Cruising Aboard S/V Night Music: Change

Jack has written some lovely things in emails to friends and family. The first thing he wrote concerns his parents.

“It took me a while but I finally figured out that it was here in Columbus, Mississippi, that dad & Uncle Jack did their flight training during WW II. The Air Force base here is very active with (as I understand it) the training of pilots to fly the big fighter jets. There are very fast turbo prop trainers buzzing around all the time, and often the jets whoosh by as well, their big sound following several seconds behind. I am told the base has been training pilots since before WWII.

It's strange to think of dad being here in this town some 70 years ago, as a thin, strong & smart young pilot, who met Uncle Jack, and, I guess, went home to Rolling Fork on a fateful week-end where he met mom. Can you imagine the day that dad drove by the Indian mounds or the Plantation Inn and pulled up at gramps & grandmother's house by the creek? I wonder if mom was there when he arrived, or whether maybe she was out somewhere, and a smiling Fanny met the young men at the door, and then mom came home to find dad sitting in the parlor, and for the first time they smiled a hello. I'd like to think mom was maybe sitting on the porch, all peachy faced, in a sun dress, sixteen or seventeen years old, looking beautiful when the young, laughing pilots piled out of the old '32 Plymouth coup and their eyes met for the first time.

Do you think it may have been love at first sight, or did dad start going home with Uncle Jack every week-end to court mom, and the love grew? I'm sad that I will never really know the story of their first days; how foolish of me not to have asked when all those who could have told me the story were still with us.”

and another

“In the early evening, just after dusk, we walk down the pier, through the gate and out into the gravel covered parking lot with all four cats. We only need to announce "Come on kitties, we're going for a walk," and all four of them scamper to join us. It is just awesome to walk with them all. They roll in the dust, sniff & chew the grass, stop for a pee, chase each other, or take off at break-neck speed for a 20 yd. dash. They, and we, are very much in tune with one another. We talk to each other all the time. Juan starts meowing at the top of his lungs if he is away too long - Arlene says he gets lonely - and we have to yell out our assurances that we love him and are waiting for him to come back to the boat. Sweet, sweet Mickey is so much more loving since his illness and waits to cuddle in my lap every morning during coffee. Ridley goes for rows in the dinghy with me, and loves it. People in other boats are amused to see us row by… and him being black makes it perfect for this time of year. Her Ladyship, Maggie, is so much different than the boys… every bit a woman. Always keeps her aloofness intact, will not condescend to hang with the boys, must eat separately etc.”

We had a lovely anniversary, nice weather, met new friends and drank champagne and danced all night under electric candle light.... well you know the rest.

My anniversary gift, well at least 4 horses and all white.