A Little Inspiration

I’m almost ready to paint my boat.

I love this deep blue green, the apple green and the red-orange

I even want to sneak in a bit of gold. If I can find navy bottom paint…

I was going to stick with white, and use the easy to find black bottom paint, but, well… I’m leaning this direction now.

I was going to name her, Freda, but no one I’ve met so far, has heard of my favorite artist, so instead I’ll use paint colors as a nod to her. Not ever hearing of Freda Kahlo has come up a few times, so I’m pretty sure, I don’t want to be reminded of this little glitch every time my boat is mentioned. Which is more often than I would have thought. Part of me can’t help but smile when I think about my colorful little boat tied to the new dock.

I have some other name ideas…

Speaking of the new dock, oh my gosh! It’s coming along. Last night at high tide I got to help float the first section out, lift it and push it between the posts.

The dock builder guy has been stalling and not returning calls, so G decided to take on the project himself. He had to devise a method to pound the posts deep into the mud and sand. It’s harder than it sounds or seems.

I think I have a picture of the ladder on a make shift wood platform on the mud and the sledge hammering. (a few comments about how long it’s took (two days) to position and pound in four posts) They have to be at least three and a half feet to four feet under the sand. Plus you have to work with the tide.

It’s pretty exciting to see the first piece in place and we did it late last night so the neighbors have yet to see it. (Neighbors happily sit down and watch as G works the afternoon away, he doesn’t exactly love this, but they are all nice)

It might not look like much, but I think it’s amazing. One down two to go, three if you count the metal ramp thing.

Parisian Paintbrush Odessy

What’s the oldest thing you own that you still use daily?

I have paint brushes that are pretty old.

I once went on a small adventure in Paris to purchase a paintbrush because a friend had shown me her cool French paintbrush and I wanted one too.

It was a good adventure. We took a bus ride to somewhere very far from the Eiffel Tower and somehow found a tiny art supply store where no one spoke a word of English. All around us, there were cheese shops and markets that sold only fruits and vegetables at the height of their seasonal ripeness. Wine stores and random racks of clothes for sale on the street. A bakery like we had never seen before…

We somehow had stumbled into a non tourist part of the city just following directions from someone we met at Musse’ de l’orangerie, me going rougue, on a well planned trip, wanting a single paintbrush.

It became a significant fun memory from our visit to France. The fresh plums, the delicate cheeses, the boxes of pastries. I still wear the cotton summer dress that I bought on the street!

And my paintbrush? I still use it most days. I probably have some that are even older.

Serendipity

Describe one of your favorite moments.

My favorite moments are usually moments with people that I love.

It’s hard to choose one, so I’m going to tell you about a fun moment from today.

I had a free hour late in the day, which is unusual, so I texted my friend in CA. The time zone difference makes it hard to connect because when I’m up early and able to talk, the west coast is either still asleep or just waking up. My day gets busy, then ends abruptly with supper, followed by a long spell of sports watching, while back in CA there is plenty of daylight left.

My friend texted me back that she would call in five.

When she called, she said my call was at the perfect moment because two more of my friends were with her! My walking yoga girls who I miss terribly. What a fun surprise! I do love a serendipitous moment and this one was just what today needed. It put a smile on my face and a lightness in my step for the rest of the day.

Boat ownership

No one expected this!

A little boat bangs itself onto a beach at high tide in a winter storm. The authorities declare that it has been lost for over a decade and belongs to nobody.

Due to its battered state, it becomes unwanted several times over. People come to look and change their minds.

When I saw her, I knew.

This is how I became a boat owner. G was like the parent of a kid who found a cat in the alley. A firm no, but slowly (actually it happened pretty fast) he warmed up to her. Soon he was buying supplies, banging out dings and patching holes.

Now that I’ve completed the sanding and started priming, everyone is excited. We caught the attention of several neighbors earlier on, but now there’s a glimpse of where things are going. Soon there will be wooden board seats to replace the missing metal ones. There will be oars of course, there’s talk of motor…

One Thing

What notable things happened today?

I had a small epiphany.

Nothing super interesting. I may have had this same one before, but already I feel a shift.

As you know, I’ve been having a time of it. Trying hard to fit myself into a life that isn’t maybe ideal for me.

I have good reasons to keep trying, that part is clear, but lately I’ve hit a wall or two. I have not been able to figure out how to continue to navigate and believe me, I’m trying!

Complaining has helped me find some humor, get a little validation, but I wanted a better solution. I don’t like my complainy self as much, though she can be witty, I’d rather be more upbeat…

So today, I was listening to Marisa Peer say that she liked ‘fact statements’ over ‘affirmations’. She then gave a few examples, which sounded good to me, and then she gave free downloads of a few short meditations.

I listened on my headphones to one, and then another, (instead of the morning news) and instantly I felt better. I realized that like yoga poses, I needed to counter some of the environmental difficulties with positives. Up until I saw this, I was trying to endure and dissociate and smile through everything.

I was feeling like, well, everyone else seems fine with all the TV and news and criticism and OCD, I just needed to get used to it, is all.

Well. I COULD and I have, but I think a better plan for me, is to counter things with better fitting ME things.

White noise couldn’t complete with the news, I found, but this did! I still do white noise meditation , but strategy is key, so are where and when.

Even as everyone else is grumpy and sullen, I am out here in the sunshine, sanding more blue paint off my boat, enjoying a windless summery moment.

I don’t love being blue, I’m not a fan of this particular shade, (it seems to be everywhere, not just stubbornly clinging to my boat or covering my hands and clothes), I’m not a fan of a handful of things right now, but I know that working through them is my best plan. Little epiphanies are a welcome indication that it’s all going to be okay.

Eventually.

In the meantime, I’ll be countering the un-me-things with more me-things.

And sanding my boat…

Nothing

What are you passionate about?

Well.

It’s not that I don’t have people and things that I love dearly.

I’m guessing the question is asking for something like art or God or beauty. Or fashion or reading or I don’t know, something all consuming.

They always say follow your passion and that’s how you’ll know what to do with your life. (to young people). No one has suggested this to me lately so I’m guessing it’s for a certain demographic.

At the moment, there is a void of passion for much besides the odd beautiful walk or sunset.

Is it a sign of age? Or is it related to my current circumstances? I couldn’t tell you.

I’m not sad about my lack of passion of late. I’m sure something will come along and inspire me. Something always does.

For now I’ll just enjoy the peace of an uneventful day.

Late Summer

What is your favorite season of year? Why?

Late late summer, early fall. September and October in CA are the best. Sunny warm, and rarely gray on the coast. Every year they feel like bonus months full of sunshine,empty beaches and good vibes.

Even here, the extended summer of ripe tomatoes, whatever is still growing in the garden. Slightly cooler, but still sunshiny and mostly warm