Auld Lang Syne

 Life happens while you're busy making plans. I think that is a John Lennon quote, but I'm not sure. It was one of David's favorites. And I was reminded of this today when my 90 year old friend stopped by for a cup of tea. We are all so busy making plans and doing, doing, doing, that the days just fly by and life happens.  It is the last day of 2022 and a time for looking back and envisioning the future. If I made new year resolutions(which I don't) I'd make one for visiting my friends more often, before life gets in the way. There is time for everything, a time to be born and a time to die, and the time in-between is for us to fill- we choose what we fill our time with.  I'm going to continue to write, I do love making stories come to life but more importantly I'm going to visit friends more often.  

The past can teach us a great deal. There is a saying that we should learn from our past or we will be condemned to making the same mistakes over again. And yet people continue to make the same mistakes over and over. The war in Ukraine is a prime example.  Coveting what is not ours. Wanting our neighbors land and resources. Taking what you want and saying it belongs to you, what a joke. It's called stealing. It's been done over and over with the same results, people die for absolutely no reason. The casualties are a by-product of someone's gigantic ego, or their mistake, or their greed. There has got to be a way to stop the madness. I have learned that there is enough for everyone, we just need to figure out a better way to distribute the wealth, not just giving money, or food donations, they are important, but giving so that there is dignity in accepting.  As for peace, there is only one way, Let it begin with me.  Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

2022 has been a roller-coaster ride. Wear a mask, don't wear one. Keep your distance, no you can hug anyone now. Get a covid vaccine, well get more than one, I've had five and a flu shot. We are struggling with our beliefs. And it seems God is losing. Personally I believe in everything. I am a Protestant, a Catholic, a Buddhist, a Hindu, an agnostic, and sometimes just an atheists. I feel that there is a reason for our beliefs, it teaches us to understand ourselves and each other, and it teaches us to love, and for me: Love is the most important lesson, love of ourself, love of our fellow man, love of nature, of the earth, of the oceans, of the air we breath and the food we eat. If we learn to love, we can conquer our world.  

We'll drink a cup of kindness yet, For the sake of auld lang syne.  Stay safe warm and dry, my friends. Fair Winds, until next time

Thanksgiving 2022

 Happy Thanksgiving.  I am Giving Thanks for the food I eat, the roof over my head, my family, my friends, my dog, my garden, my computer, my wood stove, the water I drink, the ocean that provides me with fish to eat, the earth that I walk, the beach where peace abides,  the home that surrounds me, the books that I read, the ability to think, the history that has made up my life, the places I have visited,  the man that I married, and the memories he made for us, my sons and their families, my grandchildren, the sun, the moon, the stars, the air that is fresh and for the turkey I will eat on Thursday. I am thankful each day.

Okay, I admit it. I'm not much of a blogger. And as for tweeting- that's just not my style. I've been trying to figure it out, too much effort for so little results. Subject matter with one sentence is better left to those who know what they are talking about. How can I put my thoughts into one sentence? I can't. I receive a magazine (Writer's Digest) and inside there is usually a photo and you are suppose to explain it in a few sentences. Me? I want to write a novel about it. I'm not a tweeter, a twit, or even a story in six words or less. That's fun. I'm more woman of many words, nice long sentences that take you away to another place and time. The manuscript that I'm working on is currnently at 64000 words and I'm not done yet. The action at the end is fun to write about, but now I'm wondering if I should kill off my hero or just wound him? If I wound him I'll have to take him somewhere new with the next book, but If I kill him off I can begin again in another direction, perhaps with a woman detective, a heroine who can solve the mysteries of life while having a lover? a friend? a family? a dog? Right now I'm at that stage where it can go either way. Remember that wonderful sign on Route 6 as you left Truro and entered Provincetown, it said "Provincetown Either Way" It was so appropriate. It was unique and thought provoking. Well of coarse it's gone. Maybe it was seen as controverial. Either way, I just wonder why it had to go? I diverse: The manuscrip is titled: The Crow - a James Crowley Mystery. I thank all my friends, family and fans for their love and support. I need each of you because writing is so singular. It takes time away from everyone. I'm alone, and it sometimes takes so long to put together that my friends and fans lose interest. Can't say I blame them. Wish I could write faster, more often, and produce a great book. I'll keep trying. Right now I'm trying to put together a web page. Not as easy as you may think especially when your budget is 0. I think I found a way to produce one for little expense. Square Space or Word Press? I'm figuring it out. Okay so now a name: I've got a few ideas, but it's got to be right because it will be around for a long time. How about jjdutrapenandink@squarespace.com or bookishdutra@squarespace.com. or wordslingerdutra@wordpress? Anyone out there with any ideas for a title to a web page? It was suggested to me that I try to raise money for publishing. Maybe I could get some help with the cost of publishing. The last one cost me dearly. I need publicity and PR. but that cost an arm and a leg. Do I use the axiom: it takes money to make money? I fear I don't have the patience to write the extraordiary query letter in order to get an agent. To get noticed you have to be superhuman, or have an MFA in Literature, or be someone famous. I'm just a gal who loves to write. Oh and I will be reading (along with six other wonderful writers) at the Provincetown Portuguese Festival -- Poets and Prose. Friday June 24, 2PM at the Crown and Anchor, on the beach. Sounds like fun. I have written something for the occasion. Hope to see you there. Fair Winds.

