Captain Lauren launches Papa’s River Runner
By Ben Philips - Greer, South Carolina - USA

My daughter, son-in-law, and three-year-old granddaughter, Lauren, are visiting Nana and Papa. My daughter is a hematology – oncology pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. We do not get to see our granddaughter often so it is a thrill when they come home.

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My daughter, son-in-law, and three-year-old granddaughter, Lauren, are visiting Nana and Papa.

Lauren saw my River Runner in the garage and wanted to ride in the boat. Papa placed her in the front seat and she asked for a life jacket and oars. Her mother informed me that Lauren has watched children’s safety programs and knows that a boater should wear a life jacket.

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Lauren saw my River Runner in the garage and wanted to ride in the boat.

Captain Lauren then informed Mom’ee that she needed to ride and must also have a life jacket and oars. The Captain then informed the deckhand, Papa, that we needed water for the boat. Needless to say the deckhand failed in this assigned task.

Captain Lauren gave the orders to launch River Runner from its secret harbor, the garage. A one horsepower Papa powered River Runner on our great adventure. We traveled back and forth on the driveway, sorry, I mean the great river of our imagination. We sang such favorite songs as “row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream” and a great adventure was had by all.

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A one horsepower Papa powered River Runner on our great adventure.

Captain Lauren also likes to “Squirrel Fish”. Lauren has a Barbie rod and reel. My son-in-law, Chuck, feeds their yard squirrels corn year round. Chuck buys peanuts still in the hull. He ties a peanut hull to the line of the Barbie rod and reel. Chuck and Lauren then place the rod out the kitchen window and let the hull fall to the pavement. The garage is under the kitchen. Squirrels will grab the peanut and run. The line runs off the reel while Lauren is yelling “I caught someping”, “I caught someping”. Her father then shows her how to reel in her “catch”. Would you believe her father likes to fish?

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Captain Lauren also likes to “Squirrel Fish”.

The deckhand, Papa, has fiber glassed the bottom of River Runner from bow to stern and is preparing to fiber glass the sides and deck. I have also installed four nylon step-handles purchased from Duckworks. I mounted the handles on the sides to assist with loading and unloading.

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I have installed four nylon step-handles purchased from Duckworks.

I am anxious to finish River Runner. As I work, I hear a sweet angle’s voice saying, “Faster Papa, Faster”.

Ben Phillips

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