Wind Songs: Juneau Yacht Club

Early this afternoon, after a busy morning of meetings in town I stopped for a few minutes at a downtown harbor, adjacent to the yacht club.

It was very rainy, not too cold, and windy but not as incredibly gusty as it was yesterday.

I walked and "power-photographed" - snapping pictures quickly and without finesse, before my non-water-proof camera picked up that familiar center-screen-fog it gets when I push my luck trying to take pictures in the rain.....

I spent a few minutes in the rain enjoying watching the birds.

They coasted on the wind, trying to make forward progress but not always succeeding..........

Today was a busy day for phone calls.

Son #1 called me just to see how I was doing.

He doesn't do that often. The man-child continues to work hard, pay off student loans, build his career, tell me he is still planning to visit next summer, and tell me he misses me.

He doesn't call that often - night and day different from my youngest son in so many ways.

Layed back, but also always focused, always driven, always working to succeed.

Son #2 will be out of the Air Force as of 10am on Friday. He told me that by 11am he will be on the way to Canada.

Him, his truck, his 4-wheeler and his clothes.

He is excited, and I am excited for him.

And nervous with anticipation as he moves on with another chapter of his life.

He is a free spirit, never even bought a bed for his apartment after he arrived back stateside from Iraq, electing instead to sleep on his couch.

The type of man-child that calls, always at the very last minute, to announce a visit and that he's flying in to Tennessee or Alaska to come see me.

The kind who is never sure what he will be doing next, where he will be sleeping next, what he will be eating next.

And that's OK with him.

I have often thought that if I could split my own personality right down the middle, that those two halves could easily be manifested into the diverse personalities of my diverse sons.

And finally a call from a lady I worked with down in Tennessee.

A wonderful, capable lady who continues to face headlong intense personal and professional challenges.

She stays in touch with me, and I appreciate that.

I think about her often, hope that things eventually become easier for her, and hope that we will continue to keep tabs on each others lives.

A picture of the protected boat harbor.............

A boat ramp leading down to two small boat houses........

One of two cute and fun graphic signs on the wall of the yacht club building.........

The Juneau Yacht Club.

The only other time I have been here was late spring when I attended an all-day Community Emergency Response training.

Many in attendance were professionally obligated to be there, and others were there as private citizens.

I was there as an interested private citizen, and my all-day training actually turned into a there-until-after-lunch training.

The weather was too gorgeous - too sunny - too warm - too I-need-to-be-outside.

Right after lunch I blew off the rest of the afternoon training and played first out at Sandy Beach over on Douglas and then out at Skaters Cabin on the Back Loop...........