Bad Things, Good People

My candle lit in Louisiana ... for Kitty!

As I get older, I've come to realize that there are a lot of bad things in the world ... people, disease, natural disasters and all sorts of tragedies that just don't make sense.

This past week has had its own share of tragedies ... 

The annual regatta in Dauphin Island, Alabama was turned upside down when bad weather came out of nowhere and capsized several boats.  At least 40 people were pulled from the water, two have died, and four others are still missing.  It's a small world, as I learned this morning that a local guy I went to school with and keep in touch via Facebook happened to be in that storm.  Luckily, he and his sailboat are fine minus a bimini and sails.  He wasn't in the regatta, but was moving his boat from Mexico and happened to be in the area.

Nepal had a massive earthquake, killing at least 4000 people and destroying historical and beautiful monuments as well.  Some 200 climbers were stranded on Mt. Everest, and attempts are being made for their rescue.  Nepal is in dire need, and I can only imagine the agony that the survivors are going through.  They've lost loved ones, they've lost their homes, they're hungry, thirsty, cold and tired.

I remember how miserable we were after Hurricane Katrina, with no electricity during an extremely hot and humid summer and no easy access to food, water or gas.  It sucked, but it was nothing compared to what the Nepalese people are going through.

Then the tragedy that hit home the most ... a fellow cruiser-in-the-making lost her beloved daughter, Fiona "Kitty", just one day after celebrating her 5th birthday.  Kitty was at the Kemah Marina with her father, who was working on their sailboat.  In an instant, Kitty had disappeared.  Kitty was found by Texas Equusearch under a dock near the family's sailboat the next morning ... she was gone.

Photo credit from link above ...

None of these tragedies make sense ... there are no answers to justify these events.  I learned a long time ago that bad things happen to good people.  When I was in second grade, my 13 year old step-sister that I adored passed away in a freak accident ... also a drowning.  She lived with her mom, who found her in the bathtub.  She had an epileptic seizure at the wrong time.

There's no rhyme or reason, and in my opinion, these tragedies are random.  They can happen to any of us.  No matter how careful we are, we can't guarantee that we'll avoid tragedy.  Heck, my step-sister was at home.  Staying locked up inside doesn't guarantee your safety.

So many sad stories, that I usually choose not to write about them.  However, all of these stories remind me of something ... there are risks everywhere, so we may as well live our lives and let our children live theirs.  My step-sister should not have had her privacy taken away while bathing, the regatta participants should not be judged for enjoying their passion of sailing, climbing on Mt. Everest shouldn't be stopped, and Kitty should not have been prevented from enjoying the freedom of riding her bike and playing near her father.

Hope I'm not rambling, but my thoughts are all over the place.

Bad things happen to good people, but it's times like these that prove that there is still good in the world.  Folks came together during the regatta to rescue people from the water, aide is being sent to Nepal from countries around the world, and people have come together to support Kitty's family.

While I don't know Kitty's mother personally, she's a Facebook friend of mine and we're both members of an online group called "Women Who Sail".  We both have been working towards a common goal ... cruising on our sailboats.  I've viewed pictures of Kitty over the past year, and she brightened my day with her smile.  It was obvious how much she was loved.

When the women of our mutual sailing group learned of Kitty's passing, the support for Kitty's family was amazing.  A site was created for donations by a family friend for help towards the family's funeral expenses and loss of work.  This site was shared, including among the women of our group.  Many of us lit a candle or a light on our boats to show our grief.  It warmed my heart to see so many pictures and comments from women all over the world ... and I mean all over the world!  I think that Kitty's family has felt our concern and compassion too.  Kitty's funeral is today.

In a matter of days, the donation goal was met!  It just goes to show that every little bit helps.  I wasn't able to donate as much as I'd like, but I donated what I could ... it was yet another way to show I cared.  Hopefully I'll never be in such a situation.

Texas Equusearch, the organization that searched for and found Kitty, has been struggling financially and close to closing their doors.  Kitty's family has asked that if you make a donation, consider making one to them.  They promised the family that they wouldn't give up, and they didn't.  These are true heroes.

Kitty and her family are in our thoughts today, and will be for many days to come ... a very difficult day indeed.

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Into The Wild ... A Movie, A True Story!

Love this quote, but wouldn't have a problem with a secure future in addition to an endlessly changing horizon.  Although, our cruising/travel plans do make our future less secure ... or does it?  We never know what could jeopardize a seemingly "secure" plan.

