June 30, 2014 Monday leaving Cornwall Yacht Club

0700-wind went down last night so had a good nice sleep, up and ready to take off with Partly Cloudy and wind SW 5kts.  After having the usual 2 cups of coffee, listening to the weather and last bathroom break we were ready to go.  This morning was a different kind of morning though.  On my way to the garbage dumpster I heard a faint hello, hello, hello.  Thinking that the lady was trying to get someone on the phone I looked back but didn't see anyone looking at me, so kept on walking present task in mind.  On my way back to the BR, a little was standing looking at me saying something which I told her I couldn't hear her till I got closer.  She said she had dropped a plastic water bucket in the water on dock 100, wondered if I had a boat hook to fish it out.  Was worried someone would get hurt or their boat if it was floating around in the marina, she said I could go to the BR first which I was thankful for.  I asked if we didn't need to get it now, she said no it was hooked on something probably not going very far for a while.  So...I went and got the boat hook, Curt had the motor running and one line attached only to the dock ready to take off.  I grabbed the boat hook, saw the lady on the other dock and mumbled to Curt she needed the boat hook.  She was trying to reach way down with the hook extended as far as it could go and couldn't hook on to it and obviously wasn't going to be able to.  She was so apologetic and said "I just don't want anyone to get hurt."  I asked if she couldn't climb down the metal ladder to pick it up out of the water and she said no she didn't think she should.  This is when I realized this wasn't just an ordinary meeting.  As I climbed down the ladder, stepping on the bottom rung, my clean feet in yucky water, she said I have Stage 4 cancer and should be doing that and don't want you to get hurt doing that either.  "It's just a water bucket that can be replaced but   I just don't want anyone to get hurt."  I was so taken back by her statement of health and here she is out watering the plants cause it's her week, in the heat, walking up and down the dock with the water bucket.  I had noticed how beautiful the lavender geraniums were as I walked down the dock to meet her.  As I hung on the ladder trying not to slip on that last slimy rung holding on with one hand, dangling and trying to reach the green watering container, she said oh God Bless you, God Bless you.  When I got back up on the dock and handed her the bucket she said you are a "God Sent".  I really looked at her face as she finished giving me a big hug, it was pale, tired looking but had a glow.  I told her no God Bless you and what you're going thru.  There was a minute of silence, a different kind of silence, she looked over to Curt and in her weak voice said Thank you.  I walked away what else could I say but my heart was extremely touched by this different kind of meeting.  As I walked back to the boat I thought of all people she needs one of my tatted blessings.  My next thought was I don't have anymore except for the big doily like one that I have already given away and wanted this one for a pattern because I want to use them on a Dresden Plate Quilt.  Arguing with myself I realized that just like God told Abraham to take his son up to the mountain for an offering.  Abraham trusted God and took his son.  Here I am claiming that these are blessings from God on those special people we meet and arguing with myself about not wanting to give it away.  For Dumb!  I grabbed it out of my storage container and quickly headed back up to her when I saw her drive off.  Almost in tears this different kind of meeting, I realized God just wanted to say to me this is my blessing and you need to be prepared to give it when you meet someone special you needs it and share your testimony of how you got started doing this.  Just like Abraham in his relief when his son didn't need to be an offering, God just wanted to test his faith, so in my meager little tatted blessings,sort of happy I didn't have to give it away and sad I couldn't give her a tatted blessing, I felt an overwhelming need to just pray for her and I still pray for her.  I wonder about her story..... obviously God has touched her, stage 4 cancer and she's out early in the morning watering the flowers to make the marina looked pretty.  I trust she just needed someone to be praying for her not a tatted blessing.  Why hadn't I just stopped and taken time to visit with her and pray for her right there on the dock?  Why could I not talk with Curt about her, just had the feeling to pray for her.  Could I send a tatted blessing, does she need one, I don't know her name, just a woman who's week it was to water the plants.  How could I feel so blessed by our meeting, yet she is the one who needs prayer, she has stage 4 cancer and out watering the flowers for the marina!!  It's taken me a couple of days to write this.  This was a different kind of meeting.  My heart somehow touched by hers with joy and tears both at the same time.
I immediately started doing more little tatting pieces, realizing I need to be ready to give away little blessings as those special people are put in front of us.  Even though she didn't need to hear about God, it would have still been nice to give her a tatted blessing that her family would hopefully be able to use after she was gone.  My prayer is that God will heal her completely, she does have Stage 4 cancer and is out watery the flowers on a hot day, walking up and down a narrow dock.  Who knows.....how God may bless us!  As you can tell I am still touched by this different meeting.  Nancy you say keep your eyes on him, a different kind of adventure....   May this is a message to all of you reading this, be ready, you never know what God has planned for you today, tomorrow or the next day.

A different day today, working on my tatting, got a butterfly done which I haven't done for a long time, a celtic heart, a 3 dimensional flower.  Wondering who they will go to....

0900-Left the marina and headed up stream 3.8 kts into the current.  Motored close into "Banerman's Island" and took several pictures of the burned out castle.  Motor sailed to "Whites Hudson River Marina for gas $4.29 gallon.
11:30 tide starting to effect the speed now up to 5.8 kts with the jib
1300-Doing 6.3 kts with tide and wind
18:30 Losing the tide 5.8 kts and falling, passing Athens City docks which have a sign" No Overnite Docking"so we proceed on and anchored west of the Middle Gournd Flats in the river between Athens and Hudson at 1900 hrs.  Anchored with two anchors Mediterranean Style in about 10 ft.  Supposed to be a 2 kt current but mud bottom so hopefully good hold, with current reversing every 6 hrs., Wind out of the south starting to drop down after dark.

 Cute light houses, real houses

 The big boat anchored in the middle or the river

 Neat little lighthouses in the middle of the Hudson River

 More big barges in the waterway to get out of the way from

 Lots of logs and debris floating down the river.  We hit somethingdragging along the bottom of the boat loud noise in 37ft of water, nothing popped up so must have been a big tree or rock under the water.

 Looking back down the waterway, hills starting to go away

 Neat castle built in the early 1900's by Bannerman called Bannerman Island Arsenal, Andy google earthed it and said there were lots of better pictures there.

 What a neat surprise to come across this old castle

 Looking back at Cornwall Yacht Club

 Big old wooden ship surround by huge pilings now being used as a seawall protecting the marina

Looking back at Westpoint on the Hudson..