As our boats move away to winter storage, my thoughts are moving to another time in our life pre-boats.

Our oldest son, Bryan, bought a fishing boat. It was the year 2000, he told me today when I asked about this picture. He remembered because it was before Clara, his first child, who was born in 2002.

He came to show us, pulling into our driveway.

His father had an opinion. It was too soon to splurge on a boat!

Now, Bryan was in his mid-20’s, out of high school, and college, recently married, with a full time job (both he and his spouse). They were buying a little house in midtown Omaha, and re-paying school loans. It almost made sense that this was not the right time.

However, fishing is a passion he inherited from his Grandpa Leny (my dad) and Thelen uncles.

Dan did not understand. He just didn’t grow up fishing. He enjoyed other recreational activities.

They had words, as fathers and sons do, but a father’s wisdom is no match for a fisherman’s zeal.

At one point, Bryan said, (half joking?), “Fine! Then I won’t give you a ride in it!”

That’s about the time I wanted a picture, and asked him to hop up into the boat. I was proud of him asserting his independence (as I am of all our children).

In a way, he was living out our family motto, “Don’t be a Scaredy Cat”.

Years later, Dan and I thought it appropriate to name our speedboat after it. It’s a gentle reminder to take it easy in the wild lake traffic. One family member (the only one to take an official course in driving a boat) ignores that-she likes to go FAST!

If you laughed at our motto, you might laugh harder at this photo, (taken by Amy Farha Neary): grandkids acting out with dismay at the marina’s misspelled paint job (it was re-done), or faking the role of true scaredy cats.

An update to this story: Amy told me that after she graduated from Pharmacy school, she told Bryan to get a different car. He was driving his dad’s old red Honda. Instead, he came back with this boat that could only be pulled by Amy’s car!

Boldly going forth,

Shirley