Writer's block, meetings and a head scratch

Sorry for the long absence, but I've been absolutely mired in a number of items - most prominently the Association of Defense Communities Annual Conference here in Norfolk.  Our volunteers set up Mini-HORNET here on Sunday night and yesterday was the first full day of activities and networking - today I'm back for the second day.  And writing this from the business center at the conference, alas, I have no funny picture - surfing the net looking for them gets some really odd looks, so I gave it up.  But I digress...

199 years ago today....

Today marks an interesting anniversary - 199 years ago something significant happened.  This is in marked contrast to the tin sign hanging in the Dockyard that proclaims "On this site 200 years ago NOTHING HAPPENED".  Actually, we're not sure about that one but it seemed funny.  But today in history, a relatively small but significant 'first' ocurred having to do with USS Hornet.

Road Trip - soviet style?

Yes, that's right - it's time again for me to start getting ready to pack up and start driving all over creation on schedules that make truck drivers wince.  And Mini-HORNET is going to be travelling a bit, too.  First, I think I've beaten to death that she'll be on display at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott for the Association of Defense Communities annual conference on July 18-20.  We'll need volunteers to help move on the 17th and again on the 20th, both in the evenings.  After that, she'll be travelling up to Richmond on July 30th, where she'll be on display for two weeks at the Virginia War Memorial in the heart of Downtown Richmond.  It's an exciting schedule and we have lots to get ready.  We also have a few tricks up our sleeve.

Them aren't oars, they're me wife and me daughters!

This weekend at the Dockyard was particularly productive - we managed to turn out sixteen oars, completed two boats, made 18 sets of gun implements, nine doors, ran through nine pots of coffee and twelve jugs of sweet tea.  Working from Friday through Monday night, the only breaks were to do some grilling, tend the fires in the pagan altar and slurp down a few Eastern Shore oysters.  A great time was had by all who stopped out and volunteered in the efforts.

Sea Stories 1 - sixty years ago

Norfolk has changed a bit in the past sixty years. Fleet wide, Norfolk was known as "Ship City". (That's with a t, people) In those long ago days, there was a bridge and tunnel to Portsmouth. Ferries served to Newport News and Hampton, while the Cape Charles ferry ran from Little Creek to Kiptopeke. The Eastern Shore was the site of potato farms, poverty and a single track railway to Kiptopeke, as well as a two lane blacktop called R13.

Holiday weekend means... WORK!

Independence Day weekend is here and I'm sure everyone is getting ready to enjoy some well needed time to kick back and relax.  I'll be doing that, in my own way, putting in some long hours at the Dockyard getting Mini-HORNET's detail parts finished up and ready to go.  That said, I'll still be kicking back a bit and recharging the batteries. 

Who needs a press release?

Our first round of actual press releases are nearing completion, and while they will be making some big announcements, I'll drop a partial spoiler on you now.  After all, things are just too exciting to keep to myself, and I'll save the big announcements for the actual releases so there's still some surprise there.