On a separate and sadder note, while visiting my mom this weekend I found out that one of dad’s dear friends and life-long sailing buddies, James “Duff” Duffy, had passed away. I spent many Wednesday and Saturday afternoons listening to my dad and Duff BS their way back and forth across Brookville Lake. I learned that every idea has many sides and that you can find humor in anything. Sailing with the two of them are some of my fondest memories.

What made this bit of news personally hard for me was that, among all of my father’s friends, Duff was the only one that I could call me friend as well. Wherever they are, I hope they have a good steady wind.