Since Mardi Gras was a wash out, we made the best of the day and finally watched a movie I'd been wanting to see ... "Into The Wild".  It's a true story about a guy (Chris McCandless) that graduated from college in 1990 (one year after Ken and I did), gave away all of his money to charity, detached himself from his family, and took off to seek adventure and stints of isolation in nature.  Sounds like a good movie about travel, right?  Well, it's deeper than that.

*Warning:  If you don't want to know details about this movie or how it ended ... you may not want to read this entire post.  However, I knew how the movie ended before I watched it, and I still enjoyed it.  In fact, I think knowing the ending made me appreciate Chris' experiences more when watching it.  

 Perhaps it's my love for psychology (minor in college), but I love movies about life and the struggles that people face.  To me, this movie was just as much about Chris' life wounds as it was about his travels.  I wouldn't describe this movie as an "action" movie and Ken described it as "slow" (2.5 hrs).  However, we both enjoyed it. 

Chris had a hatred for society, money and material possessions that was just as strong as his passion for adventure. Without a goodbye to his parents and sister, he left them wondering (and worrying) what happened to him.  

Below is a "selfie" that was found undeveloped on Chris' camera, in front of the bus he found (and lived in) while staying in the Alaskan wilderness ... 

Like most folks dealing with wounds, Chris' wounds started in his childhood.  His parents loved him, but they fought violently ... and often.  When Chris learned that his mother had been "the other woman" and that his father had been married to someone else that gave birth to a son around the same time that he was born ... that blew him away.  He felt he was a "bastard child" from a deceitful relationship.  His father hadn't really dealt with his other son, and that was incomprehensible to Chris.

When speaking of society to a friend, he wondered why everyone was always treating each other so badly so often ... I've wondered the same thing and can relate to his bitterness about society.  I've felt the same way at times, getting pretty worked up about our society and the countless times I've come across a person without integrity or consideration of others.

Chris kept a journal during his "adventure", and he had some good quotes and thoughts.  Some were his own thoughts and some were those of others that he'd read.  Some reflected his resentment, some his passion for adventure, and others his change in attitude about being alone as his adventure progressed.

Chris burned his social security card and all of his identity, and took on the name "Alexander Supertramp".  During his two-year journey he never picked up the phone and called his family or sent them a note letting them know that he was alive.

He did come across several people during his journey that were touched by his presence.  One hippie couple had been searching for their own missing son and formed a bond with him, and another was a lonely and elderly widowed man that had lost his wife and child decades earlier in an automobile accident.  "Alexander Supertramp" inspired the man to do things he hadn't considered, and he even wanted to Chris.

Before finally reaching his dream of the Alaskan wilderness, Chris had kayaked from Nevada all the way to Mexico!  He hopped trains, learned new skills and picked up odd jobs every now and then.  He did have some great experiences ... until he stayed a little too long in Alaska.

In his journal he had written, "Now I don't know much about the sea, but I do  know that is the way it is here, and I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind death stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head".  

He experienced just that.

Chris endured the Alaskan wilderness during the winter, but when Summer came he started to experience difficulties.  He shot and killed a moose, only to find that he wasn't able to clean it quick enough in the heat.  He was devastated, and wished he'd never shot that moose.  

After a while, he referenced a book he was reading by Leo Tolstoy and his quote about happiness.  It seemed he was having a change of attitude about relationships ...

When he decided it was time to check in with society and end this chapter of his journey, he found that the river he'd previously crossed when entering the wilderness had swollen into a roaring river with a fierce current ... and no possible way of crossing.  He retreated back to the bus, and he began to run out of food.  He grew hungry.  

He relied on a book he had about plant identification, and mistakenly ate a plant that causes "starvation and death" if not treated.  He became deathly ill and later realized his error.  He thought that he'd survived, but he became weaker and eventually died ... alone in the bus.

Towards the end when Chris was suffering from starvation and weakness, he came to realize ...

While I'm pretty much an introvert and quite enjoy my time alone, I do believe in the value of relationships and sharing experiences with someone.  Whenever I see a gorgeous sunset or experience something on my own, I often think of someone and wish I could share it with them.  Sometimes that "someone" is Ken, sometimes my mom or dad, sometimes a friend or my daughter.  I don't believe a person needs a romantic relationship to be fulfilled, but I do think we all need someone to care about ... and vice versa.

