windsend

May Monsoon

It's raining again today, as it has been for most of the past two weeks - raining and cold. One of the perverse aspects of being a sailmaker is that, during the spring, you actually love bad weather. Bad weather keeps sailors and their boatyards from working on their boats, and so keeps them from demanding the sails that they ordered months ago and that we still haven't finished, because we always promise too much.

Moving Day

Today, my mother moved from our family home (where she lived for more than 50 years) to the continuum of care community. All my brothers and sisters, plus assorted friends and professional movers chipped in and we pretty much got everything done, from closing the finacial transaction to hanging the paintings and the shower curtain.

My mother was pleased but tired out by the process. After a couple of hours at the new place, she wanted to go 'home'.

Hearts and flowers

I went with my family to Pennsylvania as a belated birthday present for ML. She grew up there and loves the landscape. We visited some beautiful gardens and saw an amazing antiques collection and three generations of Wyeths' paintings. We stayed in a plush B&B and dined superbly at a local Inn.

While we were away, my dad went into the hospital, from which I fear he will not return. He has renal cancer and his last kidney is about gone. We visited him as soon as we got home, but he is very weak and just trying to respond to visitors is very tiring. He has had a long life and a good life. He has given all of his children, and our children, the gifts of honor, responsibility, and, most of all, humor. It will be very hard to see him go.

Rhetorical Question

Would you compromise your values to fight more effectively for your values?

Yesterday and today

Yesterday was a full day. In the morning at work, I banged my knee climbing onto the deck outside. I didn't hit it very hard but I must have hit it very accurately. I'm still limping.

Then, ML, S, and I joined my parents and siblings for a farewell party for our family home which is on the block as my parents prepare to move into a 'continuum of care community'. It was an evening of memories, filled with a little sorrow but lots and lots of laughter, as were our years there. It will be strange when the doors of that house are no longer open to me.

Later, we went to a party hosted by S and the Hooked on Tonics for sailors to celebrate the rapid approach of the sailing season.

I took a bunch of family pictures last evening and was polishing some for distribution this moring when I was distracted by some visitors outside my window.

Workout

I did my usual Wednesday workout this moring. Twenty minutes on the Arc Trainer and the 45 minutes of resistance reps on the machines at the Y. I did 12/12 135 lb chest press, 12/12 150 lb row, 12/12 90 lb overhead press, 12/12 70 bicep curl, 12/12 95 lb arm extentiion, 12/12/12/12 145 lb rotation, 12/12 220 lb back extention, 12/12 145lb abdominal. There are 5 more machines I didn't get to but they'll be in my Friday set. This is my Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine; Tuesday and Thursday I do 40 minutes of aerobic machines or, weather permitting, a 4 mile walk. By minute 10 on the Arc Trainer, my pulse is over 150 and I am sweating profusely. The resistance stuff is exhausting. But when I'm done, showered and shaved and out the door I feel great. I have been doing this now for 15 months and I can't imagine giving it up.

Bye, Bob

Good bye, Bob Edwards. You will be missed.

I was listening to Bob one last time on Friday morning. Several of the people he talked to mentioned his departure and complemented him on the great job he did for all those years. He was interviewing Ted Koppel about reading the list of American soldiers killed in Iraq on Nightline. At the end of the interview, Ted said he didn't know how Bob had been able to get up all those years - at what time, Bob? Bob sez, "1 am". Ted sez, you can now get a good night's sleep. Bob sez, "I can watch Nightline."

That was his only concession to the last day on the job. I couldn't listen to the end of the show, but apparently he made no mention that this was his last show. His sign off? "This is Bob Edwards."

Good bye, Bob. You will be missed...