First Sail of the Season

the curve of sail
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

This evening was just too tempting: sun, wind and an anxious crew. Bjorn, Calvin and I went for a wonderful sail down Colvos Passage. The wind was out of the south at about 10-15 knots, perfect with a three man crew. We sailed upwind as far as Pt. Peter on Vashon Island and then turned around. It was a great spring evening on the sound. At school today, the fifth graders worked on their self-designed science experiments. The kids did a nice job of handling things.

Done with the WASL!

Yeah! glad to be done testing
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

Our fifth graders declared their completion of the WASL testing out on the school lawn. It has been eight days straight of testing for them: three days of science, two of reading and three of math. They are glad to be done. Bjorn and Pat took the canoe over to Blake Island tonight and are spending the night camping. I watched them paddle over this evening against a stiff north breeze. It was an not an easy trip, zigzagging through the wind; but they made it OK and I can see their campfire across the water.

Launching Blue Wing

launching Blue Wing for the summer season
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

Sometimes the best way to get something done is to make a promise. I usually get my boat in the water sometime during May; but Bjorn came home last weekend and wanted to know if he could go sailing this week before he started his summer work in Lynden. So I promised that if he helped me, I would get the boat in the water this week. As you can tell from my recent blog postings, I have been focused on preparing the boat. Well, this evening we launched Blue Wing and brought her to her mooring. Unfortunately, there was no wind, so we had to motor over. But at least she's ready to go. Bjorn might take her out tomorrow. So the next time you need to get something done, just promise someone it will get done, and you'll get it done.

What's in a name?

Boat names
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

They say that it is bad luck to name your boat after a sunken vessel, but I think the curse only lasts a hundred years. So I have decided to name my two boats after two schooners that were plundered and sunk by Indians off Southworth Point in 1859. According to Stephen E. Hilson in Exploring Puget Sound and British Columbia, these ships were sunk about a hundred yards from where I moor my boats each summer. I have chosen the 'Blue Wing' name for my smaller Venture 17, and the 'Ellen Maria' for my larger vessel, a Venture Newport 23. I really like the name 'Ellen Maria' because my sister's name is Ellen Marie, and Maria is a good boat sounding name. Thanks, Bjorn for the idea of this nomenclature. Anyway, I finished painting the bottom paint this evening and Bjorn wants to launch it tomorrow evening. Tide and weather should be cooperative.

Parrott's Premarital Platitudes

Premarital counseling book
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

I am doing some premarital counseling for a couple I am marrying later this summer. We are using this book by Les and Leslie Parrott, professors at SPU. It has accompanying workbooks for the man and woman. It's one of the best resources I've seen for premarital counseling. After meeting with the couple this afternoon, I scrubbed the boat inside and out, and then washed the cars. Bjorn's friends came over this evening with their laptops which made two powerbooks, two iBooks and an eMac putting our Airport to the test. It was really this G3 iBook that I bought almost four years that got it all started. We later gave Bjorn a Powerbook for his graduation. Since then Pat got a G4 iBook, John got a G3 iBook and later a G4 iBook, Stacy bought John's old G3 and recently Jeff got a Powerbook. All were former PC users. At least college students know a good thing when they see it!

'Blue Wing' gets a belly rub

Sanding my sailboat
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

If you ever wonder why some boats don't get all yucky when they sit in the water, it's because grunts like me spend their spring Saturday's sanding and painting anitfouling paint on the bottom of their boats. Today, Bjorn and I sanded the red bottom paint off the bottom of my Venture 17. We are going to paint it blue to go along with her new name - 'Blue Wing' (I'll explain in a later blog) Your arms really get tired after a while, so it was good to trade off with Bjorn. Later in the afternoon, Bjorn, Markus, Calvin and I went discgolfing at NAD Park in Bremerton. They had done a lot of clearing of the underbrush, so it had a much more open feel. It threatened to rain the whole time but held off until we stopped.

Boy's Breakfast Club

The Sidney Glen boy's breakfast
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

Every Friday morning, the men staff at Sidney Glen Elementary get together at Sharis. (hey, it's close to the school!) The waitress knows the routine. Wayne orders coffee only, Chad orders his 'mint tea', Don brings his own coffee, Scott brings his coupons and I have the Dutchman's special - 'morning favorite" (overeasy with sourdough) Here is where all the really good gossip of the school goes on. I think it's where all the important decisions are made too, but don't tell the thirty or so women that work at SG. Seriously, it's great to have a funloving bunch of guys to work with and share some comraderie.
Tonight we went to a fundraiser for our church's mission trip to Haiti this summer-A great dinner with the South Kitsap HS jazz band providing the entertainment. The event raised about $6000 towards a motorcycle and refrigerator for the pastor of the church in Les Irois (our sister church in Haiti) It was especially meaningful to Bjorn and I as we were part of an earlier team to the chruch.

Returning Son

Bjorn on the way home from Blake
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

Bjorn came back from Trinity this afternoon. He will be here for about a week. He and I went on an evening canoe ride over to Blake Island. The weather was great and the water was calm. It was a great evening for a paddle on the Sound. Bjorn is anxious to use my sailboat, so I am going to have to have to put boat prep in high gear. He may need to help me sand and paint! It is good to have him home and we wish that he could stay the summer, but he is going to work up in Whatcom county again.

Here we go a WASLing

WASL testing
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

This week and next our class is taking the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) These are the mandated state tests that determine if a school is making AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) Our fifth graders just finished three days of science testing. Last year, our school did very poorly on the science section; but this year, looking over their shoulders, I am confident that scores will be much better. The test is actually quite difficult at points and I am sure many adults would struggle with a few questions. Some questions are multiple choice, some are short answer, and some are quite detailed, where students need to plan a whole experiment and identify the variables.

The Belgium Connection

The Ritzman family
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

This evening we had the Ritzmans over for dinner. Dan and Carrie, along with their boys, Jeremie and Nathaniel serve in Brussels, Belgium as missionaries to Islamic refugees and immigrants. They work mostly with people from Morocco and Iran. Dan is from Harper Church and Carrie is from Nebreska. It was very enjoyable visiting with them and finding out more about their life in Belguim. They will return this summer after a year's furlough.

Coming out of the closet!

out of the closet
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

After spending twelve years under the stairs in a closet, my theological library finally gets a new home -a nice home at that, with a view of the Puget Sound and plenty of light. Twelve years ago I resigned the pastorate and all of my theological and biblical books had to come off the study shelves and into boxes. There was not enough shelf space or room for them. Now in our new house, there is plenty of space for my books. We bought some bookshelves at IKEA and put them on one side of our gigantic bedroom. I am discarding about one fourth of my books since there is still limited shelf space. I still need to straighten them up, but I'm letting them get climatized for a couple of days.

Outstanding Junior Award

Markus and Oscar
Originally uploaded by Southworth Sailor.

Last night, we went to the Masonic Lodge where Markus was nominated for Outstanding Junior Award. He was one of six boys and six girls from a class of 700 to receive the award. Bjorn was also nominated for this award when he was a junior in high school. I didn't get a good picture last night, so I am posting one with Markus and his favorite pet. Today after church, Esther and I did the unusual by going to Gig Harbor to eat. This evening I taught a class at Harper U. Tomorrow begins two weeks of WASL testing in my classroom. I am hoping that our class makes a good show.

Signing up for blogger

I was just trying to leave a comment on someone's blog and I was pushed through the sign up process. Oh well, I guess it's about time I started a blog as I have been enjoying other's for a year or so. We'll see how faithful I am at updating.