This week:

We hope you laborers won’t forget us as the holiday weekend rolls into town. I know I’ll be thinking of you, though not from too nearby.
Nevertheless we have jobs to do, people to supervise them and all we lack are your willing hands. Many of them make light work and idle ones are fiendishly difficult I’m told.
We’ve painting, varnishing, splicing, baggywrinkling and even a little tinkering aloft to be done. You’ll be led by the stalwart tag team of Messrs Goldstein and Wonio on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Join them and keep their hands from being idle.

Monday 6 September is a holiday, so why not take it as a Labor of Love and come down to TSM? We do not have a foreman formally scheduled, but John has offered to come in and organize tasks if there is interest. You must let him know, however, if you plan to be here Monday (either for the daytime or the usual evening work party), or else there will be no person in charge and the site will be closed to volunteers per TSM policy. (john.schaumburg@galvestonhistory.org)

Things to be Thinking About:

Your next fortnightly Seamanship Training Class V will be Saturday 11 September and will cover, Sail Handling Maneuvers, Loosing and Furling, Setting and Dousing, Fire Fighting, Knots, and all Maintenance – which is to say Chapter Sections: 10.1-2,8,9,11,4.4-6. Read ‘em and try not to weep. There is no crying in square rigged sailing.
The Downtown Lofts Tour is coming up October 2nd and 3rd, and the Historic Downtown Strand Seaport Partnership http://www.downtowngalveston.org is looking for volunteer docents. The shifts are 10 – 12, 12-2 and 2-5 both days of the tour. The dress is Island Casual and there are no scripts! Most lofts need 2 loft “chaperones” and 1 ticket taker. As always, volunteers get free tickets. Let Judy (email above) know if you’re keen.

Stuff and Such:

Roy is also away from the site this weekend, but don’t forget to offer him your hearty congratulations next time you see him – as he once again defeated the USCG in hand-to-hand chili cooking mayhem. Team Elissa triumphed for the second consecutive year. Huzzah! We may have to insure his recipe and tastebuds soon.

We’ve got our attractive new planter by the front gate nearly finished – the final touches are gravel and dirt (OK, so a bit more than touches…)  If anyone has a few cubic feet of decent topsoil going spare, we’d greatly appreciated it. I think we have the gravel covered.

Judy says “Fill out the hours log correctly you louts” (or something to that effect, but probably a bit more sensitive and nurturing). If you do not enter your IN time and OUT time and TOTAL time (less lunch) and WHAT you did, you’re not getting credit anymore. She spends hours and hours doing the hours – don’t make it worse for her, please. If you feel you’ve been shorted, you can always review the book and make corrections, but you’ll need approval to have them re-entered in the system.

The new “Elissa Sweat Shirts” (T-shirts) are in. Please stop in or call the gift shop to pay for yours, or we’ll sell them to the first comer.

Myerchin knives will soon be available again in the gift shop for those who have been asking. There will be a limited number in this order and they are not being reserved, so come early if you want to buy one at your volunteer discount.
John has ordered some very nice quality leather for those of you inclined to make your own knife sheaths. A 10”x12” square can be purchased from the gift shop for a very reasonable price. This is great if you intend to make your own knife/spike or you just don’t care for the unsatisfying little cordura sheath that comes with those spiffing Japanese rigging knives mentioned above. We even have experts to help you design, cut and stitch them if you ask nicely (or buy them a beverage).

Don’t forget that anyone can join us for geezer Tuesday. There’s no upper nor lower age limit and (despite several circulating rumors to the contrary) absolutely no requirement that you be cantankerous, obstreperous or an irritant. We can have a master class in that when the weather is cooler.
The Elissa Drydock campaign is rolling (floating?) along, so if you’re wondering what you can do, pop over to http://www.galvestonhistory.org/Elissa-donate.asp and think about pitching in. We’re heading to shipyard in January and all support is greatly appreciated.

C’est tout. Bonne Fête du Travail! (which is, technically, in May) Charlie Wright
Waterfront Manager

Texas Seaport Museum / ELISSA
Pier 21, Number 8
Galveston, TX 77550

(409) 763-1877
www.tsm-elissa.org

A Project of Galveston Historical Foundation