Off the usual topic but I thought I should share this:
One of our digital (and binary) friends from the WoodenBoat Forum who sails in Mobile Bay was supposed to join us all at the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic next weekend. He posted the following today:
“I will not make it afterall. It is hard to explain and maybe you guys won’t understand, but my wife and I are going to go stay at the beach for a few days, eat in local restaurants, and do the stuff that our tourists around here do. Probably somewhere in the Florida panhandle.
I am disappointed about missing the trip up north, but we both feel that it is important to support our friends and neighbors right now during this tough time. It won’t be a lot of money that gets spent, but I am pretty sure that they can use every penny of it.
Just the fact that my wife feels that she can get away for a couple of days in the middle of the season speaks volumes. And I am going to go down and spend a day tinkering on the Dragon. I miss my boat so much it hurts, so this will give me a little time with her, and I will also probably go speak with my boatbuilder buddy about my next boat.
Sorry guys. I look forward to the stories.
ML
Here was my response:
“Sorry to hear you won’t be joining us. We truly understand and weep with your neighbors. Julia and I went in to Lower Manhattan as soon as we could after 9/11 and tried to help support the local business people. We stayed at the Regency, a luxury hotel a few blocks away from Ground Zero, where I sought refuge that awful day.
Apart from the death of the eleven workers on the rig there is not the horror of 9/11; but there is certainly a loss of a way of life.
…
Maybe we can all try to throw a few dollars their way. Let’s go visit Mobile.
Next year in Mystic, ML.
Russ
Russ, and especially your friend on the Gulf coast, I applaud you. I am still hoping to get up to Mystic next weekend, and may not, but your decision to stay and contribute to the welfare of the gulf coast I find quietly heroic, and quite meaningful. The only remedy for this ill is to change our energy consumption toward a more sustainable model. What you are doing underscores this, is a wise if somewhat difficult choice. If I make it I will also post about it and hope to attend the Oughtred dinner, as he’s a star in my universe and this would likely be my only chance to see him.
Thomas,
Thanks for the salute but I’m still going to Mystic. We will miss ML and rise a glass to his decision. Thanks anyway for thoughts.
The phrase “next year in Mystic” echos a familiar toast and was a salute to my friend.
Hope to see you at the show. And a nice post on Suzanne.
Russ