Preview



Looking ahead along the way

 When Bear and I began our little adventure we knew we would be making memories for use later in life, perhaps for those times when we are destined to make our last port in life's voyage.  We did not expect those memories to be particularly spectacular, nor of interest to anyone other than ourselves.  After just nine months, we have a cache of memories that is certainly a good start.  There are those that cause nightmares and those that would embarrass most folks.  We have some that could be the stuff of travel magazines and some that could be discarded were it not for the fact that they are chiseled into our hard drive. Altogether they make up a pretty good start on the stuff that we might remember when we grow up. 

Our "Ships Log" is mostly about geography and mechanics but this blog is about perceptions and ports, about impressions of people along the way and about mistakes and the old learning curve.  It is about how one can find pleasure living in a space smaller than our bedroom back home.  It is about the dance we do as we pass each other in tight places aboard and how we learned to do that without stepping on toes and dropping stuff.  It is about sleeping head to toe in a berth smaller than a single bed and how to dodge a kick in the face while fully unconscious asleep-- or not.  It is about that darn hatch handle that has always been there yet is forgotten until it buries that little button on top of a cap in the top of my head.  In my case, it is about learning patience and overcomming my ADHD, which I think I have done.  It is about wondering where the other boat is headed and where they have been and the wonder of how folks that old are still doing it.  I am sure others think of us that way since we see very few youngsters "out there".  This is like a visit to a wildlife park that is infinitely long and only accessible by boat. 

We have done a fair amount of land exploration and are constantly amazed at the demarcation between normal land life and the other dimension:  the water world.  Those who fish, ski or go to the beach are usually home after dark and they really miss one of the true rewards.  Like staying "at the coast" on Sunday, one sees the visitors disappear.  One is treated to something the locals have long forgotten and those who went home to "get ready for work on Monday" will not enjoy.  It is having the water world to yourself.  For the moment it is yours and all that it holds is displayed just for you.  Along the way, we have anchored in places where we did not encounter another human for hours.  It is a pleasure to listen to nature without motors.  It has been so completely enjoyable that we have yet to listen to the books on tape or the music we brought aboard for more than a few minutes total.  The sound of silence is truly golden. 

Now that we are in the Hill Country for a few weeks, I catch myself previewing those memories, sort of trying them on for size to see if they will work when we can no longer go to sea.  Methinks we are doing just fine filling the memory box.  Hopefully, the box will continue to grow now that our visits to the spine guys are done.  Heck, I was aboard last night for a couple of hours.  I would bet Bear was too.

Stuff

Not sure how it works but in the short time we have been here, Bear got a jury summons.  Did someone tell Comal county we were back?  Ok, can one get a deferment from said duty if one explains to the court, most of whom may never have been out of the county, that we are not planing to be here long enough for Bear to do the duty?  It might go something like this:  You see Judge, we are not up to the civic duty thing because we be planning to have fruity libations with little umbrellas on some Caribbean island for the unforeseeable future.  Might you just forget this whole jury thing and excuse us for oh say----- forever?  Wadda say old dude?  Let you know how that works after the 11th. 

This visit has one really cool aspect other than for our Texas soul.  I am having the pleasure of discarding company files and recovering a room that was once the galactic nerve center of CST Sales.  Unlike walking away from a real job with the old gold watch and a really cool cake, this is a celebration only I can enjoy.  There is no successor to help me take my stuff to the car and wish me well.   Now if I can only get all those trade magazines to unsubscribe me.  Don't they know it is difficult to download their junk at some remote anchorage?

Taken a "while" back

Now I must admit to those who have not lived a cruising life that life aboard can be way more work.  It is not all beautiful sundowns with a perky glass of rotten grapes and a life mate to enjoy it.  Those who have stopped by this blog from time to time have read about broken heads (toilets), broken masts, lost stuff and cold watches at the helm.  Life on land has some really obvious advantages  but it cannot, at least for now, match a quiet anchorage with bean dip and chicken pot pies.  It cannot offer that moment when one raises the sails on a brisk wind and turns off the engine.  At that very moment, the power of the wind and thousands of years of sailing vessels on the sea come to mind.    At that moment one can  the stark beauty of running before the wind.  A few minutes beyond, and the moment gives way to the reality of perpetual movement, boat sounds and sometimes the entertainment of watching those guests never exposed realize freedom.  "Where would you like to go today?"

Back in Texas, The Republic Of.

We made it back to the house on Saturday and found things in surprisingly good shape.  While we did not plan this visit, it will allow us to take care of things such as stowing stuff in the barn which we did not need aboard.  We will replace some of that stuff with other stuff we deem necessary aboard, but may find later that was wrong.  That stuff may well wind up as barter on some Caribbean island. 

 I am closing my business.  As mentioned before, I planned to keep it open but had an epiphany in mid Mobile Bay that it was not worth the effort.  Accordingly, I have put CST Sales, Inc. to sleep permanently. It was very easy to kill off a company of 28 years with just two  state forms.  Wow, all that time, all those road miles and all those business cards, all those trade shows and all those nights away from Bear are now relegated to a few boxes and memories destined to be in a dumpster some day.  Anyone need a brief case or catalog case?  How about a hundred years supply of paper clips?  Look out Mother Ocean, here we come.

This shore leave will be busy.  We now know that a can of pineapple will explode in the pantry.  Thank goodness the freezer did not stop.  We also know mold will grow on a computer screen and the deer cannot eat all the vines that now cover several sidewalks.  Who would ever guess that two inches of garbage in the dumpster actually can make crude in just six months?  We plan to visit family and friends, perhaps attend a high school home coming, visit doctors, dentists and dermatologists and most importantly we plan to VOTE. 
We are healing from the great Tampa adventure and we are already looking forward to climbing back aboard.  Bear renewed her membership in Curves to accelerate the recovery.   This shore leave is, in a way, the most important for getting underway.  

Sweet Arms of Texas

Bear had a normal but painful reaction to her back fix, severe spasms.  While we were in Tampa for my swivel fix, it became most painful.  She received a shot that will take about two weeks to do its stuff.  I am under orders to lift nothing heavier than a gallon of water for the next six weeks.  The crew is due for extended shore leave.  All things considered, we decided to jump ship for a bit and head back to Texas to recover.  Without at least one of us in highly mobile condition, life aboard may not be the best approach to healing.  That said, we will leave Why Knot today.  We are driving since we have much stuff to take home and throw in the barn; stuff that we no longer need aboard.