Of Fish and Boats

If you've spent more than fifteen minutes with me this last week, chances are I've imposed on you a reading on the Hansen Sea-Cow from The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck. I've found the book to be witty, practical, and I'm absolutely enrapt in the art the specimen collecting in 1940.  

Add this title to your reading lists, visit Cabo San Lucas if you can, and if you're going to step into reefy waters, wear rubber boots.

The Saturday Run Reminisce

I miss you on the long runs

The bridges, the tower, the half-way turn

Each singing our own song.

Too tired for stairs

Laughing

I miss you on the short jogs

The out and back quick jaunt

Stretch the legs and the mind.

Too happy for words

Smiling

I miss you on the fast sprints

The last block, a lap, circles, race

Cross first, imaginary line.

And I always did

Breathless

I miss you on the long walks

Square purses and the wrong shoes

Late nights, stars, a little chilly

Hand over hand

Silence

That's Amore

Continuing the tradition from here, we'll let the picture have today's 1000 words:

2010 - K&K's reception
Nashville, TN

Cupcakes, hearts, plane tickets, dancing, limping your way through Spanish...however you're spending the weekend, I hope it's full of love.

PS  If you have creme brulee in the oven without a timer, don't get lost in writing.

Amber Lines

In the last two weeks, there have been moments of enlightenment through physical pain.  [I can't recall whether or not this was one of the limbs of yoga, but let's review together that "spa" does not always mean the wave-crashing, peaceful moments that we sometimes envision.  These professionals are strong and highly trained.  They. Can. Hurt. You. (in the name of recovery)]  But I'm digressing.

Today, she had Mark Knopfler playing in the background.  The song was from The Princess Bride soundtrack and it started a great conversation about movies, books, and concerts.  (It was also fun for me to reminisce about having seen Mr. Knopfler on stage in Helsinki.)  Despite my being a dozen years older, we had quite a bit in common (vintage cookbooks!) and before I ever mentioned my current break from a normal schedule, she told me about her nine month sabbatical.  She spent three months in San Francisco, sold her broken car in Knoxville for parts to get out there, and bought a used truck to drive back (coast to coast).  She had a stretch as an airline flight attendant (recommended if you don't like your family at the holidays) as well as several odd and sundry stints of short term employment before she "found" herself.  She said she wouldn't have traded it for anything else.  She hasn't owned a computer in years and loves to read.  She spoke about her focus to live in the moment and encouraged me to read Beautiful Uncertainty by Mandy Hale.

So on a day where I wondered if this really was one of the craziest things I've ever done, I got a bit of encouragement from an unexpected spring.

Messier Subject

I had forgotten that in my recent foray to acquire Steinbeck and MacQuarrie, I had also ordered An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Col. Chris Hadfield.

In truth, this is now the book I'd like to read prior to my travel reading.  While not quite a syzygy, I do think it's the alignment of 1) the talk about the sun by NASA's Mitzi Adams last weekend at our Planetarium 2) Hadfield's mustache and 3) Sunday's 4 minute viewing of the ISS.

Does anyone else run from the back yard of their house to the front yard to try to maximum the viewing?

I don't think I will ever tire of looking up at the sky on a clear night.