Diary for April/May 2006
Diary for April/May 2006
04/04/06 Diary
It is still raining here, and I am stuck at home for a couple more days. The rain stopped long enough Saturday for me to get to the boat and check to see if it was still afloat.
Access to the Marina was restricted due to a new Grand Prix activity they started this year. The big races are next weekend, but they had a portion of the street used for the races blocked off for some kind of mini race last weekend so the traffic jam and noise was there already. I decided to leave town.
I made a reservation at the EZ-8 motel in San Diego, packed up, and left about two o'clock. The traffic wasn't bad, and I got to the Motel before four o'clock. I relaxed for a while, then showered, fixed my face, dressed and went to Old Town for dinner. Old Town is close to the EZ-8, and there are some decent restaurants there. I tried a new place called the Lobster Trap. There is a public parking lot in front where you can park for nine hours for $5. My plan was to leave my car there for the evening, and Taxi to the SRO. I had a nice shrimp Caesar salad for dinner.
There was a taxi stand next to the trolley station a couple blocks from the restaurant, and I walked there for the taxi ride to the SRO. I arrived at the SRO early enough to get a prime seat at the bar. By a prime seat, I mean that it was the farthest from the door, and is where the regular guys and girls hang out. There is usually some real comics there, and there was this time too.
It was a Girls Night Out (GNO), which is the first and third Saturday of the month at the SRO. There were a few girls there when I arrived, but most don’t start coming in until after ten o’clock. The SRO is mainly a Gay Guys bar, but there have been T-Girls every Saturday that I have gone there.
There were a few regular SRO GNO girls that I recognized that night. Every one is supper nice.
They serve a double Martini ( a full glass plus another glass in a carafe) for $6.50. I had one double then switched to coke for a while so I could last the night, then ordered another double later. The bartender, Bryan knows me and didn’t think I was ready for another double, so he took the carafe back and dumped it. He ended up giving me a third double at last call though, after I told him that I wasn’t driving. He was too busy to call a taxi at closing time so he gave me the number and I called the cab.
It was really cold out, and it took quite a while for the Taxi to arrive, so I was pretty sober by the time we got to where I had left my car in Old Town. I didn’t have any problem driving the four blocks to the motel.
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Sunday was the first day of daylight savings time, and I had set my cell phone alarm for nine o’clock because checkout is at eleven at the EZ-8. I was really confused when the alarm went off. I didn’t know where I was; boat? no, Home? no. Oh yeah San Diego. Then I checked to see if I was with anyone; no? Damn!
I got out of bed, showered, dressed and checked out. I went to Perry’s Restaurant just down the street for a big breakfast. They are only open for Breakfasts, and are very popular.
There was no traffic going back to Long Beach, and I got to the boat a little after twelve o’clock PDT. I figured the Queen Mary probably didn’t change their horn control clock, so I made myself a bloody Mary and saluted the Queen when the twelve o’clock horn went off at one o’clock. Actually it always goes off about a minute and a half early because they never have fixed the clock.
I was taking a nap when my friend Leena came knocking to tell me the good news that our friends Boris and April would be in town later this month. They have been cruising on their sale boat for over a year, and were flying back from Central America so Boris could renew his California M.D. license. We are going to have a pot luck dock party for them on the 23rd.
The weather forecast was for a chance of rain Sunday night, so I drove home, and here I am.
04/10/06 Diary
I needed to go somewhere this weekend, so I went to the boat Friday to consider what and where to go. I decided to stay in Long Beach, even though it was Grand Prix weekend.
Access and egress to the Marina wasn’t too bad Friday. My neighbor had a loud party going on when I got to the boat, but they left soon after lunch to go to the races.
The weather was nice, and I had a relaxing afternoon. I considered going to San Diego again, but I was too tired for the two hour drive.
I went to the QM about nine thirty. It was too late to visit Katt, so I took a table in the observation Bar, and spent the night listening to James King as Elvis. Some of the Elvis admirers were there too. I left before midnight and went back to the boat.