During his last days, Chris referenced a book that he had read about calling things by their proper name.  Before dying, he wrote a note to whomever would find him, stating that he'd lived a happy life and may God bless all.  He didn't sign the note "Alexander Supertramp", but instead signed his full and proper name.

Just two weeks after passing away, some hunters came across his body in the bus.  I thought it ironic and sad that all that time he spent there, he'd never crossed paths with anyone .. until just after he died.

His parents were informed and here's a picture of a plaque they had made for his headstone ...

The film was written & directed by Sean Penn and he had a voice narrate the film, which was meant to be Chris' sister.  She shared some of the family's pain, and also her efforts to forgive and understand her brother when he was missing.  She knew he had to live his life his own way.  I can not imagine the grief that she and her parents endured.  She mentioned that it was ironic ... the grief caused by his disappearance brought his parents closer together while he was missing.  She wished she could tell her brother that their parents had changed, and were no longer the parents he'd resented.

So, hope I didn't bring you down!  This was such a sad and tragic ending.  But, Chris McCandless enjoyed quite an adventure for most of those two years. He broke away from the safety of his home & society and ventured into the unknown to pursue his dream.  There's something to be said for that.  

If you haven't watched this movie, I'd recommend doing so.  Oh, and it also has some great tunes from Eddie Vedder!

If faced with knowing I was about to die, would I change any of my beliefs?  I can't really think of anything I'd change ... maybe I'd suddenly become more religious, but I doubt it.

  

With my own dream of cruising and travel, I can relate to Chris' passion and desire to break away.  However, I'm not running "away" from anything (maybe somewhat from society and a lot from work) but instead running "to" something ... seeing new parts of the world and experiencing new things that at this point I can only imagine.  Sharing them with Ken, my daughter & family/friends is part of the dream too!  

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

*Unless otherwise noted, pictures from www.weheartit.com

Jersey Shore?!

Jersey shore in Mississippi?  Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Biloxi

The weather this past 3-day weekend was beautiful, and it was hard to look at our sailboat sitting in the backyard knowing that we can't give her a Spring cleaning or take her sailing just yet.  Ken's two wrists are still sore, and so is his side.  He seems to be getting better, but at a snail's pace.  With working during the week and trying to only supervise whenever he can, we know he needs to take it easy on the weekends.

Our weekend consisted of some minor repairs to our rental, a few errands, and a lot of time on the sofa.  Ken was hoping to pressure wash Nirvana, but he realized it wouldn't be good for his recovery.  I wanted to  wash the boat, but Ken wants to do it himself so I didn't argue.   Hopefully next weekend we'll have more good weather and Ken will be feeling better.  We can't wait to get Nirvana cleaned up and sailing soon.  Our last sail was in August of 2012, right before Hurricane Isaac blew through our roof and damaged our sheetrock.  After all house repairs were made, it was winter and holy cow ... it's almost June!

We needed to do something fun to keep our mind off of what we couldn't do, so Sunday we went to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Our first stop was "Detox" at the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi.  Every summer they have a free pool party with a DJ and drink specials, so we brought our bathing suits and figured we'd check it out for a little while.  It didn't take long before we felt like we were at the Jersey shore.  Everywhere you looked were body-builder guys and Snookie look-a-like girls.  Both the girls and the guys were covered in tattoos and the girls had perfect hair and makeup, tiny bikinis, and high heels ... every one of them.  It was clear they had no intentions of getting in the pool.  We were in a meat market!  If I would have had my camera with me, I would have tried to sneak in a few pictures.  It was something to see.  I posted a picture above from the Hard Rock's site, but it just doesn't give you the idea.  The guys and girls in the picture look great, but still look like regular folks.  I swear every girl had the long dark hair, big glasses, heels and jewelry just like Snookie!  The guys looked like they had too many steroid shots.

We stayed for just over an hour as we took in all of the sights.  Techno music blasted while girls danced provocatively in front of their man or walked around the pool over and over ... and over.  "Cigarette girls" gave out free electronic cigarettes while walking around in stiletto heels and forties-style dresses that didn't quite cover their butt ... Ken didn't mind.  Of course, the free admission was made up in $10 drinks.  After feeling like we were in another world, we knew we wouldn't be staying too long and waited till our next stop before having a drink.

