Anchors Away

Today's entry will most likely signal a pause in my postings as my SO and I begin an adventure with our aqua RV. In 2007, we explored a section of Lake Huron, called the North Channel, but since it was our first expedition, we barely scratched the surface of this breathtakingly beautiful area. With tomorrow's foray, we hope to discover even more anchorages, coves, and scenery. Of course, Mother Nature will rule and her reign begins early tomorrow morning. As with all monarchs, we hope for a benevolent rule and blessing, not a harsh or harrowing one as we must cross Lake Michigan.

The first time we made this crossing and trip I was a basket case for days prior to our departure. By the time the actual morning came to leave, I was sleep-deprived beyond belief and had given birth to so many butterflies in my stomach that I could have been a nature sanctuary for caterpillars. I was uncharacteristically disinterested in eating and kept wishing for a big wind to suddenly appear for days, precluding our ability to cross 'the big lake'. As you have perceived, there was no big wind, we did cross and I did survive.

At that time, I could not fathom an almost two-week span without cable television or computer access and I wondered what I would do with my leisure hours. Filling leisure time was surprisingly easy and pleasurable as I read voraciously and maintained a diary that I kept faithfully and wrote, with candor, about my experiences. 2009 finds me a bit more relaxed and confident.

Since two years have passed, I am hoping that more marinas may have internet accessibility.
We do carry a Sprint air card and, hopefully, Sprint has built more Canadian towers. Time will give me the answer to whether I can post on any regular schedule, if at all. I am going prepared with a back-up plan.....a large, spiral-bound notebook, which I will use to manually record daily entries, if necessary. In the event that this scenario prevails, I will have numerous postings to enter on one day when we return to port!

And so, to the readers of this blog, I humbly request prayers for safety and common sense, both on our part and that of other boaters. Plus, a prayer for cooperation from Mother Nature wouldn't hurt, either!

Until we 'meet' again, Ancora Imparo.

Are There Really Grocery Stores in Other Cities?

I have a tendency to forget that, when I am traveling, I might be able to acquire items in other locations that I am accustomed to purchasing in my home area. Thusly, I think and think and then, think some more, about every possible product that I use or consume on a regular basis and proceed to buy enough of each item to last me through a ninety-day Pacific cruise........or so it seems.

My family and SO (in particular) teases me about this personality trait mercilessly, constantly reminding me that "There are grocery stores in other cities."

I'll hear entreaties such as, "Mom, you don't need to take two dozen rolls of your favorite paper towels." or "Dear (nothing good ever follows the word 'dear'), grocery stores will carry zippered food storage bags." I'll catch myself in the act and then tell myself that old-fashioned oatmeal is a common product and I don't need to take a case with me. Of course, it is a different matter when my SO takes more than one of something. Then it is called 'redundancy' and it perfectly permissible.

I'll sign off from today's posting. I have to talk myself out of buying a case of my favorite mayonnaise. Wish me luck!

Ancora imparo

Typing in the Dark

This blog posting may not make too much sense and, for that, I apologize. This urge to create a posting for today is so strong that I am typing in near-darkness, sitting up on top of a bed, legs uncomfortably straight out one minute and the next minute the knees are crossed, trying desperately to find comfort in a very small, cramped quarters. I have now repeated this motion several times.

This is the end to a grand and glorious day spent with friends out on the water, basking in the sun, shopping with no purpose, seeking out a seating position that best captures water spray, being treated royally to a delicious dinner, peeking inside windows of a condo model, and touring two boats that would truly break the bank.

The weather has been unpredictable to say the least. Days that were supposed to be idyllic, with little wind, turned into beasts that tried to blow our activity ideas right out the window. On the other hand, days that were supposed to be 'iffy' came to our rescue.

Who knew what a potluck menu Mother Nature would serve? But then, I did receive an email from TLV last night that made my heart skip a beat. I guess all the stars are lined back up in my area!

Ancora imparo

Putting the Emphasis On the Right Syllable

During my childhood, one of my mother's favorite phrases was, "Put the emphasis on the right syllable". It was an inside joke, of sorts. The kind between mother and daughter where you might wink at each other or look at each other with no word exchange but still know exactly what the other person was thinking. For us, the phrase really meant to say what you mean and mean what you say.

On my walk this morning, as often happens, words or thoughts pop into my head, seemingly for no reason at all. Ideas that are born from my cerebrum, in some tiny, dark speck, much like the speck on the flower in the cartoon/movie, "Horton Hears A Who".

The two words du jour that came to my attention are 'compress' and 'impress'. (Don't even wonder why. I'm scared to find out.)

