"Thirty days have September...April, June and November."
I learned that by heart in 10th grade in a Marketing class. Tomorrow is July 1. I need a job!!!
I've been job-searching in earnest for almost 3 weeks now. It's hard. It's awful. It SUCKS. I haven't had to search like this for nearly 14 years.
There are actually A LOT of jobs out there right now, believe it or not. It's just that I'm not an IT pro, or an engineer, or a nurse, or a financial analyst. Hotel jobs are SCARCE these days. I've applied for many positions with all manner of businesses which I KNOW I would be GREAT at, but it's the convincing of HR people who send the THOUSANDS of resumes they receive through "intelligent" scanners to pick up very specific key words - that I'm their girl.
Please send good vibes my way! I need them!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Lake People
We are now Lake People again. We've spent many hours over the past couple of weeks cleaning and scrubbing and fixing things. Here's a bit of my handy-work, taken before I finished the last bit on the front left.
Not the best picture, but I scrubbed every square inch of the deck with a 4"x6" green scrubby pad and soft scrub to clean off all the layers of dirt encrusted on the bow. I have the scabs and scuffs on my hands to show for it, along with a very sore tailbone. About 2 weeks ago on a rainy afternoon I slipped and fell down our back steps landing square on my tailbone HARD on three consecutive steps - and it's been REALLY sore ever since. Sliding around on my butt for 5 hours on the hard surface of the boat was probably not the best idea, but it had to be done.
Anyhow... We've met our new neighbors who weekend on their cool house boats. They are all very nice folks, and it's a good thing, because we're nearly on top of each other in our slips, and we haven't put the plastic windows back up. While they provide a somewhat false sense of privacy, having the back open allows for welcome breezes and we don't have to run the a/c at the helm.
Once again we're closer to the ramp leading to the parking lot than most of the other boats, so every time someone comes or goes they pass by and give the obligatory wave and stop to chit chat.
But the best thing about being on the lake is...
The ducks!
We've fed them several times - from crackers to pizza crust. There are mamas and papas and babies, mostly of the mallard variety. I love how they swim and feed in formation.
They are brave and aggressive (for ducks, I mean)... Here's a quick video:
There are also lots of fish - including this over-grown gold fish that we've speculated was dropped into the water a few years ago where it has obviously thrived.
Not the best picture, but this sucker is as long as my arm! We also saw a large catfish, and this Bass was caught (and shortly released) right off the dock behind us.
Our view from the back of the boat is significantly different from our view at the marina at the beach. It's not bad, but I feel like we're docked in someone's backyard, which technically, we sort of are...
At night it's very quiet though, which is good. You don't hear traffic and sirens all night long, like we did at the beach - being one block from the Grand Strand Hospital. There's also minimal lighting at the lake, which is great for star-gazing. The marina at the beach was lit up, albeit tastefully, like the rest of glitzy Myrtle Beach.
Not the best picture, but I scrubbed every square inch of the deck with a 4"x6" green scrubby pad and soft scrub to clean off all the layers of dirt encrusted on the bow. I have the scabs and scuffs on my hands to show for it, along with a very sore tailbone. About 2 weeks ago on a rainy afternoon I slipped and fell down our back steps landing square on my tailbone HARD on three consecutive steps - and it's been REALLY sore ever since. Sliding around on my butt for 5 hours on the hard surface of the boat was probably not the best idea, but it had to be done.
Anyhow... We've met our new neighbors who weekend on their cool house boats. They are all very nice folks, and it's a good thing, because we're nearly on top of each other in our slips, and we haven't put the plastic windows back up. While they provide a somewhat false sense of privacy, having the back open allows for welcome breezes and we don't have to run the a/c at the helm.
Once again we're closer to the ramp leading to the parking lot than most of the other boats, so every time someone comes or goes they pass by and give the obligatory wave and stop to chit chat.
But the best thing about being on the lake is...
The ducks!
We've fed them several times - from crackers to pizza crust. There are mamas and papas and babies, mostly of the mallard variety. I love how they swim and feed in formation.
