The Saga of the Houseboat
Lest anyone think that I've been lazing around on the beaches of Key West, let me tell you about this weekend.
After 5 days of very long days at the office, prefaced by workouts at the gym on the Naval Base (hey, where else does a good houseboat resident get a shower?) we ended the week with a Friday night salsa class, and sangria and more salsa at Meson de Pepe (well, those of use who could still tell our left foot from our right)
Saturday, we were on our way to Temple Shabbat services, when we passed a Pak Mail place and realized we had 8 boxes in the Rav that needed to be shipped to Canada. So, we did that.. THEN went to Temple. Wow! Never been to a Jewish service before. I was moved. After service, we gathered in the social hall, and were passed small cups of wine and bread (hmm.. does this sound like communion?) They sang a prayer in Hebrew and we drank the wine and ate the bread after which we all greeted each other and sat down to the Kiddush meal. Then we had a speaker. He was the nephew of Moshe Dayan, and he spoke about the state of affairs in Isreal and here in the US. If I read him correctly (and those who know me know I'm not politically astute at all) because of a Jewish grandparent several generations back (that is if I could prove it) I could be considered a Jew (I know that's not quite right, but it's close)
After Kiddush, we went food shopping. We had inteded after that to go to the beach, but just before we left Key West for Stock Island, we saw a hotel liquidation sale. So, being the good thrifters we are, we stoped. Before we left about and hour and a half later, we bought a bed (mattress, box spring, frame headboard) two sets of sheers, two sets of sheets, some trays, some baskets: price about $100.
Now,realize this before you read further. A houseboat is very small quarters, so in order to move anything on, one has to first move something OFF. And to move something on or off, you walk a plank about 3/4 the size of a sidewalk suspended over water. AND, because life has been so hectic for my cuz, in order to move anything new in, you have to first clean the space you vacated. So, it was off the boat with the old bedding, scub the floor (or is it swab the deck?) THEN brind aboard the new things. I think we finally ate dinner about 10:30.
Sunday, we got started late, but hit the gym, did laundry and then almost settled on the beach, until we realized that dance class would start in less than an hour. SO, it was off the beach, back to the boat to change, back to town to class. Well, now I know a little of how to swing dance. It's a bit easier when the leader knows the steps.
So, here I sit, in the office for week two, hands peeling from the pine sol, but very much into the groove of life here in Key West. Yes, there have been several times when I had wished for a home that didn't sway in the wake, or roosters that didn't crow at odd hours, but it's been very interestng, and not at all laid back.
I go home on the morning flight on Thursday. I hope I will have left my cousin's life a little better for him.
Well, time to get my self moving. Another day awaits, another pile of things to organize.
Peace.
After 5 days of very long days at the office, prefaced by workouts at the gym on the Naval Base (hey, where else does a good houseboat resident get a shower?) we ended the week with a Friday night salsa class, and sangria and more salsa at Meson de Pepe (well, those of use who could still tell our left foot from our right)
Saturday, we were on our way to Temple Shabbat services, when we passed a Pak Mail place and realized we had 8 boxes in the Rav that needed to be shipped to Canada. So, we did that.. THEN went to Temple. Wow! Never been to a Jewish service before. I was moved. After service, we gathered in the social hall, and were passed small cups of wine and bread (hmm.. does this sound like communion?) They sang a prayer in Hebrew and we drank the wine and ate the bread after which we all greeted each other and sat down to the Kiddush meal. Then we had a speaker. He was the nephew of Moshe Dayan, and he spoke about the state of affairs in Isreal and here in the US. If I read him correctly (and those who know me know I'm not politically astute at all) because of a Jewish grandparent several generations back (that is if I could prove it) I could be considered a Jew (I know that's not quite right, but it's close)
After Kiddush, we went food shopping. We had inteded after that to go to the beach, but just before we left Key West for Stock Island, we saw a hotel liquidation sale. So, being the good thrifters we are, we stoped. Before we left about and hour and a half later, we bought a bed (mattress, box spring, frame headboard) two sets of sheers, two sets of sheets, some trays, some baskets: price about $100.
Now,realize this before you read further. A houseboat is very small quarters, so in order to move anything on, one has to first move something OFF. And to move something on or off, you walk a plank about 3/4 the size of a sidewalk suspended over water. AND, because life has been so hectic for my cuz, in order to move anything new in, you have to first clean the space you vacated. So, it was off the boat with the old bedding, scub the floor (or is it swab the deck?) THEN brind aboard the new things. I think we finally ate dinner about 10:30.
Sunday, we got started late, but hit the gym, did laundry and then almost settled on the beach, until we realized that dance class would start in less than an hour. SO, it was off the beach, back to the boat to change, back to town to class. Well, now I know a little of how to swing dance. It's a bit easier when the leader knows the steps.
So, here I sit, in the office for week two, hands peeling from the pine sol, but very much into the groove of life here in Key West. Yes, there have been several times when I had wished for a home that didn't sway in the wake, or roosters that didn't crow at odd hours, but it's been very interestng, and not at all laid back.
I go home on the morning flight on Thursday. I hope I will have left my cousin's life a little better for him.
Well, time to get my self moving. Another day awaits, another pile of things to organize.
Peace.