Just consider how important placing the right emphasis on the correct syllable is. In our language, syllable emphasis is everything.

Take the word compress. If I ask for a compress, more than likely I have injured, strained or sprained some body part and, by requesting a compress I am seeking relief from pain. However, if I mispronounce the word and ask for a compress, I may very well endure terrific pain and end up in a tiny square shape, destined for a landfill somewhere. Same word, BIG difference in meaning depending on how I pronounce the word.

The same can be said for the word impress. If I say I wish to impress another individual, I would be indicating that I want to behave myself, speak with good purpose, dress appropriately and make a favorable impression. On the other hand, if I say I want to impress someone, I would be making a less-than-favorable impression (pun intended) as I leave marks in the skin of the unfortunate person, thereby failing to impress.

The caveat to all of us is to speak with good purpose and enunciate carefully. If we don't, we might very well find ourselves smaller than we desire or branded with a corporate logo in a conspicuous place on our bodies!

Ancora imparo

It's Not The End Of The World

Are you a creature of habit? I am and I freely admit it. Enjoying habits and routines is nothing to be ashamed of - right?

Some of my favorite routines are reading my newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee, while sitting in my dad's old chair; getting up early, quietly moving about the house, and checking my email; changing my clothes immediately after coming home from a day's work; enjoying the lighted Christmas tree at night in a silent room.

I also have favorite 'comfort' garments that I like to wear, depending on the time of year. All my 'comfort' garments are made of very soft materials, and, for the most part, are all loose fitting, with no constriction whatsoever. There is something about these 'comfort' articles of clothing that at once relax me and mellow me out almost instantaneously.

One of these garments is an old pair of gym shorts that have been washed so many times they feel like velvet to the skin. These gray shorts are modest in appearance and certainly not any 'look' that I would ever want to display in public. I love my old gym shorts..........and I forgot to bring them with me on this trip to my aqua RV. I just discovered this omission in packing and it has been all I can do not to drive five hours south back to home to retrieve them. I've considered calling a friend who has a house key and asking her to send them via overnight delivery, but that is not exactly cost-effective. Besides, that particular decision might prompt my SO to not renew our co-habitation contract for another year.

I guess the bottom line is that my bottom line will not include wearing my old gray gym shorts for a while. I do realize that the world will not end, that I could have much bigger dilemmas facing me, and that there are millions of people in this world who would give their right and left limbs to have a missing pair of gym shorts be their worst problem. I know all this....


So, thank you for allowing me this space to whine just a bit. I'm signing off and going to look up the local post office phone number. Just don't tell my SO! The secret will be ours!

Ancora imparo

WWJD?

I must confess that I am struggling with myself as I try to wrap my mind around a local tragedy that occurred recently.

An extended family is dealing with the grief of losing their matriarch and patriarch by the hand of a man who entered their home with the intent of doing great bodily harm. Not only did he take the lives of these two beloved individuals but he also severely beat their son who was in the habit of routinely checking in on his parents daily.

I do know some of the family members and I suspect this is why this tragic incident has been on my mind almost continually since I learned details about what happened.

I pray for justice to be served, for the family to be comforted by memories and each other as they wrestle with feelings that probably span the gamut from grief, rage, bewilderment, incredulity, despair, anger, and disbelief.

How would I react? Would I not feel that 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should prevail?

I truly do not understand what purpose this horrible event could possibly have. I am left puzzled beyond comprehension and wondering WHY????????????????????????

Ancora imparo

Nonsense

I am shaking my head in disbelief at this moment. Disbelief that, in this horrid economy where businesses and individuals are struggling to stay afloat, a small business would give me such a hard time about paying my bill.

Allow me to explain.

Approximately four weeks ago my SO and I arranged to have a service provided. The date of service, which was also prearranged, was scheduled for two weeks ago. The service was completed, to our satisfaction, on the agreed-upon date.

Fast forward to this day.

Among my listed tasks is catching up on all bills so that, as we are in and out over the coming days, outstanding statements are paid in a timely fashion, even if that means paying well ahead of a due date.

Having received no bill from this small business, which I believe is a franchise operation, I called the number listed and explained what I was trying to do. The woman answering the phone was very pleasant.....which is a positive trait for anyone answering a phone dealing with the public. Pleasant but quite confused as to what to do about my request. She explained that a bill would have been left in our front door immediately upon completion of the service rendered. When I politely replied that no bill had been left with us, which she seemingly disbelieved, she said she would call me right back.

