky. I just kept thinking about how pretty they were when they were raw. We hit the sack early and I clocked 10 hours of hyper-camp-sleep.
I awoke to another beautiful albeit windy day. Mike was enjoying the morning fishing and Glen soon called from the dock. We picked him up and we all got to work. They now have 3 jack pilings installed so we can level the place out, and we picked up the middle 3 inches that day. The door finally closes without trouble now and the windows are a bit more back in true. We've still got 4 or so inches to go, but it's best to do these things incrementally and give things time to settle. I got the kitchen more in shape as I tend to do all the woman's work around the place. In between work bouts, Mike managed to reel in a nice flounder using GULP. With time running short, we got several more contractor bags filled with debris and headed out, a great feeling of accomplishment washed over me as I looked back and saw the place looking just a bit straighter. Things are really moving at Blockade Runners. Thanks Mike!
Next weekend the dock! - Sandy
Last weekend I saw a work barge at the pass putting in a big new dock for one of those fancy places in Treasure Island. I took down the number thinking I would give him a call, but I probably couldn't afford what they would quote me. So I called him on Friday and told him our situation. He said we could pick him up and take him out to look and give an estimate. On Saturday 007 and I picked him up and he came out. He quoted me $1500 for completion of the dock. This included 10 pilings installed and installation of all wood I provided. He would also remove all the derilect PVC pilings that litter the area. I called Dad about it, and he said, DO IT! The guy wants to get to it this weekend. Now I just have to get the lumber. This will likely spend all the money,, but that was Dad's intention. I am so excited about this. That will be one less thing we have to deal with. It will be so much easier to get things done with a full dock, and we'll be able to moore 4 boats again.
Now I just need to get all the lumber down there!
To back up a little, I'll give this past weekend's report. Saturday Mike (007) and I made it down there late due to a veterinary emergency I had. So we made it down around 10:30. Gilbert from met us at the ramp and we met up with another 2cooler ynggun and his dad Mark in Titlum-Tatlum and everyone came to the camp and helped us inload a couple of pilings and other things we had brought out. Mark and I were content to stay at the camp and hang out, but the other guys went fishing. They came back with tales of many bites. After a while longer of hanging out, I got set up to use some expanding foam to plug some of the holes in the walls, but I got a phone call. WhenI came back in the kitchen I found Mark up on a chair filling in holes. Thanks Man!!! I got the new stove going too, many thanks to Galveston Yankee from 2cool for that baby. She works like a charm.
Everyone finally left and we picked up the barge guy for the estimate. When that was over, it was relaxation time. I rubbed down some beautiful New York strips Mike had brought with him and we let them marinate onthe dry rub for a while. We just sat on the porch and began to imagine the new dock and how glorious it would be. Around sunset we threw the steaks on the grill and used the new stove for some fixins. Unfortunately Mike is NOT the grill master he thinks he is.
I like my steak med-rare and on 3 occasions I tried to get him to let me take mine off. He just said, "Trust me." and refused. When he finally let me take mine off, it was WELL DONE. He blamed the pre-Ike charcoal. It still tasted good, very smoky. I just kept thinking about how pretty they were when they were raw. We hit the sack early and I clocked 10 hours of hyper-camp-sleep.I awoke to another beautiful albeit windy day. Mike was enjoying the morning fishing and Glen soon called from the dock. We picked him up and we all got to work. They now have 3 jack pilings installed so we can level the place out, and we picked up the middle 3 inches that day. The door finally closes without trouble now and the windows are a bit more back in true. We've still got 4 or so inches to go, but it's best to do these things incrementally and give things time to settle. I got the kitchen more in shape as I tend to do all the woman's work around the place. In between work bouts, Mike managed to reel in a nice flounder using GULP. With time running short, we got several more contractor bags filled with debris and headed out, a great feeling of accomplishment washed over me as I looked back and saw the place looking just a bit straighter. Things are really moving at Blockade Runners. Thanks Mike!
Next weekend the dock! - Sandy
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