We Call Her " She " When I kayak-camped Old Hickory Lake in the fall of 2016, I learned that a broader view of my "ordinary life" created a matching horizon and that every adventure whether great or small sharpens a dull perspective. Buying the Catalina 25' was a precarious risk, but the benefits are already self-evident. My shed was a dump, my tools unrecognizable. Now, electricity, a coffee pot, beer fridge, roll-away tool-chest and wireless internet access embolden my determination. I created a space for design drawings and then built an inexpensive workbench from lumber costing less than fifty dollars. The Catalina’s previous owner had abandoned an assortment of useful and expensive accessories, including the additional winches and running-rigging for single-handed sailing. I calculated the “used” or “second-hand” value of the equipment stowed in the sailboat’s cabin, along with the tandem-axle trailer. The exercise encouraged my optimism. I valu...