Sail Away, Come Sail Away with Me!

Wow! Another item checked off the bucket list! I have a healthy respect (FEAR!) of water. I almost drowned twice when I was young, that will help develop issues with being in water over your head.

I was in Michigan, at Gull Lake, and had the opportunity to go out on a boat. No big deal. Life vest and cruising around the lake, drinking wine or beer and just enjoying the sun, wind, and friends.

Well, let me tell you! It's wasn't a pontoon boat... It was a freakin sail boat. Not the big ones that are stable and safe either!!!! It was a catamaran, you know two pontoon with canvas in-between. I promised myself a long time ago that I would never, I mean NEVER, get on one of those. Well there is nothing like breaking a promise to yourself.....

Before I continue, let me tell you that I did go snorkeling in Guam six years ago. That was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. Getting over the fear long enough to enjoy the beauty of it all. This left me with the feeling that I had done enough for the water thingie fear.

Back to the original story..... I agree to go sailing with Jim (a friend of the family that I just met.) He assures me that it's safe (catch the problem coming up?) and that I will have a wonderful time. And I did have a wonderful time, while we were upright!! We flipped that dang boat three times. It's not easy to get those blanking boats upright. But we did, three times. The second time the mast was pointing straight down (obviously looking for my Ray Bans that took a swim of their own on the first flip!) We had to have another boat pull our boat to the 90 degree tilt...... I was thinking "if they can pull us that far, why don't they finish the job?" BUT NOOO........... 90 degrees and we tug on the rope ourselves, again, to upright the boat the rest of the way. Oh, forgot to mention, on the first flip, or flop, I was holding the stainless steel cable that supports the mast. Some skin from each finger on my left hand is still on the cable. That makes holding the rope a finger dance on the next two times.

After all of that excitement we came back to the dock, put the boat on it's lift and I proceeded to cheer because:

1. Another item checked off the bucket list.
2. Motrin was close by.
3. Maker's Mark was close by for washing down the Motrin.
4. There were sane people to tell the hair raising story to.
and
5. I was on dry ground, ALIVE!!!!

Would I do it again, probably not...... Am I glad I did it, HECK YEAH!! It was a blast and the fear of water is slowly losing it's grip on me. I'm actually looking at property on a lake.

Noah's 36 hour pass

Well.... to continue the "blog speak": it's been a while since I've written anything.... That's a funny comment so many blogger say when they are away for a while. Like we wouldn't have figured that out on our own :~))

Anyway....

Noah got his 36 hr pass and boy was everyone ready to see him! And he to see us! We just spent time together and listened to his stories of what the Drill Instructors did to them. I was able to record some of the stories and they are funnier the more I listen to them. We "skype'ed" Riley so that Noah and he could talk. I was a wonderful but sad time. Riley sounded like it didn't want us to hang up after an hour and half. I felt that he was lonely and wanted to hang on for a while, so we did.

Noah has always been the entertaining type and he certainly did that for the guys in his company. He made the hat, whip, and knife, from Indiana Jones movie, out of 100 mph tape and did the scene of Indie jumping across the gorge/trap and reaching back to get his hat!

On Sunday we visited the National Infantry Museum and fired M-16/M-4's. That was a blast, so to speak :~)

Noah had to be back by 1930hrs so we had dinner and drove back to base. That was a hard goodbye. I already lost it in the museum, sad to know that he has grown up, he is being away from family, proud of him, all those emotions built up and it came out! Saying bye for another four weeks was especially hard. I am so proud of both sons!