I started running in graduate school with friends and really enjoyed running many 5Ks, 5 milers, and a 10K or two during the 5 years I was there. Then I was sucked into the corporate world and somehow lost 25 years.
Since then I have not run unless being chased 🙂
This year my friend (accomplished tri-athlete, multi-marathoner, and Iron Man) Doray decided to run in the Austin Marathon/Half-Marathon again to celebrate her birthday. To celebrate with her, Lori and I committed to running the 5K portion of the event. We only gave ourselves 6 weeks to get ready – I would advise a longer training timeline!
Well, yesterday we ran it – Lori’s first official event, and my first in three decades. I’m older, heavier, and much slower than I was way back when, but yesterday I did reach the zone I used to enjoy where my breathing and strides were in sync and the rhythm helped me keep going. The event itself was fun to be a part of.
After Lori and I finished the 5K, we walked up to the finish for the marathon & half-marathon to cheer Doray across the finish line for her race.
A year ago, it was anyone’s guess how 2021 would roll out after the cluster that was the year 2020. Today I paused to reflect on a few of the memories I captured from the last twelve months.
January – I started to direct my energy towards making things and sewing. I asked Monte to make me a rack for my growing collection of spools of thread. It turned out perfect, as usual, and has been well used by me over the last 12 months.
February – The deep freeze descended upon Texas. We were incredibly lucky to not have lost power during the prolonged freeze. So many people were really hurting during the weeklong outages. I can’t deny that I loved the temporary snowscape around the house. But I was happy to see it go.
March – The power across the state eventually came back on. The weather warmed up. Things started to bloom. The leaves fell and were raked up. I think we set a record for leaf bags set out on the curb. The City of Austin yard waste collection crew even took a picture of our curbside menagerie.
April – Incredibly, a year after this shit-storm started, COVID vaccines were available to the masses, and we got in line. For both of us, the reactions were pretty mild. The worst thing I can report is a temperature of 100 degrees F.
May – I flew to Charleston to help Lori take Trident north to Annapolis. We had some great days and nights on the water, including several legs on the outside. Sadly, my precious little Keeto died while I was away. Nearly 10 years old, it was still too soon. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for my sweet baby bird. And I’m sorry Monte had to go through it alone. It still brings a tear to my eye. He was just the best bird ever.
June – Nirvana received lots of TLC. A prolonged bottom job. New batteries. Scheduled maintenance undertaken by me and Monte. Inverter replacement. Cushion repairs. Some new running rigging. And many hours with friends and family spent on her this year.
July – We had fun family visits this month; the first since the pandemic descended. And, as we do every year, we took a boatload out on Lake Travis to watch the July 4th fireworks.
August – Monte and I continued enjoying Nirvana and the lake throughout the summer. One week, we spent several days sailing 30 miles upstream, anchoring up around mile marker 44. Our goal was to watch the Perseids meteor shower. We did see some meteors. It was just nice to be out and about on the boat so much this summer.
September – We crewed for Kurt & Kevin for the Austin Yacht Club Fall Series Regatta on Camelot. We helped them nab 2nd place for their class in the end. Huzzah!!
October – I flew up to Baltimore to join Lori on Trident for the Annapolis Sailboat Show, my first. This was more of a for-fun trip than a move-the-boat trip, and I really enjoyed the two day trip we took sailing to St. Michaels and back across Chesapeake Bay. After the boat show, we drove back together to Austin, stopping at 4 US National Parks along the way. Amazing!
November – We enjoyed more time out and about this fall. Monte took me curling for my birthday. We both had loads of fun. And I think we’ll do it again!
December – Wow, the year flew by. Again. We took another boatload out for the Christmas boat parade. Unfortunately, COVID fears are starting to seep back into our lives. But I really hope that by this time next year there are many more fun outings and visits under my belt. I just can’t take another lockdown.
Time flies. We are immensely blessed. It’s easy to complain about the events swirling around us, but I’m focused on celebrating the small day-to-day good times that we spend together and with friends and family.
I wish you all an amazing, healthy, and happy 2022.
We pulled out of Brunswick, Georgia, on Saturday morning, heading down the ICW for our last 2-day leg to our destination, St. Augustine, Florida. So many birds, so little time.
American White Pelicans
Cumberland Island is situated right along the ICW, it is an undisturbed island and a lovely spot, with wild horses roaming about.
