Boating Season Begins And For Some It Ends The Same Day

At last it is here. After working on the boat these last two months I finally finish it. Every  two years I go through the whole boat with a new paint job,polish the brass and chrome and go through all the wiring. Of course there are things to do and buy every year because a boat is a hole in the water you throw money into but I like to make sure the boat looks good and I know what I have for upcoming problems.

Launch day will be next Sat. where I put in at Cashman's Park in Newburyport. They have a great boat ramp and it is well maintained. Sometimes they charge a 5.00 fee if the harbormaster is there but I go early to avoid the rush.

Launch Day can also be very entertaining if you're the person watching from the sidelines. For the amateur boater it can the worst day of his life and embarrassing for the seasoned boater when they get a brain fart.

Over the 25 years of boating and launching I've seen it all.....I think. Here are some of the funny and not so funny things I've seen

There are the people that can't back a trailer up tying up both sides of the ramp, some jackknife the trailer and twist the ball end of the trailer and thats it for them for the day. Then there's the guy that backs down and has no rope tied to the bow and the boat floats away. Then there's the guy with a boat on a roll off trailer and doesn't have it tied off and backs down and the boat rolls off and snaps the lower end of his motor off and the boat lands on the ramp. Then there's the guy that backs down but forgets to put the drain plug in and his boat sinks.

Between all of these things and the yelling and screaming and finger pointing it can be entertaining  if you're not the guy waiting to launch your boat. So if you happen to be driving by a busy boat ramp stop by and watch the show.

SEA YA
The Capt.



 

Clock Ticking For The Homeless In The City Of Lowell

Let me begin by saying I am not a professional in dealing with this issue. My friends and I go down the to the camps and bring them pizza and new socks and clothing 3 times a year and have become friendly with them over the years. It is a humbling experience seeing human beings living in these conditions in the richest country the the world and they are polite and grateful for the merger things that you and I take for granted..

Yesterday I caught wind that the homeless residents were served notice that they had 7 days to vacate their campsites with services that were available to them pinned to their dwellings. This all came about with  motion brought forward by Councilor Marty Lorrey asking the  City in cooperation with state and federal agencies  to find housing and help with medical needs they may have.

I applaud the Councilor for bring this motion forward, but a 7 day vacate notice in my opinion is not enough.
This past Monday all the agencies that deal with Homelessness met at City Hall  and agreed on this plan and fanned out across the city to solve this problem in one week....are you kidding me?

I went before the City Council and spoke on behalf  of the Homeless that they need outreach on a one on one basis and that they all had different needs and you can't just  displace them . I understand that they live on UMASS Lowell property and DOT property and city land but this is their home.

Some have substance abuse issues and  mental issues and some just like living outdoors and I also understand that we can't have people just living outside with no sanitation and open fires.  This issue should have been on these agencies radar all along. I know they do good work along with the Christian agencies but this in my opinion is too fast a move for these fragile people.

Senate Passes Warren’s Amendment For Fishing Industry Relief « CBS Boston

Senate Passes Warren’s Amendment For Fishing Industry Relief « CBS Boston

Why are Nuns Vanishing in America.

Cruising my Facebook account my friend Marie Sweeney had a link to a Boston Globe article about What American Nuns Built. Being a product of a Catholic elementary school education I found it a great read but a troubling one also.

The number of American Nuns have dropped from 180,000 in the 70's to 56,000 in the present. The average age is 60 years old. Why is the number so low while the number of young women entering the Orders have increased in South America and Africa.

I suppose in those countries there may be a deeper faith in the church and also a way for these young women to get an education and a stable life. I realize this life is not for everyone especially young women from America with all that we have and the distractions of everyday life.

Did the Catholic church do a bad job in recent years in recruiting young women to this vocation?
My Aunt Theresa is a Grey Nun from the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa and has served her community for over 65 yrs. She taught at St, Josephs High School and later became Principal until the school closed.

I hope she won't get mad by me telling you she is 85 yrs old and still loves her life and her community. I'll leave you with a comment from the Globe Article which I agree with whole  heartily.