What? Another year come and gone?

Time has a way of slipping away. All the good intentions of the previous year have been carried over and are waiting for me to act on them. I acknowledge the fact that I am a procrastinator, but I'm going to try and squeeze as much into a day that I can. I try to sort out what's important. Laundry or writing, walk the dog or write a few paragraphs of the manuscript - Arethusa. My blog.spot has changed, left me a bit confused. I seem to have lost a couple months of blogs, they've disappeared into the void of the net. I wish I could keep up with it all. I need a new printer. That started a journey that has taken weeks. I bought one, only to find out that it didn't work on my computer, so I took it back and got a different one, only to find out that something was wrong with my internet connection, it appears all printers these days have a wireless component and I only had one of the two broadbands that I was supposed to have, whatever that means. So the printer wouldn't work, I had to take it back. Then began a series of trying to fix the problem. I finally hired a computer guy, Shawn and he figured out with the help of the internet provider that my modem needed to be replaced. Yeah, an upgrade, faster and more efficient. So then a friend loans me a printer that has worked for her in the past and I try to hook it up to my computer, LOL, hahaha, wrong, the old PC printer does not recognize my MAC. So here I am weeks later and no printer. But now that I have this upgrade in modem I can get any printer that will hook up to my mac. At least I hope so. I'm going printer hunting at Best Buy, those guys know what they're doing. Me I'm a dinasaur. So you can see where all my time goes, I fritter it away trying to figure out how to print a few pages from my latest book. Tuesday I will take my third trip up cape to find a printer. They say the third time is the charm, lets hope so. Happy New Year, let's hope is moves slow and steady. Fair winds.

Goodbye 2020

 Today I began putting the holiday ornaments away: the collection of santa clauses, the angels, and ceramic Christmas tree along with lights and wreaths. I've lived in this house, celebrating Christmas each year with family and friends for over forty years. I'm rewrapping the paraphernalia that I've collected, each a memory of past holidays, children growing up, grand children born, loved ones departed. Each year has been a treasure, different and still the same. I feel a renewing of faith around our world. We are learning to share, to forgive, to search for new and better ways to live.... Another holiday come and gone, and this one like no other. I'm ready to put 2020 away, box it up, and throw it into the wood burning stove. I want to hug my friends, go out to a restaurant, see a movie in a theater, and stop being afraid of breathing in public, or touching others. 

And now this. The word RESPECT comes to mind, meaning to have some degree of reverence.  How to respect others and how to respect ourselves needs to be taught. A lack of respect is a cry for help. We are not savages that storm the Capitol trying to dismantle our democracy. Thank heavens that we Americans are more than savages beating our chests, trying to destroy our political system . There are reasons to respect our history, our way of life, and our place in the world. We have been given abundance.  And that abundance comes from the way we as a nation, live.  Others have tried to establish their own rule of law, their own idea of what a government should look like, but history has shown that it doesn't work.  Democracy is made by the people, for each generation, past, present and yet to be. Democracy means freedom, not insurrection. It means we value our history, our country, and our way of life. When we hold elections, we respect each other's integrity and trust in our country. Democracy is what makes America great. It is not one man, one political view, and not an angry mob. Democracy means we trust one another because there is respect.  

When living organisms kill people, when angry mobs march the streets, when earthquakes and hurricanes savage the land, then fear rears its ugly head. This is where respect comes into play, we respect the organism that is killing people while we discover how to make it harmless. We respect hurricanes, and rebuild after earthquakes, making the world safer and more secure. And we respect others' views, opinions, and beliefs because we have learned to respect ourselves.  I believe that we are one people. We have one world and one life, why can't we respect that? I believe we need to feel reverence for what we have and not curse what we don't have. Close your eyes and think of the mighty oceans, think of this magnificent planet, smell a flower, watch the children play, or sing a lullaby. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Stay safe, warm and dry. Fair winds.

