Great Expectations

Good morning everyone. Well it has been some old busy around here. Like the bees in our field we just go, go, go. We have had some great cruises and seldom do we have time to bask in the glow of each week. We are attempting to make family time on the “weekends” our top priority. We have actually mowed the lawn twice since we started sailed, already ahead of last year! Some one recently asked me if we get tired of this crazy life we lead. My response is simple. I get tired, yes, but I do not get tired of this. I just wish I had more juice to give to each day. As I explained the real balancing act for me is one of self-expectations. Trying to be all things to all people ends up making me feel more tired and more like a failure which in turn makes me feel more tired and the now you got the dog chasing its own tail. Expectations would seem to be easy to keep in check but as one friend recently explained to me expectations are premeditated resentments. Not sure I believe it but there is a Zen quality to that idea makes some sense. Perhaps Popeye was right… I amsk what I amsk. It is what it is.

So the schooner is doing great. I can’t tell you how delighted I am with the crew. They have been working incredibly hard. We are starting to get time off for folks with Rob and Sara each having had a week off. Molly has just a few weeks to go before she has to head back to school. Curtis just keeps smiling. And how does Mary do it? Day in and day out she just keeps creating beautiful meals.

This week is our annual Wooden Boat sail training course. So for all you folks who have dreamed about being a deckhand on the schooner, keep your eyes peeled. I should be able to get ashore to the office there and get a few pictures on. In the meantime…

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Photo of Mary Day from this years Great Schooner Race by Neal Parent.

Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui...

We are Nuts

Good morning everyone. Well I just had to say it before you did. Yes, we are truly nuts. Now we have gone and added one more adventure to our already full lives. As you can see she is some cunnin'. We have named her Colby. We had a sign... literally. We were in the car brainstorming names on the way to get her at WalMart (yes, you heard it right) and there at the Waterville exit was a sign for Colby College. Colby just happens to be dear Mary's alma mater. It is also the name of one of my favorite ledges in Jericho Bay, the Colby Pup. It just seemed to fit just like the way she came to us. Nothing about our Sunday was going to be different than any other except that I just happened to be helping a friend get her generator back in the barn while Jen and the kids met her new puppy Sherman. They fell in love... so easy to do. We called and there were had two pups from the same litter available... no commitments yet. We had been having the long family debate for weeks about the k...

Darkness and Light

Good morning everyone. OK, so this blog does not have a whole lot to do with schooners or windjammers or sailing vacations so if you want to leave now I will not be offended. Today is the winter solstice, as you know, the shortest amount of daylight in our calendar year here in the northern hemisphere. Of course it is the summer solstice on the other side of the equator. So I guess if you wanted to celebrate the summer solstice you wouldn't be at all in the wrong. I would applaud your ability to see outside the box. Map from Wikipedia commons Living and sailing in the mid latitudes (remember, Maine is half way to the North Pole) as we do, we experience a balance that spans a year's time, maybe many years' time. To feel the darkness of winter creeping quietly into our homes is not as bad it may appear from the outside. This is our season to rest... emotionally if not physically. We know it takes more physical energy to live and work here in winter. But when the sun goes down...

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