Grandpa B.'s Saturday Adventure

For most of the day tomorrow, Matt and I will be either driving or exploring, so I won't be able to share too much.  Start getting excited about Letterman and the Mets and Best Friend and Trina and Missy and the other fun that is fast approaching.

In the mean time, though, enjoy this fun email from Grandpa B.  He's telling us all about his typical Saturday, and, if nothing else, it makes me want to be retired, sailing radio-controlled sailboats. (and to still be in love in the cute way that Grandma and Grandpa are).

Grandpa B. and Grandma Carol are the best, but everyone knows that.

Mandy, Matt, and Mitch: We enjoy your blog and have noted that you write about things that happen in your daily life.

On Saturdays, I go and sail radio controlled sailboats. The radio control is a transmitter in your lap that controls two things. Sail out and in and right turn, left turn. The boat is 65 centimeters long and 110 centimeters to the top of the mast, weighing 2.5 lbs plus or minus. My boat is yellow with purple sails and a #46 on the sail. Her name is Miss Lynn.

It was Saturday a week ago, July 17, I remember it well. A bright sunshiny day with very light to no wind. Our club usually has about five boats called RG 65's. We compete on a race course set up with colored buoys that look like basketballs. We are all here this day with a starting boom box that announces when we can begin our race. "BOATS TO THE WATER", in an English accent, tells us it is time to start our Sat. ritual. "We", { the boat and I are one,} are manuerving (sp) behind the start line to be in a good position at the time we hear the bong, " " Two minutes to mark" and the countdown begins..........One minute 30 seconds to mark, "Where's the wind, where's the wind "...............there's a PUFF...............One minute to mark, but we are facing the wrong way...........where's the wind", where's the wind, .........we have a PUFF! We are pointed in the right direction..........50, seconds to mark, 40 seconds, 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds, 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 and BONG.........we are in a good position. All sailors are in good position as we approach the first buoy, but everyone has stopped.! Once again, where's the wind, where's the wind! We stay Wide of the first buoy to keep clear of the other boats and we make a left turn, port side rounding. Looking for a puff, the puff comes from behind "asturn". We are in a good position. Advancing toward the next buoy we are waiting for another puff. "There's a puff, there's a puff..........we are sailing well. Approaching the next buoy we are leading the race. Another left turn, port side rounding...........sail to the next buoy and a port side rounding.............back towards the finish line..........but there is no wind. Watching the surface of the water, we see a ripple.........there's the wind. We are trying to keep the sails filled, but here comes the second place boat. He has found the wind also.........we tack back toward the finish line...........he's found the wind.........we've found the wind..........He pulls ahead and crosses the finish line and we are in second.!!

This completes one of eleven heats for the day. Out of five boats, we finish fourth, at the end of the racing, day, beating the boat that broke.!!!

Another Sat is now in the racing archives of the "Duke City Model Yacht Club"! Be The Good Lord willing, and the creek don't rise, we'll be back next Sat to do it all over again!

Just wanted to share one of my exciting Saturdays at the pond. Love, Grandpa

P.S. I, THE GRANDMOTHER WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE! Grandpa dictated this for me to type.........ignore the spelling and puncuation errors............but they would be worse if Grandpa did it!

Love, Grandma Carol

So. . .only 26 more years until I can retire. . .