They are brave and aggressive (for ducks, I mean)... Here's a quick video:
There are also lots of fish - including this over-grown gold fish that we've speculated was dropped into the water a few years ago where it has obviously thrived.
Not the best picture, but this sucker is as long as my arm! We also saw a large catfish, and this Bass was caught (and shortly released) right off the dock behind us.
Our view from the back of the boat is significantly different from our view at the marina at the beach. It's not bad, but I feel like we're docked in someone's backyard, which technically, we sort of are...
At night it's very quiet though, which is good. You don't hear traffic and sirens all night long, like we did at the beach - being one block from the Grand Strand Hospital. There's also minimal lighting at the lake, which is great for star-gazing. The marina at the beach was lit up, albeit tastefully, like the rest of glitzy Myrtle Beach.
Beach Baby
Weekend before last I went down to the beach to spend a few days with my sister and nephew at Mom's.
We got a lot of beach time in. For all intents and purposes this was the first time Finn really got to spend time in the ocean.
What a handsome little devil!
They've been to the beach several times but have not been able to take him out in the water like we did.
The tide was low and the water was smooth with only a few waves to glide over. He was so good and seemed to enjoy splashing around in the water.
We spent some good quality time together, and had a really good visit at Grandmommy's.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Great Boat Move of 2009, part 473...
On Tuesday we finally...FINALLY took possession of the boat again - and put in at Lake Norman!!!!
I had a call from the transport company Tuesday morning about 9:30 from the girl I'd been dealing with who, to her credit, has been very nice throughout this whole process - despite all the delays and whatnot. She was calling to let me know that the driver (who happens to be her brother) was at the marina at the lake, and was wondering when I would get there with his paperwork, so he could unload and be on his way. She made the unfortunate mistake of saying he "was getting a little impatient." AS IF. During this entire process that has gone on for 2 solid weeks longer than it should have, I have been abundantly patient on the phone, and have not been rude, crass or anything short of polite to her/them. But when she said the driver was "getting impatient" - I broke. I scoffed hautily and said, "IMPATIENT? IMPATIENT? You can tell him he can kiss my ass if he's impatient!!!" Then we both laughed, I apologized, and said I'd be there in 10 minutes.
Little did I know, however, that they had not alerted the marina of the arrival of the boat - which meant they did not actually schedule time on the lift to get the boat in the water - which meant that we would have to wait until there was an opening for the lift at some point in the day. The main marina contact, Tim, seemed to take pleasure in telling me this - not so much because it was *my* fault that the driver hadn't called ahead - but I think it was because he thought it might be a little fun to delay the driver, knowing how he'd delayed us several times... but also because the company we used was one that Tim explicitly advised us NOT to use.
Oh well - we finally got our time on the lift around noon, got the hard top put in place and the necessary wiring reconnected. We then drove over to the new marina (not the same one where we were putting the boat in the water) to leave one car, then drove back to the launching marina, boarded the boat, and set off for our new home port by water. What a great feeling that was!!!!!
It only took about 20 minutes to make our way over to the new marina, and we enjoyed the maiden voyage through the clean, clear water of the lake.
This is the lake of my childhood, where I accompanied my Dad on many sailing trips in his old sailboat "Seascape". And this is me, back in the early days of my water-loving, boating love affair - circa 1975.
Cute, huh?
Once again, Gary impressed me with his docking skills and got us into our slip with only 6 inches on either side to spare. We hopped back back in his car to pick up my car at the other marina, then spent the rest of the afternoon scrubbing the inside of the hard top, the leather cushions and all the white fiberglass of the cockpit.
We were welcomed to our new home by several ducks and a big gray heron. I found some crackers to toss to our floating welcoming committee, and once again, all was well in the world.
Houseguests
Over the weekend of Katie's wedding, we had a pretty full house. Mom and A.Vee came up from the beach Friday night to go to his 50th High School Reunion. They had an event Friday night - with the Chairmen of the Board playing plenty of beach music. Saturday morning they went to a fabulous brunch hosted by a classmate who owns Shoe Show Corporation, then a Saturday night affair that both Mom and A.Vee seemed to enjoy immensely.
