At the time, in pursuit of a mystery whose details do not belong here, I found myself with a lone companion aboard a tiny schooner in the very middle of the ocean, faced with two of the classical problems that customarily afflict the seabound mariner: where exactly was I, and how, precisely, could I get to where I was planning to go?Simon Winchester, "Open Waters."
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I'm reading Simon Winchester's new book about the Pacific Ocean; during his interview on the Diane Rehm Show, he mentioned Hōkūleʻa, so I have spent the last week or so thinking about what it would be like to be at sea in a boat without a map or compass.
To me, having a baby feels a bit like being dropped in that boat. Three and a half months in, I feel cautiously confident that I have grasped the rudiments of making things go, though I am still learning to read the currents and weather, and things change all the time. Most days are fair sailing, but every so often a williwaw comes and we come perilously close to (what feels like) disaster. I'm constantly reminded just how new I am to the whole enterprise, and how much there is to learn. The best approach seems to be regarding each day as its own adventure, and every moment as an opportunity to pay attention and build knowledge.
The kid just gets dearer every day — right now, he'll laugh if I buzz like a bee; I just hope he doesn't mind being a little patient while his dad and I get our sea legs.
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I'm reading a lot of nonfiction; the world and its history as it is so are much more interesting to me than anything anyone could dream up, though I think once November gets November-ish (no longer 70 degrees and sunny), I'll reach for some fairy tales.
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Odds and ends:
- bonfire toffee and parkin
- 'Always remember that, nine times out of ten, you probably aren’t having a full-on nervous breakdown – you just need a cup of tea and a biscuit. You’d be amazed how easily and repeatedly you can confuse the two. Get a big biscuit tin.'
- wood cutters
- shoes: somewhat sensible; not so much
As ever, you can click on the image to find links to all the items pictured.
