What a Day . . .

Saturday was quite a day for us!

Sue & I attended the Spring into Boxing 2008 gathering in East Hartford. This gather is always one of our favorites as it is organized by MayEve, RTRW, Music Woman and Wild Rover, which means great boxes and a real good time.

We arrived at the gather at about 1:30 and noticed that the room was pretty full - about 100 people had signed up and exchanging and general stamping was well underway when we arrived. Tony, Veronica, Butterfly and Donutz arrived as we did so we said our hellos and gave our hugs.

After stamping the event stamp - another stellar effort by RTRW, we stamped our name badges with our sig stamp and stamped 2 entries - one per person - for the raffle. The organizers decided to copy Astrii and Celtic Root's idea of not selling tickets for the requisite raffle but to let everyone have 1 entry per person. With the wonderful gifts on the raffle table at the Spring into Boxing gather, it worked out that every boxer went home with something.

As we greeted our hosts, Wild Rover made mention that I might like the raffle item on the right corner of the raffle table. There, in a protective plastic sleeve was a mint, April 1998 edition of the Smithsonian Magazine - the edition that featured the article that started letterboxing in the US - "They Live and Breathe Letterboxing." I tried to picture myself going home with this treasure but was realistic enough to know that my chances weren't that good! Funny, just yesterday I told Sue that one of the letterboxing items I would like to own someday would be this historic piece of boxing history.

Sue & I then waded into the letterboxing pool of exchanges and table top boxes. MayEve, who along with her brother, Wild Rover, are very creative and table toppers were a cut above the norm. Many of the table toppers were posted on AQ the night before but the bulk of them had a story that went with them. You felt like you were finding something special. There is always something special at this gather. Scarab sent part of Boch's Circus; which included several new boxes that weren't with the original circus when Sue & I proudly brought it to the Michigan gather several years ago so it was fun to stamp those into our journal.

Wild Rover several weeks before had let me in on a special series that he was planting with help from the rest of the committee. The series, Hospital Rock, would make its debut at this gather, and told about the history of healing done on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington. In the late 1700's, several physicians took the position that administering a smallpox vaccine, which was innovative at that time, would help protect people from contracting this dreaded disease. A makeshift hospital was established on Rattlesnake Mountain and treatment began, including prominent families from Farmington, Hartford and other parts of CT. Many of those treated enscribed their names in a flat rock near the hospital. While the hospital is gone; the rock remains. This series is a must do and Sue & I plan to head up there the first open weekend day we have. I venture to say that this series is one of the most exciting ones to come to CT in a long time.

Sue & I were so pleased to see Rubaduc! We haven't seen the Duc since our first Dartmoor trip, we believe, although we do correspond via email. It was great to see her and to finally meet her new beau, Gizz. He seems to be the perfect match to her and the Duc had a glow on her that we've never seen before! Another old friend we saw from our first Dartmoor trip was Alexis, Talking Turtle, from NY. It was great to see Lex and catch up a bit on our lives. Patrick & Amy showed up mid afternoon with their 2 sons and I even held Sam for a bit. He wanted to come to me to examine my mustache - which he grew tired of very quickly and went back to the welcoming arms of Bookworm!

The time came for the raffle and our name was called for a homemade tissue box cover. And we waited a bit, ever watchful of that Smithsonian Magazine. We assumed correctly that the magazine would be the final prize given away. Some time mid-raffle, our names were called and I won a headlamp - which suited me fine because I know it will come in handy for our night boxing at the We Live & Breathe Gathering coming up in September in OR.

Speaking of that gathering, I heard from Marmalade who was supposed to attend this CT gather but was sad to inform us that her business trip to Boston was canceled and she would not attend the gather. She mentioned that there is still room to join the rest of the hearty for this historic gathering in September. Be sure to book soon. Info can be found here on the gathering website. Be sure to register and if you have any doubts, poke around the website for the weekend schedule of events and Funhog's whirlwind tour of area attractions. We hope to see you there!

Anyway, as disappointed as we were at not getting the Smithsonian, we were happy to have the headlamp that we would have had to purchase for the September gather. We watched the rest of the happy faces as the raffle continued. Then, drum roll, the last name was pulled for the Smithsonian Magazine and Music Woman was the winner. Lucky her!

A group of us helped the committee clean up, fold up the chairs and some of the tables and Sue, RTRW, Bookworm, Brandy and myself left the gathering with a promise to join the group at the restaurant for the post gathering celebrations. But first, we were headed a few miles away to get the Spongebob Squarepants series carved by RTRW. After fighting the mosquitos the whole way, we found the 5 boxes and headed to the restaurant to join the rest of the group.

Once settled at our table, the late kids ordered and Wild Rover came over and sat next to me. "I was going to do this at the gather but I didn't want to embarrass you so I thought this would be better here." He showed me a folder and said to me "This is a lifetime achievement award for you" and he handed me the folder. Everyone at the table stopped to see what was inside.

And inside was a pristine copy of the April 1998 Smithsonian Magazine! I struggled to keep my emotions in check but this unexpected tribute and surprise was way more than I ever dreamed or deserved. I look at the minor things we do for letterboxing as our treat - I love this hobby and I've always said that I get way more out of it than I give. And here was that coveted magazine in my hand - not only pristine but as a tribute of sorts.

I hugged Wild Rover and thanked him with what words I could muster. RTRW was quick with her camera and grabbed a shot of the magazine between the two of us. I was still in shock. Wild Rover reminded me that he has asked me in an email if I had the magazine many weeks previous when we were emailing each other about the gathering, Hospital Rock and several other items. When he heard that I didn't have the magazine, he proceeded to purchase 3 of these historic volumes from a dealer - one for the gathering raffle, one for himself and the third for me.

Words are not enough to convey the thanks and the gratitude that I feel. This is one of the nicest gestures I've ever received. Even today, as I rode around the yard on my lawnmower some 24 hours later, I still could not believe I own this magazine - and through the kindness and thoughtfulness of Wild Rover and his family. It is truly a day I will long remember. And never will I look at this magazine without remembering all that this game means to me; the wonderful adventures of which we've been privileged to experience, the various places along the way, our unfolding love for all outdoors and the true blessing that nature is but, most of all, the friends - true friends - that we have met along the way on this journey. Thanks Bill & Laurie, Gilly and Liam for a gift that I feel is totally undeserved but so thankful to have received!

Yes - it was truly a special day for Mr. Pinecone; one that I won't ever forget!