Arethusa

 

Fond memories, Dave with cup of tea, Bobby Giovino in yellow slicker, and me. 

A Nantucket holiday

Dave, Jackson (eight-years old at the time) and me, left Provincetown Harbor for a short family vacation. We were heading for Nantucket. We sailed across Cape Cod Bay, sailed wing-on-wing through the Cape Cod Canal and now, with all sail set, jib, main, and mizzen, Arethusa was pulling, leaping forward, crossing Buzzards Bay. This part of our journey would take a couple of hours and so Dave told us the story of the islands that we were passing. We snuggled in the cockpit, taking in the distant views of land.  "Elizabeth, Martha, and Nan were the names of the king's daughters. Elizabeth was kind, generous to the people, giving to the church and so the king gave her the Elizabeth Islands as a gift. Martha was gentle with her mother and helpful to the people of the castle, so the king gave her Martha's Vineyard. But Nan was selfish and spent most of her time looking in the mirror and worrying about herself,  so the king gave her nothing. And that made Nan very mad. So what do you think she did?" Dave asked Jackson. "She took the last island for herself, a daring move. See? Nantucket."  Jackson started laughing, saying he got it, "Nan took it. Nan took it." 

The weather was perfect, winds light. We left Buzzards Bay and entered the terror known as Woods Hole Cut. There are other ways to reach Nantucket Sound, but this one is the shortest. Dave asked Jackson to spot the buoys, point to them, and call out the numbers.  Dave brought the sails in tight. He had a pair of binoculars next to him on the seat and the wheel in his steady hands. He had been through these waters with the Wildflower and with Justin Avellar onboard the Hindu. But this was the first time under full sail. For him it was like winning the Derby. The buoys came up fast, I could see rocks jutting out from just below the surface, only feet away. Jackson called numbers and pointed. I checked the chart book that lay open on my lap and pointed to the number in the book.  My heart was racing. The narrow passage seemed to be littered with markers, signs, and buoys, never mind the rocks and the boats moving in all directions. Dave had a big grin on his face. He was showing us that all we had to do was be prepared and pay attention. He steered the boat as if he was driving the Indie 500. And he had it all under control. On the other hand, I felt wild and not the least bit in control, a mixture of happiness and fear, blood pumping as if I'd jogged a mile, and yet exhilarated.  Dave adjusted the wheel, looked around, bending his body to see under the sail, checking the area around us. I could feel the confidence that radiated from him. We passed the NOAA buildings, The Wood's Hole Institute, and the ferry docks. Across Nantucket Sound I could see the low lying island of Martha's Vineyard. After passing the marker on the other side of the Woods Hole Channel, we fell off the wind to port, and began a steady sail up the sound to Nantucket Island. I could just make out a shadow on the horizon, our destination.  I'm a Jersey girl, brought up on lakes and ponds, so coming into Nantucket Harbor for the first time is enchanting.  And coming into the harbor under full sail is absolutely thrilling, a once in a lifetime experience. We sailed between the two rock breakwaters that stood out from beneath the water. The entrance is narrow. I  realized right away how small the harbor was, not wide and open like Provincetown Harbor.  Looking as if he'd been doing this all his life, Dave brought the boat up into the wind, let go the jib sheet, ran forward, dropped the mainsail, picked up the gaff and then picked up a mooring line from a white ball - all in one smooth move. He set the mooring warp over the bow cleat. Arethusa slowed its forward motion, fetched up and lay still. Beneath his dark beard, Dave's smile was a joy to behold, like he'd just won the Bermuda Cup. "Holy Moly!" was all I could say. "Smooth move, dad," Jackson added. We were folding the sails onto the boom when a boat came alongside driven by a man in a uniform. "That was quite a sight," he said. "Picking up the mooring was a nice maneuver, but I'm sorry you can't stay there, it's a private mooring." Dave thanked him, said we would move, and started up the engine. The Harbormaster, whose name was also Dave, said, "I watched you come in. Not many sailors would be capable of that little trick. Have you been sailing long?" I laughed when my husband replied that we bought the boat two months ago in Maine. They started talking about fishing and the Harbormaster told us to follow him. "I'll put you on a mooring closer to the wharf." He gave us a key to the showers and told us it cost $10.00 per night. "Stay as long as you like." Nantucket is one beautiful island with a history that dates to 1659. We enjoyed two glorious days exploring the streets, shops, and harbor before setting sail and making the return journey. Once we were back home I admitted to Dave that I was getting to like this thing called sailing.