May 25, 2012 Coco, Florida

Friday, May 25, 2012

Fred came in and said, good morning, I am going to start moving and you just sleep.  It was 7:00.  I suppose he said that knowing the night before I didn’t sleep a wink and probably thought I needed it since I went to bed last night and was asleep in a matter of minutes, out for the night, never to wake up once.  I was tired, that is true but felt a commitment to help Fred, which I didn’t or at least be there in case he needed me, which I did.  Although the sun had already risen, it was a pretty morning as we motored up the intracoastal, watching the morning activities in progress, early fishermen, cars scooting over bridges, birds singing as the fish were jumping, both looking for their breakfast.  I could already tell this was going to be a great day!  By 10:00 the alarms went off.  We both knew what it was, as I went below to move the ladder out of the companion way and uncovered the engine.  Fred dropped the anchor as we were drifting, in the middle of the waterway.  No traffic in there anyway.  Seems that no one had taken Friday to get an early start on their long holiday Memorial Day weekend.  Overheated again.  We both looked at each other, knowing the radiator hose had just been replaced so Fred grabbed the flashlight and checked the engine over.  He finally got the cap off and it was dry again.  It was clear that there again, was no water in it although it was too hot to add water and needed to cool off.  Fred took a nap, I cleaned the cockpit and the litter box, lack of things to do, and waited for him to put water in the radiator.  In 20 minutes we were under way again.  “I guess we need to add water to it every day until we get home”  I said.  “Yes, I guess we do” as he set the auto pilot and we were once again, enjoying the morning.  The day was lazy and relaxing.  We took turns at the helm, Fred taking a 3 hour nap and I was enjoying everything around me.  I saw a manatee, first one on this trip, and a pod of about 5 dolphins, swimming South.  The clouds surrounded us but never were over us the entire trip, giving us plenty of sunshine, even though it called for thunderstorms.  Never saw a drop of rain.  We are anchored in Coco, had Wiener schnitzel for dinner and plan to relax for the evening, hoping to get another early start.  We may be in St. Augustine by Monday.  We are in no hurry, just enjoying the ride and moving as we feel like it.  We went 60 miles today.

Yesterday I saw people scurrying around, letting life hurriedly pass them by, not taking time to seize the moment and gift themselves with the beauty of life, bypassing the moment of opportunity to breath and enjoy the life in front of them.  Oh how they are missing chances to relax and fulfill their dreams.  I see people who are retirement age, still working, not knowing why, just giving it one more year still dreaming about their retirement as time slips away, making their retirement years shorter and shorter.  Thinking...I am so glad I am doing this.  I am so glad I had the opportunity to choose to stay home and work or just go for it.  My world may have stopped at my home for six months, but the world moved on, even though I didn't make a difference there, and it’s okay.  I may have on my journey and that too is okay.   Everything in life waits for us, and I am glad I seized the opportunity and learned how to take a different road with someone as special as Fred.  We compliment each other, and live in harmony.  Life is so good.