MY BABY IS GONE

Making freinds

I never thought I’d be chilly again, but here I am on a plane from Miami to Indy freezing to death.  Left Miami this morning and was sweltering, 90 degrees plus and absolutely no wind.  Getting back into the world of air conditioning is such a treat.  Something I take for granted but no more baby.  On my way back home to Indianapolis for 10 days to check on my house and Ray’s house, catch up with friends but most importantly see my daughter, Mercedes graduate from University of WI this weekend.  Will drive up with her grandparents and Dad and have weekend of festivities in Madison WI.  Bringing Ray back a cheese hat to wear on the boat.

Merc and Me in Paris

We finally escaped the clutches of Marathon Key 3 days ago and it felt good to be sailing again.  The day was perfect, we had some wind so we actually got to sail.  I love it when we do not have to motor and the wind carries us along.  All you hear is a slight whipping of the sails and the boat going through the water.  Sail boating teaches you to take your time since we never seem to go much more then 5 or 6 knots.  I get so I look at the motor boats as noisy junior high kids disturbing our peaceful journey. Guess I’ve officially become an “old fart” as my mother would say.

The water was turquoise and the dolphins gave us a show periodically.  The ride was a little bumpy, well actually a lot bumpy and poor Andy Wiggles got seasick for the first time.  All of a sudden he was looking a little woozy and barfed.  Ish.  Gave him some water and a little bit of Dramamine and cuddle him next to me …all was well until blech – barf # 2 and this time all over Mommy.  AGH.  Somehow it’s bad enough when your kid does it but the dog is much more icky.  Up comes the PUPeroni treat – well I might heave that too.  Interesting how he’s MY dog when those things happen. 

Ray tried fishing off the boat during our sail inquiring which fishing thingy we should use because of course I know.  He caught the dinghy (again).  Did manage to catch one small ugly fish with knarly little teeth, it went back in.  We even used the Strong Bad lure and jig.   http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail44.html   kind of forgot how nice it is being out there pretty much by yourself sailing along. 

Our trip to Miami was via the Atlantic side for the first day.  That night we anchored out in a secluded area, took showers off the back of the boat and watched the sun go down, the full moon and stars come out and shine like nothing in the city and then we get up and see the sunrise over perfectly still water.  Gorgeous.  Feel like we are the only ones in the world.  Just the birds, the water and us. 

I have gotten so I sleep like a log now on the boat despite not having air conditioning (you can see THIS is an issue for comfort seeking me).   Bed is what is known as a V-Berth in the bow of the boat, narrow at the bottom, wider at top.  These are cushions mind you made of herculon (kind of itchy) with no box spring or extra padding, 4”-5” thick sitting on wood.   Does not compare to my Select Comfort sleep number king bed with feather bed bottom and extra puffy pillows.  Ray is 6′4″  and takes up most of the length, the narrow bottom often results in feet fights about who is going to claim the 6 inch width.  I usually lose.  But the sea air and the lifestyle seem to make sleeping most anywhere just fine.

 Next day we actually got going at a record starting time of 9:30 am.  Now that sounds pretty reasonable, but it seems Ray and I can’t get our asses anywhere until noon.  Becoming kind of a joke with us and we aren’t even sleeping in, reading the paper or fixing a big country breakfast.  What’s that about huh?  AW got the Dramamine first thing but the seas were pretty calm and smooth all day so no “episodes”.

8:30 a.m. left on Friday.  What the hell?  We are getting the hang of this.  We motored towards Miami and the skyline of large buildings came into view.  Miami is a big city and coming in via boat is pretty spectacular.  A completely different point of view then flying or driving into the city. It is quite beautiful seeing the city on the horizon and all the water around dotted with sails and lovely boats.  At night all the building lights sparkle on the water creating quite the poster. 

We tied up at a mooring ball at Crandon Park Marina at the end of Crandon Park (duh) on Key Biscayne.  State Park with limited facilities but did get close to a little island right off the boat that was like a zoo aviary.  Frigate birds, blue and white herons, pink and white ibis, black vultures sitting on the only dead branches murmuring “bring out your dead” and giant pelicans zooming in and bounce landing on the branches.  I don’t think there was a free branch on that little island without some bird taking up residence for the night.  Ray knows his birds and loves watching them so he was in hog heaven with binoculars in hand.

