Boat

Here are some photos of the boat that used to be ours, Post Storm.

Done Dreamin' is just that.

Sat. Saga: Pants, Keys, Traffic OR The Apple Never Falls...

I have this thing about clothes shopping. I hate it.

I hate everything about it. I hate the idea of going to a place and trying to fing clothing I like. I hate the fact that, once found, the clothing probably will not fit me right, or perhaps it would, if it were actually in my size. I hate that I then have to shell out a ridiculous amount of money for each item of clothing, none of which was made responsibly or in this country, supporting what I feel to be the irresponsible business practices of monster corporations.

All for a pair of pants that will probably be stained with olive oil by the end of the week.

But sometimes, I give in.

I really, really like the store Athleta. This store is part of the GAP empire. But it focuses on activewear, and right now I'm really into that, particularly the kind that will let me look cute. The thing is, until recently, Athleta has been exclusively catalog and internet. It didn't have any actual physical stores.

And then recently, it opened up a few. Including one in Massachusetts. I really really wanted to visit this store, just to see what it was like, to try on some of the clothes I kept seeing, just to know what they would look like on me.

So I asked Steve, very nicely, if he would watch the boys one Saturday while I drove down and checked it out.

Well, Steve had planned to go to the boat on Friday, and spend the night. But he had an idea: the boys love the boat! Why don't I drive down with the boys Saturday morning, and then drop them off. I can then drive back, stop off at the store (which was down there anyway) and have the day to myself.

It sounded like a good idea, even if it was a bit more driving than I had planned on, as the mall I was going to was not exactly at the marina.

So Friday Steve headed out, and I was alone with the kids.

I slept very poorly Friday. I mention this only to give you some idea of my state of mind, a framework for what followed, sleep deprived glasses to put on so that you can see the day unfold the way I did.

At 8:30 AM we pulled out of the driveway, after packing lunch for the boys on the boat, getting all three boys to put on shoes, and one very immature temper tantrum about bringing a DS in the car. (I was calm, and the DS stayed home.)

There was a bit of traffic. I got lost on the way to the marina - I can never remember which exit, and also, once I get off all the turns tend to look the same to me. Some guy ran a stop sign while I was stopped for someone else cutting into the flow of traffic going the other way, and he made me so mad I actually beeped my horn at him. He smiled sarcastically and waved, and I actually flipped him off and yelled profanity out the window WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. But finally I calmed down. I found myself, and we were finally there.

And so were a hundred other people. Because the Marina was doing a Show that day, something with booths and tables and chairs and a microphone.

As soon as I got into the parking lot someone told me that only boat owners could park there - I had to explain that I was, in fact, a boat owner, but that I was never myself AT the marina. And that I was looking forward to leaving as soon as I could swap cars with my husband.

Steve showed up to claim the boys, and I smiled and said Great! and held my hands out for his car key... and Steve looked shocked. Oh. The car key. Oh no. It's on the boat. To get it, I'll need to come with them on the launch, and then ride it back.

So we all piled into the launch, which takes a few minutes - for the guy to show up, and then to get out there. Steve walked over and got his key, handed it to me (still on the launch) and waved good-bye. The driver picked up a few people from their boats, and drove us back to the chaos of the marina.

I got into Steve's car, which I should mention here, is not my favorite vehicle to drive, being lower than the minivan, generally dirtier, with none of my stations pre-programmed in. Also, it shudders when you drive about forty miles an hour for some strange reason.

After 20 minutes of driving around, managed to find the highway. I was kind of excited, planning my day in my head. After this store, I might head up to the mall in NH (there is no tax in NH) and get some bras, some shoes, maybe a pair of jeans...

I skipped into the mall and made the ladies room my first stop. Then I reached into my pocket and felt my keys.

MY keys.

Not Steve's keys.

Crap. I never gave Steve the keys to my car.

I was really hopeful that maybe the day could be saved. Maybe he had the other car key with him for some strange reason?  I reached for my phone, but it was in Steve's car. So I ran outside to his car, which was parked at the far end of the parking lot.

There was a message from Steve.

It said I still had the car keys.

I called Steve.

Steve was surprised it had taken me that long to get to the mall. "We were actually packing up to go home," he said.

It wasn't even eleven AM.

I dashed to Athleta, determined to take a look around, but my calm, browsy feeling was gone. Instead, I was frantic. "the boys are waiting for me. They are sitting there, waiting for me. The longer I take here, the longer they will be waiting."

I did manage to try on a few things, but was grumpy about it because I'm short, and even the XXS yoga pants brushed the floor. Which is ridiculous! I'm not THAT short. And they didn't come in petite. And even if I could have gotten away with the length, the tighter size did nothing for my assets.

So I got back into the car and drove back east, back toward the marina. There was traffic. I got lost again. I found the marina again. Steve and the boys met me at the end of the street so I didn't even have to deal with the gate or getting in. Then I headed back up to NH.

By the time I got to NH the traffic was crazy. It was 1pm. I found out the Ann Taylor had closed. I tried on some jeans at J.Jill, but they were $90, and I just couldn't. I told myself I would go to Goodwill. But I didn't have the courage to drive up 3 extra exits on the highway, and fight the traffic on that road because they've been replacing pipes there for months and the traffic is always horrible.

So I just went home.

And I had a cup of tea.

And took a nap.

Then had more tea.

Which brings me to right now.

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July to all. Here's to apple pie, or cherry pie, and potato salad. And of course to fireworks on boats.

