I write this blog every day. It seems that there is always something interesting or odd that goes on in our liveaboard world that I can share with you all. Yesterday wasn't one of those days.
Well, it probably was, but maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to see it. Drift Away hasn't moved in a couple of weeks. We're getting into the dreaded "routine". We're getting Blasé.
So maybe, like the Seinfeld Show, today will be a blog about nothing, just miscellaneous ramblings about what it's like to live aboard a boat, now many hundreds of miles from friends and family, tied to a concrete dock in a strange place. Well, Isle of Hope isn't exactly strange. It's actually quite nice here. Especially the people. But you know what I mean. We're far removed from familiar faces and places.
Well, let's see. I started my day as I usually do, as I'm doing right now, up at 3 AM and sitting at my laptop. I first check my email. Yesterday, there was an email from PayPal. It seems that one of our readers, whom I will only identify as "Kurt" to protect him from spammers and scammers, liked our blog so much that he tracked down our PayPal account and sent us ten bucks. Thanks "Kurt"! We write this blog only for shits and giggles, but ten bucks is ten bucks! I'll send it on to Kent, our VP of R&D, who called last night from his research lab at the Black Duck in Westport Connecticut. He needs more funds. He's working on our export line and needs money for "Navi-Brazil-Nuts". I can't wait to see what they are!
Later in the morning, I walked Ruby and Chevy up to the fenced in yard at the marina where they can romp and play off leash. As often happens, folks out on their jogs and walks will wave hello and comment on the dogs. A fella came by, pointed to the playing dogs and asked "Are those pit bulls?"
"Yes, they are."
"Then they should be on leashes!".
Wow. Grumpy ignorant idiots, even here in Isle of Hope! Well, everyplace has at least one.
Back at the boat, I surfed Al Gore's internets. I joined a web site called digital-photograpy-school.com to pick up tips on using my new camera. They have tips and tricks and even student assignments. The current one was about composition and the use of odd numbers. It seems that photos are more interesting if there is an odd number of subjects, they claim. So I entered the contest with this pelican photo that I took a couple of days ago and posted here. One is an odd number.
The next assignment is "Composition: Get Down", taking photos from the perspective of a baby, or a bug. Should be fun.
Later, Pam and I took the dogs for a short walk. Chevy's paw seemed to be doing OK and he was antsy with dog energy, so I grabbed my camera and off we went. I only took a few photos. It was an overcast, gloomy day. But two came out OK and will be candidates for the bug's view assignment.
I like the colors and lighting on this one below.
Back at the boat from the walk, it turned into a lazy day. Pam watched a Sherlock Holmes movie while I finished my book "Haunted Meza" by Louie L'Amour. It was just about his last book before he died at age 87. It showed. I could see pieces of brilliance in it, but he kept repeating himself, over and over. Well, he didn't but Mike Raglan did, his main character.
Pam finished her movie and sat down with her iPad. I decided to pretend I was eight again and watched old Lone Ranger flicks from a $5 DVD we got at the bargain bin at the Walmarts. Then a wonderful gumbo dinner followed by a few old John Wayne movies, again from a $5 Walmarts DVD.
And that was it. Not too exciting, eh? No... but many of you are reading this from your work cubicle. To you, I say NEENER NEENER NEEEEEENER!
No. That was just wrong. I'm sorry. You keep on plugging away there. I appreciate all you do, paying into social security and such.
Oh, and this link is for you, Leslie. Doug said these would be wonderful on Leslie Kay. Yes, they're pricey, but Doug said nothing is too good for you - Portland Boat Mattress Toppers. I hope I didn't spoil the surprise.
Well, it probably was, but maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to see it. Drift Away hasn't moved in a couple of weeks. We're getting into the dreaded "routine". We're getting Blasé.
So maybe, like the Seinfeld Show, today will be a blog about nothing, just miscellaneous ramblings about what it's like to live aboard a boat, now many hundreds of miles from friends and family, tied to a concrete dock in a strange place. Well, Isle of Hope isn't exactly strange. It's actually quite nice here. Especially the people. But you know what I mean. We're far removed from familiar faces and places.
Well, let's see. I started my day as I usually do, as I'm doing right now, up at 3 AM and sitting at my laptop. I first check my email. Yesterday, there was an email from PayPal. It seems that one of our readers, whom I will only identify as "Kurt" to protect him from spammers and scammers, liked our blog so much that he tracked down our PayPal account and sent us ten bucks. Thanks "Kurt"! We write this blog only for shits and giggles, but ten bucks is ten bucks! I'll send it on to Kent, our VP of R&D, who called last night from his research lab at the Black Duck in Westport Connecticut. He needs more funds. He's working on our export line and needs money for "Navi-Brazil-Nuts". I can't wait to see what they are!
Later in the morning, I walked Ruby and Chevy up to the fenced in yard at the marina where they can romp and play off leash. As often happens, folks out on their jogs and walks will wave hello and comment on the dogs. A fella came by, pointed to the playing dogs and asked "Are those pit bulls?"
