Words are Insufficient

 

Nov. 23, 1963: A solitary mourner paused with his hand over his heart in front of a portrait of John F. Kennedy in the window of Hammond Organ Studios of Boston. The lettering next to the picture of JFK says, "Words are insufficient."  

photo credit - Dan Sheehan

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue

Yesterday was a banner day for me, getting stitches out and having a chat with my surgeon about what was what and what was to be. He said it was bad, not horrible and that soon I would have the strength of 10,000. He didn't really say that last part. What he said was that along with the bad tendon I had a lot of inflamed fatty tissue. Being a woman, I immediately left the medical aspect and asked if he was saying I was fat. Being an insensitive lout He said 'look at your other arm'. I looked. I invoked old lady who hasn't exercised much in a year. I cried. I didn't really cry. Tears and my humor don't seem to move this guy much - maybe a slight grin once in a while, so why bother? Though I do.

Does this photo make me look fat?

All I am very sure of is that he knows his field of expertise expertly and I'm damn glad Dr. Badillo recommended him to me, or me to him, however that works. A few daily exercises, a month and hopefully it will be back to work for me! There, now you know everything I know and more than you wanted to know. About that. I'm not wearing a sling anymore, so if you see me, please don't smack my arm unless you want to see what involuntary response means. And see me cry. Fair warning.

The last two days have been winter clear, that clear where you can see the buildings on Vieques and St. Thomas. The clear of intense blue skies and bluer waters. Of course, today is starting out cloudy but it is the season of postcard views where everything looks more beautiful than it is, sort of like magic light time all day long.

Something about the light made everything very crisp and very clear

Even the flags seemed jubilant

This has nothing to do with light or crisp or looking better than it really is, except in a slanty sort of way. It's a couple of places that caught my attention walking around Fajardo.

Once upon a time, this building must have been really nice. I don't know what they call the deep inset of the window area architecturally,inside, I think it would be a casement window? but I like it. What history was here? What stories?

Interested in buying a movie theater? In case you don't know, cerrado means closed and se vende means for sale. I think the word closed is, perhaps, unnecessary.

 

There isn't the feeling of a once grand theater, but with a little work...ok, I'm lying.

After spending as much time as possible, walking around, it was back to the terminal. There is always someone from Culebra to talk to or one can just sleep or read or stare into space. And then walk around some more. And then repeat. Oh, to have the 1 o'clock ferry back!

These things are big. Very big. Now if they'd all run, wouldn't it be grand?

Have a transcendent Thursday. Do something therapeutic.

not so tiny temporary home tuesday ~ a visitor in our midst

every year we watch the harbour as boats and ships come and go (what is the difference between a boat and a ship, mj? good question!) and one of the more striking ones, visually, is the harvey gamage.

photo credit: matty kniskern

i got an email from a man whose daughter is on this voyage of the harvey gamage and he told me a little bit about her story. wave hi to these kids when you see them around; each of them has a story. i think, though the gamage is big, hazel's quarters are. most likely, tiny, which slides this into tiny home tuesday just fine.

from hazel's dad, jamie. go dad!

On Sunday morning the Harvey Gamage anchored in Culebra harbor.  The Harvey Gamage (or Gamgage to her crew) is a 130' double masted wooden schooner owned and operated by the Ocean Classroom Foundation in Damariscotta, Maine USA. 

On September 17th the Gamage pulled up anchor in Portland, Maine USA with 20 students from Proctor Academy in Andover, NH, USA and 11 Ocean Classroom crew members.  One of those students is Hazel Brewster from Morrisville, Vermont.   

Before embarking on the Harvey Gamage Hazel had no prior sailing or ocean experience. For two and half months Hazel has live aboard the Harvey Gamage learning to sail and about life at sea, all the while carrying a full course load. 

The journey aboard the Gamage joins a list of other adventurious experiences Hazel's had in her 16 years. Past summers have been spent paddling the lakes and streams of the Adirondacks of New York and the wilds of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. When not in a canoe Hazel can be found zipping through the Vermont forests on her mountain bike or grinding her way up the New England gaps and notches on her road bike.   As the colder weather moves in you'll find her tearing up the ice with the other members of her ice hockey team.   

Hazel has always loved a challenge.  And without a doubt this time aboard the Gamage fits the bill.  She has endured mental and physical challenges along the way, facing each one with a smile.  Each day waking up knowing there was something new to learn a new skill to hone.   With the challenges come great reward, whether it was sitting on the headrig watching dolphins surf the bow wave, seeing bioluminescence at night for the first time, or the view from aloft after climbing the mast.  

Hazel's aunt lives on St. John and has had an affinity for island life in her blood dating back to her first 4 years growing up on the beaches of Hawaii.  Time will tell if the two share the love of the ocean and islands. Hazel returns to Vermont on Saturday.  A bittersweet return to reality.  The adjustment from life at sea will take awhile and hopefully will never be complete.  Culebra seems a fitting place to begin fond memories or rather start fond memories of a new beginining.

Find out more about Hazel and the journey of the Harvey Gamage here: http://harveygamage.blogspot.com/

 ~~~~~~~~~

best of luck on your return trip, hazel, along with the rest of your life!

have a thriving training tuesday. do something timeless.