Saturday morning I was informed that our friends Lawrence and Pam from LaFayette, Louisiana, would be coming for a quick trip Sunday and Monday, to pick up a piece of equipment to take down to their Ice operation back home.
While I knew Mom & A.Vee would have most (if not all) of their meals over the weekend with the reunion and pretty much only needed a place to sleep - I knew I'd have to whip up a fitting feast for the Cajun folk (I don't know for sure if they consider themselves Cajun, actually, but it sounds exotic, doesn't it?), who have shown us the best southern hospitality when we've visited their home.
I asked Mom and A.Vee to stay one more night and join us for dinner - especially seeing as I had been THEIR houseguest for over a week while I waited on the truck to pick up the boat at the beach (which never came while I was there, btw). So we made BBQ chicken on the grill and had a summer feast out on the porch, complete with a white table table cloth. Dinner was outstanding, the weather was mild, and the company was the best. I kicked myself for not taking a picture of our spread! Also for not getting any pictures of Mom and A.Vee, but I managed to get this one of Lawrence and Pam before they left at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
It was great having a house-full again. Mom opened a can of whoop-ass Sunday morning and cleaned bathrooms, the kitchen, and generally helped me get the disaster area of our living room under control. ANY TIME I can have Mom, or a Mom-like person like Pam around the house - I'LL TAKE IT!
Saturday morning I was informed that our friends Lawrence and Pam from LaFayette, Louisiana, would be coming for a quick trip Sunday and Monday, to pick up a piece of equipment to take down to their Ice operation back home.
While I knew Mom & A.Vee would have most (if not all) of their meals over the weekend with the reunion and pretty much only needed a place to sleep - I knew I'd have to whip up a fitting feast for the Cajun folk (I don't know for sure if they consider themselves Cajun, actually, but it sounds exotic, doesn't it?), who have shown us the best southern hospitality when we've visited their home.
I asked Mom and A.Vee to stay one more night and join us for dinner - especially seeing as I had been THEIR houseguest for over a week while I waited on the truck to pick up the boat at the beach (which never came while I was there, btw). So we made BBQ chicken on the grill and had a summer feast out on the porch, complete with a white table table cloth. Dinner was outstanding, the weather was mild, and the company was the best. I kicked myself for not taking a picture of our spread! Also for not getting any pictures of Mom and A.Vee, but I managed to get this one of Lawrence and Pam before they left at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
It was great having a house-full again. Mom opened a can of whoop-ass Sunday morning and cleaned bathrooms, the kitchen, and generally helped me get the disaster area of our living room under control. ANY TIME I can have Mom, or a Mom-like person like Pam around the house - I'LL TAKE IT!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Katie Sunshine
Today I had the honor and huge pleasure of being a guest at the wedding of my dear sweet precious friend Katie. What a beautiful day for a wedding, and what a stunning bride! I arrived around 10:30 for the 11am ceremony at St. Mary's. I knew it would be packed to capacity and I didn't want to chance not getting a seat.
Unique, personalized programs were given by attendants at the door. My apologies, Katie, for all the emotional bosh I'm about to spill about your wedding! Love you!
Katie was escorted down the aisle by her Dad to the melody of Moon River, ravishing in a gorgeous gown and veil. Her groom, Christian, who I had yet to meet, was very handsome, glowing, almost levitating, waiting for his bride at the front of the church.
Their chemistry was palpable as they spoke their vows and exchanged rings. Clasping hands, arms intertwined, leaning in together so close their foreheads touched. It was precious, and moving, and inspiring to witness the love and commitment of two people who so clearly belong together.
And it was all made even more fun with a couple moments of comic relief when the minister asked the couple what symbols they would be using to show their commitment to one another, and Christian said loudly, as if answering a trick question on a game show, "The RINGS!?" - which got a lively response from the guests. Later Katie told us that actually, that was planned. But they were supposed to say "RINGS!" together - but she confessed she choked so it was all him! Lol.