Now Crandon park marina is decent for a park but much of it is under construction so navigating at the moment entails winding through constructions sites, make shift fences, piles of concrete blocks and so on.  We ask do you have showers, well yes but on the other side of the marina and they are cold.  Of course it is a sweltering humid 94 degrees and cold showers sound pretty damn good.  We go to investigate.  Not exactly perfect since these are outdoor showers and I think I will pass.  But the best part is the guard patrol that is around the bath house.  As I come up I spot what I might describe as the ugliest cat I have ever seen. Please note I am a big cat lover and will pet and talk lovey talk to just about anything.  But this guy…… yellow gucky shifty eyes, black and white top half and brown bottom half.  Ears seem to be missing.  He glares at me with disdain.  Then I spy a few more kitties’ (a term used loosly here), red, gray tabby, brindle and black.  All ugly, ugly cats.  Cats with attitude man.  Looking further I spot a tree with pus at the bottom, and look up to count 10 cats in this tree.  I have apparently stumbled on the “living under the bridge” equivalent for homeless cats.  These are tough ass cats, nothing like my babies, Bob and Le Booh, the snuggly, furry, sweet, playful babies.  Offer these cats cat toys and you will be met with “Catnip mice?? We don’t need any stinking catnip mice!”   Of course these cats have to fight the birds for the fish and fish parts the fishermen bring in.  But I’m telling you this is a Stephen King novel if I ever saw one – Kudjoe goes feline.

Next day we take a long very hot bike ride from Key Biscayne to downtown Miami. Very, very long inclined bridge over there, but I did it.   Funny how a day ago we seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and now here we are biking around huge buildings, traffic, and concrete. 

At the top of a VERY long bridge. AGH

But now I have left Miami and am on a plane headed back to my house.  Surprisingly I’ve been a little anxious about coming back.  Been away over 3 months now away from home.  Grown accustomed to my new so called life.  So casual, no deadlines, hell we never even know what day it is.  Grown accustomed to being with Ray and Wiggles all the time.  I am going to miss my men.  Ray says he’s going to teach AW the ukulele and they are going to write country songs about:

“How my baby’s has gone and

I’m all alone –

 I wish she’d come back

So we can cuddle in the sack”  

Note:  Ray now puts down for occupation “POET” and I put “MUSE” when asked on official forms

I imagine it will be sort of lonesome for us both.  And I have grown accustomed to not worrying about what I am going to wear, or putting on makeup or fussing with my hair.  I wonder if I can get any real shoes on.  I put on makeup this morning and looked odd to myself.  Eyebrows?  Why I haven’t had eyebrows for 3 months. 

A note to those who don’t know me – I have transparent eyebrows and lashes.  Not blond, not skimpy simply clear in color.  When I get in the sun, the eyebrows completely disappear and putting on eyebrow pencil is most challenging and often results in my looking like the ”THE ROCK” although not my intention.

I find my anxiety interesting.  I think it is coming face to face with some realities I’m living now that I have been able to shove out of sight.  The economy, housing market, the money I shell out each month for a house I’m not living in, the job market being fairly dismal and more dismal for a woman 58.  It is easy to sweep those things under the rug without TV and newspaper to remind you daily how bleak everything is.  But I am merely one of man that are staring this stuff in the face. And this too will pass.

Also, my little girl, my only child is graduating from college.  I am so proud.  She has had such a great college career – travel, new friends, learning to live on her own, driving her scooter around campus, studying in London and seeing Europe, travel to Scotland, interesting jobs and learning experiences, hard study and good grades, acting in a variety of shows, becoming a DG and spending summers working in Madison. It isn’t like anything has really changed, she will stay in Madison for the next year or so, but it does mean she’s all grown up.  Mercedes has always been very mature and self sufficient and I am proud of that too.  I believe we raise children to have wings and roots and it is our job to prepare them to fly and hope they fly back to us on occasion.  But that stuff always sounds great when they are 8 years old, not 22 and getting ready to really do it.  She will do great and I’ll be waiting when she wants to fly in.

About to land, so I’m going to sign off and get ready for my re-entry into society and re-entry into my Jacuzzi tub at home and a fridge I just open and don’t have to put ice in to keep cold….oh maybe that transition won’t be so hard after all.

On my way back from the grocery

 

Creative housing on Marathon

 

Marathon ingenuity - RV on stilts

 

Just another sunset

 

On dinghy watch

 

 

 

 

 

 

JAWS!!!!

 

Escape from the dink

 

Hiding AW for a trip in the bus - no dogs allowed

 

Marathon Media

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