After ten to fifteen minutes, my phone rang and a different person, in a different location was on the line. After nearly ten minutes of polite questions, one of which was, "Did you sign up for this or did you just go out that morning and ask them to provide this service?", the helpful person could not find our name or address in their system. I told her that, while I was all for getting something for nothing, I did want to pay them. She then replied that she needed to find the original list of homeowners who signed up and she would call me right back. (Keep in mind that I am trying to pay this bill.) After another five minutes or so, she did phone back, saying that she had found the list and she gave me the amount owed. It was as if I had to insist, for well-over thirty minutes, that a service from this company had been provided to my address.

The only conclusion that I can reach is that this company has more business than it can handle and that cash flow is not a problem. After receiving the amount owed, I did ask her, with due respect and politeness, if I could be assured that since they had so much trouble finding me in the first place, how could I know that my payment would be credited to the correct name and address???????

A good question, don't you think?

Ancora imparo

The Magic of Music

Music has undeniable magic for many, if not most, of us. I suspect that some are more aware of the power of music than others but even those humans who are clueless and dullards might even react to certain styles of music.

Being a musician, I am keenly cognizant of the effect that music has on my psyche and emotions. I use music, whenever possible and practical, to affect my reaction to certain situations and stressors. One example of how I use music to my advantage (or that of my home's advantage) is that whenever I have the opportunity (that means when my SO is away from the house) to clean - which is a pointless task that I absolutely abhor - I turn on the radio to my favorite station and crank up the volume to a level that my SO finds objectionable, which is why I only do this when he is absent. The over-the-top volume energizes me in a way that I cannot describe, but pumps adrenaline through my body and makes the task at hand almost enjoyable.

This morning found me devoid of energy, due to a sleepless night, but facing a long list (yes, I made a list) of tasks, the first of which was to get my behind outdoors to walk and then weed. Since my SO had a breakfast meeting and I would be walking alone, I got out my trusty I-Pod and earbuds, put the songs on shuffle, and took off. At once, the pounding back beats delivered the energy punch that I needed. A big smile crept over my face and I literally bounced through my walk, having to force myself to return home so my feet would not get sore. Once back at the ranch, I kept the I-Pod on and began weeding, singing along to the likes of performers who, in their primes, were crazy and high, but exceptionally talented. The weeds flew out of the ground as I puttered about, not wanting to come back inside. Once inside I still didn't push 'stop', but, instead, jived through a load of laundry and floor exercises, amazed at how much I had accomplished when, two hours beforehand, I'd considered sleeping through the morning!

So, what is the point of this posting?

To all of you who are tired, listless, frustrated, stressed, worried, obsessed, possessed, and distressed - that about covers it all - find some music that speaks to your inner core and awakens your primal being, crank up the volume and sit back, ready to receive positive side effects that no prescription drug can ever hope to deliver......all free of charge and with no damage to any internal organs or muscles.

Music........the true miracle drug!

Ancora imparo

Farmers' Markets

Have you ever been to a farmers' market? I mean, a really good farmers' market?

Every Saturday morning, I have the excellent fortune to live ten minutes away from a really good farmers' market. As often as we can, my SO and I make a date to go 'walking the farmers' market', as we call it.

Strolling is perhaps a more accurate description of how people traverse the vendors' stalls, all marketing either freshly-picked vegetables, flowers, or fruits - various kinds of meats and seafoods - baked goods often still warm with their tempting aromas wafting about, luring shoppers to buy and devour them on the spot - all manner of crafty-type creations. You can buy cutlery or bring your cutlery items or shears/scissors to have them sharpened while you wait. Local shopkeepers open their doors early and often have sidewalk sale-type tables set up for potential customers to peruse. Our favorite is a local eatery/coffee shop that serves up an excellent brew and delicious, homemade bagels/pastries and full breakfasts.

When you've satisfied your hunger and your pocketbook is empty, you leave with bags of the freshest possible produce, tummies full with good coffee and other goodies you shouldn't have consumed, and the satisfying feeling of supporting local businesses and growers.

I can't wait until next Saturday. The tomatoes and sweet corn season must be just around the corner!

Ancora imparo and bon appetite!

12 to 3 Odds

Our boat served admirably above and beyond the call of duty today as we hosted a dozen people onboard.

Onboard guests ranged in age from early sixties to two weeks old, as of tonight. The two-week old took all the commotion in stride, either sleeping or being alert and wakeful, absorbing her surroundings and intently studying anyone who held her. The other guests sunned themselves, chatted, beaded, read, kayaked, swam, splashed, made sand castles, rode in the dinghy, ate, snacked, snoozed, chatted some more, snacked and, just basically chilled.