The education provided by the Catholic Schools when the students were taught by nuns was far superior than anything that is being provided to the children of this generation. The biggest thing with the loss of Nuns is now a Catholic education is no longer within reach financially for most families. The nuns being teachers allowed for much more affordable tuition as they were not collecting salaries for the most part. Going to a Catholic School now and being taught by a lay teacher is essentially the same as going to a public school and having a religious class thrown in. The nuns were the finest teachers this nation has ever known. They knew all subjects and we were educated at a superbly high level. Oh and they gave us discipline. The loss of nuns as educators has left a true vacancy in our nation. Oh for the old days and old ways.         

The Fading Lowell Sun baits City Council to Fight.

Wow I just read today's Editorial in the Fading Lowell Sun, talk about chumming the water. " STEP DOWN OR GROW UP". The Fading Lowell Sun wants unity on the Council but continues to writes  about the tensions between the Mayor and his colleagues. To quote the Fading Lowell Sun Editorial  ; ON TUESDAY NIGHT, COUNCILORS SHOWED UNCOMMON RESTRAINT BY REFRAINING FROM GIVING THE MAYOR A DOSE OF HIS OWN VITRIOLIC MEDICINE'.

Good for my City Councilmen for not acting childish,and do the business of the city. I personalty hate the petty bickering and antics of some Councilors. In my option a certain Councilor does the bidding of the Fading Lowell Sun. This is not what is in the best interest of the city.

Yes the Mayor will not seek a 3rd term but why should the Fading Lowell Sun throw out some stinking bait that no one will bite on. Because he didn't buy over priced ads in there paper thin paper?

I may be only a Neighborhood Activist, Bike Riding, Sea Dog, but I can see a bully when I see one and it,s not the Mayor...


Sea Ya

The Capt.

Cory Belanger is the first one out of the box for Lowell City Council Race

The City Council Race in Lowell has officially started today with the announcement by Cory Belanger a local bar owner. Cory ran for Governors Council in 2010 and City Council in 2011. Cory was not successful in ether race. This announcement in my option is very early, but as Cory said he started  late in 2011 City Council Race and wants to hit the ground running early.

I appreciate Cory's enthusiasm in getting his message out early, but having run for office twice he will have no legs left for the finish in my option.  Unless Cory has a team that will work everyday on ground work and get out the vote he will burnout.

I like Cory and wish him well but he will have a tough road ahead of him. He has served the city well as a board member and has helped numerous  non profits and is well connected in the city but what surprised me the most was his endorsement of Councilor Ellott for Mayor if elected.

If Cory thinks that he can hang his hat on Rodney s name plate to get elected I believe he has made a mistake. I wish him well.....Let the games begin.


Sea Ya
The Capt.       

Life Gave The Capt. a Right Hook.

I have always lived my life to the fullest and enjoy being surrounded by my family and friends. Those who know me know my mantra  is " We are not here for a long time but here for a good time" . Three weeks ago life gave me a right hook and took my hero, best friend , my Dad. It was fast and he said he always wanted to go that way.  He died snow blowing his driveway even though I told him I'd be over to do it. I learned you can't tell an old Frenchman what to do because he'll do it anyway. In a way I'm blessed he died the way he wanted and not linger sick in a nursing home, because he was not the type of guy to be a bother to anyone.

He was a good man and a devoted husband to my Mom for over 60 years and did a great job raising 5 children. I have no regrets because I know he loved me and he knew I loved him. People have told me the hole in your heart will always be there and I believe that is true, after all he was my Father.

Grief is a powerful thing. I have had friends and relatives pass away and it makes you pause, but losing a parent takes the breath out of you. I know I'll be ok after a while and life goes on but it is surreal that he is gone. I know I'm not the only one to lose a loved one . Loved ones die every day and the pain is as great  .

I do know that I am the man that I am because of the man that raised me and mentored me. I will miss him deeply but wow.......That was a right hook.