It was still early when I got back, so I watched a movie that I had recorded a few nights earlier. It was Hedrick and the Angry Inch. I had never seen the movie before, and found it to be very confusing the way it switched time around, but I connected with her issues with men.
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Saturday morning was noisy with the start of the formula one cars. My dock is about a couple hundred yards from the Start/Finish line.
I spent the afternoon watching the Golf Masters, and relaxing.
I went to the QM Again about nine thirty and sat with Mary. She wanted to know why Scott hasn’t been with me lately. I told her that he needed more of my time and attention than I could give him, so he decided that our relationship had no future, and I agreed, so we split. I miss him, and hoped that we could still be friends, but he appears to prefer to cut it off totally.
I didn’t feel like partying that night, so I left early, went back to the boat, had some more gin, and crashed.
I took the boat out Sunday morning to burn some carbon, and pump the holding tank.
I drove home after lunch.
04/17/06 Diary
Not much to say about this week.
I went to the boat Thursday just to get out of the house because it had been raining off and on all week. Friday was raining again or I would have stayed at the boat.
I went back to Long Beach Saturday morning. No rain, but the west wind was cold. I went shopping at the Robby-May in Lakewood, and found a great little black dress. I really didn’t need another little black dress, but I liked it and I needed something to lift my spirits. They had a nice red dress with a halter top that I almost bought, but it showed too much of my fat back.
I am looking forward to wearing my new dress next Saturday night on the Queen Mary. They are predicting a possibility of rain Saturday, but I really need to get out and have some fun before my eye surgery.
I have my pre-operation checkup on the 25th, and the surgery will be May 4th. It’s called vitrectomy surgery, and they will stick a couple of instruments into the inside of my left eye to remove a membrane that is wrinkled. It’s called a Macular Pucker. I will be grounded for a couple of weeks after the surgery.
There is going to be a dock party next Sunday for a nice couple that used to live on their boat at our dock. They have been gone on an extended cruise down the coast to Central America, and flew back for a short visit. He is a M.D. and needed to renew his medical license here.
I should have some good pictures from the QM and the Dock party next week.
04/26/06 Diary
It was a good weekend for a change. It was cool and windy at the Marina Saturday afternoon, but the boat was warm if I kept the aft door closed.
I tend to forget about saluting the Queen at 10, 12, 3, and 6 without Scott there to remind me, but I do hoist a drink to her after I hear the hone blow.
I went to the Marine store Saturday afternoon to get some head supplies and stopped at a Rite Aid store to get some table cloths and other stuff for Sunday’s dock party. Leena visited to discuss the party arrangements when I got back to the boat.
I showered, fixed my face and dressed for the Queen Mary after a lonely steak dinner. I try to keep my good clothes smelling fresh by protecting them from the boat’s musty smell with plastic bags, but sometimes I need to spray Fabreeze on them to remove the lingering smell and then let them dry, so I got to the ship later than I had planed.
Katt was on her last set in the Sir Winston’s Bar when I arrived. She quit a little earlier that usual, because there wasn’t anyone else there. She said that nest weekend would be her last, due to the low attendance it that facility.
We went down to the Observation Bar after she packed her things.
James King was doing his Elvis stuff, and the room was full. We moved some guys aside at the bar, confiscated some chairs and sat there.
Katt attracts guys like bees to honey. There was a couple of guys she knew at the bar that took a fist full of one dollar bills, went to the dance floor and threw them into the air. Everyone stopped dancing to grab the money from the floor the first time they did this, but they ignored them when he did it again and just kicked the bills aside. I think he is a friend of James King that used to sing a couple of songs during his Gig there.
There was an older guy there that also knows Katt and was very nice. The three of us danced together, and he danced with me once. He only had eyes for Katt though.
I didn’t feel like drinking much and stopped after two, so we left fairly early, and I drove her home.
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We had a pot luck Z Dock party to honor April and Boris Sunday. They are visiting from El Salvidor Central America for a couple of weeks so that Boris could get his California M.D. License renewed. The party was a blast! I made a double pot of My World Famious Chilli, and it was almost gone by the time the party ended. Boris brought a big Prime Beef Loin that was melt in your mouth delisious. We had planty of food and booze.
