Cold And Wet And Perfect

So there I was...pounding through the large waves and torrential rain on Eventide with Kim several years ago heading for Watch Hill, RI.  You know you should probably reevaluate your decision to go when there is absolutely nobody else on the water.  I replayed this scene in my head when my good friend John reminded me of that day while talking on the phone yesterday.  He and his wife Jan had sailed their boat over the day before, in much better conditions, to attend a party on shore then spent the night anchored off Watch Hill.  Thinking that no sane person would come over to meet them as planned in these conditions they were surprised to find us on our way.  After anchoring we donned our foul weather gear and boarded their dingy for the very cold wet trip into town where a breakfast place awaited with just out of the oven popovers, hot drinks and other warm-you-to-the-core edibles.  After thawing out we hiked out to the lighthouse having as much fun as a little kid splashing in a puddle as the rain continued to fall.  Heading back out to the boat Kim made hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for all of us.  Best I ever had.  We took a picture of John and Jan in their dingy as they were preparing to leave our boat that cold rainy day and they looked more than happy to be playing this game with us.  George Washington once wrote, "Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."  We call each other friends.  We've earned it.