Our experience at the pool party was different.  We were glad we went, but it wasn't our thing.  At first we felt old and out of touch, but the more we watched these people prancing around trying to outdo each other, the more we didn't give a crap if we were older or out of shape.  What do these people do for a living?  Do they work at all or do they get a huge allowance from Mom and Dad?  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure some of these people are great but ... the whole thing was so about appearance, not getting wet, and trying to look sexy.  We are all about "real", and this was about as far away from that as you could get.  A pool party with a volleyball net in the pool and women with ponytails and wet hair are more our style.  We left and headed to our kinda world ... Margaritaville!

Wow, what a difference a couple of miles make!  We grabbed a seat at the bar that overlooked the bay, ordered a couple of  $3 Landsharks, and listened to two guys playing great acoustic tunes.  The people that were hanging around this bar were laughing, wearing flip-flops and cut-off jeans, and not worried if the wind blew their hair.   I bet they're a lot happier too.  Much better!

When Monday came around, it sure was nice to not have to go to work!  Since Ken was out and about the day before, we needed to have a lazy day.  We decided to do something we've never done on Memorial Day before ... we went to a nearby ceremony to honor our fallen soldiers.  The ceremony was only about 30 minutes long, but it really brought home what Memorial Day is all about.  There were a lot of veterans, and some of them looked to be in their 80's and 90's.  When I saw their faces, it made me regret waiting 46 years to attend one of these ceremonies.  Our veterans need to see that people support them and appreciate what they've done for our country.  I was glad to be among the people that attended, which weren't a whole lot when you think of our city's population.  I was filled with emotion when listening to "Taps" and the 21-gun salute.  

Veterans who performed "Taps" and a 21-gun salute before placing of the wreath

The story of "Taps" was told at the ceremony.  Did you know that "Taps" was written by a fallen soldier that was found on the battlefield by his father (also a soldier)?  The father didn't realize the soldier was his son, and at the time didn't even know if the soldier was one of his own or an enemy.  He got the fallen soldier out of harm's way and it turned out the soldier was a Confederate .. the enemy.  Only after the two had made it off the battlefield did the father realize the soldier was his son.  His son, a musician, had decided to join the Confederates without his father's knowledge.  In the son's pocket was a folded piece of paper with musical tunes on it.  At his funeral the music was played ... it was "Taps".  It's since been a symbolic song for our fallen soldiers.  What an amazing story!  I was filled with emotion when listening to "Taps" and the 21-gun salute that took place before the tradition of the placing of the wreath on a soldier's grave.

American flags were scattered across the cemetary

We spent the rest of the day hanging around the house.  I baked some awesome baby back ribs!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Race Against Time!

View overlooking Trunk Bay, St John USVI

I created the above picture a couple of months ago.  Well I didn't create the picture, but I took the picture and decided to add the caption to it.  You know what I mean.

Anyway, I think if you've read our blog or any other cruiser's blog you've noticed a common motto among them ... go now!  Life is short!  Why spend all of your days preparing for a future that may never come?  So many cruisers have no regrets.  They have tried to convince those "on the fence" that everything will work out, and you gotta put your fears aside and stop delaying.  

Ken and I couldn't agree more with this logic.  However, here we are ... still living in our house and going to work every day.  Believe me, we're not procrastinating and we're not looking for new excuses.  Every day we wake up hoping that our house will sell soon.  Heck, every day we're thankful to wake up!  Every day we hope that we can remain healthy and achieve our dream.  We're constantly striving to get to the "finish line" of cruising.  We know that we're racing against time, and there's no time to waste.  In an instant, things can change.

This morning we had another reminder of just how short life can be.  After conversing via e-mail with some cruisers that I had just become familiar with (s/v Sweet Escape), they mentioned that they noticed I had a link to a cruising blog that they had also been following, Blame Buffett.  It's a blog about a couple (Ted and Shirl) a little older than us that just started living their cruising dream just three months ago.  They had sailed down the East Coast and were in Florida for the holidays, looking forward to the Bahamas soon.  Ted wanted to "live like Buffett" ... as so many of us do.

Anyway, s/v Sweet Escape informed me that Ted has passed away on December 27th from a massive heart attack.  I was floored and deeply saddened.  I've been trying to catch up on my favorite cruising blogs, and just this morning I was wondering about Ted and Shirl and thinking that I needed to visit their site soon.  Ted had e-mailed me a few times with great advice and inspiration.