I didn’t count the number of people that showed up for the party, but I am guessing that there was at least fifty total. Not everyone stayed until the end, but the pictures we took at the end shows about thirty.
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I stayed on the boat Sunday night, and went home Monday.
04/30/06 Diary
It was a screwed up weekend.
I was looking forward to having a nice weekend before my eye surgery this week.
It started out fine. I got to the boat about noon, had lunch and cleaned up the boat a little. I relaxed, watched some golf, and talked to Robyn, and Katt on the phone. Leena visited a bit, and I gave her a disk of the pictures from last weeks Dock Party.
It was going to be Katt’s last night at the Sir Winstons Bar, and I wanted to get there fairly early. I thought about having dinner there, but decided to eat on the boat and try to get to the QM around eight. I made some spaghetti, ate, then dressed, and fixed my face, so I was done by eight. But then I discovered that my wig smelled like boat, so I spent some time getting rid of the smell, and finally got out the door by eight thirty.
The parking lot was full again, and it took me a while to park and get to the Sir Winstons.
I was in time for Katt’s last set. Her Piano player, Tom wasn’t there that that night, and her old piano player from Ripples, Cal was playing for her.
I ordered a Martini, and sat at a table near her as she did her last set. We walked down to the Observation bar after she packed up.
James King was performing again, and the room was full, but Katt was able to con some guys out of two seats at the Bar. I had one Martini then switched to a Virgin frozen Strawberry drink.
One of the guys at the bar asked Katt to dance, but she told him that she didn’t like slow dances, but said that I do, so I ended up with one dance for the night.
We decided to leave about midnight.
It was very wet and foggy outside, and the Gangway between the ship and the elevator was slick, as I found out when I ended up on my ass. It took two strong men to get me upright. I felt a little twinge in my right knee, but it wasn’t too bad.
I drove Katt home and went back to the boat. I went to bed and slept until nine o’clock.
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I knew I was in trouble when I got out of bed and my right knee hurt like hell. It loosened up after a bit, but seemed to get worse each time I sat down then tried getting up.
My plan was to go to Cristy’s where Katt sings on Sunday night. I made a reservation for a party of two at seven, because I thought that Robyn might join me. She couldn’t, so I called back and changed it to a party of one at eight, because I was running late hobbling around getting ready. It was getting close to eight, and my leg was really bothering me, so I called Christy’s again and canceled my reservation.
I had a small steak for dinner, then put the tape of Boat Trip into the VCR and watched that, then went to bed.
My leg felt a little better Monday morning, I decided that I should baby it anyway, so I packed up and went home.
Katt called me as I was on the freeway on my way home. She was concerned that something had happened to me, because she saw my name on a reserved table at Christy’s. I explained what had happened.
I have been taking care of the knee, but it still bothers me, so I am keeping off it as much as possible. My surgery is day after tomorrow, and I want to get it over with.
05/13/06 Diary
I had my vitrectomy surgery on the fourth. The Surgeon said it was successful, but I couldn’t see much out of that eye when he took the bandage off the next day. It was very cloudy, and hurt a bit. I spent last week putting drops in it, and it slowly got better.
I saw the Doctor yesterday, and he was impressed with my progress. The surgery is healing faster than he thought it would, but said that it is still going to be a while before my eyesight is where it is suppose to be. The retina is still convex due to the macula pucker he removed, instead of concave, so my left eye is still out of focus. It will gradually return to where it is suppose to be.
The best news is that I am able to drive again, Just not at night.
I am looking forward to go to the boat next weekend for the Long Beach Pride Festival. I hope to have my usual open house on the boat Sunday.
I should have some good pictures from the Festival for my next diary entry.
BTW; The leg I hurt when I fell on the Queen Mary still bothers me. I can walk OK, it just hurts when I turn that foot a certain way, so I wear a knee brace and don’t turn it that certain way. It’s hell growing old.
05/31/06 Diary
Its been a busy two weeks since I have been able to drive.
