Day 42 - Conversations ❤️
This morning greeted me with the regular hot sun coming in the V-Berth. I woke up and gathered my things quietly and headed over to the pavilion with excellent Wifi to get my log and thoughts down with Kona. We enjoyed a quiet stroll along the docks waving to the other few sleepy eyed dog owners that had emerged earlier then their crews.
Two and a half hours later I was finished and grateful for my time alone. I looked at my watch to see it was 9:30 and had missed going to Roy’s show in person and had missed checking in. ☹ Captain had joined me as I finished up and we chatted on the way back to the boat. He had taken time to talk to our friend Brooks and also write Roy about the flag and music feels. Just ask advice. In the end, the flag is back up. It is the right thing to do and, much to Brooks’ point, we aren’t going to let that win. We pondered for awhile how to let people know that the flag and the people were different. Could we buy an “Elbows Up” flag? Make a sign that says “We are legally required to fly the flag, but everyday we pray for Cholesterol to do it’s job.” My favorite solution idea was to buy a set of nautical signal flags and hoist only three certain letters to the top of our mast. But we opted of option 4, which was to just re-hang our flag after it was down just overnight and invite the conversation. Something that was maybe harder, but more important not only to us but to those we meet.
That was the largest Debbie Downer of the day yesterday, but the other items of chores and my iPhone on the fritz were both solved by noon. When Jodi and Brooks heard of my phone plight they asked “can’t you charge it with a magnetic charger?” Wait! Really? I totally forgot that my phone even had that feature, seeing how I just abandoned the technology when I got the phone. I didn’t have one with me, but I had hope that maybe my phone wouldn’t be dead dead or needing a costly repair. We went shopping at Turners and got some gifts and apparel. We heard that the dollar store here was actually pretty nice so we decided to check it out. Sure, enough I found an Elbows Up chocolate bar that I jumped on AND a magnetic charger! We also bought some beads to spice up Captains beard more. Ha! And speaking of Debbie’s, there are at least four other Debbie’s here at the marina. That is a high concentration of Debbie’s, no wonder I was feeling better. I truly believe that Debbie Downers aren’t the Debbie’s themselves, but those would bring a Debbie down! We always seem to have bright smiles and an optimistic look on life. What a joy!
The kids had gotten up when we got back to the boat. I sadly informed them that we didn’t have much planned for the day because we were behind on chores and they weren’t too unhappy to spend most of the day doing their own thing of internet, drawing and reading. They did beg to go to Tim Hortons so we sent them on their way to get some while we prepared to do our chores (and making Bloody Mary’s at the same time).
Throughout the day I received many notes on yesterday’s post many new friends who had read about our fun day together and stopped by to find out more about what happened. Everyone expressed love and solidarity and understanding. We had so many heart to heart conversations. After our dinner of fajitas (yay fresh groceries, we treated ourselves!) Roy came by the boat. We sat on the bench looking out over the marina chatted. Roy has my highest respect, with just about everyone he has ever met. A veteran, a Mason, a Shriner of the highest order and every part of him shows it. He expressed his own sadness with us but also eased our souls. He gave tips on how to hang our curtesy flag at the top of the spreaders where it really belongs and this winter when we take the mast down, we will add a pully system so we can do that going forward. It would make Ciara proud to have her flags all hanging in the the right place.
Our friends Jodi and Brooks came over and we had a little Henna and braiding party. Cory gave amazing henna to both of them as well as Dani. I got a small braid like in Captain Ron and I re-did Captains double beard braid, this time French braiding it and adding a bead! Ha!
We were so enjoying our time that I looked down at my watch to see it was 9:02! Crap! I quickly grabbed my horn and then calmly played Last Post. Tonight, the air was different and I felt better. Maybe in the end that is what needed to happen and maybe the mood was only from my direct experiences. I needed to start the conversation. Without conversation we all make assumptions. We have no idea if the people we meet are quietly suffering or not. Be it politics or anything on their own journey. There have been a handful of times in the last ten years where I have been honest and laid out very hard truths to what I was going through. Many of them taboo subjects such as mental health, divorce and now, sadly, politics. The reaction has always surprised me. People reach out to me. Not to tell me it is going to get better. To give me a hug even more so for themselves. To say they too have been feeling this way or gone through similar experiences and often feel very alone. I often ask myself “what can I do.” I think starting the conversations is a good start.
In the end, today was pretty simple. We did a lot of chores; I got some quiet time and we talked with many good people. It was a turn over day and I mostly wanted to follow up with the feels before I abandon you all for a bit. Just kidding! Sort of. We will be leaving early for places with no internet. We are taking Jodi and Brooks on their first trip down Baie Fine to the Pool. They teased I might be able to use their Starlink, but I might just take the few days to enjoy my writing, enjoy our family and our time up here. The posts will come, but expect some multi day dumps for you to catch up on later.
