My Best Friend Judy, Her Boat, and Hurricane Hugo.

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Her story started with another discussion of mine called Illness, Transplant, and Racism Jack and Judy lived a happy life. They both were well educated. He was a chemist and she was a book publisher. They worked in Boston while living in New Hampshire. For fun they bought a small sailboat and sailed it on lakes near their home. Then they took it to the ocean and headed for Main. They loved it. They bought a bigger sailboat. Because of her transplant (transplants were new back in the 70's) she was not going to have children, not knowing how long she would live. They had amassed enough money to live on for several years so they retired at the age of 35.... and they planned They sold their house, cars and furniture, sent precious things they would want later to friends and family to take care of them for the years they would be traveling. They moved onto their boat and headed south. Adventures were in their future. When at anchor they were on Lake Worth in Florida. I got to visit them on their boat while on vacation one year. They traveled the Atlantic and the Caribbean loving the warmth of the south. This was before cell phones so we communicated with letters and messages from her family who had radio contact with them. Hurricane Hugo took down their mast and smashed their boat. They had moved inland in the Carolina's to avoid the Hurricane but it went after them. They moved off the boat and found a town they enjoyed. They built a house. Now on land, we talked on the phone a lot. She was Executive Director of Keep Georgetown Beautiful. It was a program that worked with local youth. She loved her job. Jack was a Mr. Fixit. He fixed things for seniors for very little money. They were both very involved with helping others. They lived on their boat for 5 or 6 years and they spent the rest of her life, 14 years in Georgetown, South Carolina. I have dozens of her letters, I might have to get them out and share some with you. Their adventures on the boat were hilarious.. I've lost touch with Jack but I imagine he's still there still helping seniors but by now he is a senior too.