TLV was part of the guest-party, when it was twelve in number. Eventually the little dinghy ferried everyone back to their campsites, except TLV. The final onboard count for the night
is three.

We three have worked on our upper-body strenth, examined all the outer-deck storage areas, grilled hotdogs, eaten grilled veggies, consumed chocolate chip cookies, snacked on goldfish crackers, drank our milk, showered, taken lots of pictures, AND watched the children's DVD, "Horton Hears A Who" WHILE munching on popcorn.

We three are tired but happy. One of us is sound asleep and the other two's eyes are very glazed.

12 to 3......I like those odds!

Ancora imparo

Everything Tastes Better Out of Doors

Ah, the lure of the campfire, the tent with its screen windows open, the fresh smell of the outdoors next to the pit toilets, the ants seeking sanctuary in food bins, the spider crawling into the sleeping bag, the flies, the cute little chipmunks and ground squirrels scampering about, the racoon chewing through the trash bag or the plastic food containers mistakingly left out at night.

Hmmm, I see that I have conflicting memories of camping.

It is true that even the most basic of foods - the lowly, maligned hot dog - tastes divine when roasted on the end of a crudely fashioned stick. There is also nothing like the smell (and taste) of bacon frying at a campsite, the accompanying eggs-over-easy basted in bacon grease, the limp-but-tasty bread toasted on the fire grate. My family's favorite would be the can of Spam (talk about maligned meat!) sliced and 'grilled' over the campfire. Ummm, nothing like that!

What about the perverbial campfire favorite - the sommores - or however you choose to spell the treat. Gooey, dripping melted marshmallows covering milk chocolate squares, ensconsed in a blanket of graham crackers.

Camping is truly a 'sport' for everyone. You see tents, canvas lean-tos, pop-up campers, fifth wheelers, big RVs......everything under the sun for people to sleep in. You can eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and, pretty much however you want......with or without utensils. None of those people will ever see you again anyway!

Here's to campers everywhere!

Ancora imparo

Kaflooey and Diddling

Out of curiousity, I've been doing some reading about blogging; i.e. who blogs, the length of blog postings, posting topics, why people blog, etc. It has been fascinating to learn about others like moi.

For moi, topics are often generated by articles I read in a newspaper or news magazine, or what I hear on the television, radio or in conversations with others. Occasionally, a personal experience provides fodder for a topic and that is where today's topic was germinated.

My SO and I are spending a few days on our floating RV and experiences on a floating RV can be a rich source of topics, such as having your radar and compass 'system' go "kaflooey". For those of you not familiar with boating, "kaflooey" is not a technical term, rather one of my own making, but a state that boaters seem to often find something in.

Being without an accurate electronic description of just where your boat sits can and IS problematic, so any boat captain is understandably frustrated by experiencing an electronic state of kaflooey.

Captain SO had an electronics 'expert' come to the floating RV and diddle around a bit. Diddling around is a technical boating repair term familiar to every boat owner. ANY form of diddling will automatically make your wallet much lighter.

To the point, after a short while of expert diddling, Captain SO learned that there was a second, hidden compass below decks that he had never been aware of AND that said hidden compass was highly subject to electromagnetic influences from electrical devices and motors. Once the two, small, portable electric fans were removed from NEXT to the HIDDEN compass, the electronic state of kaflooey disappeared and all was well.

Which........made me think that we all should know where our personal,hidden, below-decks compasses are. I think this hidden compass controls my state of zen, which, at times, seems to be difficult to locate.

May you always know where your below-decks compass is at all times!

Ancora imparo

Listening To The Oldies

For the past three hours I've been listening to a sixties XM radio station in the background. This is music from my junior high and high school years. What a journey back in time, and I'm embarrassed to admit, I still know all the words.

Each piece has taken me to some distant event, dance, date, activity, phone call, break-up, spat, sleepover, or night spent driving up and down Main Street, checking out 'who's out tonight'. Didn't we all do that in some form or another?

I grew up in Small-Town rural America, where everyone knew everyone and everything about everyone. A small graduating class of one-hundred and ten, from a high school that gave me a good education and some very fine teachers.

I am middle America, where life was simple, uncomplicated, and people were genuine. We all had hopes and dreams.......some of us had our hopes and dreams realized, others hit dead ends and did not.

Life is still like that. We are all shaped by our past, our families, our experiences......whether we like it or admit it.

We are who we are. That's a statement that is not very deep or profound, but it is true.

I'm going back to my past. Just for a few more moments - I'll be younger and smaller - but I'll rest assured that I am still feisty, determined, and fiercely independent.

