Moon Festival

The moon was full, the tide high, and paper lanterns danced in the air. It was a day of being in the moment. No one was quite sure what to expect, or what we were to do or where we were suppose to be. As a result it was a day unlike any of the others. It's good to have a day like this once in a while. The more 'present' you are the better your day turns out.

To see more about our adventure see the above dedicated page - Moon Festival. It's right up there with Verite's history. Let pig show you the way. Well, if pig could lift his legs higher. It is straight up in blue letters.

There's also a few new videos/movies posted this week. See the right column. Some of the sound bites & videos have been taken by our very own Sally. See the movie section for videos taken by our "followers."

Peter's pickled peppers

Yes, it's true, we enjoy our tea time especially at this time of year. Home grown fruits and veggies straight from the garden arrive in buckets, bags, plastic baskets and even jars! Oh, my... Peter's pickles with peppers were spicy and crisp and had a big kick. Often these healthy choices are balanced by sweets of all kinds - for energy, of course! I am pretty sure... it is safe to say... we would still show up whether there was food or not, but communing with nature with a pickle in your hand - it's just so delightfully dilly.

The Vérité will be participating in Tacoma's first Moon Festival at the Chinese Reconciliation Park. Read more about it at: http://www.tacomachinesepark.org/

We are so excited! We will be carrying the horse, the Chinese zodiac symbol. I read that it represents the following:

 The spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese people's ethos – making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able. Ancient people liked to designate an able person as 'Qianli Ma', a horse that covers a thousand li a day (one li equals 500 meters).

The Vérité will need to be rowed over 500 meters to the park, but seriously 1,000 x 500 meters? Not unless someone brings more PICKLES! As you know every horse has to have it's 'carrots.'

From a distance

We really don't think about this much, because every week we are so excited to get out on the water, but the truth of the matter is - the Vérité is being watched ALL the time. That might be important to remember. This week we rowed for 30 minutes straight without a break and practiced several times to 'ship our oars'. While we watch out for other boats for safety purposes we really don't think about what others see when they are looking in our direction. That is until they hold up their ipad and snap a shot. Oh, gosh, was that our "good side"? 

 

Most of the time we are in a world of our own - just do in what we outta,  oblivious to the potential of being caught in the camera's eye. This week however, we were surprised to receive an email with the following photographs. As you can see they clearly show Vérité's pristine lines. Fortunately, for us, they did not record the incident of the malfunctioning zipper nor the gales of laughter that followed. But seeing the clarity of the photos has given me pause. Heavens, it is just like what has happened to the British Royals? I know my mother's advice to the princess and our zipper gal would be "Keep your life preservers on!" 

A brisk breeze

What a day we had today!
I think I am the last of the day-jobbers among the Verite crew. While I made every effort rushing from work to make our set time, two areas of construction and traffic congestion slowed me further still. If you are a boater you know - time and tide waits for no one! I rushed down the ramp to the dock only to see them well underway and with a full boat too! My shoulders hung low...but then someone, a dear, noticed me. Shouts went back and forth. That's okay, the wind will make it too difficult I shouted. (Plus you shouldn't support tardiness, you know) No they shouted, we are coming in, get ready! Can you say Jack Russell on steroids!! I ran up one ramp and down another and leaped into the boat singing "I'm in  heaven"

It was in a just few feet we realized a missing element - a life jacket! No a life ring will not do. It is good to have friends on the water for just about then the Odessy, the sea scout sailing vessel, was powering by and from high above us a life jacket was lowered down.  How could I be so lucky?

We made our way out into the bay under the guidance of cox Voski. She had the crew practice back stroking on starboard and forward stroke on port, and then switching directions - all the while a stiff wind was blowing deep ripples across the water. It was a very good work out for those rowing! At the turn around point I had the thrill of coxing us back but due to wind tea time was at the public dock. With sunny skies, brisk 'clock' winds, and a boat load of edibles we shared recent adventures and our cheerleader reported on upcoming events.  Fresh Alaskan salmon, carrot bread, cookies, fruit, dried plums, nuts, homemade chocolate yummy things, and I think I have left something out? Oh, tea! I suppose I could have just told the story with pictures, but it was so much more dramatic in person. On the Beaufort scale I think it was a 5 - which means a fresh breeze (moving tree leaves). Maybe it was even a 6! For sure it was re-freshing!