Fetching

[Riley Smith]

 As part of a project, I needed special things. Things I can't find locally, being as I live out in the boonies and only go to town once or twice a week. And that's a town, not a city. This Rube pretty much hates the city, although I usually get some good food when I go. The darn traffic is awful though. I managed, due to my morning rhythm, to catch the school rush for a few miles. I usually go the Mobile through the back way and avoid the interstate, but this time it caught me out near the airport and Murphy school. I had to get a couple of grocery items, so whipped into WalMart and let the rush die down. That tactic worked great and I headed on to West Marine on one of the fetching errands to get the last halyard in a traffic seam before the NEXT wave hit. Maybe they should erect a sign at the state line saying, "Good Rope- 40 miles". And then I retraced my steps to find some balsa at Hobby Lobby to keep the wing experiment going. You have to plan these trips  and take advantage of what you can. It was a good little jaunt but I'm glad to be back at home. And the boat has it's halyard.

[Wolverine]

"Fetching". I was thinking about wind and waves.
I know how you feel. We lived in rural northern Illinois for 30 years and if you needed something, you waited until you had a long list before heading into town. Over the 9 mile drive to work, I would wonder were all the cars were coming from if I saw more than 4 along the way. When I needed something for the boat, before internet days, it was a 2 hour drive to West Marine. Now I live outside a town with 2 chandleries and 3 marina yards.
I feel spoiled.

[Riley Smith]

Yes, long list. And it NEVER gets all completed. There's always one or two items that get put on the NEXT list. So that's honey, hat pins, and razor knife blades already. For shame, I never knew how good I had it when the in-laws gave us honey from the beekeeping.

[Frank B.]

I would suggest relatively speaking you have it better than most.  In Gautier, Biloxi and Gulfport there are at least a half dozen marine supply stores, including a "Wurst" Marine.  With regard to traffic, it is a matter of timing. I do all travel early and find all roads, including interstates, fine. Well, with the exception of having to go through the Ocean Springs High School area at start and release times when I'm down there 

For sailing related marine supplies I'm stuck with Rook Sails, in Memphis and hour and a half from my house.  A decent place but in the hardest part of Memphis to get to, past all the distribution warehouses on highway 78 where eighteen wheeler's outnumber passenger cars by a bunch. So most stuff I need is ordered online.

Back in the "safe place" last night at 2:00 AM.  Spared once again, by about twenty miles.  But will have to go back today I'm sure.

[Jim B., CD-25]

"Fetching"... I thought Riley was going to tell us how pretty he looked in a new frock. 

I feel your traffic pain, buddy - since moving to Phoenix, we plan any outings around the flow of traffic: the traffic reports on TV are more useful than the weather reports.  One big accident on one of the main arteries can screw up the flow for hours.  We have learned where the schools are in any direction around us, and plan accordingly - at the elementary school closest to us, parents start lining up for pickup over an hour early; what an incredible time waste!  The outflow of traffic at the closest high school is like the crowd leaving a big concert venue... only it is 5 days a week.  Yeah, we had to get caught in the middle of it a time or two to learn the timing (and every school seems to have a different release time, for the convenience of the bus system).

When we lived on the coast in Texas, the closest West Marine was 170 miles away, in Corpus Christi.  But, now that we are "former boat owners," there's a WM in Phoenix.  Go figure.

[Riley Smith]

I could have ordered some of it online but I'd STILL have to pick it up. And I dithered, looking about at this and that which interests me. I had to find the balso too, and it all depended on what they HAD. Biloxi is about equal distance to Mobile for me Frank. It's just as bad, traffic wise. at times. I rarely find myself trying to outrun the Mustangs and Camaros any more   

[Doug SC]

"Fetching"... I thought Riley was going to tell us how pretty he looked in a new frock.

Jim, have you been hanging out with Heloise???

[Riley Smith]

           At least I didn't have rollers in my hair! Hairnet either!