A Rainy Night

Moisture in the desert is precious.

I got to the Butte about noon. Rich and Sue were at the compound, but nobody else was there yet. Rich was working on various boat-repair tasks, and Sue was doing cleaning. We went to lunch at the Big Food Express, and then Rich went back to the compound to continue working on boats, while Sue and I went shopping. Yes, that’s right, shopping. Sue and I had different favorite thrift shops around town, so with our combined knowledge, we had a lot of information to share. Unfortunately, most of the thrift shops were closed, so we didn’t accomplish much. Of the two shops that were open, neither had a suitable replacement for my lucky Aussie hat.

In addition to the thrift shops, we visited two discount stores, and we replenished first-aid supplies that got depleted last weekend. Then we went to the grocery store and got ingredients for tacos for supper.

By the time we got back to the compound, Braxton and Jo Ann had arrived. Ken and Sharon arrived in Ken’s brand-new Prius (he just took delivery on it today) just in time for supper.

After supper, Ken brought in his sewing machine – it’s not an ordinary sewing machine, but one designed for working on sails. Rich and Sue needed some work done on the sails for Kachina, and so the pool table and the area around it became a sail loft. There were some major repairs needed to the jib, and also some work on the spinnaker and mainsail.

One idea Sue and I had at lunch was that either the sailing club or Rich and Sue (they already have a business license) could operate a sailboat chandlery, offering spare parts and accessories specifically for sailboats. The three marinas at the Butte do offer a lot of boat parts, but they are almost exclusively for powerboats. Of course, as Rich pointed out, that means that somebody (i.e., Rich) would have to spend a lot of time working on the enterprise.

Meanwhile, back at the sail loft, we discovered why the pros charge such a high hourly rate. It’s really hard to jockey those sails around, even if there’s a lot of room and a sewing machine designed for working on sails.

Another money-making idea … operate a sail loft and charge $50 an hour for the work. Of course, again, that means that someone (Rich again?) would have to manage the business. I get a feeling he doesn’t appreciate all of the work Sue and I are coming up with for him.

Meanwhile, it’s been raining this evening. It’s nice. The rain itself smells very sweet, and it brings out the spicy aroma of the greasewood trees. Rain in the desert is such a special event, especially in a year of drought. It’s to be appreciated.