Family Letter - September, 2002
A busy life Lynn and I lead. With all the kids and grandkids to visit, we certainly do keep busy. But for a change of pace we just completed a visit to Lynn's brother, Dante and his wife Wendy, in Delaware. And, in the same trip, we were able to attend West Marine's "Trawler Fest" in Solomans, Md. just a couple hours away from Dante's home. We had a wonderful time. And what a wonderfully interesting 100 year old restored home they have, with a beautifully cared for yard with water falls and fish pond and large shade trees. Dante and Wendy are looking forward to the acquisition of a sail boat in the near future so we had many stories and common interests of the boating life to share. Their 12 year old son, Roland, was wonderfully entertaining, and we're looking forward to their coming back to the West Coast and an adventure on our trawler Cottonwood.
Trawler Fest was lodes of fun, meeting other ocean going boat owners, relating stories, and attending seminars on many topics from first aid, to celestial navigation, river navigation, maintenance, boat handling, and many others. The dinners for several hundred people under a "Big Top" was well done and entertaining. Unfortunately, we had to leave a day early as my mother had taken ill. We flew back to California and drove to Arizona to be with her. She did not pull through the double pneumonia, but thankfully she passed away quietly with little distress. She had been living with many health problems the last few years and she is now in a much better place to enjoy eternity. She had an adventurous life and was well like by all and certainly admired by her children. Thank you to all who have sent condolences and prayers. We truly do appreciate your kind thoughts.
Lynn and I are back home now in California and continuing with our planning for our retirement next June. We have been having consistent problems getting our Cottonwood into the slip at Peter's Landing where it's current home is located. The width of our boat is 14 feet 6 inches and the slip is 16 feet wide which only leaves us 9 inches on a side for clearance. When there is current and wind, and there almost always is unless we time our return with high or low tide, getting into the slip is a challenge. Luckily we have met a family in Long Beach who have a larger slip for the same cost as we are spending now. They are leaving for a year long cruise to Mexico and we will sublease the slip while they are away. In fact, it is a 60 foot slip with a 20 foot wide access. Wow, I should be able to park Cottonwood in there with my eyes closed! One eye, anyway.
Love to all of you, Lynn and Les