"Yes, they are."
"Then they should be on leashes!".
Wow. Grumpy ignorant idiots, even here in Isle of Hope! Well, everyplace has at least one.
Back at the boat, I surfed Al Gore's internets. I joined a web site called digital-photograpy-school.com to pick up tips on using my new camera. They have tips and tricks and even student assignments. The current one was about composition and the use of odd numbers. It seems that photos are more interesting if there is an odd number of subjects, they claim. So I entered the contest with this pelican photo that I took a couple of days ago and posted here. One is an odd number.
The next assignment is "Composition: Get Down", taking photos from the perspective of a baby, or a bug. Should be fun.
Later, Pam and I took the dogs for a short walk. Chevy's paw seemed to be doing OK and he was antsy with dog energy, so I grabbed my camera and off we went. I only took a few photos. It was an overcast, gloomy day. But two came out OK and will be candidates for the bug's view assignment.
I like the colors and lighting on this one below.
And I like the perspective in this next one, as well as the various textures.
Back at the boat from the walk, it turned into a lazy day. Pam watched a Sherlock Holmes movie while I finished my book "Haunted Meza" by Louie L'Amour. It was just about his last book before he died at age 87. It showed. I could see pieces of brilliance in it, but he kept repeating himself, over and over. Well, he didn't but Mike Raglan did, his main character.
Pam finished her movie and sat down with her iPad. I decided to pretend I was eight again and watched old Lone Ranger flicks from a $5 DVD we got at the bargain bin at the Walmarts. Then a wonderful gumbo dinner followed by a few old John Wayne movies, again from a $5 Walmarts DVD.
And that was it. Not too exciting, eh? No... but many of you are reading this from your work cubicle. To you, I say NEENER NEENER NEEEEEENER!
No. That was just wrong. I'm sorry. You keep on plugging away there. I appreciate all you do, paying into social security and such.
Oh, and this link is for you, Leslie. Doug said these would be wonderful on Leslie Kay. Yes, they're pricey, but Doug said nothing is too good for you - Portland Boat Mattress Toppers. I hope I didn't spoil the surprise.
Hey,nice routine you have there! Sounds good to me. The main thing is your enjoying doing it,even if "it" is nothing. I really enjoy your blog,it has given me some ideas about "messing around with boats"myself,since I retired. Calm seas and safe travels to you my friend,enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI heard pit bulls only eat joggers. Isn't that true? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI was a little offended with this comment "To you, I say NEENER NEENER NEEEEEENER!" until I read your apology 'cause I am indeed in my cubicle reading your blog! ;-)
Carry on.....
Rick & Lori
For not having anything to say, I think this was one of your longer ones and very good.
ReplyDeleteBill Kelleher
If anything, we know "routine". sometimes we talk about taking a trip farther south, get out the charts. then decide to just sit back and relax for another day. Weather is still nice here. Going back to New York in a couple of weeks to ge the truck and come back. We decided to leave the boat here in Myrtle Beach for the summer and come down a few times this summer. Then back underway next fall farther south. I never said I was in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteAh, that's the danger of staying in one place too long. The dock lines get permanently attached. That sounds like an extreme version of our plans though, Jim. We're only going as far north as the Chesapeake and will get much farther south in the fall, hopefully to the west coast of Flordia. See you along the line.
DeleteI responded to one of your Favorite Blogs on the right hand side that had just gotten to the Bahamas. I told them I hoped they could have some hog fish while they were there as I had heard it was rather tasty. I never saw the comment posted on the blog page. Maybe they thought I was making fun of them or something,,I'm not sure. There actually is a fish called a hog fish. At any rate...hope the electrician gets there soon so you can get your problems resolved and cruise farther north or south. As always...enjoy the blog, comments, pictures and anything else you share with us. :0)
ReplyDeleteCheck it again. Some blogs hold comments until they're approved by the owner, and sometimes that can take awhile, especially if the blogger is on the move and possibly out of internet access range. Which blog was it?
DeleteThanks for the kind words on this blog.
September Song blog
DeleteYeah, I just posted a comment on their site. It will be "visible after approval". Some cruisers are really lax about the internet and updating and approving comments on their blogs. I'll bet September Song falls into that category.
DeleteDon't sweat the petty stuff, and don't pet the sweaty stuff.
Editing is one reason your blog is a good one Dave. It's easy to write a lot of words(not only blogs, you see it on sailing forums too), the work is in the editing.
ReplyDeleteI've been having fun writing short pieces for USHarbors this winter, it's challenging to cut out what's not needed. It's a puzzle.
My editor(who's told me more than once,"Too long"...), is fond of quoting Twain,...
"I'd have written a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time".
Translation; good idea, now get to work...
I hear that, Tom. I've written a few magazine articles for sailing magazines that have been edited and in each I was impressed how efficiently the editors can cut and not lose content.
DeleteI love that Twain quote!
HA-Ha--you got me! Leslie is on the hunt!
ReplyDeleteDoug