The Anecdotal Life Part. 107
A purple balloon fell out of my tallest pine tree where it had been sent by my grandson with a child's best wishes for the universe during our early Christmas celebration. Now it drifted downward to the hard January ground and tumbled back and forth in the wind. Drinking my one hundredth seasonal cup of tea I watched out the window for a few quiet minutes just thinking back. I hadn't understood that back in L. A. he was allowed to have these celebratory balloon releases. I had refused to let him run out in the cold. One, he had no coat on. Two, I wouldn't be able to catch him if he did go. It would be easier to retrieve the wandering balloon than this kid. He was the wind on the ground, dashing out of sight before you had a chance to grab his or your coat. Usually, he would stand laughing like a little wild man , viewing you from a very safe distance. I laughed (this time) ...remembering.
I turned back from the window to a half dozen or so boxes waiting to be packed with the endless array of ornaments, ceramic tree, and Christmas et cetera. What a rush it all had been. The boat going North to the Baltimore Harbor on Halloween day, preparations for Thanksgiving while simultaneously planning and preparing for Christmas no. 1 on December first.
Tearing into D.C. with my third, finally successful pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day, arranging for passes to the Fitness Center , passes for the White House tour, invitations, decorations, and food for my oldest son 's birthday/reunion at --get this--"WILD WILLY'S ROCK HOUSE AND SPORTS BAR SALOON"
So it began..The fitness center worked well for letting some of the wind out of my grandson, though the rest of us were winded before that happened, the next day we bowled my son over with the surprise reunion. On Saturday we whisked through the overwhelming decorations in the White House while my grandson scurried down the length of the East Room piping loudly, "where Prez Omama?" Fortunately, the guards laughed. Sunday clicked into place as we hurried to Laurel for yet another birthday celebration . Monday saw the little family taking my car for one crazy, quick sprint to Times Square, dinner there, and into a major toy store that held a huge Ferris wheel, and then back to me in Maryland at 2:am. Our last day together was Tuesday and we bundled up, and piled in the car for the Anchorage Marina to see the boat dancing in the wind and waves in its new slip. The grandchild howled because we couldn't board that dervish, but his mother was able to capture one of my favorite events there.... sundown. The sunset was streaming across the harbor before dipping behind the Domino Sugar Building, its brilliance splattering the boats with a blaze of whiteness before leaving us.
Wednesday came and I poured the family into the car, zipped to the airport to U.S Air where they like the balloons went whirring across the country back to warm and luscious Santa Monica.
I tore home to get ready for a second Christmas with my youngest. I shoveled out our glorious collection of debris, piled up presents still arriving.....thank goodness for Christmas no. 2. My two sisters seemed to have been on a gift giving binge. Wonderful little exchanges with great, great friends dotted my mornings and afternoons. Christmas no. 2 was a heart filling marathon of talk with my youngest son. Mostly about finance. I learn so much from him. We had a superb two days and then he was gone.
Now the house was really empty and I was getting up my nerve to go by myself to marina for New Years. I knew I could be warm enough in the clubhouse room. Furthermore, since it was on a rise overlooking the Harbor, I was in a choice place for the fireworks. The only disappointment was that due to repairs Fort McHenry wouldn't be shooting off their display in conjunction with Baltimore's.
I hit the jackpot when I encountered the on-duty policeman and asked if he knew if the friends I had invited would be welcome in the clubhouse and could we bring alcohol? Yep and yep, but it didn't end there. He offered me a ride on his "go-cart"and I got a grand tour out and down the mile long pier fronting the entire marina as the sun set spectacularly as usual. It was a talking and hanging on tour. Him talking and me hanging on for dear life. The giant cookie/pie ( all decorated for New Years) I had brought to share was bouncing up and down behind me. I had to dismiss concern about it's survival since my own was paramount at the moment. " There's John Glenn's 66 ft. boat that's up for sale; it's a beauty inside. There's Micheal Phelp's apartment in the corner of that building next to the Legg Mason Building. That houseboat belongs to the cameraman for the show Extreme Makeover. That lady we just waved to has three boats here; one man owns 15 slips. Our biggest security problem in the last eleven years was that some teenagers went off with two bikes." Then he dropped me off at the stairs up to the clubhouse and I , surprisingly, had the place to myself. They don't seem to use it much, but this was winter after all.
Thank goodness people strolled through and paused to talk , tell boat stories, and give me the skinny, the scoop and the lowdown. It was just what I wanted and needed to be content. I watched the 50 inch television , ate half that darn cookie, and waited for my friend , her family and her erstwhile boyfriend. She made it by 11:30 kindly rescuing me with champagne and a crusty bread lox sandwich and we stood in wonder when a bonanza of fireworks went off.
A pretty good beginning I thought but my luck hadn't run out yet. A few days later I took another trip to the marina with my art supplies and hung out in the clubhouse again, pretty quiet now on Monday. After a time of painting, I got up to stretch and walked over to read the bulletin board. Bingo, an annual slip renting for $26oo was posted right in front of my eyes. The marina was renting theirs for something between $3200 to $3400 which are the same prices as the cheapest slips available in Annapolis. Only here all the amenities were unbelievable, including a floating pool and extra clubhouse out at the end of Pier C. I have never dialed that impossible cell phone so fast. The owner was there, I checked on the slip, I checked on the owner, took a very dear friend with me, and signed the lease, paid the deposit and felt like my boating year had fallen into place.
VERY SATISFYING.
