Ruminations and Emmanations

Nobody ever said life is fair.  No justice, no peace, no heaven on earth.  We live in a fallen world.  Young women with young children get cancer.  Young men succumb to debilitating mental illness.  Family men get laid off.  Finances fail.  Wow! it's been 2 days of bad news, going from bad to worse.

 

Then there's life at its best:  sunshine, enough to eat, and the comfort of a loving spouse.  The best yet is being able to rest in the knowledge that SomeOne cares and feels as deeply as we do about our trials and tribulations and promises never to leave us alone in our pain.  So much for the ruminations.

 

About emmanations...   "What is that REVOLTING smell emmanating from the aft bilge?"  The bible tells us to give thanks in all things, and to rejoice in the Lord God always.  Buz spent this morning rejoicing, thanking and praising his Lord that:

• his Hepatitis Vaccine is up to date
• his head cold is so bad that his sense of smell has been rendered useless.

[Note to self:  it is not a good idea to leave the head tank sea cock open while underway.]  Yes, the holding tank had completely filled with sea water and daily use had backed up and accumulated an indescribable (read: I can't even imagine what words to use here that could be published) pool of filth.  Two hours up to our armpits in exfluent, then disinfectant, followed by two hours on the beach.  Life has a tendancy to balance out--sometimes.

My newest definition of freedom:  Nelson on a 2 mile long, white sand beach, running as fast as his heart can get oxygen to his brain to keep his legs pumping.  It makes my heart sing to watch him fly.

We have been enjoying the hospitality of Highbourne Cay Marina for the past three days.  Buz gets to keep connected with the land-based half of his life via WiFi and Skype and I get to sit out the rough seas of the latest cold front.  Cold fronts come with wind, which means waves, which means, time to break out the anti-emetics.  It's only 36 degrees in Miami right now, that's Farinheit, which means it's not that much warmer here.  Of course, as my good friend says, "it will be nicer here in 2 - 3 days than it will be there for the next  2-3 months." 

Steadfast hasn't visited this island in the past 4 or 5 years and we have been pleasantly surprised at the new ammenities and easier access to one of the best beaches of the Caribbean.  The store still does not sell whole milk though.  Just frozen skim milk.  Skim milk powder comes into its own when you live aboard a boat.

With only half a dozen vehicles on the whole island, and the posted speed limit of only 15mph, you would think Stop Signs are redundant.  Still, the local artist has jazzed this one up pretty nicely.  I wanted to show you a photo of the Bus Stop with the skeleton seated on the bench, but it was a long walk back to the boat for the camera.  You will have to imagine that one.  :)

Tomorrow we head for Big Majors, a lovely anchorage off Staniel Cay.  Wild pigs on the beach.  Yacht Club Restaurant.  The Blue Store.  The Pink Store.  Ferral dogs, cats and golf carts.  Stay tuned for the next installment of life aboard M/V Steadfast in the Bahamian Exuma Islands.

ps.  comments are always welcome.