Nothin' Special

I realized after reading Chantelle's comment that I might not have mentioned before how many folks are out here living this life. It is ALOT. It really doesn't seem that special. Most of the folks down here are couples over 50 (most of the time even over 60) enjoying their retirement. The men seem to love the projects and tinkering and the women seem to love to swim, snorkel, craft, cook, picture take, etc. Many of them have been doing it for so many years, that they know many, many people and they are always getting together and hanging out and meeting up along the way. We are told that the Caribbean is the Disneyland of sailing destinations. It is pretty easy to get around and so many folks to help you out if you get in trouble.

There are also more families than you would think. We meet at least one in each anchorage. Most of the folks out here though, have been sailing forever. Either both of them began in their youth or at least the husband did. Also, most of the couples have done at least one huge open water crossing.and a few others have actually circumnavigated. Now don't get me wrong, this is a really cool life but it isn't like we are forging new ground or doing the impossible.

Things have been going well. We are definitely enjoying ourselves. The kids have been memorizing a poem for Uncle Rob. He told them he would pay them if they could each recite one from a list he gave them when they got home. The poem Alex chose has got us all thinking. It is the best poem. As he memorizes each verse we end up discussing and each line seems to be able to resonate differently with each of us. It is such a cool exercise to memorize poetry, even though it was motivated by money, it has turned out to be great family fun! Below is the poem that has got us talkin'. Enjoy!
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IF....

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! ________________________________________