2:00 pm Swiftsure moving at 7.5 knots with 155 miles to go.
Reports of a few not-so-fun events happening:
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9:35 am Breezy and slightly cool a 67 degrees on Muskegon Lake. At 8:15 a.m., Swiftsure registered 6.5 knots with 185 nautical miles to finish. Keep on tracking guys!
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6:00 am Muskegon Lake: calm, cool night–no rain. There are slight ripples in the water. I imagine our Chicago-Mac racers wore several layers to keep warm out there last night and this morning.
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Shores of Lake Michigan at Muskegon Pierhead
9:00 pm Sky’s deepening orange and pinks – day is drawing to a close. I feel the need to travel to the shores of Lake Michigan where I feel closer to where our Chicago-Mac sailor guys are sailing.
I feel the urge to utter a prayer: “Lord, give our boys safe passage, fair winds, alert minds, wise judgment—and it would be great if Swiftsure did well in their division too!”
Good night, my Dragon Slayer – I love you and I’ll see you soon!
12:00 noon Steve called – they had rain all night long too – some of the banks near the marina washed out – standing rain in places.
The forecast for their 3 pm start time is predicted for “clear” – and they should be able to hoist the jib at the start line and fly the spinnaker north towards their Mackinaw Island goal.
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5:00 am Add thunder to the mix. The rain continues to fall.
8:00 am Persistent rain continues throughout the early morning hours. I close the hatch above my head and close all the windows too due to moisture finding its way inside. I wonder if the same is happening south of here in Chicago and the boat docks there?
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4 am: I am awakened by the pitter-patter of rain drops. Not able to stand the suspense any longer, I rise and unzip the companionway of our boat and step out into the cockpit. Sure enough! The rain is coming down – I was sleeping and had a couple of fans on down below which prevented me from hearing the soft rain. As I look in the western sky, lightening dances. I pray the sailors (both those who have already begun the race & our guys waiting their start) remain spared from storms and heavy winds.
Staying on board our boat in Muskegon, I feel much closer to the whole race vs. at home in my sheltered surroundings. The wind blows – the mast shakes and rumbles occasionally. I really do not want to close the windows on either side of our sailboat nor the hatch above my head. I want to continue to monitor what is going on simulating what it would be like to be in the midst of the race right now. The rain increases in intensity as I climb back into my safe, dry bed.
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The perfect ending to a perfect day. Chatted with friends, shared their vacation stories, and caught up with other’s lives. I feel blessed to be up and moving around–feeling healthier every day.
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning–sailor’s take warning!
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My sister and I tossed three roses into the fountain on the grounds where Mom’s ashes reside. One for each of her children. We watched them float as the rain came down in torrents – roses were her favorite as witnessed by her large rose garden in their yard.
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We love you, Mom!
July 23 is fast approaching – the 20-year anniversary of our Mom’s (Jimmie Joan) home going, or promotion to Heaven. She was in the hospital only five short weeks and never returned home. She died of Acute Leukemia (AML).
It barely seems possible that it’s been 20 years already – on one hand it feels like she’s been gone forever, and on the other, like it was just yesterday.
Today my sister (Karen) and I plan to get together and celebrate her life here on earth. We might visit the neighborhood grocery/deli my Mom and Dad shopped in (sometimes daily), buy a lemon bar (one of our favorite recipes of Mom’s), tour our old neighborhood, and pool where we took swimming lessons, etc.., Whatever we do, or wherever we end up, the two of us will be together reminiscing the “good ole days.” Our brother, Lonnie, who lives in California will be with us in spirit too. We wish he were here too in bodily form so the three of us could share together.
We rarely visit the location where her ashes are stored—mostly because as believers in God, we KNOW she is really not there but is rejoicing in Heaven where there is no more pain or tears. Some do regularly visit a gravesite, and that’s fine.
Mom, we miss you terribly. Even 20 years later, it hurts to write this and tears come to my eyes as I pen this tribute. Your loved ones still feel robbed/cheated because you were taken from us at such a young age of 58. But dwelling on that fact does us no earthly good. We rest on the fact that God is too wise to make mistakes and too good to be unkind. God is God and we are not.
Lovingly thinking of you,
Children:
Teresa (Steve), Karen (Darryl), Lonnie
Grandchildren:
Andrew (Bethany) and Amanda
Lindsay (Andy), Ashley, Bethany, Jeremy
Great-Grandchildren:
Liberty and Elijah
Caiden