After the ceremony there was a group photo of all the guests taken just outside the church. The newlyweds stood a few steps in front of the guests, which is why I only got a shot of their backs. Still, they are such a fine couple - even from the back!
We drove to the Brunch Reception which was held at Bonterra, a local restaurant that has now become the location for two Arpa Girls' receptions.
The building is actually an old church and needs little decoration, but Katie had the perfect mix of pretty details and delicate flowers in bright yellows, oranges and greens, the perfect touch.
We were treated to a candy store's worth of sugary treats (with little cellophane grab-and-go bags), passed hors d'oeuvres including tarts of mushroom druxelle and asparagus & feta, along with ham and stilton filled endive petals.
There were Bloody Marys and a delectable selection of juices to make Champagne Cocktails (my favorite was the peach nectar - of which I enjoyed several). Everything was so pretty and so tastefully displayed. Just look what they did with the garnishes!
Once the bridal party arrived the aromas from the kitchen had become over-powering and we went for round two with delicious Fritattas, Salads, Panninis (including Cubans - which yours truly introduced Katie to a couple years ago), and a whole slew of fresh baked pastries and desserts, including melt-in-your-mouth cranberry scones made even better with a tangy lemon curd sauce, perfect mini-canolis, and tiny lemon tarts in phylo shells. The perfect menu mix!
Between sips and bites I managed to introduce myself to both Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom. Both ladies were so very sweet, and I was happy to tell them how much I love and admire and simply adore Katie. Such a pleasure to meet these ladies.
Next came the cakes! Leave it to Katie to be on top of the latest trends in wedding cakes - the Two-Tier Multiples. Pretty and Yummy!
Her Dad gave a sweet toast - leaving all our eyes glistening with his sentimental anecdotes - like the one about how at age 3, she was already organizing things, including the line outside a public restroom once, where she took it upon herself to try and get the ladies lined up on a "need to go" basis - ha! That's our Katie!
Then Christian's Dad gave a few wise words to the couple, reminding them to really take in everything today. All the sights, sounds and smells - all of the happiness and the feeling of being surrounded by all their loved ones. Because in times of strife, THIS will be what pulls them through the tough times - the memories made on this spectacular day, the first day of their marriage.
Once the cakes were cut and the toasts had been made, we snapped one final picture with our little Katie, who we could not possibly be happier for (I speak for myself and I'm sure for my friends Amy, Tina, and Nicole who are posed in this picture.
Katie and Christian are off for their honeymoon tomorrow - a week on the shores of Jamaica where I'm sure they'll soak in as much fun and adventure as two people should possibly be allowed! Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs.!!!!
Wine with Dinner
Amy flew in from DC yesterday so we met up, along with her sister Rebecca, and went to a wine sale/tasting then had a nice dinner at the new uptown hot spot Basil Thai.
At the wine place we sipped little cups - like a cross between communion cups and shot glasses - of a bunch of different wines from very dry reds to very sweet whites and even sweeter dessert wines, including one of my all-time favorites Moscato d'Asti - a naturally sparkling nutty-sweet white that I've been a major fan of since the years of my Food & Beverage tutelage under the great Joseph Falcetto.
Dinner at Basil Thai was their Pad Thai which was quite good and presented beautifully. We got lucky with our timing - when we walked in the place was not very crowded and numerous tables were available. We were met by the skeptical gaze of very pretentious hostess who said, upon learning we did not have a reservation, something like, "well, we're not very busy right now, so I guess we can seat you." I just love customer-focused front line people like that... Like she's doing us a favor to allow us to have dinner in her restaurant. Anyhow, within just a few minutes the place actually filled up. Hmmmppphhh.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
REALLY?!
The Great Boat Move of 2009 has encountered YET ANOTHER delay. Late this afternoon just before 6:00 I received a call from our marine transport company to tell me that she had good news and bad news, and which did I want first? In hindsight, I guess she meant the good news is that we are still on the schedule. But the bad news? The flippin' truck will not be here until MONDAY.
That would be Monday, June 15. Making that TWO WEEKS the boat will have been sitting on land, waiting to be transported.
