Personal and Historical

Coming back from a visit to family, the hotel in Erie, PA, was next door to the Maritime Museum. Before leaving for home, it was a short walk to boats, memories and the War of 1812.

In the first room, three memories. The first being the fun our friend group has had with one who believes in Big Foot. The legend of Erie lake, though, was of a dragon. Having been saved from ruin, the figurehead, of a boat that the owner had commissioned, was on display. I laughed, thinking of my friend. 

That same friend was the builder and owner of a 42 foot trimaran that began in an Owego farm field, moved to Cayuga lake to our dock, until it took its final trip, at least with us, to land the boat in its new home, Chicago. Four of us went, traveling the canals to get to the lakes. Seeing maps reminded me of our travels and the fun we had. It took three weeks of no winds, flies, and lots of motoring to dock it and leave it, while, of course, taking our memories and stories with us.  

Turning, I ran into another time in my life. Having bought a lake house, a friend and I decided we needed, not a sailboat, but a fishing boat, one for me to row and he to fish from. Putting an ad on Craig's List, we were called and went to look. The wife, trying to sell the boat, came out and said that there was another buyer on the line....we looked at the husband and he at us. How could there be another buyer? We laugh still at that morning. While this boat at the museum looks so much better than ours, we sure enjoyed it until a flood took it away. 

In one of the final rooms I went it, there was the history of the War of 1812. Interestingly enough, we'd learned a bit about that war on our trip back in '90. Stopping at Put In Bay, a tower was there built for the war, the third tallest structure in the United States in its time. Here at the museum, it was more on the ships that fought and the people who commanded them. Two notable quotes took on their context for me. For one, there was a replica of a banner made during the war, of a famous quote, "Don't Give Up the Ship," but also in reading about the war, there was another, "We have seen the enemy and they are ours." 

My partner at the museum is a sailor so while he took in so much more, I was content to go down memory lane while once again learning bits about a war that is all but forgotten, while its words are not. 

Reminiscing at the Museum 

Ps. I would be remiss not to mention how much fun I had visiting family: gardening, basketball, dinners out and speed finishing a puzzle, it was a relaxing, wonderful time. Driving, we also had fun finding places we like to visit. The museum, but taverns too. 

Finding one right on the water, we enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking with the bartenders. Behind me, I found this sign. And, while it is certainly more true than not, it made me recall a funny story of a colleague's time out at a bar that did start with a salad. 

My friend, being pretty drunk that night, came into a bar before that year's Super Bowl was to start. Seeing a man eating, yes, a salad, she walked over and well, told him that one just shouldn't do that on Super Bowl Sunday; chicken wings and fries yes, but salads? No. 

I wasn't there but I still laugh when I think of the assuredness and exuberance that was used on the poor guy being assaulted... for eating a salad.