There Is Dirt Under My Fingernails

I have spent the last 10 years living on a sailboat.  While on the boat full-time I never felt the need to get my hands in the dirt.  I wasn't one of those cruisers that had a little herb garden on the deck or under the bimini.

Even while in the marina I never once felt the urge to help plant flowers or herbs.  I was content with my watery ways.

Now I have a very little piece of land in the desert and I want to plant everything.  Containers work well here.  But with every little flower planted I wonder, "How will I leave?  Who will water them?"  This can't be good.  Does this mean that my anchor is finding a new home?

I miss my boat and anchoring out and riding in the dinghy.  It is very strange to not be "there".  I find myself living through friend's Facebook posts and Blogs.  I dream about sailing and tasting salt in the air.   But in reality I damn the wind that is drying out my plants and scan the sky for any rain cloud.

Transition is hard.  But the flowers are beautiful.

First Rose

Rose Bloom

Blowing in the Wind

Emotional Tsunami

If I were British I would say that I am gobsmacked.  But since I am not British I will be speechless!

I keep being drawn to the video and still photos of the utter destruction of Japan.  I can’t believe it and it did not even happen to me.

Containers

So how do you even begin to pick up the pieces when there are so many pieces?  How do you move a ferry from the top of a house?  How do you begin to pick up all the boards and garbage and still have hope in your heart that things will get better?

I watched a video that was six minutes in length.  It started as a little bit of water on the street and before you realized it a large fishing vessel was trying to make a left hand turn on the street and then the buildings began to move through the street.  It was horrific and that still doesn’t capture the total destruction.

These aren’t just cars, boats, houses and containers.  All these items belonged to someone.  Someone that will not have a place to sleep tonight, food to eat tonight, water to drink or wash his or her body.

Mothers and fathers are trying to assure their children that, “everything will be okay” when I am sure they are not sure of that at all.  But it is what we do.  We can admit to ourselves in the darkest hours of the night that we have lost hope and can’t see how everything can ever be okay again.  But with our spouses and especially with our children we reassure and smile bravely.

I have heard people that are on the side of helping Japan in their hour of need.  I have heard people say that we shouldn’t lift a finger to help them.  Remember Pearl Harbor?  Funny the same people who don’t want us to help them use the computer chips that are made in Japan.  Some drive cars that were designed and perhaps, built in Japan.  This is the same country where we dropped the atomic bomb.  Not once, but twice.  I watched Rudy Giuliani stumble over this fact as he was speaking about the nuclear plant radiation issue.

As humans we do horrific things to each other.  We do them in the name of religion, patriotism, and some just because we can.  Now is the time to help the people of Japan.  Now is the time to show what we are made of, instead of only being happy that it isn’t the United States that is recovering from this quake and tsunami or that Japan bombed us and led death marches. 

Look into the anguished faces of the Japanese people.  How can we not be touched?

And She Cooks!

Cynthia has shown an interest in cooking.  I am thrilled.  This means that she will start to cook and I can have a day off.  Though I really like cooking.

Zin Zen Chicken

Rice in a Chicken and Wine Broth

For Christmas Cynthia got a Rachel Ray Cookbook.  It has pictures so that you know what the food is suppose to look like when you are preparing the meal.

Her first meal was Zin Zen Chicken.  Wow!  It was tasty, well prepared and I think that she enjoyed it.  In fact, she is now preparing dinner every Wednesday.  I am enjoying looking at recipes with her and shopping and watching her learn new techniques.

Plating

Papa eating!

Another upside of this is that I have engaged in a life-style change.  That is fancy terminology for "Dieting".  Started a food journal and bought a bicycle for exercise.  I am dropping some pounds and I feel better.  Cynthia is a tough task master and an inspiration to keep on keeping on!