That would be Monday, June 15. Making that TWO WEEKS the boat will have been sitting on land, waiting to be transported.
Funnies...
1. The roundest knight at King Arthur’s Round Table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.
2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.
4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated in an algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.
5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.
6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.
12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, “You stay here, I’ll go on a head.”
14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.
15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said, “Keep off the Grass.”
16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, “No change yet.”
17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
20. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.
21 A backward poet writes inverse.
22. In a democracy, it’s your vote that counts. In feudalism, it’s your count that votes.
23. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.
24. Don’t join dangerous cults, practice safe sects!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
How 'bout a snack?
Donut? Coffee? Hot dog?... Nope, I'm in the mood for some Blood Worms!!
Neon signs in the window of our local (Cherry Grove) convenience store.
Note to the uninitiated - blood worms are used for fishing bait. ; )
Neon signs in the window of our local (Cherry Grove) convenience store.
Note to the uninitiated - blood worms are used for fishing bait. ; )
Good Dog!
Spent the afternoon on the beach today hoping for a little color, despite the 30 spf I smeared all over. There are two things I love unequivocally in this world: the ocean...and dogs! Put these two things together and I'm in heaven!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Exploring Cherry Grove
Today I tooled around in Barbie - with the top down for the first time in a while. I found a couple of Wildlife Preserves on the marsh side of Cherry Grove where some people were fishing and crabbing. They were trudging through the pluff mud or wading in the shallow creek, each with a net or a fishing pole.
It seemed like the tide was low, but coming in. I imagined they were fishing for their dinner, and marveled at the idea of catching my own dinner sometime soon. I'm not too crazy about finn-fish, but I love me some crabs and oysters. I may reconsider the finn-fish if I actually CAUGHT one and had a good recipe to cook it up. I had fish tacos in Mexico once, and they were DISGUSTING.
Anywho... walked around to see what I could see...Flowers and bumble bees, and more pluff mud and oyster beds. I spoke to a guy sitting along the seawall with a rod and reel and asked if he was catching anything. He said, "Nothing but a sunburn." Clever response.
I went over to the beach to make sure it was still there. There was hardly any traffic, considering vacation season is upon us. There were actually a lot of people on the beach - you can't tell very well from this picture... Mostly families on Cherry Grove, not a lot of action.
I drove around and looked at houses - there's a mix of old school beach houses and some beautiful brand new beach mansions. A lot of people get around on golf carts. This baby was parked outside one of the beach houses:
Woot!
Ladies In Waiting
So after the emotional drain of moving the boat last week from Grande Dunes to Anchor Marina on Monday, it has been sitting on land ever since. Why? Let's just say the Marine Transport Industry operates in some parallel universe, where "I'll call you tomorrow" means something like "I may call you back in the next month or so, but don't hold your breath". Ditto that for their scheduling. "We'll put you on the schedule" means "IF in fact, we have a truck available in the next millennium, we may let you know, or not, depending on the price of eggs in China." Their pricing structure is equally as ridiculous. The 5 quotes we received were between $2000 and $3750 for the exact same move.
The truck we were expecting was supposed to be here on Tuesday last week. They called me Monday morning, however, to tell me that our truck, en route to SC from hauling a big boat from New York to Missouri, had broken down in Tennessee. Great. They said "it might" be in SC on Tuesday, but it was doubtful. When I told the dispatcher that the boat was now on land and accruing daily charges because they were late. Her response, "oh...sorry." Ay-yai-yai!!! She said she'd keep me posted as to the prognosis of the truck. On THURSDAY she called and said it wasn't the transmission but another part of the truck that had been damaged during the last haul, and it should be fixed and ready to pick up our boat in SC by Tuesday 6/9.
Meanwhile, I decided to stay at the beach at Mom's instead of going home. Now that I've been down here for over a week, I'm starting to get a little bored. A LOT BORED. So bored, in fact, that a trip to the Super Wal-Mart is a highlight in my day. Next up, what I did today...
