rivermate

So as some of my friends know I have been working on boats for quite some time. It has always been my fear that the type of boats I have been working on will eventually come to an end. Well that time is finally here, it was announced earlier this year that the parent company, Ambassador International, will not be running the passenger vessels they bought 3 years ago. With Ambassadors not willing to continue running the boats next year, there are roughly 500 people who will not have a job as of November 15th. I being one of them. Fortunately, I am a licensed officer by way of the USCG, so I am probably going to work with a towing company. All the servers and housekeepers do not have such a fortunate future.

I like to think that eventually someone will return these boats to their previous glory. Farewell Delta Queen, the end of a legend, and historical landmark.

As we draw near to another season of professional football, a lot of people are talking about the Cleveland Browns. The Browns enter the season, trying to pick up where they left off last season.

The Browns are trying to win their division for the first time in a long time, and become a formidable opponent in the AFC as well as the NFL as a whole.

I have discussed this with a lot of fans who follow the Pittsburg Steelers, it is their belief that I am either smoking grass or sniffing glue. So I open the floor on my blog, to ask everyone.

What are the chances that the Browns can finally beat the Steelers?

I believe that the browns can win and be a force to reckon with.

-river

As some might know by reading the blog from redoverred, I work on the mighty mississippi river. Been doing it for quite some time now. I was on a thread a while back listening to people argue about whether the flooding in Iowa is worse than Katrina down in the Gulf. Well while I have my opinion, I do not want to get into that again.

It is amazing to me though, just doing some dailt things, like hooking up our potable water line. It is hard to imagine that, just a couple weeks ago, it was under water. I was having my Deckhands flush the line and it was definately some of the good ol' mississippi mud that came out at first.

Cruising on the Upper Mississippi River and looking at all the houses that were effected is crazy. Most of the houses on the river bank, were built on stilts after the flood of '93. Those that were built on stilts were fine, but the ones that were not are ruined.

Ihave a Deckhand that owns a home in Quincy, and I had to get him home, because during the flood his home was destroyed, and his wife sent to the hospital. Prayers with you Quint......

It is just amazing to look at the aftermath of natures fury.