Playing Hookie

Things that make you say “ahhhh.” 

 

(to start of project)

Last weekend we got 8 inches of snow, with temps in the single digits.

This weekend we got sunny, breezy, and 80 degrees.

We went from snow boots to sandals in three days.

Seth and Lisa have a new sailboat. Last Spring I was telling Seth about my upcoming boat building project. Seth likes projects. I wasn’t far into my description before he got this faraway look on his face, which I have seen before.

Start talking about boats with some people and they sort of go into a trance-like state. It’s like they got hypnotized a long time ago, and were implanted with a trigger word, told “When you hear the word ________  you will enter a dreamlike state in which you question your priorities and act out your fantasies.” For some people, that word is “sailboat.” I guess I’m one of them, which is how I know.

Even under normal circumstances you have to be careful what you say around Seth – there’s not much he’s afraid of, and the power of suggestion can be a dangerous thing. They had never sailed before, but next time I talked to Seth, he and Lisa were proud owners of a new 30 foot Catalina sailboat  and loving it. He said they’d gone sailing 7 weekends in row when they first got it, before the weather started to fail. They were learning to sail by watching Youtube and – in an uncharacteristic show of caution – by periodically inviting friends along who had sailing experience.

With the weather looking grand for the first time in months, snow melting away and the sun coming out, it was easy to drop the tools and head out to play. The Carters were there too. Andrew had done quite a bit of sailing in an earlier life, and Liz grew up around boats in Savannah. The day started out calm, ghosting up river wing-and-wing with a new whisker pole (which was a trick to figure out), then blasting home on a broad reach. Great food, great weather. Great day. Thanks guys.

 

 

 

 

 

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