The truck we were expecting was supposed to be here on Tuesday last week. They called me Monday morning, however, to tell me that our truck, en route to SC from hauling a big boat from New York to Missouri, had broken down in Tennessee. Great. They said "it might" be in SC on Tuesday, but it was doubtful. When I told the dispatcher that the boat was now on land and accruing daily charges because they were late. Her response, "oh...sorry." Ay-yai-yai!!! She said she'd keep me posted as to the prognosis of the truck. On THURSDAY she called and said it wasn't the transmission but another part of the truck that had been damaged during the last haul, and it should be fixed and ready to pick up our boat in SC by Tuesday 6/9.
Meanwhile, I decided to stay at the beach at Mom's instead of going home. Now that I've been down here for over a week, I'm starting to get a little bored. A LOT BORED. So bored, in fact, that a trip to the Super Wal-Mart is a highlight in my day. Next up, what I did today...
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Saying Goodbye Is Hard To Do
On Monday around 12:30 we untied from the dock and headed out of the marina. It was a beautiful day, we could not have asked for prettier weather. Nevertheless, I was so sad.
The night before we left we had dinner at Anchor Grill, the open-air bar and destination eatery of choice while spending time at the boat. A few too many beers and chicken wings later, we took one last dip in the hotel's jacuzzi and pool, managing to wrap ourselves in about 4 of their great beach towels (we needed to round out the set).
On the walk back from the pool I was jonesing for something chocolate, so we called Ruth's Chris to see if we could get a nice chocolate dessert. The guy who answered the phone totally hooked us up with 2 slices of chocolate decadence (their version of super-dense chocolate "cake" which was more like slabs of fudge and nearly made me sick from sugar-shock) for a mere $30. They HAD been closed for an hour and a half.
It took a couple of tries to force myself to go to bed. I stayed up pretty late, looking out over the marina for the last time. I can't count how many nights I spent doing exactly this, but knowing it would be the last time, I wanted to take it all in for as long as I could.
We got a pretty good night's sleep, then arose around 9:00 to start final preparations and load the cars with our overnight stuff we'd be taking to Mom's - as we were going to spend Monday night at her house while we waited for the truck to come get the boat and take her back to Lake Norman. We drove my car down to the Anchor Marina in Cherry Grove where we would return in a few hours by water to deliver the boat.
***
As we pulled out of the slip I started hyperventilating, trying to cry but just stood there as we pulled out of the marina that has been my second home for over a year now. It was truly grief I felt. I always do this when I move. Thank goodness it was NOTHING like the sob-fest I had when I moved from Baltimore to Charlotte in '04, but it was like a bad dream.
This is the place I have come to cherish as a sanctuary. It's my happy place. It's my hiding place. It's where I spent countless days just watching clouds go by, or watching rain drops fall. It's where I have written, where I have thought, where I have lived - and much of that time I was alone - and now I was watching it slip away from the back of the boat. A huge lump in my throat, I just wanted to stare - to burn the images into my memory.
As we made our way into the waterway, I waved to people sitting at the Grill. When they waved back, that did it for me and the tears starting flowing. They didn't know they were waving goodbye, but they were. We passed another few boats in the waterway and the same thing happened. They waved, and the lump in my throat grew larger and larger. A woman and her little girl were sunning themselves at the edge of an infinity pool in their yard. They swung their arms enthusiastically and I reciprocated with good measure. Goodbye lady, goodbye little girl. Thanks for seeing us off.
I was having a such a hard time coming to terms with leaving, and these courteous gestures from strangers made it a little more tolerable. In my mind I needed a proper send off, and this was perfect.
I even quietly waved to the mannequin that stands at the sea wall of one of the many homes along the waterway. This is always such a warm sight, and I've seen him (or her?) standing there hundreds of times as we whizzed by on jet skis. Goodbye mannequin. You're quite a sight.
All the sights of this journey north on the ICW are so familiar now, compared to the first trip we made down here back in May of 2007 when every turn, every bend, every bridge was new to us. Now, I can visualize where we are on a map by the bridges overhead. Like this one: Now we're at Highway 22 and these three branches take you to either 17 South, Kings Road (to the outlets) or to 17 North.