Cumberland, Island, Georgia.
We motored past Kings Bay Naval Base in Georgia, a place my family almost moved to when I was in high school, but my dad’s assignment ended up being in Madrid, instead. We anchored in a lovely spot right off the ICW after about 35 nm.
A sub docked at the naval base.
The next day was uneventful, other than a rainstorm that we went through right before arriving at the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine for the 2pm opening.
Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine, Florida.
It was GREAT to pull into the slip and tie up. Michelle greeted us with bubbly to celebrate our arrival.
Cheers! Oops, that prosecco disappeared fast!
Our journey of over 920 miles is completed. Now I just need to get home to Austin by Thanksgiving!
Julie has moved back to Austin! She drove, pulling a trailer full of her things behind her. When she arrived, she told me that she brought my mom’s sewing machine with her. It is one of the things that Noreen has been storing for me since mom died. I was very excited to unpack it. This is the sewing machine that I learned to sew on. It is a Montgomery Ward Expert BT long shuttle sewing machine, complete with the original manual, attachments, and storage cabinet. I have vivid memories of sewing on this machine with my mom when I was a little girl.
I believe my mom bought this machine before she married my dad. That would make it at least 65 years old, but may be even older. I cleaned it, oiled it, threaded it, and took it for a spin. It works great! What a solid piece of machinery.
Many, many thanks to Noreen, Julie, and David for getting this machine to me.
Day 2 – 2 bridges. 47 miles. We had storms all around us today but were only hit by a few sprinkles. Still, we moved along at about 6 mph, looking at tide tables, currents and the waterway guide to time arrivals along the way. We just keep following the magenta line on the charts.
We hit some of our shallowest water today, only about 6 feet deep, which is a little close for our 5-foot deep keel.
The ICW scenery changed for us today from a narrow ditch surrounded by low, grassy marshes, to a very wide and winding river surrounded by tall moss-covered cypresses and pines.
Morning scenery…
Afternoon scenery…
We are staying the night at Osprey Marina, which is fitting because we saw about a hundred ospreys today!
I’m headed home today. This closes the “Help Lori get to the Islands” chapter for Monte and me. One year ago today we were in Bradenton, Florida readying the new-to-her boat to cross the Gulf of Mexico to bring Trident née Ariadne to Kemah for fixes and updates in preparation for cruising by the end of 2018.
It’s been a lot of work – a labor of love; but also a real treat to have been aboard for shakedown cruises and the trip through the Florida Keys and across to the Bahamas. I’m thankful to Lori and Mike for sharing their adventure. Bon voyage Trident!
I’m looking forward to the next adventure/project/travels/chapter – whatever 2019 brings.
Here are a few highlights from the last few days in the Abacos…
Dolphins swam along in the bow wave on our sail from Great Sale Cay to Allans-Pensacola Cay!
The Bahamian sunsets never get old…
I landed this Spanish Mackerel!
New Plymouth waterfront, on Green Turtle Cay…
The Atlantic Ocean…
I even found a few bits of sea glass on the beach!
Every once in a while I stumble across a tip that someone shared that is amazingly simple yet solves a problem that has forever bugged me.
When I find one, I’ll share in the event you find it useful, too.
Here’s one that I appreciate every time I open my kitchen drawer to get out the superglue.
Problem: A tube of superglue, once opened, dries up before I can use it a second time.
I must have bought a hundred tubes of superglue over my lifetime. You know, the tiny tubes that come in packs of 2 or 3 (for this very reason!).
Then, one day, someone told me that the reason superglue dries up so quickly is that the way it works to create a bond is that it reacts with moisture in the air. So, essentially, as soon as you open it, it starts hardening inside the tube.
Hack: Save those packets of silicon that you may sometimes find in a bottle of aspirin, a new pair of shoes, etc. The next time you are done using a newly opened tube of superglue, store it in a ziploc baggie along with a packet or two of silicon. The packet will act as a desiccant and absorb the water in the air; preventing the superglue from hardening in the tube.
This hack has kept my current, open, tube of superglue usable for almost a year. I just pulled it out to mend a broken Christmas ornament.
Boot shopping at Allen’s Boots:
Zilker Botanical Garden:
Mural tour:
Mr. Dale Watson:
The Bahamian sunsets never get old…
Sheila365 