Tomorrow I am headed for Santa Monica for my grandson's third birthday. They asked him if he thought my cats, Winston and Catherine, could handle the airplane. He replied thoughtfully. " um ..NOT Caffrin!" He is sooo right. She's a howler. I ,however, while not exactly a white knuckle flyer, I'd would rather be on the ground. I should land just in time for the Ravens game.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GO RAVENS!
I turned back from the window to a half dozen or so boxes waiting to be packed with the endless array of ornaments, ceramic tree, and Christmas et cetera. What a rush it all had been. The boat going North to the Baltimore Harbor on Halloween day, preparations for Thanksgiving while simultaneously planning and preparing for Christmas no. 1 on December first.
Tearing into D.C. with my third, finally successful pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day, arranging for passes to the Fitness Center , passes for the White House tour, invitations, decorations, and food for my oldest son 's birthday/reunion at --get this--"WILD WILLY'S ROCK HOUSE AND SPORTS BAR SALOON"
So it began..The fitness center worked well for letting some of the wind out of my grandson, though the rest of us were winded before that happened, the next day we bowled my son over with the surprise reunion. On Saturday we whisked through the overwhelming decorations in the White House while my grandson scurried down the length of the East Room piping loudly, "where Prez Omama?" Fortunately, the guards laughed. Sunday clicked into place as we hurried to Laurel for yet another birthday celebration . Monday saw the little family taking my car for one crazy, quick sprint to Times Square, dinner there, and into a major toy store that held a huge Ferris wheel, and then back to me in Maryland at 2:am. Our last day together was Tuesday and we bundled up, and piled in the car for the Anchorage Marina to see the boat dancing in the wind and waves in its new slip. The grandchild howled because we couldn't board that dervish, but his mother was able to capture one of my favorite events there.... sundown. The sunset was streaming across the harbor before dipping behind the Domino Sugar Building, its brilliance splattering the boats with a blaze of whiteness before leaving us.
Wednesday came and I poured the family into the car, zipped to the airport to U.S Air where they like the balloons went whirring across the country back to warm and luscious Santa Monica.
I tore home to get ready for a second Christmas with my youngest. I shoveled out our glorious collection of debris, piled up presents still arriving.....thank goodness for Christmas no. 2. My two sisters seemed to have been on a gift giving binge. Wonderful little exchanges with great, great friends dotted my mornings and afternoons. Christmas no. 2 was a heart filling marathon of talk with my youngest son. Mostly about finance. I learn so much from him. We had a superb two days and then he was gone.
Now the house was really empty and I was getting up my nerve to go by myself to marina for New Years. I knew I could be warm enough in the clubhouse room. Furthermore, since it was on a rise overlooking the Harbor, I was in a choice place for the fireworks. The only disappointment was that due to repairs Fort McHenry wouldn't be shooting off their display in conjunction with Baltimore's.
I hit the jackpot when I encountered the on-duty policeman and asked if he knew if the friends I had invited would be welcome in the clubhouse and could we bring alcohol? Yep and yep, but it didn't end there. He offered me a ride on his "go-cart"and I got a grand tour out and down the mile long pier fronting the entire marina as the sun set spectacularly as usual. It was a talking and hanging on tour. Him talking and me hanging on for dear life. The giant cookie/pie ( all decorated for New Years) I had brought to share was bouncing up and down behind me. I had to dismiss concern about it's survival since my own was paramount at the moment. " There's John Glenn's 66 ft. boat that's up for sale; it's a beauty inside. There's Micheal Phelp's apartment in the corner of that building next to the Legg Mason Building. That houseboat belongs to the cameraman for the show Extreme Makeover. That lady we just waved to has three boats here; one man owns 15 slips. Our biggest security problem in the last eleven years was that some teenagers went off with two bikes." Then he dropped me off at the stairs up to the clubhouse and I , surprisingly, had the place to myself. They don't seem to use it much, but this was winter after all.
Thank goodness people strolled through and paused to talk , tell boat stories, and give me the skinny, the scoop and the lowdown. It was just what I wanted and needed to be content. I watched the 50 inch television , ate half that darn cookie, and waited for my friend , her family and her erstwhile boyfriend. She made it by 11:30 kindly rescuing me with champagne and a crusty bread lox sandwich and we stood in wonder when a bonanza of fireworks went off.
A pretty good beginning I thought but my luck hadn't run out yet. A few days later I took another trip to the marina with my art supplies and hung out in the clubhouse again, pretty quiet now on Monday. After a time of painting, I got up to stretch and walked over to read the bulletin board. Bingo, an annual slip renting for $26oo was posted right in front of my eyes. The marina was renting theirs for something between $3200 to $3400 which are the same prices as the cheapest slips available in Annapolis. Only here all the amenities were unbelievable, including a floating pool and extra clubhouse out at the end of Pier C. I have never dialed that impossible cell phone so fast. The owner was there, I checked on the slip, I checked on the owner, took a very dear friend with me, and signed the lease, paid the deposit and felt like my boating year had fallen into place.
VERY SATISFYING.
Tomorrow I am headed for Santa Monica for my grandson's third birthday. They asked him if he thought my cats, Winston and Catherine, could handle the airplane. He replied thoughtfully. " um ..NOT Caffrin!" He is sooo right. She's a howler. I ,however, while not exactly a white knuckle flyer, I'd would rather be on the ground. I should land just in time for the Ravens game.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GO RAVENS!
posted by The Anecdotal Life at 6:13 AM
0 comments