The farther up the waterway we got, the easier it was for me to accept what was happening. It's like when you dread something - like the worst case scenario that you could possibly endure - and then it happens - and you survive. Then you're like, "OK, I thought this would actually kill me, but as it turns out, I can handle this...". A feeling I've experienced few times in the past year, but one I will probably never get used to. I guess I really like to feel the emotion of things, it's my interpretation of "living in the moment" and feeling grief (or joy) while its happening, so as not to be bogged down by it later.
Meanwhile G was all smiles and happily coming up with marketing slogans for when we invite customers out for a day on the lake. "Save the Boat" was one - meaning, by having customers enjoy a day on the boat they will surely send more business our way, thereby saving the boat (from being sold, neglected, re-po'ed, etc.). He was dreaming of diving off the swim platform into the cleaner, clearer lake waters. He was envisioning all the hamburgers and hotdogs that would be sizzling on the grill he would soon be adding to the back of the boat. He was singing to the radio and not looking back.
By the time we got to Barefoot Landing and passed Greg Norman's where we first tied up and celebrated the arrival of the boat to the SC coast with champagne and real glass ware, I had to snap out of it. It was time to get to work.
Goodbye Barefoot. Goodbye South Carolina State Palmetto Tree and Crescent Moon flag.
I hopped out on deck to rearrange the bumpers and tie them up. Then I readied the lines for the deck hands, got my pole which might be needed to push off any stray pylons or other boats we might get to close to. I was on the lookout for signs indicating what channel the bridge tender would be on when we got to the Little River swing bridge.
I was actually relaxing a bit before we began our approach to the swing bridge, but as the bridge tender barked orders at us to "ease up" and informed us he'd seen us coming from a mile away (literally) on camera, I started to tense up as other boats were coming in all directions, and a squadron of jet skiers passed on either side of us. We made the turn into the Anchor Marina while no less that 6 jet skiers took their sweet time crossing in front of us. Helllllllooooo? Who's the bigger boat here??? So we made our way v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y along a very narrow creek, alongside old docks and a mixture of boats new and old, large and small, up to the slip where we would soon load on the travel lift.
At this point all sentimentality, all longing was GONE. It was do or die now - or at least do or take out someone else's boat or dock. So I just kept quiet and stood guard at the bow with my pole that fortunately I did not have to use to push us off anything! We made it into the slip to our great relief. Then turned the controls over to the dock master to turn the boat around, since we went into the slip the wrong way. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
The night before we left we had dinner at Anchor Grill, the open-air bar and destination eatery of choice while spending time at the boat. A few too many beers and chicken wings later, we took one last dip in the hotel's jacuzzi and pool, managing to wrap ourselves in about 4 of their great beach towels (we needed to round out the set).
On the walk back from the pool I was jonesing for something chocolate, so we called Ruth's Chris to see if we could get a nice chocolate dessert. The guy who answered the phone totally hooked us up with 2 slices of chocolate decadence (their version of super-dense chocolate "cake" which was more like slabs of fudge and nearly made me sick from sugar-shock) for a mere $30. They HAD been closed for an hour and a half.
It took a couple of tries to force myself to go to bed. I stayed up pretty late, looking out over the marina for the last time. I can't count how many nights I spent doing exactly this, but knowing it would be the last time, I wanted to take it all in for as long as I could.
We got a pretty good night's sleep, then arose around 9:00 to start final preparations and load the cars with our overnight stuff we'd be taking to Mom's - as we were going to spend Monday night at her house while we waited for the truck to come get the boat and take her back to Lake Norman. We drove my car down to the Anchor Marina in Cherry Grove where we would return in a few hours by water to deliver the boat.
***
As we pulled out of the slip I started hyperventilating, trying to cry but just stood there as we pulled out of the marina that has been my second home for over a year now. It was truly grief I felt. I always do this when I move. Thank goodness it was NOTHING like the sob-fest I had when I moved from Baltimore to Charlotte in '04, but it was like a bad dream.
