Picture it, a charming but meandering sort of soul, who lives in t-shirts and basketball shorts. Whose hair is never brushed but whose bed is always made. That very same soul in dress whites waiting tables at a Governor's Ball. Ya know they never send pictures of that. Trust me.
 |
| Attached to THAT! |
Two: "Hanging off a mooring line is way better."
Your CHILD aka Grown ASS man, hanging off the side of a 120,000 ton ship from a string. Five stories above the dock. Mooring line in hand and waiting to drop, so that lines can be tied. A ship stays where it's at. Somehow it didn't occur to me that "in this day and age" such huge vessels would still rely on a few pieces of string. OK, really big string, but string none the less. Makes me dizzy just thinking about it.
Three: "I will never do dishes again."
Hahahaha! Two weeks in the Galley aboard ship was enough. Yea, good luck with that.
Four: "They say, that next to water, there's only one thing
a seaman should never run out of - and everyone keeps a secret stash."
Wait for it. You know what it is, don't you? Yep. Ketchup. Really? Yep. Hard to fathom that there's a whole world of meat eating, ketchup guzzling folks who work a 24 hour clock and keep a night kitchen. Ya know, you don't have to refrigerate ketchup. Sigh.
"We had a three star, Michelin Chef...Filet Mignon and Lobster Tails for Thanksgiving. He taught me how to put melted butter on my egg sandwiches." A stronger person than I would have asked if he'd enjoyed that with ketchup.
Heinz that is. No other will do, even in the night kitchen,
Five: "I was thinking I could work 9 months of the year...
and ski for the rest."
If there's an FAQ for a Merchant Marine it has to be, "how did you find that?" Out of college and trying to figure out what to do with himself, Bran decided to travel. He started looking for ways to travel on the cheap and discovered that some commercial vessels take on passengers. Not luxury, but it would get him there. At some point he started wondering about how he could work his way around the world. He spent the last four months aboard a bulk carrier moving coal and iron ore across the Great Lakes. There are seasons for vessels and cargo and Able Bodied Seamen (and women).
The truck is back in the driveway for a few weeks, but I don't have to do it by myself. It's January 3. I have no idea what this year will be but I hope you're optimistic, excited even for what it might bring. Maybe even hoping to ski for three months.
Happy New Year.
4 comments:
Glad to see you back posting and a good reminder that my blog is VERY remiss in postings too! Nice work! Happy New Year Pat!
Thanks Suzi. Yes, I've missed the Purple Painted Lady myself.
I'm a fan of your writing style. Can't believe I didn't stumble upon your blog until now.
Where are you planning on skiing? One of my friends is in Utah right now.
Once upon a distant time, it was my dream to live on a variety of boats and wander the open seas. I don't think I'm up for it, anymore--is that called growing up?
Happy new year.
tp - thank you! I don't think it's growing up...at least I hope not. I hope that in better understanding...the physical limitation ;-) I get to enjoy it that much more. I likely won't be skiing. My oldest son is the ski bum - and the ketchup eating merchant marine.
Post a Comment