Nothing To Do

 It is so absolutely BOring on the boat, there is ABsolutely NOthing to do!

The Land Of Expectations

I didn't know what to expect on this trip I just took. I was nervous about leaving my family for so long. I was apprehensive about being on a boat for days. What if I didn't have enough to do?

Before I left I reminded myself that, even if I hated every moment, I could sleep as much as I wanted to, and I didn't have to make my bed, or cook dinner. Also, it would be warm. 

The boat was the best boat I have ever been on. Now, we have a boat, but our boat and this boat are simply not in the same category. This vacation boat was huge, and fancy. Not only did it have several bedrooms, but actual showers in each one. And bathrooms with toilets and sinks.  Not to mention a fabulous location. And fabulous views.

August Already

That means summer is almost over.

Fisherman

I am technically not allowed to fish in MA. I don't have a license. I'm fine with this, really.

But the last time we spent the night on the boat, Steve was still sleeping and the boys were getting all antsy, and I decided that it couldn't be THAT horribel if, maybe, you know, the KIDS were fishing. They didn't need a license.

So I took initiative and placed a sea worm on the hook of a rod that was just sitting there.

This is a bigger deal than you'd think. The sea worms are huge, like a foot long. And they have little leggy things. Like giant centipedes. And they have teeth, and they bite you when you pick them up. Probably they don't like the idea of being impaled on a fish-hook and then dunked in the water to be eaten.

But I did it.

Having accomplished this feat on one rod, I decided to take the next step and bait the hook on the second. And so I did, but I noticed that the reel on this one was different. This second rod was Steve's, and a little more complicated.

At this point Andy, who was holding the first rod, announced that he needed help. He had reeled in until the worm was dangling in the air and couldn't cast. And so I handed the complicated rod to Nick, and stepped over to fix Andy's problem. I flung the worm and the hook far from the boat - it took maybe thirty seconds - and turned to Nick.

I don't know what Nick did, but what I saw was a boy with a look of panic all over his face, and a huge tangle of fishing line. The line was so tangled, and the tangle so huge, it was just comical.

But I couldn't undo the knot. I didn't have a knife, so I couldn't cut the line. And at this point Steve came up and saw the knot and was not exactly pleased. But he told me he would take care of it as soon as he made coffee.

Three seconds later the rod I was holding tugged. The one with the huge knot and the line still in the water because I forgot to take it out. Yeah. That one. So I had to call Steve to come up and free the little skate I caught.

Steve went down to make the coffee, and I tried to clean up. And I went to pull out the first rod, which had been placed in the holder thingy. But as soon as I started reeling in the line, it moved and I got a huge tug.

So I had to call Steve and get him to free yet another accidentally caught fish. Before coffee.

It's funny NOW, though.

Friendship

This boat is called The Friendship. It's in Salem, MA. I have always wanted to go on it, but it never seems to be open when we're there. But right next to it is metal megaphone things that Nate can use to amplify his voice. Because it's not loud enough on its own.

Photos Nick Took

Our last trip to the boat, Steve needed my help with something. Because my hands were full, as always, I quickly tried to find places to put the items I was holding. In the process, I handed Nick my camera, thinking he was old enough to take care of it, and that it would be less likely to end up in the water.

When I took a loof at the photos, I realized he had been kind of busy documenting events.

This is a photo of half a docked boat and Andrew's arm. He does indeed have a tattoo (Star Wars Star Trooper) and he is in fact holding a coffee. Steve's coffee, which I had placed in the ground. But apparently Andy felt he should get to hold something, also.

This is a lovely photograph of my rear end as I am tugging at an inflatable dingy. Thanks, Nick. How many people get to see what they look like from this angle? I will pay more attention next time I purchase pants.

Considering Life At Sea

Cap'n Crusty

People give us the strangest things.

2 Cute 2 Handle

Nick and Nate spend last night on The Boat with Steve. We were all prepared to make it a whole-family affair, until we remembered that we had a dog, and that at some point he would have to eat, and more importantly at some point he would have to pee, and he couldn't just hang around for fourteen hours waiting.

Besides, I dislike the cold and don't feel well on the boat.

So I stayed home with Andy.

Nick and Nate had a wonderful time.

And it let me spend some time with Andy. When the boys are at school it's just us, but I'm so foolish in always dragging him shopping or cleaning the house or doing something that needs doing and is so amazingly and totally BORING to a 21 month old toddler.

But when it was just us in the house, we had some good moments. He woke up and I could hear him walking around, looking for his older brothers. I called him in to see me, and he was so enthusiastic about everything I suggested. "You want to go down and get some toast?" "YEAH!"

I need to stop taking the little guy for granted and spend some real time with him.

Ship's Ahoy!

So we got this boat. And it's a very nice boat. And Steve likes it very much. And so do the boys, although I have to say that visiting the boat with the boys is not half as relaxing as visiting the boat without the boys. Because they seem to fall and clonk themselves on land, and the boat pitches back and forth and if they fall below deck they will hit something, and if they fall above deck they are either going to land below deck or in the water. They also can't stay either up or down, they keep going up and down the ladder until I think Steve is going to have a stroke.

But the boat is very nice. Now that the end of the season is almost here I think I'm going to miss it, even just sitting on the mooring. But I have discovered a very unfortunate thing.

I get seasick.

I can't stay below deck for more than a few minutes before starting to feel ill.

This is really starting to put a damper on my dream of moving us to a boat and sailing around the world.