a star is born

Two years ago my neighbor, a fine woodworker, told me he wanted to make something for Spartina.  We bounced ideas off each other for a couple of months, finally settling on a navy star, one that would remind me of my Dad, a naval aviator, and my Mom, a navy wife.  Over a year ago I gave him a left over piece of quarter sawn douglas fir to match the end boards.  And, finally, last week, he made the star.

I don't know what took him so long.  Oh sure, he's got his own career in the navy, plus two beautiful children to which he added a third early this year, and the two overseas deployments.  And then there's the chickens he raises in the backyard along with the stacks of bee hives.  And the boat he takes his kids fishing on, and the old truck he's fixing up.  He apologized for taking so long.  There was no need to apologize.  It is a gift I will treasure.

Few will see it tucked up under Spartina's bow sprit, which I had told him before he did the work.  I know it is there and I know what it means, both in family and friendship.  For me, that is enough.

There is just a layer of epoxy on there now, which needs to be sanded smooth.  Then the seven layers of sanded varnish should give it a fine glow.

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I had a nice sail this past Monday in Elizabeth City.  A relaxed morning on the water with a friend who was visiting here family down there, then solo sailing in the afternoon with a building breeze.  We shared tacks with a Lighting class racer, catching afternoon gusts kicking in from the south.  At the ramp my sunburned skin reminded me I need to buy a new bottle of sunblock.  

High winds and a chance of thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow, my only day off this week.  No sailing, but I should be able to get a start on sanding and varnishing the star.