Well, folks, i just got home Friday pm from the Bash (Cowboy gave good directions on how to get there, but how the heck did he expect a Torpedoman to read them backwards to find his way home)? I been catching up on things on at the farm ever since, but wondering how I could possibly find the words to express my sincere gratitude to Cowboy and Sue for creating a truely lifetime memory for a lot of good people. From now on,whenever I think of California or the Sierra foothills or any of the BBs's or the SOSJ or just how to have a truely enjoyable time, my thoughts will go immediately to the Bash at the Ranch. I cannot remember ever being with a group of people so ameniable, friendly and outgoing. I do not usually do well in large gathering of folks i do not know. I am not well schooled in the social graces of chit-chat. But that was no problem at the Bash. Everybody was so outgoing and friendly that nobody sat long without someone coming along and striking up a conversation. Part of that was ,I am sure our common bond of submarining. But i think a lot of it was the atmosphere that Cowboy and Sue created at their home. It was so layed back, friendly, with no rushed agenda or expectations that we all immediately felt at home.
The movie call that John Clear treated us to with the old Silent Service episodes shown on an old surplus 16mm projector (and yes it did skip and pop on a regular basis), complete with fresh popcorn, really transported me back to the After Battery on patrol. Only thing that would have made it more real is if we all crowded into a 12 x 12 space and had Gary running his diesel tractor a few feet away to simulate a battery charge.
And what can i say about the Sons of the San Joquin? What a perfect moment with this fine group , mellow sounds reminisant of my youth and the Western movies , and another cowboy group called the Sons of the Pioneers. The sound of their voices drifting through those beautiful hills at sunset, setting next to the best group of people ever assembled! THAT WAS A VERY, VERY SPECIAL MOMENT THAT I WILL REMEMBER FOREVER! There was a special magic in the air that night, and I think everbody felt it.
From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU COWBOY AND SUE!
Now darnnit, I gotta dry out my keyboard.
Steamboat sends

Bash Memories