Thank you so much for all the warm wishes, and for all the toothache stories you shared with me after my missive last week. I’m feeling much better! I only needed pain meds for two days after the extraction and the doc also let me stop taking those massive antibiotics after a couple of days, too. They were wreaking havoc on my stomach.

WritersWeekly’s Managing Editor (and BookLocker’s Operations Manager), Brian , is leaving for a one-month solo sailing trip this week.

This was before we entered the rough waters of the open bay.

Yes, he still has to work while he’s gone. He’ll be using a wifi card during his travels. We were invited to accompany him on his first day on the water today. We woke up to temperatures in the low 50’s and 11-knot winds. Not bad, huh? Once we hit Tampa Bay, however, it got really rough, really fast. Brian got to test out his safety harness. It worked! If he hadn’t had it on, he’d have taken a dive while working on the sails.

It was SO cold! Even with our rough weather gear on, our teeth were chattering and our noses were running. As we got closer to the Skyway Bridge, conditions quickly deteriorated. The forecast was updated to 5-7 foot seas offshore, with 20-knot winds. Although Brian has sailed in similar weather before, he decided it was safer to turn around, and we were pretty bummed about that. We’re going to try again on Friday. It’ll be 70 degrees then and the winds will be lighter.

On the marine radio, the coast guard was asking all mariners to keep an eye out for two men who went overboard yesterday. Seems some college students chartered a large boat and, while it was anchored, five of them decided to go swimming. The water was very rough and one of them didn’t make it back to the boat. The heroic first mate jumped in to try to save him and he’s now missing, too. Neither one was wearing a life vest.

What tempted anyone to swim in this weather is beyond me. It was in the 50’s and the winds were gusting very high yesterday as well. They couldn’t swim against the fast current. Florida’s beautiful blue waters and sunny skies can be tempting but there are several drowning deaths in Florida each year. And, in most cases, the swimmers made a very bad decision. When children are involved, it’s the parents who erred, with fatal consequences.

So, we are always careful. Just because it’s sunny out doesn’t mean it’s good weather for swimming. Pretty blue water in and around Tampa Bay looks serene but even the sturdiest of swimmers can’t fight those currents when conditions are bad. We’re feeling very badly for the families of those two young men today. 🙁

THIS WEEK’S MASONISM:

I told Max and Mason to make a small list of items they thought they absolutely could NOT do without if we take a sailing cruise for several days. Their important items must fit in a small duffel bag.
Here’s Mason’s list:
computer
my Tomy trains
my Thomas trains
food and water

Follow Angela: twitter | facebook | linkedin

HOW TO REMEMBER, WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR LIFE STORY

Angela Hoy's popular online class is now available in book format!

Remember Your Past
Write It and Publish It
in as little as 12 weeks!

Angela Hoy's book will get you started!

• Using Angela's MEMORY TRIGGERS, recall memories that have been dormant for years
• Record those memories in chronological order in your memory notebook
• Using the memory notebook as your outline, write your autobiography!
• Also works for biographies and memoirs!

Read more here:
https://booklocker.com/books/4764.html