Things truly happen for a reason

So things do happen for some reason.  We learned this oh so well these past couple of days.  Our original plan was to leave for our trip to the Erie Canal yesterday morning.  Well as fate has it, Sunday night while Mike was investigating a leak that we had been experiencing he discovered a "show stopper". The exhaust elbow from the engine literally fell apart in his hands.  Bless his heart the only words that came out of his mouth after this discovery was.  "Honey we won't be leaving anytime soon".  Needless to say we were crushed. So Mike immediately got on line and put some "feelers" out to a couple different resources and then we just waited (and prayed).  I decided my job was to simply stay calm and positive and keep the captain happy.  After a long conversation Monday morning as to how much we were going to allot for "repairs" for this trip Mike was able to get through to a company in Virginia who said they had the part that would help us out.  Now remember our boat is over 40 years old and the parts for this engine are just not easily located.  So good news from this call, the part should be here by Thursday and it was about half of what we originally thought it would cost.  Thank you God!!!    

Okay now the part about "things happening for a reason".  After coming to the realization that we weren't going anywhere soon we went up to our marina office to pay for the month of June.  While we were talking with Meg (the wonderful woman who runs the office) she said that there was another couple docked here (temporarily) that was also on their way over to the Erie Canal and was delayed here because of weather.  She proceeded to take us to this couple and made some introductions.  Two hours later we left the Manatee (Jeff and Sandy Bacon's boat) after enjoying some wonderful conversation.  We left with excitement knowing they had accepted our dinner invitation that evening.  That evening we enjoy their company over some good food, laughter and great conversation. 

Part of the irony of this meeting is that Sandy and Jeff currently live in South Bloomfield which is literally less than a mile from where we lived in Ashville.  They know our old neighbors the Diels.  It truly is a small world.  So had it not been for our mechanical difficulties we would have never met the Bacons and formed a new found friendship.  We are so blessed!