We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.
5:22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet
5:23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."
5:24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.
5:25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.
5:26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.
5:27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
5:28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well."
5:29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
5:30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"
5:31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'"
5:32 He looked all around to see who had done it.
5:33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
5:34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
5:35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?"
5:36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
5:37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
5:38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.
5:39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.
5:40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was
5:41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!"
5:42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.
5:43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Well, the president doesn't "run" a country. However, a president in the American system is Chief Executive and Commander in Chief of the armed forces.
Anyway, the White House administrators are doing those jobs. As our pal Sippican has always said, a president is a figurehead. Yes, it's a bully pulpit too.
I love the sea but I still maintain that any boat under the size of an ocean liner can make you feel trapped, clautrophobic. Of course, if your sailboat is in the Bermuda Race (which started yesterday), you are too busy to feel caged.
- Check marine weather forecast! - Radio check - GPS, radar, etc working - Decide on an initial harbor-clearing course, then a course to destination with waypoints - Generator working - Coffee machine working - Toilet working - Water tank filled - Plenty of diesel - Beer in fridge, water bottles, Coke too - snacks in galley - Bilge free of water - Check engine oil - Waste water holding tank not full (I will not dump at sea, but many do) - Anchor power working - Inform any guests re safety rules - Life jackets ok - If overnights, bedding stuff etc. - a few $10 and 20s for tipping gas docks, dockhands - American marine flag up
17:1a Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
17:4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
17:5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
17:6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.
17:7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him.
17:8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
17:9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."
17:10 And the Philistine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together."
17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
17:19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
17:20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry.
17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.
17:22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers.
17:23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
17:32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
17:33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth."
17:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock,
17:35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it.
17:36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God."
17:37 David said, "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you!"
17:38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.
17:39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them.
17:40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.
17:41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.
17:42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.
17:43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
17:44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field."
17:45 But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
17:46 This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
17:47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand."
17:48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
17:49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Plenty of friends do, but I do not. I have a bit of anxiety in general anyway. I like docks and permanent moorings for overnight. Met a guy this week with an antique wooden ketch (as beautiful as a tern) and he swore by his kedge anchor like the one on the photo. Nobody uses those...do they?
I like all kinds of seafood. Shellfish especially. Mussels in a tasty broth, you betcha. No cilantro is my rule.
While banging around the New England coast on our boat this week we stumbled in the best mussels I've ever had - and I've had lots of them. Noah's in Essex, CT, on the river. Seafood place.
For one thing, these were large mussels, not the 2" ones. But they were steamed in their broth with the following ingredients: harissa,chermoula, cherry tomatoes, plenty of whole garlic cloves, chopped shallots. With toasted bread of course.
I had no clue what harrissa or chermoula were, but have to make me some chermoula soon (no cilantro). I think it would be good for baked Cod.
I'd be happy to live on those mussels for a week. With some wine of course. It's not that mussel broth require all of those ingredients, but it was amazing.
Mussels are "farmed," of course, nowadays. It's a real business and I am a good customer.
It's an American treat - 
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Do readers trust anchors overnight? 
I like all kinds of seafood. Shellfish especially. Mussels in a tasty broth, you betcha. No cilantro is my rule.