One of our friends in the US asked me what I miss about land life. I woke up this morning with that very thought on my mind, namely that I miss our automatic coffee maker. It worked on a timer, brewing a fresh pot at precisely 10 minutes or so before we got up in the morning. Not only was it ready to pour when I wandered into the kitchen, it was always the perfect temperature for instant tasting. The routine on the boat? I shouldn't complain, because at least I have coffee. But IF I was to complain, it would be that when I get up, there's no coffee ready to drink. First I turn the propane on which is over by the nav table, fill the tea kettle with water, find the lighter for the stove, boil the water, put 3 scoops of coffee in the French press, pour the hot water in, let it brew for 5-10 minutes, pour into our cups and wait another few minutes for it cool enough to taste. This is NOT a big deal. For example, walking from the stove to the nav table where the propane switch resides? About 3 long steps to get there. Maybe 2 for Captain Long-Legs. I just miss having the luxury of already brewed coffee. What else do I miss? Our friend asked if I miss having more space in our living environment. The answer to that is no. I like living in a small space with the ocean water at my doorstep. She asked if I missed movies. No, we never went to many movies as it was. However, I do miss getting the most current movies from Netflix or wherever and at the very least, knowing what is being nominated for various awards. We don't really miss it, but we will be in the dark if anyone asks us "Have you seen.....?" That's not so bad until they add, "Oh My Gawd--it was phenomenal, you should really try to see it!" I will tell you another thing we both miss and that is "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". We loved watching that together. I also miss a daily newspaper, which we do get sporadically at our marina. I say sporadically because oftentimes it's nowhere to be found. We get mostly local news through that paper but some international stories. We can keep current with the news through the Internet, but I tend to be fond of holding newspapers in my hand and enjoying a cup of ready-to-drink coffee while I read. What else do I miss? I hope it goes without saying that our family and friends are sorely missed. That has been the hardest part of being away. And? Definitely my time alone. It's rare these days. Occasionally I miss our home and our dear cat who is happily getting fat with his adoptive feline brother and new people. I've mentioned before I miss a grassy yard with flowers and trees, the sound of wind in the branches, the smell of rich soil after a rain. I miss digging in the dirt and cutting fresh flowers for vases around the house. I miss consignment shops and thrift stores. Sometimes I miss my Dansko clogs. And blue jeans.

Lest you think I complain too much, let me tell you what I love about this life. Freedom to come and go, learning new skills, meeting folks from all over the world, seeing life through new eyes, traveling as a lifestyle, simplicity at its best, being challenged to try new things, stretching ourselves out of comfort zones, working in rhythm with nature, reducing needs to true needs and not "I want it and therefore I need it" needs. I love having time to write, study, think. I love all things sailing. I love that no one knows me unless I tell them who I am, yet everyone around us would rush to our assistance if ever there was a need. I love the sense of community we get which may change actors and scenery but never the play itself. If you are a cruiser, you're a member of the club. If you're in the club, you can depend on those around you to be there in a crisis, no questions asked. Example: yesterday, while Ed was off helping out on a race boat, I got off the boat between my projects for a little walkabout and noticed the boat across from our slip was sideways to the dock. I checked his lines but didn't see a problem, and since the boat looked unoccupied, I assumed the captain was away, especially since his bike had been on the dock a couple of hours prior and was now missing. I hailed one of our other neighbors for assistance and he saw that the starboard bow line was not in place. He climbed on the boat, got help from someone next to the wayward boat and put the line where it belonged on a piling. About that time, the captain of the boat in question came up from below wondering who was walking around on his boat. I said, "Sorry, we thought you were away because your bike was gone". "Oh", he said, "I was sound asleep, but thanks for the help with the line and I wonder what happened to my bike?" We all decided it must have been blown off the dock by a passing squall, which seemed more likely than it having been stolen. This morning, one of the kids on our neighbor's boat, Bryn, went looking for the bike in the very dirty water and found it under the docks. He was rewarded for his discovery. A happy ending: the captain got his boat straightened out and secured, his bike is back onboard and a 12 year-old liveaboard has some cash in his pocket. That's how it goes among cruisers. My only lingering question is how come I missed the bow line was unsecured?