Monthly Archives: August 2009
Welcome Home!!
Here is a small sampling of pictures from the Welcome Home party for the 2009 SE Alaska seine crew. Katie and I had a blast cleaning, preparing desserts, getting flowers and balloons, and putting together gift bags for Dad, George, Bryan, Brett, and Johnny.
It was no easy task while juggling five young children, but we did it.
One thing I appreciate about our crew is that we are like family. We can tease, bicker, laugh, love, forgive, and otherwise operate like any other family. I feel lucky every day that I am a part of such a first-class operation.
I hope we all enjoy a nice break after an entire year of grinding away at three different seasons. Thanks to all the guys for working so hard to provide for their families. Your work is valued and appreciated by all.
New Facebook Group: Commercial Fishing Family & Friends
About a year ago, I was pushing my then two-year old Eva on a swing at the park. As it happened, there was a guy about my age also pushing a two-year old girl named Eva on a swing right next to me. I was wearing a dark green fleece vest with my family’s boat name and picture embroidered on the front.
“How are you connected to the Vis?” Karl asked as we pushed our two-year-old Evas.
“It’s our family boat,” I said. “My husband owns and runs it now, and my dad is the one who built it.”
Turns out, we had not only toddler daughters named Eva in common, but we also knew some of the same fishermen (Doug, Johnny, Bryan) and our boats were docked near each other in the local harbor.
Karl’s wife, Julie, soon came along to the park along with their 4-year-old daughter, Lilly. Of course, I also had my infant, Vincent. We had a great afternoon together, talking about fishing and the life of fishing families.
Recently, Julie left a comment on my blog. It was a very interesting comment, and it got me thinking. Here it is in part:
“Thanks for the tip on writing through the season. I think that is a great idea! In fact, I have periodically thought that it would be so nice to have some kind of an online community set up just for fisherman’s wives.
It could include gals from all over the country or even all over the world! It would be so wonderful to have a place to go to connect with other people who are going through a similar situation. It could be with tips for parenting without your husband there, and on adjusting to having the sailor leave at the beginning and come home at the end of the seasons.
Since the fishing lifestyle is so unique, I find that it is often hard for those outside of its culture to truly understand. We need a community gathering place for fisherman’s wives! I however, am not so computer savy, so it may just be quite some time before I lauch anything of the sort. But I’ll keep daydreaming until it gnaws at my ear long enough to actually put something into action. Or until someone else does, whichever comes first.”
I got in contact with Julie and also spoke with Katie, Johnny’s wife. We decided to work as a team on creating the group, and to open it up to all fishing family fishing members and friends, as well as those who support our industry even if they are not directly involved.
I’m happy to announce that our new group is on Facebook, and it is called Commercial Fishing Families & Friends.
Come over and join us! We’ll be posting pictures, having discussions, offering suggestions, and communicating about the good, the bad, the ugly, and the fantastic that make up the life of the commercial fishing family.
See you over there!
The Fishing Families Getaway Has Arrived
The good news is that my laptop is back at home where it belongs.
Last weekend, the hard drive suddenly crashed. I took my two-year old laptop to the computer doctor, who informed me that the hard drive was disintegrating faster than anything could be saved. I had a few things backed up on a jump drive, but only a few. I said goodbye to many documents, stories, pictures, and 400 songs from my Jazzercise iTunes library (which I did manage to bring back, thank goodness!).
After I dropped the laptop off at the shop, I called to find out the status on my extended warranty. On August 4th, I was informed that the warranty had expired on July 14. Not only did I miss saving $340 by just two weeks, the warranty people said there was not a thing they could or would do for me. Nice!
Oh well. The good thing is the laptop is back in my walk-in closet at long last and works better than ever.
I’ve spent the last two days getting the little ones and me ready for our first annual Commercial Fishermens’ Wives and Childrens Getaway. It’s a trial run. Wish us luck! We’ll need it with a beach house-full of 2 and 3-year olds!
In other exciting news, the website/blog is now up for the new anthology, P.S. What I Didn’t Say: Unsent Letters to our Female Friends, in which I have a personal essay. The book is set for release this fall, with a bookstore tour of readings to follow. I haven’t been on a bookstore tour in five seven years, so I’m excited to get out there again.
I’m still thrilled that my “Letter”, which is about the kindness my best college friend showed me after I was unceremoniously dumped by my boyfriend, was accepted along with the Letters of 35 other professional writers and editors.
You can check out the list of contributors and bios here. The anthology is the work of its esteemed editor, sassy gal Megan McMorris (Self, Fitness, Glamour, Parents, Shape), who has authored and edited several other books. I’ve enjoyed the enthusiasm, professionalism, and organization she’s put towards her contributors and the whole project.
See you all after the fishing families break! And good luck to our fishermen as they head into the peak of the salmon season. Can’t wait to see you guys also in a few weeks!!
Jen’s Favorites of the Week
The last couple of weeks were hit-and-miss. You all know that my two-year old, Vincent, caused a small fire in our microwave while cooking a checkbook and blue ballpoint pen.
Then, my two-year old laptop computer crashed suddenly (two months after the extended warranty expired, of course).
And the gravest tragedy of all; the son and brother of longtime fishing family friends was murdered less than 24 hours after he returned home (for a temporary visit) from the fishing grounds of Northern Alaska.
I just attended the funeral of this man’s father last spring, along with my own dad and several commercial fishing captains and boat builders. I never imagined on that day, as I looked over at the two sons, that I’d be attending one of their own funerals just three months later.
To counter the sadness, here are my Favorite of the Week:
- Vincent’s 2nd Birthday Party;
- Going to work on a new story for National Fisherman magazine;
- My sister and brother-in-law (Steph and Ryan) celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary;
- George sounding happy each time he calls from Southeast Alaska (where the weather is 80 degrees and sunny!);
- Teaching Jazzercise in not one, but two positive and cheerful locations.
Love to all my family and friends. Here’s to the new month of August and to good and safe commercial fishing.