I hesitated mentioning Ted and his blog, but I then thought that his memory will live on if I mentioned him.  Just before beginning his cruising dream, Ted wrote a post about the "Lure of the Sea".  It's a great post about why he chose cruising, and I suggest you check it out.  Here's a little excerpt:  

A lot of people have asked me why I want to go on such a long trip on a sailboat. I really am not sure I can answer  them in a way that adequately explains my reasons for wanting to cruise. As a matter of fact, there are times when I don't completely understand myself...I just know that I am drawn to it in a powerful way. Is it the lure of the sea?  For me it is about living...life is meant to be lived...and following a dream needs to be part of that for me. I read somewhere that "life is not a problem to be solved but an adventure to be lived."

Security...this is an illusion. there is no such thing. Security can be gone in a flash. Nothing is certain, especially at our age. Is cruising the best thing for me to do financially...probably not...but what price can you put on living a dream?  Who knows what will happen in the future?

Wise words spoken by a man that had no idea that his time on Earth was very limited.  In fact, his last post just one week before his death was about Jimmy Buffett, and how Ted was now "singing his own song".

Ted's story is yet another reminder to stop putting off your dreams.  I'm glad that Ted was able to live long enough to see his dream become a reality.  I'm sure that the three months he spent cruising were greatly enjoyed, and that Shirl's memories of those times are priceless.  I can only hope that we beat our own race against time.  It's not to be taken lightly.  For those that don't understand our decision to live away from family "so soon" ... this post should help explain our determination.  "Soon" may be all we have.

Ted, may you continue singing your own song ... Sail On!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Care!

 

By now we've all heard about the terrible tragedy in Connecticut four days ago ... 20 little children and 6 adults were shot and killed at their elementary school.  While I don't want to dwell on such tragic news, I feel compelled to at least dedicate one post to these victims, their loved ones, and the first responders.  It would be easier to just flip the channel as the story unfolds, but what if we all did that?!  If my child was taken from me so early and violently, I'd want to know that others cared about the loss that my family and my community had endured.

 

I've seen the faces of the victims, learned their names, and learned a little bit about each of them.  This took my breath away and really made this nightmare a reality.  I literally still cry every time I hear of a victim's life or the trauma that the survivors went through.  While the shooter isn't worth my time, his mother and family are also victims and my heart goes out to them.  The first responders also deserve our compassion.  They viewed a scene that will haunt them the remainder of their life. 

 

  My thoughts are with this community during their difficult time.  After all, this could happen anywhere and we could easily find ourselves in a similar nightmare.  While I feel helpless, I do know that I can "care".  I can do my part by living right, having compassion for others, and raising our daughter to do the same. 

 

If you've followed our blog for a while, you know that we love Kid Rock!  As he's matured, so have his songs.  Here's a few of the lyrics from his song on the "Born Free" album called "Care".  We love this song and I thought the lyrics were appropriate for this post. 

 

"Care" ... Kid Rock

 

Day by day my life gets colder. My eyes grow thin as I get older.

Peace in pieces, bloody and bruised.  I feel so helpless and confused.
'Cause I hear screaming on the left, Yelling on the right

I'm sitting in the middle trying to live my life.
'Cause I can't stop the war ... Shelter homeless, feed the poor.

I can't walk on water.  I can't save your sons and daughters.
Well, I can't change the world and make things fair .

The least that I can do, The least that I can do, The least that I can do is care.
Ooh, yeah, ooh I pray and pray for life's salvation.

Faith is tried and true in tribulation.

Love is lost and lonely, check the news

And with these open arms I'll wait for you

 

And here's the music video ... take a listen!
 

 

Speaking of caring, there are still a ton of great people in this mixed-up world!  In my last post, I wrote about a generous follower that donated to our cruising kitty.  Since then, we've received yet another donation from another generous follower!  We can't convey how appreciative we are of these donations, and how it warms our heart to be touched by such kind people!

 

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Sandy ... A Storm And A Lesson

As I watched the television last night from the comfort of my home, my heart went out to the many people affected by Hurricane Sandy.  It was kind of surreal watching the storm, this time looking in from the outside.  I knew that I was watching a storm that would make history and not be soon forgotten.  Experiencing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and then the recent damage to our house (we're thankful it wasn't worse) from Hurricane Isaac made me empathize with those on the East Coast.  I know the anxiety that so many folks are currently going through, and I felt kind of guilty as I climbed into our warm bed last night. .