The weekend of the 20th-23rd was the Long Beach Gay Pride. I was able to drive there Saturday. It was a problem getting into the parking lot because the festival had taken half of my lot for the main stage.
The music was good but I hate it when they have to balance the sound system between acts. Don't you just love to listen to "testing. testing, one-two-three, etc., every half hour?"
I had visitors Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night, so I didn't go to the festival until Sunday.
I usually have an open house on Sunday afternoon of the Pride Festival. I put up my rainbow flag to let everyone know where I stand. I made a big pot of chili for the guests, but no one called or came by noon so I went to the Festival after lunch.
They had totally screwed up the south entrance to the festival grounds. It used to be by the bike path, not far from the boat, but now it was all the way up the hill to Ocean, so it was a long walk and a long wait to get in.
They had doubled the real estate for the Festival, but had about the same number of tents, and booths. I walked around the whole facility, and got really tired.
The disco dance tent was on the north side of the facility near an exit to the Village and I stopped there to dance a little. I danced with a very nice guy named Shane. He was about six and a half feet tall, and slim like I like them. We were getting along real well, but I got really tired, and took a break. He was gone when I got back and I never saw him again the rest of the day.
I went back to the boat for a rest then went back into the Festival after a light dinner. I went back to the dance tent because that seemed to be where all the action was. There were a couple of "Hula Girls" that I danced with. They were very good looking, but I was not sure about their gender. What the hell, sometimes I'm not sure about mine either.
I didn't have much stamina, so I didn't stay long, and went to the boat. Valerie called and said that she wanted to come to the boat later. It started to rain when she got there. We had some Chili, and beer. I drove her to where she left her car on the other side of the arena, and crashed when I got back to the boat.
I went home Monday morning.
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The Moma's Boys Blues Cruise was Friday night the 26th. I decided to go, even though no one I knew was going to be there. I sent Johnny an e-mail to see if there any tickets available and he said he would have one for me at the gate. I got there early and met a couple of nice ladies waiting for the gate to open. We hung together during the cruise.
I had a good time dancing, and meeting new friends. The band all remembered me, and Johnny spent some with me during his break.
I got back to the boat about eleven o'clock, and went to bed.
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Saturday morning was spent doing some basic boat maintenance that has been neglected. I changed the oil on the port engine, then changed the fuel filters on both engines. I must have done something wrong, because both of them only ran for a short time when I started them. The fuel filter containers were empty when I checked them, so either there is a blockage in the line to the fuel tank, or there is an air leak somewhere in the lines feeding both filters. I didn't want to try solving the problem just then, because Robyn was coming to visit.
Robyn arrived sometime after two o'clock and I made some hamburgers and bratwursts for lunch. We had a nice visit for a few hours.
I wanted to go to the Queen Mary Saturday night because I hadn't been there for a while. James (Elvis) King was performing in the Observation Bar, and I expected to see some friends there. I wore my new fuck me dress.
I got to the Bar about ten o'clock, and found a seat at the bar. The place was packed as usual.
I had a nice conversation with a woman sitting next to me. She was staying on the ship.
We were dancing when Michelle spotted me. She was there with a friend, and sitting in the back of the room. I joined them at their table and we got caught up a little on what was going on in our lives. We left together about midnight.
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It was raining Sunday morning when I got up. It didn't last long though.
Katt called me to see what my plans were for the day, and I told her that I would like to go to the OB for Chris and Lisa. She didn't want to go there, but suggested the Blue Cafe. I told her that I had planned to go home latter that afternoon, but I would call her when I decided what I was going to do.
I decided to stay in Long Beach for the night, and called Katt to tell her that I could meet her and her boyfriend Tim at the Blue Cafe. I had some lunch, got dressed and went to the Blue.
The Moma's Boys play the Blue on Sunday afternoons until seven o'clock. All their regulars fans were there, and were happy to see me back. I was dancing with them when Katt and Tim arrived. Tim is a very nice guy. We had a good time talking and dancing.
