The Anecdotal Life Part. 66

Just completed lesson five from a Captain listed in Capca, an organization one can call if you need experienced, licensed Captains. Thus far they have been fine. Always though, a different captain, means a different perspective. Jeff is relaxed and gives one a long tether by generally calling up orders from the cockpit, while Jeremy stood over me with explicit directions. It worked well either way depending upon how courageous I was feeling. Last time Jeff was the instructor since Jeremy quit due to the long distance he had to drive and the interruption lessons caused to his very lucrative career moving boats up and down the intracoastal waters. So I had only myself to blame when the boat slewed around in the slip as we ditched the lines to leave. I got a good glimpse of what it means to let the stern lines go first. Wind wasn't a big issue, nor current, but I prefer bow first after what I saw happening. I realized that I wasn't reacting fast enough either, and am still slightly hesitant as to what to do next, but learned that I had better do something fast or I would cream a beautiful boat next to me. Jeff was an ace at fending off trouble though and was hopping about with cheerful rapidity. He claimed I did a fine job. I, however, wished sincerely that it had been smoother. Backing in was a little bit more independent on my part, but, again, I truly believed I had some practicing to do to make it a real solo job. I was also too dependent (but not totally) on his calling out the next needed move.
The marina I may move to will have long fingerlings between each boat and the next. This will have two enormous advantages. One can say, as one truly experienced boater said lately, " to hell with backing in " and he ,now, always enters the slip bow first and has wondered every day since why he didn't choose that strategy sooner. Long fingerlings will mean if I go in bow first, it will make absolutely no difference as to getting on or off the boat since the stern is readily available. The second advantage is that long fingerlings with good fenders mean you aren't as anxious about damaging a neighbor's beloved boat. I still also need to get the chart plotter down...and I ask and ask. I learn a little more each time, but so far everyone is as slightly stumped as we have been. Stephen, my forward crewman, knows more now that Jeremy worked with him, but no one has ever said, " Do this first, and that second etc." I may have to hire a captain who will teach just that. I remain frustrated by what I don't know and still leery of the tricky depths of the Chesapeake, and the complete nuts one encounters on this watery version of the Beltway. The Annapolis Sail and Power Squadron is booking up again this fall and they are creating a list of volunteer captains. Help is on the way.
Copyright: August 26, 2007

The Anecdotal Life Part. 65

The continuing saga of the newly named "Darcy Memorial Library of the Village of Beulah" has been so gratifying in it's evolution, but also in getting to see the final "grand" results. You remember in a few blogs back I wrote about the herculean efforts of some very savvy librarians who raised $500,000 to create a real building to house their "librarianesque" endeavors. They all and tons of books and many active computers occupied, at best, a twenty by twenty cement block, garage-like box before the new building was erected. In this tiny tourist mecca, there were many who didn't really care what happened library-wise. There were those that did, thank goodness. The local tribes of Indians, who had a special room dedicated to their history, the Rotary club, and a dog named Darcy, who was honored by a display of her life on a glass covered table. The librarians themselves thought of so many inventive gimmicks to "raise the dough". One of these was to sell tickets to a local opera star's rendition of Cole Porter music at one of the larger homes around the lake. Fifty bucks a pop, if you please.
I was dumbfounded at how quickly they had raised $400,000. But the real fun started when they were confronted with an offer of $100,000 if the library would be named after the donor's dog.
When my sister told me about this and told me that many were "up at arms" about naming the library after a dog, I kinda felt the same way. I hadn't heard the name so asked ,"Well is it Poopsie or Lulu or something really ridiculous?" No, she said, "it's Darcy." Hmmmm. I said, well that isn't so bad, I guess, considering the amount of money, since they've tapped everything else." The battle continued. The donor and Darcy won out. Necessity demanded it, so it seemed.....;
But "come to find out" naming it The Darcy library wasn't just a a capitulation for the money. When I got to town a year later I raced to the new library and looked up to see it's odd title above the front door. I loved walking into the smell of new books, grinned with greedy delight at the new computers, marched straight over to the display table where I found out the fine truth about Darcy the dog. She was bred to be a therapy dog. Her training began when she was a pup. She went lovingly three times a week to the disabled, the infirm and the dying. I thought she was a hero of canine sorts, but one friend protested,"NO! She didn't save anybody!" Too much sentimentality for that listener. However, what do we know as to her affect on the beleaguered souls she encountered? Think about Cal Ripken's designation as a hero. He didn't save anybody either. He just showed up and did his best. I was really having trouble not letting this dog have her due. Finally, one dear friend nailed it. "She was obviously a dog of purpose." So I called my sister again. She said, " you don't know the half of it!". ( I would have if she'd just told me the first time, I thought to myself.) She went on,"Darcy was a library dog. She came to the library and would listen as the children read aloud to her. She sat in front of the children who signed up to read stories to her and listened intently for as long as it took. I was completely sold by then. What a terrific and innovative way to encourage children to read. I couldn't wait to tell my favorite librarian here in Annapolis. Now that's some dog.!!..and hats off to the Darcy Memorial Library of the Village of Beulah, Michigan.
Copyright: August 5, 2007