[Paddlewise] Foot pumps and some successes...

Hi,

	Well, I did some looking today at West Marine and Boating world.  At 
Boating World the gal there did some looking and found a Whale foot 
pump.  2gpm-is that good enough?  Cost?  Even I can afford $20...  If the 
pump is not rated high enough-I will do more searching.

	Yesterday [in the SUN<!>] well, sometimes one can see that up here<g> I 
did something I have not had a real need for, or been able to garner the 
[mental] resources to do for two years.  I gathered my three plastic "boxes 
with lids," organized my gear into them, and then, added a new touch.  I 
attached to each "box" some chord, and then tied it to a grab in the back 
of my truck.  This will allow me to simply "pull on the string" to get my 
containers out where I can get into them...  Simple I know-but a good idea 
I think...

	I also put a couple of simple "c" clamps to the joint between truck-cap 
and the side of the bed.  Combined with the Yakima hardware, it provided 
places to put the hooks on an old "bungie chord net" I used on my Honda and 
BMW's.  This is now where I am storing both my Werner paddles.

	One of the listmembers and I have gotten together via the telephone, and 
it looks like we may have found a solution to the bulkhead problem, one I 
should be able to attend to with materials at hand surprisingly... 
<!!!!!!>  Soon I hope to be paddling on Oyster Bay...

	I don't know how I have managed it, but in the last 7 days, I have 
accomplished in many ways, more in regards to kayaking, than in the 
previous 2 YEARS.   I do know however, that to me at least a BIG part of 
it, has been the messages I have received in the last week.  I have set 
them aside to hold on to.  I tried to reply to them off-list as frankly, I 
wanted to do that individually.  I hope I managed to convey my gratitude 
properly.

	I also know that I am perhaps, "more excited" when I look at my kayak atop 
my truck now, then I ever have been.  Okay, so my memory is not all that 
great, but you get the idea!<g>    After all, I can now read [and 
understand] my current/tide chart/tables finally!  My gear is now organized 
so I can find it!  I am far more prepared to get at least a little active 
in a kayak club for heavens sake and a "local" is offering me help to make 
my kayak safer for the "new-tommy..."

	Talked with one of my therapists today about learning to roll-he's a W/W 
paddler.  No-of course I'm not ready to take that on, but I feel very 
confident that is a YET...  still have that w/w boat after all...<g>  He 
supports everything I have discussed with him about kayaking-from a therapy 
point of view no less...<!>

	I'm not quite ready to get in the water, [weather, pump, etc..] but I am 
very confident that the time is very, very near.  Hoping for next week 
sometime, if not certainly by first week in May...  What's a week or two, 
compared to 2 years eh? <G>

	Take care,

		Tom...

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