As I was beginning to doze off, my thoughts drifted to the tragedy of the HMS Bounty.  This tall ship that had been around since the 1960's and had appeared in several movies had sunk.  Its Captain and one beautiful young woman lost their lives (Captain has not been found, but not looking good).  As a beginner sailor, I don't think I would have made the same decision as the Captain.  However, he paid the ultimate price for his decision and I feel for the families of the two victims.

Thoughts of the tall ship and its demise lead to thoughts of the many sailors and/or cruisers that I've come across thanks to this site and to Facebook.  I thought of those in Sandy's path, and wished the best for them and their boats.  Life is much more important than a possession, but I understand their attachment to their boat.  Like us, many of them view their boat as their home and the vessel to their dreams.  

Yesterday I had visited the sites and Facebook posts of my sailing "friends", and several had chosen to stay on their boat ... secured in a safe harbor. Others had no choice but to secure their boat as best they could and leave the area.  Some of these people had just recently begun their cruising dream, and were sailing down the East Coast before Sandy caused them to change their plans.   I went to sleep hoping that all would "sail" through this storm with no serious damage.  Social media does indeed bring things closer to home!

This morning I watched the news and heard about the flooded subway system in New York City, the extensive damage throughout the East Coast, and the loss of life.  So many people have a long road ahead of them.  I feel blessed to not be going through flood clean-up again, and my "whining" about getting our house fixed and sold for cruising seems selfish.

Once I got to work, I began checking the posts of fellow sailors (the only perk of a slow real estate market) in hopes of hearing that they were all fine.  I'm happy to say that so far all are well, including their boats!  There are a few folks that haven't posted an update just yet, but I'm hoping for good news from them too.

Again I'm reminded at how fragile all of us are.  Mother Nature does not discriminate, nor does sickness or tragedy!   As careful as we may try to be in life, safety is not guaranteed.  Many people think that we're crazy to take the risk of cruising.  However, tragedies can happen anywhere!  Whether it's on a boat, in a car, or maybe just sitting in a movie theater ... bad things can happen.  Most of us will experience our own "storm" of some sort in life.

I say this not to be depressing, but to remind you that you're not alone if you're facing difficulties.  We've definitely had our share, and we haven't yet fully recovered from Hurricane Isaac.  I also hope to remind you to follow your passion!  Figure out the risks involved, take the necessary precautions, then just go for it!  Fear is often what keeps us from living our dreams.  Don't let fear take your dreams away!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Memorial Day - A Child's Story

On this Memorial Day, I wanted to remind everyone to remember the fallen men and women in our military.  When doing a little research on national parks for my Frugal Friday post, I came across an interesting story about Memorial Day, a young girl, and her act of kindness.

On Memorial Day, there is an annual tradition of decorating soldiers' graves with wreaths and flowers.  This tradition began shortly after the Civil War, and was first suggested by the women of Columbus, Georgia 1866. The custom went national two years later through the adoption of a May 30th date by the Grand Army of the Republic, a Union Veterans organization.

In February 1862, Confederate prisoners of war were held in warehouse buildings for about a month.  The prisoners that died there were buried in the Greenbush Cemetery in Lafayette, Indiana.  In the spring of 1868, a committee was organizing the annual ceremony and received a wreath from a local girl.  Attached to the wreath was a note that said:

"Will you please put this wreath upon some rebel soldier's grave.  My dear papa is buried at Andersonville, and perhaps some little girl will be kind enough to put a few flowers upon his grave".  -  Jennie Vernon

The wreath that Jennie provided was placed on a grave in the cemetery, and the story of her kindness was reprinted throughout the nation that summer.  It turned out that Jennie was twelve years old, and she had lost her father at a military prison near Andersonville, Georgia in 1864.  Her father is buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery .. Section K, grave #2428.

It's not known if anyone placed flowers on the grave of Jennie's father in 1868.  However, her story is a reminder of Jennie's father and all of our nation's fallen soldiers.  Please take this day to honor them!  If you'd like to read the article, you can find it here.

Memorial Day has also become thought of as the beginning of summer, so I hope you all have a great day and a great summer too.  Thanks to our military, we still have our freedom!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!

Coming Together!

Riding the ferry down the Mississippi ...

