Good Morning Boat builders
This whole thing about names has me thinking. I guess I like doing busness on a handshake and looking someone straight in the eye even on the internet. Yeah I know Spidey and Rehd, by thier nicknames, and afew others, but that is their real names and I know who they really are and where their really from. (you oughtto see what they build!!!) I was on another board a few years ago and got suprised by someone playing games behind a nome de plume. It left me kind of thinking different about the value anonymoty. I am certian your not doing that but it left me liking knowing who is who in my global village. I'm with ya Paul G. Jacobson , I also think its really cool to be working out boat problems with builders in Australia, Scotland, Vancover, Indiana, South America, Ilinois and Minisota Montana etc. It makes my little world of NH seem larger. And when I see pictures of people building boats in warm weather when I am under 13 feet of snow....well I just appreciate it! Makes me beleive spring might come back so I can paddle some.

I was out on Mt Washington yesteday getting my teeth cleaned in the wind and thinking about all this. It sort of reminded me of another story....

A few years ago. I was in my favorite NH lumber yard. I was loading up my pickup as were some of the other local fellows. I walked up to the yard house poured myself a cup of coffee and waited my turn at the register.

This lumber yard is the kind of place were the yard man never even looks in your pickup. He ask ya what your paying for today. He knows were going to pay him honest, and not short him and we all enjoy doing busness on a hand shake.

Well on this particular day there was youg fella from Boston in the yard house. Clean cut nice guy. Good choice in tools and wood. Seems he was a weekend warrior getting some stuff to spruce up his summer camp here in the mountians. Well, He gets to the the register and the yard man says. "Owdy dis mawnin. What's on da list today." (that is new Ampsha speak) Well Mr Boston lists off what he had loaded in the hatch back of the subaru. The yard fella never bothered to check his load. Instead, he asked him about what project he was planning for the day. Friendly banter ensued. The yard man writes up the invoice and the says Ok what account is that on today sa" (sir)........Silence....The fella from Boston squirmed a bit leans over the counter, points a thumb over his shoulder at all us saw dust types and says "I can't just say that out loud with all these guys standing around in your yard house. You know.....

Well folks this lumber yard doesn't go in for the anonomous use of numbers. Account names are under our real names. Its a good thing too. I can put a job on my account, or if I am working for someone else I put it under their account. If I am picking up a load for myself, I can grab things for a neighbor under his account saving him a trip. Did I mention we are a flinty lot up here. Well, the The grizzled old yard man looks at this fellow furls his brow a minute and begins scratching his head. and let out a puzzled little "Huh?...." He had no clue what the young fella was talking about.

Well the Fella from Boston came from a differnet place and thinks the yard guy is daft for not understanding the situation. So with all good intentions he explains...."Well I can't just say my account name here out loud.....Why anyone else here in the place could take it, and then they could use my account... In an effort to help the yard improve the security problem he adds an example of how its done right else where.... "At home we only are allowed into the yard house just one at a time for you know.... For security..........Then he asks "How bout I just give you a credit card....."

The yard man (his name is Paulie) who by now has it figured looks him over and says, "Well friend this is New Ampsha and we do things a bit differently here." Then he brightens up with a smile and says "Well shucks let me introduce you around thats Harry Bell...." Harry waves" His account name is Harry Bell. That's Charlie Smith his account name is Chalie Smith, that guy over there has always been Dickie Wetzel. Fred Silber is over there and Over there in the corner is the itinerant Russ Keat. His account name is Russ Keat." Then he looks back at the fella from Boston and says with a big friendly grin "Now what name did you say your account was under? ......."

Suffice itto say he gave his name, and we still see him everyonce in a while in the yard. He is a good guy and is a lot more comfortable with all of us.

Buck.., this BBS has been around a while. The owner asks us to use real names. We (the global union of sawdust covered itinerant boat builders) are already trying to figure out how to get a bunch-o-boats under the buns of your family. Trust me, Its a trust worthy and very fun bunch. Besides as you start building we are going to borrow, cart off and out right steal all your good ideas. Heck you may as well let us give you the real you credit for the shop tips we are going to cart off. Welcome aboard. Can I pour ya hot cup of java?

I am Russ Keat Signing off from New Ampsha