1st day out Accccccck

It's the same every year. I spend countless hours getting my boat ready for
that first trip. Then. . . as the day /hour approaches I beg the water gods
not to let anything untoward happen. Like . . .pls let the motar start,
don't let me forget to put the plug in, make sure the sonars actually work
etc. and last but not least don't let me do anything really dumb at the
ramp.

So Judy and I go off to the lake Sat. just to run the boat around before we
haul it south for the MTC. The ramp is crowded full of guys who've already
been out 2 dozen times. Apprehension builds no matter I've done this
launching thing a zillion times. To complicate matters we're taking our
puppy (Capone) for his first ride. I back the boat down the ramp, Judy
finiishes it as I direct her. The motor starts, the boat won't move. after a
few embarassing moments I realize the transom straps are still connected. No
prob. Just have judy pull the boat out a bit. I'm directing her, but
forgetting to trim up the motor. A lound noise. . . the kind that makes
everyone on the ramp give you that "what an idiot" look. But damage is just
a scrape.

We survive the lake. the dog is good except he doesn't realize yet that
casting a jig an pig doesn't mean to retrieve it like when we play catch in
the back yard. We get home and I take the dog in the house. Come back out
to the garage to finish backing boat into garage when in the course of that
chore I notice Capone has escaped ! I quick exit the SUV run catch him take
him back inside. I step back out into garage to notice boat and SUV heading
down the driveway and directly at a Lexus parked at my neighbors house
across the street. I run faster than I have for many years, jump into the
SUV and slam on the breaks. While my heart rate exceeds the latest stress
test I note the gear shirt not in park. It takes 400 hours for my heart rate
to return to normal.

All in all not a bad first day.

--
God Bless America

Josh The Bad Bear