"Can you hear me now?"

What a genius phrase Verizon selected for its cell phone campaign. We have Verizon phones, not because of the phrase, but because my friend Duy manages a Verizon store and he gave us a very good deal. That's beside the point. Anyways, I'd be rich if I got a penny for every time I had to say "can you hear me now?" to James when he calls me from the ship; there are places within the ship where he can get a signal and it's not too bad, but when he goes on the deck and there is the slightest wind, forget it! I hear every other word at best.
Today I sent him a story about the carrier Nimitz leaving tomorrow for deployment. That really marks the official beginning of the next six months for us. It's a bittersweet excitement: he'll be away-away (not that he isn't already, being based in Hawaii) and his job as Suppo really kicks into high gear!
"Ahoy, me hearties!" as Captain Feathersword and Noah would say.
Anchors away.