When oldtimers stop posting it's hard not to wonder if they may have passed, and it would be too bad if it were true and no mention of it was ever made. Maybe someone can start an "I'm not feeling well" thread. This way if we don't hear from them again we can assume the worst and at least say a few kind words about them.
What ever happened to Glen McGrady?
Last I heard from Glenn, a couple months ago, he is still kicking and doing some travelling, including with offspring and grandkids. Things change.
I hope that our (somewhat insular) community of regular contributors are in semi-routine off-board communication, and that if and when someone bites the big one we will know and be afforded the opportunity to say wonderful things about them. And tell some humorous tales if we were lucky enough to paddle with them.
Al, I could have started an “I’m not feeling well” thread 10 years ago, before I retired, but would rather not hear indirectly about folk’s health woes. Post-retirement I am feeling much better; my back and knees still hurt, and I now get up to piss twice a night, and have this recurring pain in my injured left wrist and . . . . . ehhhh, do we really need that kinda AARP health woe update posted here?
I don’t want to edge into the morbid, but I have lost several dear paddling companions who were regular contributors to various paddling boards (Fred, Norbert, JSaults and others). All were message board eulogized with appreciations and tales, but all died, at least gear-&-canoe-wise, intestate, and their widows or elderly in-laws were left WTF clueless about what to do with their tripping collections.
They were all craftsmen, or at least shop tinkerers as well, and that WTF goes for other equipment as well; shop tools, collections of materials and parts, wood strips and strongbacks and epoxies and outfitting gear.
What is my missus going to do with three weighty boxes of stainless steel hardware, boxes of fiberglass, kevlar, Dynel and peel ply, minicel and shock cord and heat sealable fabric and webbing and D-rings and cleats and etc, etc, etc?
That stuff all has designated recipients, described in my Will and designated in Sharpie on the storage box, lest it end up gathering dust on a shop shelf or eventually tossed in the trash.
I have used some legacy parts and pieces from departed friends, and those had special meaning while I worked with them. Some still have special meaning; I letter punch stamped the legacy thwarts and yokes with the benefactor name, look at them while paddling, and smile in memory,
I would like my stuff designated so that it goes on to future fruitful use and not into a dumpster.
Again, not to be morbid, but a Last Will and Testament, and an Advanced Medical Directive, are easy and essentially binding once witnessed, and the forms are available on-line or from your State of residence.
There are other, even simpler actions; bank accounts and CD’s and investments can be designated as “TOD”, Transfer-on-Death, which should supersede probate of a will.
A Last Will and Testament, and Advanced Directive, are not for you, you are a carcass, or soon will be. Those are there to make things easier and clearer for your kith and kin.
Dammit, where is Glenn when we need him for professional advice?
) has its benefits.......for others. I find duplicate tools I didn't realize I had (I am an estate sale vulture with a bad memory). BIL gets the extra drill-press mortising attachment I found. Yes - no, those hand saws are not all different tooth patterns. Somebody will appreciate that I had one too many identical hatchets. Who do I know that still processes their own meat and could use a really nice bone saw?