We decided to go to the boat for dinner. Katt and Tim went to the store and got some steaks for dinner, and I wen to the boat to straighten it out a little for Guests.
We had fun talking about our life experiences, had a great meal, and a few drinks. I went right to bed after they left because I was exhausted.
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I went home early Monday morning, because one of my daughters and her family were coming for the Memorial Day Parade, and I was suppose to BBQ some burgers and hot dogs for them.
06/07/06 Diary
I spent Saturday afternoon assembling my new gas grill for the boat. The old one was trash due to the salt air, and sea spray. I need to get a good cover for the new one if I want it to last more than a year.
I went to the Observation Bar Saturday night. James King was on again.
I sat at the bar and talked to evon. There were a couple of weddings that spilled into the Bar after their free booze ran out, and it got a little interesting by midnight after everyone (except me) got drunk.
I left during James's midnight break.
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I tried to find the problem with my engines Sunday morning. I filled the filters with gas, and tried starting, but nothing worked. I took the gas line off one of the carburetors to see if the pump was pumping, and it wasn't working. It is too much of a coincidence that both engines would have the same problem at the same time I replaced the filters, so it has to be something to do with them. Probably something I screwed up. I decided to fight it next week. I didn't need to go anywhere anyway..
I hadn't been to see Chris and Lisa for a long time so I went there Sunday afternoon. I was happy to see there was a good crowd there. No one was dancing though, so I did my thing to get them started by coaxing them out off their dead asses. It was fun.
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Katt sings at Christi's Restaurant on Broadway in Belmont Shore on Sunday nights, so I went there for dinner.
I sat in the bar room next to the little alcove/wine room that is set up with a Keyboard for Tom, and a stool for Katt. There was a light crowd there, but enough people to pay for the entertainment I think. The Lasagna I had was delicious.
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I stayed until they closed, then went home to the boat.
I wasn't ready to go bed so I watched the movie "To Wong Fu with Love- Julie Newmar" that I had taped at home.
I went home Monday afternoon.
06/12/06 Diary
I worked on the boat gas problem for a while Friday afternoon with no progress.
I had a dinner date with Michelle that evening, so I quit working on the engine and got cleaned up. Michelle picked me up and we went to the Reef for dinner.
They have a new menu that includes small plate dinners for about half price. There are three sea food plates and one rib plate on the small plate menu. I had the ribs and it included six ribs that was about all I could eat anyway.
We had a nice long talk about our lives. Hers is great with her new girl friend, mine is a bit barren now without a boy friend.
We went to the Observation Bar after dinner. James King was performing again. We had no problem getting a table by the dance floor. We danced and had fun until almost one o'clock. Michelle took me home to the boat, and I crashed.
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I attacked the gas problem again Saturday morning. I gave up after an hour. I could not figure out why both engines would have the same problem with the filters. I finally decided I needed help and called Harpurs Marine Engines. I asked if they had the fuel filters that they originally installed. They did, and I drove over to their shop. The filters they gave me were a different type number, but looked the same externally as the ones I bought at Kragan. The Kragan people had told me that the ones they sold me were a "equivalent" replacement. They lied!
I installed the new filters and both engines started up right away, and ran great! I celebrated the success with a couple of martinis, and quit working on the engines for the day.
Naomi's new Club Girl Talk was debuting Saturday night at The Port Club in Studio City, and I wanted to go to that. It will replace the Lodge as a gathering place twice a month. The Lodge is closing to be turned into a restaurant. The new Club Girl Talk will be the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
I arrived at The Port Club a little before nine o'clock. It is on the South side of Riverside drive between Whitset and Laurel Canyon. There was plenty of parking in the large lot. The door cover charge was ten dollars. I was a bit early but there were several girls there already.
The Club room seems a bit larger than the Lodge. There are booths on one side of the dance floor, and tables on the other side. A Bar is on the other side of the tables. Smoking is in an large patio. There was a DJ for music, and a pool table.
I ordered a martini and joined Naomi and her boy friend at a table. The martini cost $11.50 but was large. I just had one that night because I needed to drive all the way back to Long Beach.
