The Yachtsman's Week-end Book, by Irving et al., 1963 2nd edition

One of my favorite things to do when struck by a seized back is to lay still and discover innovations in over the counter back medicines. Next to that is to read a few stand-by books, an this one that always give delight and up there with Wind in the Willows - which I bought along with a box set of Winnie the Pooh back in 1986 during a bad December cold and was told by a beaming clerk, out loud to a room of happy mommies, how good it is to give books to children at Christmas which beam departed upon being told my next purchase would be a really good single malt to sip as I read about Ratty and Tigger in bed trying to get better but not that quickly.

The Week-end series of books were a 1930's phenomena which were one volume encyclopedias of how to live the life of a yachtsman, a foxhunter, a countryman, or a camper & tramper from Friday night to Monday morning. My book tells me what songs to sing, knots to tie, key phrases for entry into Dutch or French ports, drinks to mix, what to cook in a number 8 sea - "sea precipitous: swell, long and heavy". Banana Cream for luncheon dessert, by the way. I enjoyed going back to the book so much I got on the internet yesterday afternoon and discovered that 400 bucks will get me an adult student membership with the Kingston Yacht Club down the street. Pip, pip.