Sunday on the Beach

January 24, 2010
Vero Beach, FL

Sunday at Vero Beach Municipal Marina is necessarily a slow day. Necessarily because the buses do not run. All that is left is reading, corresponding or working on the boat.

The weather is good so work on the boat is a priority - much work was scheduled to be done at Green Cove Springs but was cancelled due to uncomfortably subzero temperatures. We could not even paint as the paint would not set before it froze.

The wind is up so Connie cannot go up the mast to effect much needed repairs - our windex was knocked off in a collision with a tree in the dismal swamp. I fear the anemometer was bent a touch in the same collision but this seems to have improved the accuracy of the wind instrument.

Last night's dock party - every Saturday 4 to dusk - confirmed that our reputation as sailors has been greatly enhanced by our son in law Nic's acceptance into the Coast Guard. For some reason his success translates in the minds of our fellow sailors into our being better sailors.

All I can say is Nic better get promoted soon.

One of the problems with cruising is the loss of contact with family. Sharing Nic's hard won success is one example.

Today is our son, Jake's, birthday. He is off on an adventure to BC where he is working at the Olympics. We think he is in Whistler but of course we do not know.

We sent birthday greetings to our son on Facebook, Facebook message and text to his last known telephone number. All we can do is hope one of them connects. It would be nice to talk to him.

It is not that we worry about him, other than the usual parental concern, but on days such as this we more keenly feel the absence of his company and that of the rest of our family.

No lifechoice is perfect. And none is irreversible. But, at any given moment some are just better than others. And sometimes you are left wondering.