The room soon filled up and there were a lot of girls that I haven't seen for a long time. I just wandered around for a while and talked to some of my old friends. I danced some.
I left about midnight, and drove to Long Beach without incident.
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Sunday was a lazy day. Got up late, had a late breakfast, watched some TV.
My friend Leena had hurt herself by falling in the shower, so I walked up to her boat to see how she was. Her foot looked bad, and I told her that she should see a doctor as soon as possible. Her husband agrees, but Leena doesn't want to go. I hope it turns out OK.
I had some left over Spaghetti for dinner and drove home.
06/20/06 Diary
Last weekend was uneventful.
I arrived at the boat Saturday in time to salute the Queen at the noon horn. The horn clock is still drifting off by about ten seconds per week, but I don’t care. I just reset my clock to Queen Mary time.
Katt and I went to the Ports of Call Restaurant in the Ports of Call Village in San Pedro to listen to a friend of Katt who sings there. She is a good straight up Jazz singer with a three piece band. She invited Katt to sing, and to join her in a duet. Katt was great as always. Her Friend’s agent was in the audience. She gave Katt her card and asked her to call her.
I was too tired to stay out late that night, and didn’t want to drink anymore, so I took Katt home and went to bed on the boat early.
I took the boat out Sunday morning to pump the holding tank, and to give the boat a little workout. Everything seems to work fine now,
I visited Leena and Rich Sunday afternoon. Her foot was a lot better,
I didn’t feel very good Sunday evening, so I decided to stay home on the boat and watch a movie. I had catfish with red beans and rice for dinner, and watched a Star Wars tape.
I drove home Monday morning.
06/28/06 Diary
It was a weird Saturday night at the Observation Bar.
There was Circus set up on the Marina Green Park, and I had a little problem finding a parking place near my dock when I got there Saturday, but I made it to the boat in time to salute the queen at noon.
I had been looking forward to getting out after a week of painting chores at the house, so I checked through my closet to find an appropriate outfit. It was cool at the beach at night, so I needed something with a jacket. My good little black dress with the coat was my first chose, but I thought that might be too formal so I got my long red summer outfit out and ironed it. It wasn't my favorite, but decided it would do.
James King is usually performing on the last weekend of the month, and there are usually some of my friends there for his Elvis show, so I decided that was a safe place where I would go that night.
I knew that a Cajun Zydico was scheduled for the Queen Mary events park, and I could hear it from the boat, so I waited until ten o'clock to go over there, because I thought the parking lot wouldn't be too full, because it was suppose to be over at ten. I was wrong, It was full. I finally found a place to park not too far from the ship.
When I got to the ship entrance, I could see a big tent set up on the Valet parking lot, and I could hear rock dance music and people dancing. I asked the guard at the door what was going on and he said it was the Tattoo conference. I was surprised because I thought they had been kicked out for good after they trashed the ship last year. They had trashed the cabins they stayed in and broke the mirrors in the Observation Bar.
I knew it was going to be a different night when I got to the OB. James King wasn't on stage, but the band that was there seemed OK. Evon said they were good, and I took a seat at the bar.
There was quite a few punk rock types there. You know the type; hair cut, dyed and sprayed into a rooster comb, and girls with purple hair and lots of body piercing.
I got into a discussion with the couple sitting next to me. They were celebrating his birthday, and I told them that I was having a birthday this week also.
The Tattoo people starting coming into the room by eleven o'clock, and I had my second martini by then and enough courage to get on the dance floor for Mustang Sally.
I was dancing with a couple of fairly normal girls, when one of them reached out and grabbed my wig. She didn't pull it off, but felt it and said "nice hair".
I left the dance floor and recovered my seat at the bar to finish my drink. The girl that had felt my hair came over and did the same thing again. I decided to get out of there before she pulled my hair off, or made a issue out of my presentation;
I went back to the boat.
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I didn't feel like doing much of anything Sunday. I ran the engines for a little while, and visited Leena and Rich. I watched some golf, got some sun tan, and watched another Star Wars movie.
I went home Monday morning.
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