A Hard Work Success Story; Life’s All About Timing; Due Regard; Book Tour Glamour

While eating at the base restaurant, we met Roberto. He moved to the US from a small town outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico, after the birth of his son. He is in his early 40’s, and works as a cook in the Naval Station restaurant. He is not a college graduate, but wanted his son to have more opportunities than he had in Puerto Rico. Now almost 20 years later, his son is a freshman in college studying computer science, and has a scholarship that covers most of his expenses. Roberto is proud of his son. We are proud of Roberto and his wife. They are examples of how you can achieve success in America through hard work and desire. Bien hecho, Roberto! 

As you may have picked up in previous posts from the state of Colorado, I am a fisherman. But Colorado’s fish were all in Montana for vacation while we were there. I thought my luck might change when we got to the shores of Lake Michigan. Stopping at the base marina to inquire which species I might be able to entice onto a hook, I was informed by David, the resident piscatorial guru, that I was in luck. The salmon should start running in about 10 days. “But I’m only here for 5 more days”, I whined. “Timing is everything”, David laughingly pronounced. I will not be sending David a Christmas card this year. 

While at the marina, I was admiring the seawall and other facilities. Small boat training is important to the Navy, and the severe winter weather here on Lake Michigan requires a strong seawall to protect the boats moored in the basin. Today is a beautiful, calm day, but January and February can be brutal here.

The season is short on Lake Michigan; it’s only two days after Labor Day, and the small recreational sailboats are being hauled for the winter. 

Sadly, this 1970’s era sailboat is in disrepair and in need of some serious TLC. Having been owned by seven sailboats over the past 40 years, I am chagrined at her state of neglect. Her name is Due Regard... I think she is due some regard!  

We are now 8,000 miles into our 10,000 mile book and documentary tour, and there have been many glamorous moments. Here’s one less glamorous moment that Suzanne caught today. Our Book Distribution Clerk (Second Class) is packing up three boxes of books for last night’s Messages of Hope documentary viewing. Suzanne is going to talk to him about his casual attire; after all, this was a Wednesday, not a “dress-down Friday”.   

Unity of the North Shore in Evanston was the venue for last night’s Messages of Hope viewing, and we had a good turnout on a sultry late summer evening. Suzanne was, as always, in great form. (See, there really IS some glamour here!)

Fortunately, our Book Sales Clerk (Third Class) was able to find a clean shirt for the event.