This is the place I have come to cherish as a sanctuary. It's my happy place. It's my hiding place. It's where I spent countless days just watching clouds go by, or watching rain drops fall. It's where I have written, where I have thought, where I have lived - and much of that time I was alone - and now I was watching it slip away from the back of the boat. A huge lump in my throat, I just wanted to stare - to burn the images into my memory.
As we made our way into the waterway, I waved to people sitting at the Grill. When they waved back, that did it for me and the tears starting flowing. They didn't know they were waving goodbye, but they were. We passed another few boats in the waterway and the same thing happened. They waved, and the lump in my throat grew larger and larger. A woman and her little girl were sunning themselves at the edge of an infinity pool in their yard. They swung their arms enthusiastically and I reciprocated with good measure. Goodbye lady, goodbye little girl. Thanks for seeing us off.
I was having a such a hard time coming to terms with leaving, and these courteous gestures from strangers made it a little more tolerable. In my mind I needed a proper send off, and this was perfect.
I even quietly waved to the mannequin that stands at the sea wall of one of the many homes along the waterway. This is always such a warm sight, and I've seen him (or her?) standing there hundreds of times as we whizzed by on jet skis. Goodbye mannequin. You're quite a sight.
All the sights of this journey north on the ICW are so familiar now, compared to the first trip we made down here back in May of 2007 when every turn, every bend, every bridge was new to us. Now, I can visualize where we are on a map by the bridges overhead. Like this one: Now we're at Highway 22 and these three branches take you to either 17 South, Kings Road (to the outlets) or to 17 North.
The farther up the waterway we got, the easier it was for me to accept what was happening. It's like when you dread something - like the worst case scenario that you could possibly endure - and then it happens - and you survive. Then you're like, "OK, I thought this would actually kill me, but as it turns out, I can handle this...". A feeling I've experienced few times in the past year, but one I will probably never get used to. I guess I really like to feel the emotion of things, it's my interpretation of "living in the moment" and feeling grief (or joy) while its happening, so as not to be bogged down by it later.
Meanwhile G was all smiles and happily coming up with marketing slogans for when we invite customers out for a day on the lake. "Save the Boat" was one - meaning, by having customers enjoy a day on the boat they will surely send more business our way, thereby saving the boat (from being sold, neglected, re-po'ed, etc.). He was dreaming of diving off the swim platform into the cleaner, clearer lake waters. He was envisioning all the hamburgers and hotdogs that would be sizzling on the grill he would soon be adding to the back of the boat. He was singing to the radio and not looking back.
By the time we got to Barefoot Landing and passed Greg Norman's where we first tied up and celebrated the arrival of the boat to the SC coast with champagne and real glass ware, I had to snap out of it. It was time to get to work.
Goodbye Barefoot. Goodbye South Carolina State Palmetto Tree and Crescent Moon flag.
I hopped out on deck to rearrange the bumpers and tie them up. Then I readied the lines for the deck hands, got my pole which might be needed to push off any stray pylons or other boats we might get to close to. I was on the lookout for signs indicating what channel the bridge tender would be on when we got to the Little River swing bridge.
I was actually relaxing a bit before we began our approach to the swing bridge, but as the bridge tender barked orders at us to "ease up" and informed us he'd seen us coming from a mile away (literally) on camera, I started to tense up as other boats were coming in all directions, and a squadron of jet skiers passed on either side of us. We made the turn into the Anchor Marina while no less that 6 jet skiers took their sweet time crossing in front of us. Helllllllooooo? Who's the bigger boat here??? So we made our way v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y along a very narrow creek, alongside old docks and a mixture of boats new and old, large and small, up to the slip where we would soon load on the travel lift.
At this point all sentimentality, all longing was GONE. It was do or die now - or at least do or take out someone else's boat or dock. So I just kept quiet and stood guard at the bow with my pole that fortunately I did not have to use to push us off anything! We made it into the slip to our great relief. Then turned the controls over to the dock master to turn the boat around, since we went into the slip the wrong way. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
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