Eleven Years Ago Today

"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
09/06/2019 at 14:26 • Filed to: she aint messin with no broke... ah who am I kidding that's not my boat

The weather in late August into early September in 2008 was beautiful. 10 days in a row, perfect. The weather on September 7th was also beautiful, and was like that for another week straight. However, there was a hurricane plowing along up the coast, much like it is today, and the forecast was for light winds but torrential rains on September 6th, the Saturday after Labor Day. Our wedding day.

Well, the morning of the 6th I woke up in the place I’d been living for about 3 years, a small house 50' from the water on my lake. I heard pouring rain and thought, “shit.” Because besides our wedding being outdoors , I didn’t properly cover my boat. I ran down to it and used a bucket to scoop water out of the cover so it didn’t rip, then put up the proper support pole and re-fastened it, all in my underwear. As I’m finishing, the rain stops, and I sit down on the back of the boat, soaking wet, thinking about being hungover, and what we’re going to do about the rain . My sister’s boyfriend heard the commotion and ambled down to the dock. “Want to go for a ski?” The lake was dead flat, and now it wasn’t raining. “Yup.”

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The rest of the day was overcast, dead calm, and not a drop of rain. But the forecast had been so dire that NO ONE else was on the lake. We got married out at an island with an outdoor chapel, and the ~25 boats that came were the only ones out that day. It was actually pretty glorious.

In the picture above, we borrowed that boat from a customer of my work (one of the marinas on the lake); it was a $175,000 custom design based on old Chris-Craft plans. A 24' Grand-Craft, with an 8.1 liter V8, single 5" exhaust. Oh, the sounds that thing made.

Shortly after the above picture was taken, we realized neither of us thought to bring champagne to have on the ride back. A small oversight on an otherwise detail-oriented, and perfect day. We thought of everything... but that. But our eyes were soon caught by a friend in his boat, using an 18-pack of Coors Light to flag us down. So we celebrated our nuptials with a couple of “frost-brewed” cold ones. Champagne came later.

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Much later that night after some tasty champagne indeed , the rain finally came, for real this time. We had no provision for this besides a flimsy umbrella, but that was okay. We took my boat (we had to return the woody) about 1/2 mile at low speeds to the cabin we were renting for the night. Naturally, I gave my new wife the umbrella while covering the boat, so I was pretty wet by the time we got to the door of the cabin, about 150' from the dock. And the door was locked.

Wait here, wife, I’ll check the back door. Also locked. We didn’t have a key because we had previously arranged it this way, minus the locked part. The w indows were locked, too, I checked. I wasn’t always responsible. I almost put my maglite flashlight through a window. I should have.

This cabin is part of a weird sort-of resort hotel kind of thing and all the rest of the infrastructure is up a hill from the lake. A 5-minute walk if you were strolling. So off I went at a run , only to find that they don’t staff a desk after 10pm or something. I called the “on call” line, and someone says, “ I’ll be there in about 20 minutes.”

I lost it. TWENTY MINUTES!? This is my wedding and we specified MANY times that the room should be left unlocked, I called today even to confirm that, and it’s locked and I’m soaked and my wife is standing alone in the rain on my wedding night and someone better be there when I get back there.

Someone was there in 5 minutes, and they let us in. Not another word was spoken between us and that person - who turned out to be the owner. We go inside and there’s a bottle of champagn e on ice with two glasses, waiting for us, courtesy of the resort staff.

You see, as the night shift came on, they saw we were staying there for our wedding night. So they thought, I’ll send someone down with a bottle as a nice gesture. And out of habit, that person locked the door behind them as they left. Oops. The owner actually came to our brunch the next day to personally, repeatedly, apologize.

It was still the best night of my life. And it made a good story. We got over it. And they comped our stay.

So eleven years later, we have two beautiful children, and are as happy as ever. I hope it’s a sign of many, many more great years to come. Happy Friday all.

Cheers.

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As I wrote this, I realized I may have told this story before. But I don’t care.

DISCUSSION (17)

The Ghost of Oppo > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 14:33

Wooden boats are so damn sexy. My friend’s Dad has restored a couple of Lymans and I’ve told him if he ever sells any of them, I better be his first call.

MoCamino > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 14:44

Great story. Happy anniversary and many more to come!

functionoverfashion > MoCamino
09/06/2019 at 14:46

Thanks. Cheers.

functionoverfashion > The Ghost of Oppo
09/06/2019 at 14:47

We had a few Lymans in the family, just small ones. Very well-built boats. My dad and his brothers used to take the 13's out on Lake Erie and TRY TO FLIP THEM, but never could.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 14:47

oh yeah...youve told this before lol

but whatever...wishing you all many more happy years together

functionoverfashion > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
09/06/2019 at 14:51

hahaha oh well I’m sure I have. There are more bits, but the basic story is the same. Like, that boat burned in 2013 but was “rebuilt” later as Shenoa II.... whatevs it’s Friday.

ttyymmnn > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 15:10

Happy Anniversary to you both, and here’s wishing you many more. My wife and I celebrated our 29th in June.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 15:18

Epic story . Happy anniversary!

Thomas Donohue > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 15:20

Nice! I think I’ll end my workday and oppoday on this note.

Happy Anniversary.

OPPOsaurus WRX > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 15:27

that boat made me think of this:

shenoa/sharona..... close enough

Ready for an adventure! > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 15:30

I don’t care if you told it before either. I’ll bet most of us Opponauts do not care. It is a GREAT story. Here’s to many more years and stories! Thanks for sharing!

AestheticsInMotion > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 16:47

Well that was abou t the most uplifting thing I’ve ever read.

Cheers!

TheRealBicycleBuck > functionoverfashion
09/06/2019 at 19:19

Great story. The airline lost our luggage on our honeymoon. We stopped to buy some toothbrushes and deodorant. We were happy to wait for everything else to be delivered to our cabin. ;)

functionoverfashion > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/07/2019 at 16:53

Weirdly, I heard that song in the barber shop yesterday.....

functionoverfashion > Thomas Donohue
09/07/2019 at 16:53

Yessss

Thanks!

functionoverfashion > AestheticsInMotion
09/07/2019 at 16:53

Glad I could help! Cheers

functionoverfashion > Ready for an adventure!
09/07/2019 at 16:53

Thanks! Cheers.