May 17, 2010

Dragonflies

I finally have hopped over that hurdle from self proclaimed non sailor to novice sailor! I guess this is due to the fact that I have this new found trust in sailing? Took long enough eh? So strange. I am not sure where it came from but for some reason I now realize that the earth will not stop turning if the sails flog a little (or a lot) as I struggle to bring out a sail or bring one in. I am thinking about the extra bit of speed we might get if we trim the sails a bit better and I am actually doing something about it? Again...so strange. While Graham slept early this morning I brought out the genoa on my own (first time) and even the missen. I even furled back in the missen on my own once I realized it wasn't helping.

We are on our 32nd hour out a sea and already so many of the things I am grateful for have happened. Perfect sailing, calm seas, absolutely beautiful sunsets, sea life, star filled skies and it just keeps getting better and better, I am so grateful!

We have had only one brief downpour so far and down below stayed pretty dry. I rigged up tarps inside over each of our beds just in case. As I was rigging up the one over Grahams bed I accidentally cut the wire to his fan. He really loves it when I make more work for him. He doesn't get mad at all :-)

Last night as I was on watch the most unexpected thing happened. I was in the cockpit and all of a sudden this terrible buzzing. You know the sound when massive bugs are around you flitting their wings. A huge migration of dragonflies was moving passed us and saw our lights and decided to come investigate. I went ballistic. Swatting at my head and screaming and swatting. I ran down below and everyone was asking what was wrong but it didn't take long for them to realize because they followed me down below. We know had 1 hysterical mom and 1 hysterical daughter running around! Looking back it really was funny. Graham had to find them and kill them all and I didn't want him turning any lights on since they were attracted to the light. He would turn on his head lamp and look around for them and they would fly at him. If he looked at me and put the light on me I would scream, "don't look at me, don't look at me"! Boy that guy has patience.

We all have adjusted to life at sea really quickly this time. We are eating well and resting lots. Amelia has wanted me to read Twilight for a while now, so we have been reading it out loud together and guess what.....it is really good! She has read it a couple times before so she is so happy when we come to a part she knows I will love. I am really liking it and I can't help but read ahead when she is sleeping. Now you know....I like survivor and I am reading Twilight.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I am going to be 39. Amelia told me not to worry. She said, "Aunty Ann-Marie is over 40 and still looks really good!" HA. Sorry Annie, I laughed so hard, I had to share that. Amelia has been making decorations to beat the band. She talks non stop about my birthday. I feel very honored to be the focus of all this attention. She made shortbread cookies as my cake and today she also made blueberry icing for them. It will be really hard not to sneak one tonight while I am on watch. I remember last year on my birthday we were on our 4 day passage to Cartagena. I see a pattern here.

Today we had a few hours of doldrums. The sea was flat calm and the sky was clear. We could see something in the water a ways off and then finally it made its way to us. It was a very large turtle. It was so cool. He came right up to the boat. The kids laid down at the back and reached out and tried to touch it. They were so close. He kept putting his head up to look at us. It was like he knew us. It was really strange. Just wait til you see the pictures. Alex is so witty though. I have been really plugging this grateful thing and everyone has been reluctantly playing along. I am making everyone say all the things they are grateful for and visualize all the things they would like. So as he is standing at the back of the boat he says out of the blue...., "I am grateful for this turtle"! LOL. He kills me.

Enjoy May 18th! My favorite day of the year.

7 comments:

  1. Well it's about time you read Twilight! I hope you have all 4 books on board.

    It's officially your birthday here so HAPPY BIRTHDAY sis. Have a good one. I know Millie will make it a celebration :-)

    ....and yes, Millie's right, I do look really good :-)

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  2. Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!!!! (Imagine you can the singing as you read that!).
    Glad to hear that you are dry and happily on your way!
    See you soon!
    The Gromits

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  3. I just started reading Twilight too, it is a good book (way better than the movie).

    Have a Happy Birthday!

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  4. That blog was too funny. I am laughing out loud at work. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

    Rob

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  5. Gkad to hear that life on the sea is going well and your all staying dry this time. You are half way there now. Your birthday cookies sound wonderful and I can just picture Millie getting your celebration under way. Happy Birthday Julie and many more at sea.

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  6. so glad that all is well and you had a good birthday. Enjoy.

    Loved the turtle story.
    I am so grateful for you and your blog.

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