Birthday

What am I doing for my birthday this year? Honestly, not much. Since Betsy is leaving for Belfast tomorrow we thought we'd spend tonight together. (There will be time for parties after she's gone--just kidding.) So I think I'll pick up some lobster on the way home. Lobster on your birthday is a Moss family tradition that betrays our New England roots.

The congregation gave me a very nice card signed by everyone. I especially appreciated the short notes of encouragement written by people whom I serve. Also, today I received a touchingly personal gift from someone I admire. It actually made me cry because I knew that it was a gift coming from a very deep place in this person's heart.

But although I didn't do much to celebrate today, I did get to go sailing yesterday, which was a big treat. I went with a friend after work on his Nonsuch (a type of Catboat) around the Toronto Islands. I'm more familiar with sloops like the one my grandparents owned (the Aka Maka--a clipper-rigged wood-hulled boat) or the one my father had a time share on in Seattle (a 40-something foot Catalina). Because the Nonsuch doesn't have a jib (the sail in the front of the mast), it's much simpler to sail than the multi-sail sloops (or or even the small but crazy-busy cockpit of an Albicore). In fact, the original concept of the Nonsuch was that they be easy to manage single-handed yet have a descent cabin size. Although I'm a novice sailor, I noticed right away that this boat was lighter in weight and much faster to come about than the slightly longer, heavier boats I've sailed in the past.

This was something of a shakedown cruise, so we did encounter a few small technical challenges, but nothing we couldn't overcome. As luck would have it, we had an excellent wind for most of the trip. I had the con for various periods, including bringing her back through the Island channels to her slip under power. I must say, despite my lack of experience I feel completely at home behind the wheel. Perhaps it's inherited memory? I felt incredible peace charging through Ontario swells in a 13 knot wind. Happiness is a well-trimmed boat.

-t