a challenge and a sanctuary

I've read and reread very fine piece of writing in Angler's Journal about striper fishing by a man who spends much of his time in war zones.  It is about much more than fishing, it is about raising a family and making choices.  It is a pleasant story, peaceful and rich in texture.  The fine photographs are by his wife. 

The writer observes that the sea is both a challenge and a sanctuary.  That same description fits the writer's life: half the time in combat zones and the rest living in a home in New England, surrounded by children and wife, fishing for stripers, raising chickens and growing vegetables in the garden.

I read the Angler's Journal story yesterday morning.  In the evening I was reading the New York Times and found myself drawn into a long in-depth story about the costs of war.  Once I began reading I could not put it down.  Finishing the story I saw the by-line, it was the same as the Angler's Journal by-line.

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I received a text from my outboard guy.  He's an ex-submariner (which means he is precise about everything he does), loves boats and lives just a couple of blocks away.  He had noted during last year's annual maintenance on my Honda 2.3 outboard that there was some corrosion on a screw at the bottom of the carburetor bowl, #6 in the image above.  I took a look and saw the rust, and noted some rust on #8.  I ordered both from Honda and will drop them and them outboard off to Jim in a week or two.  The outboard should be ready to go soon after, looking for those warm days that sometimes show up in February.