It feels like we are limbo. We need to be here to get some projects done but are also itching to leave and make miles. And this marina isn’t the most exciting place to be. Too bad we couldn’t have Levkas town right behind us. Instead Corfu Town is about a 20 minute bus ride away but we haven’t seemed to be able to make it back there. Mike is filling his days by crossing projects off the list such as wiring our second VHF radio in the cockpit and mounting clip-in hooks for our harnesses in the cockpit. And it felt like another day of being held captive on the boat waiting for the sail rigger to come. But of course he doesn’t come until we give up and start walking into town where we run into him. But the good news is that he came to the boat and put a screw in the track gate which will keep it closed so the track slides don’t get stuck in it. Mike isn’t convinced this will be a sure fix and is asking the rigger to look into the possibility and cost of having a different track mounted to the mast. I spent the day on the boat doing a whole lot of nothing. I did start to research Italy and Morocco which was good and gives me a better idea of where we can and cannot go. In the afternoon we both needed to get off the boat so we walked out of the marina to a different chandlery and to the grocery store. Exciting, I know. But it was fun to be in a real and stocked grocery store again. There was also a good breeze blowing today which made the temperatures a lot cooler, and that combined with the smell of wood smoke gave me a feeling that fall is in the air. I just hope that I am not setting myself up too much for disappoint! But as the evening came the temperatures just got cooler and cooler and we found ourselves digging out our layers from the hanging locker. It felt so good to put on a jacket! And the skies have been amazing here today. The craziest cloud formations I have ever seen. And the sunset only made them even more spectacular.
Trying to document myself wearing a jacket!
And to continue the honesty, Mike and I came to a small blow tonight. For me it started with being frustrated over the continued stress that Mike seems to carry. And along with that, the preoccupation with the boat and really, just missing my husband. During our walk today, ‘Mikey’ was with me but as soon as we returned to the boat it felt like ‘Michael’ was back. Mike’s view is that he is trying to work on this boat which is incredibly frustrating at times. And it’s not going to get done unless he does it, because he feels that sometimes I have taken a back seat to helping with those projects. A few more frustrations got aired and after a walk to take a breather, we made peace for the night. And slept in the aft cabin (with a blanket!) which is whole lot nicer than the v-berth where only our toes touch.
Trying to document myself wearing a jacket!
Few people want to cross an ocean in a sailboat in their lifetime. Of those who have the desire, even fewer will have the opportunity. The experience is romantic to dream about, and realized by few because it requires dedication, work, guts, perseverance, and risk. I am sure many have set out to cruise the globe and found that they didn’t really want to do it. They get tired, and lonely, and homesick. I think Mike wants to cross an ocean, and has what he needs to do it. He has the most rare of partners who has sailed with him, rafted deep wide canyons with him, hiked rugged mountains with him, and made each experience look like a beautiful dream. You two have what it takes to cruise the oceans in a boat together. You have a great deal to offer from your experience.
ReplyDeleteI have never married, and never owned a boat. I have lived in the same house for seventeen years and worked the same job for more than twenty. I have little credibility for offering advice to either of you, but I can offer my undying encouragement, compassion, and wishes for you to not get discouraged. You are missed here at home, and the time will come, when you will need to return. Italy is not going anywhere. You can get there by airplane and train from Seattle. Find the places you may never reach again in a lifetime. Send us your photos and descriptions of places we will never see, and fill the main sail with wind.
Pike Place Market was teaming with visitors today. It was a holiday weekend. I visited La Campane, and remembered the night you two were engaged. Bumbershoot was in full swing with crowds clogging the streets to enjoy the last festival of summer.
Peaches are at their peak now, and blueberries are past. The days are shorter, the weather is mild, and we are blessed here in the Pacific Northwest. Give thanks!
Warmly yours,
From Rainier Valley, Seattle
Jenny