If you read our last post, you know that a good friend that Ken and I practically grew up with passed away unexpectedly.   While this was a very sad occasion, it also brought us together with our life-long friends.  Why is it that it takes a wedding or a funeral to get together with everybody?  Such is the hustle bustle of the landlubber life!

Anyway, our high-school friend (and best man at our wedding) flew in from Florida, while others drove in from Tennessee and Northern Louisiana.  We had a few friends stay at our house, and it felt like a slumber party.  I can't remember the last time we had a house-full of overnight guests. 

So, after coming together to pay our respects we all thought it would be appropriate to celebrate our friend's life.  She brought a lot of laughs, and we know she'd want us to have some fun in her honor.

We all hung out at another friend's home after the service for some good fun and catching up with each other.  We felt like we were in high school again, and it was great to just get crazy for a while.  Boy, did we get crazy, but I'll do everybody a favor and keep those pictures private!

Us with our friends since high school .. the stories we have!

The following day we took advantage of the fact the one of our friends is into old bicycles.  He has about 20 of them in his garage!  He packed his truck full of bikes and we all headed to the French Quarter for the day.  While Ken and I have ridden through the Quarter a couple of times, we'd never done it with a group of 8 friends ... it was a great time.  We felt like we were on a field trip!

We were all still recuperating from the night before, and it was slow goin' at first!  We figured our first stop should be for Bloody Marys.  After a drink we were on our way around the city.  We then hopped on the ferry that took us down the Mississippi River then dropped us (and our bikes) off across the river. This was about a 20 minute ferry ride, so it was a really nice trip down the Mississippi.  Again, we felt like tourists!          

We're gonna start our own movement ... Occupy French Quarter!

                           

The shot above is with our daughter.  We were so glad she was able to spend the day with us and our friends.  They're like her aunts and uncles, and some haven't seen her since she was a baby.  After getting off the ferry, we rode about 3 miles on the levee (after a hangover .. what were we thinking)!  The path took us back to another ferry terminal, which then brought us back to the French Quarter.  This was a first for all of us (execpt our cycling friend), and it was a blast.  The weather was sunny and in the 70's ... perfect!

Views of the city from across the Mississippi River, including the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter.

Once back in the French Quarter, we had to stop at Margaritaville for lunch.  We were still beat from the night before and we needed food!

  After lunch, we found Santa Claus and had to get a picture!  We then rode through the Quarter and on to Bourbon Street.  We figured that was the best way to end our day in the city!

We lost two from the night before (one lives in town and had to work and the other had to go back to Northern Louisiana).  The guy on the left with Ken and our daughter was our best man.  The two in the middle ... they grew up in Panama (before moving to the States in high school) and they're moving back in a few months.  I see a trip in our future!  The two guys behind me ... they still live here in Slidell. 

We all said our goodbyes the following day, and vowed to get together more often.  While we're all like family and have kept in touch by phone, it's just not the same as getting together.  We tried to remember the last time that we were all together at once ... probably about 15 years ago!

We had a great time, and we think Liz would be happy to see us all together and smiling.  While there was lots of laughter, we all have an empty place in our heart and we'll never forget our friend.  This post is dedicated to her!

Hasta luego ...  Mid-Life Cruising!

Wisdom from Steve Jobs

Last night we heard the sad news that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, had passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.  While we're not fortunate enough to own an Apple computer, i-Phone or i-Pad, we can not help but have heavy hearts today.  This man was brilliant and he changed the world forever.   In fact, if it were not for his contributions, we would not be able to blog and connect with all of you.   Thanks to Mr. Jobs we'll be able to keep in touch while sitting on our sailboat in a beautiful anchorage.  His advancements in technology have definitely changed the cruising world!

A lot of cancer patients say that the disease has given them a new appreciation of life.  I don't need cancer to value every single day, and I hope that neither myself nor any of my loved ones ever have to face death in the face like Steve Jobs did.   Here are a few of the quotes from Steve Jobs ... may we all learn from his wisdom.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.  You are already naked.  There is no reason not to follow your heart.  Stay hungry.  Stay foolish."

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.  Because of almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important".

Steve Jobs had such ambition and drive.  People like him make me feel so lazy and ... well, stupid!  We're not all genuises, but we can all learn from a man like Mr. Jobs.  Follow your dreams, live your passion, and live your life ... not somebody else's!

Rest In Peace Steve Jobs ... you will never be forgotten!

Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-Life Cruising!