It’s July and catalogues will soon flood our mailboxes in anticipation of the Christmas season. Confession: I like to look at them. My favorites are the T-shirts with messages. I have one for writers that says, “Even if it’s crap, put it on the page.” Good advice for those of us who write with only … Read more

We lead busy lives. We show up for our kids at their recitals and sports events. We volunteer and we work. Sometimes one activity gets in the way of another, but we’re smart. We figure out how to squeeze in as much as we can without collapsing. When emotions are involved it gets harder. We … Read more

By now we’d planned to be on Sea Bear, our 32-foot boat, getting ready for our summer cruise in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. The boat has a fresh coat of paint and new rub-rails. The new slip at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, Washington, is ready. Fate had another idea. I’m writing … Read more

Boats have inspired a lot of lofty quotes. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” and “Don’t give up the ship” are two that come to mind. But the not-so-lofty quote foremost in my thinking right now is “Boats are holes in the water you pour money into.” We had hoped to take up residence on … Read more

Heading north to Washington we’ve ran into a glitch. Our boat—our home for the next four months—was not ready for the water. Now a bright fire-engine red, the hull still needed its white stripe painted, new rub rails installed on each side of the hull, and it’s rudder checked for electrolysis. What to do? We … Read more