A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Blogging

That crazy little thing called Life got in the way. Go figure! Very happily, I might add. Two friends, Tina, a friend of almost 20 years, whom I met when I first came to St. Croix, and Mark, last met on this blog a couple of years back and now Tina's partner in all things love and boat life, sailed over from St. Croix for a visit.

I haven't seen Tina since, well, years and years and years that have slipped by slowlysofast. A couple of trips out to the boat turned into dinners and where's that extra berth sheet, a bonefishing expedition, good food, much laughter and much story talktalk. We've kept up, but it is so much better if you can hug in the middle of a story, laugh into each other's eyes, sometimes not say a word while memories well up and new ones are made. Talk of the past, talk of the future. Being in the present. Friends.

On my way down to the ferry dock where they'd be pulling in, I happened to pass Benjamin working on a power post. I've seen them tiled, I've seen them bare. But this is the best one I've ever seen painted. If you happen to be going by, take a look, it's wonderful!

Arrival time was to be around 1-ish. I sat with some friends and suddenly felt they were near - and they were, just in sight and soon to be anchoring. Ok, mooring.

Tina catches the ball first try. Good girl!

Securing boat to the mooring while I stand impatiently on the shore. I thought about swimming out and then...didn't.

Coming in. Mark came in close to the rocks by the gas station, I clambered down and we were off to Dinghy Dock. Of course.

Life is good.

Back out on the boat, happy happy happy hour

Tina is doing Boat Girl really well (she's always been a water / boat girl, so it's not too difficult)

Captain o Captain

Jamsie, one of three cats aboard, wondering why there is no fish on that hook

Checking out sail rigs

Day moving into dusk

A couple of beaky hunters

Mark is big on bonefishing, Tina, a skilled fisherwoman but a learner of this new elusive critter

We came across a scattered number of small and beautiful conchs. Sadly, later in the day after I left, they watched as two different boats drifted the flats and took many many MANY undersized (read illegal) conch. I can't understand this behavior, the lack of realizing why there are less and less each year. Idiots.

A tern on

Tina did show and tell as we walked quietly in the shallow water. We left everything behind, even the not being used shells, though I was pretty tempted, once, to bring it home. Then I realized, it was home already.

The bonefish were out there, wily and fast. Faster than Mark this day.

Egg casings. Beautiful thing for something made with sand and spit

I think she's happy.

Underwater garden

It's right THERE!

This is the one I wanted to relocate.

The bird's feathers are ruffled because it was blowing like mad

On a clear day, I was in Forever

Perfect for earrings!

No bonefish made the mistake of coming too near this day. We sat in the cockpit talking, when over the music and talk came the thwupthwup of helicoptor rotors.

Then, over the wind came the large engine sounds of the LCT's for whatever maneuvers are going on this weekend.

One

Two

There was a third but somehow I didn't take the photo. It was time to head home and see what the cat and chickens were doing, how the plants were growing. Apparently it rained a fair amount, my rain bucket full, the plants pushing their stems up and out, a few blossoms on the tomatoes. I filled Tina's hands with basils and rosemary, lemongrass and wild oregano and pushed them off the little dock for a what looked to be a very wet ride back to their boat.

And then I realized I'd left my phone on their boat...thanks, Francie, for the return!

This post is dedicated to Tammy. All who knew her, myself as a long-time acquaintance  and the many who deeply loved her long and well will have to live on extra strong, enjoying every ounce of the gift of life we've been given. It won't make up for her tragic loss, but it's the most and least we can do.

Have a searching for sanity Saturday. Do something situationally serene.