Wanna come?

Ancora imparo

I Only Wanted A Cup Of Coffee

If you are a coffee-appreciator/lover-of-java/morning-cup-a-joe-have-to-have-type person, then you will appreciate today's posting.

Today is my SO's birthday, the number of which must remain a mystery because if I tell, they will be my last words. The reason I mention this is that, basically, I figured today I'd operate by the mantra that he gets whatever he wants, he gets..........within reason, I might add.

When he awoke this morning, he announced that he wanted to get right up and do work outside.....he'd eat breakfast later. OK, I thought, it is your birthday. My plans for special pancakes can wait.

I headed out on foot, for the grocery store, wading through hordes of tourists on the sidewalks, and at such an earlier hour! When I arrived at the grocery store, there were even more people shopping for food. Almost all of the carts were in use, the aisles were crammed, and the check-out personnel were already frazzled. I thought about stopping at a local coffee shop on my way home but the coffee shop and its parking lot was jammed full, too.
I thought, "I'll make a cup when I get home."

Well, the coffee opportunity did not present itself in the a.m. and right after lunch we decided to head out to purchase fresh tuna for my SO's birthday dinner, so I thought, "I'll make a cup when I get home."

The coffee-making opportunity did present itself after our tuna-shopping trip. I was eager to sip on some freshly-brewed java, even though it was smack in the middle of the afternoon. While SO prepared the marinade for the tuna steaks, I set about preparing the pod coffee- maker for my treat. I've done this dozens, maybe hundreds of times over the past three years and never had a problem with the coffee maker. HOWEVER, today was to be different.

After two aborted attempts to brew a fourteen ounce cup of coffee - the grounds kept pouring through the filter into my mug - I was not a happy camper and was ready to toss the coffee maker into the brink, but my SO came to my rescue and gently suggested that I try straining the coffee through a paper towel, into my waiting coffee mug. You will note that I italicized the word gently because he had the good sense to sense that any other style of verbal delivery might result in this being his final celebrated birthday.

To end this silly posting, I did finally get my cup of coffee, which I have just finished, so it is now time to stop blogging. Now that my source of caffeine has disappeared I do not trust my brain to work efficiently.

Hmmmm, I wonder if my brain does ever work efficiently?

If you sense that it does not, please inform me gently.

Ancora imparo

Lesson Learned

My SO and I learned a little life lesson today that we would like to share with blog readers and the blogosphere in general............

Now, this tip is rather like the one that has been passed on for generations about not eating yellow snow. Our tip, however, will have your olfactory sense thanking you profusely.

Do not leave nightcrawlers in a refrigerator for an extended period of time.

If you do, when you return to your refrigerator, you will find a purely disgusting and revolting smell when you open the refrigerator door. This horrible odor may cause you to gag, vomit, or otherwise cringe.

We were lucky that we just left our nightcrawlers in a small refrigerator designated for beverage cans and bottles only. Thank goodness we did not leave the crawlers down below where some foodstuffs were kept. We would have been throwing out food right and left.

Please, take a lesson from us. If you have leftover nightcrawlers when you leave your residence, return the creatures to whence they came..........dirt.

Your proboscis will thank you!

Ancora imparo

Washing Machine Shortage

Have you observed that there must be a national shortage of washing machines?

This shortage could be due to many mitigating factors such as the economy in general, less disposable income due to job losses, factory closings, foreign competition, the National Washing Machine Builders' Union going on strike, or, perhaps, the Maytag man is on an extended vacation.

I spoke with a representative of the National Washing Machine Builders Union and he confirmed that there is, indeed, a shortage of washing machines. Warehouses that were once full of these appliances now sit empty, pitiful craters as reminders of a once-booming industry.

The NWMBU representative indicated that the shortage is most severe in southern states, particularly in the state of South Carolina. Not much information regarding this mystery is publicly available at this time but evidence is building that South Carolinians seem to be airing their dirty laundry at every turn.

Governor Mark Sanford is leading the charge, airing his dirty laundry right and left. His aides have requested that he suspend his dirty-laundry airings but to no avail. His constituency is becoming increasingly concerned about the washing machine shortage at the state capital and the fear is growing that this appliance emergency may spread nationwide. Those most affected appear to be individuals belonging to the Republican Party, although this rumor has not yet been substantiated.

Late last night,South Carolina state officials could be seen huddling in private meetings with the NWMBU representatives though there is no word, at this time, that any agreement has been reached.

As soon as I become aware that the airing of dirty laundry has ceased, at least in the state of South Carolina, you'll hear it here!

Ancora imparo