I have noticed that life on boats is similar to life at the cottage in at least five main ways:
water, toilets, showers, beds and food.
On the boat, we make our own water and have limited storage for what we make. Therefore, conservation is a significantly big deal. At the cottage, we bring in bottled water, making us ever aware of it's precious supply. The limited source of water on the boat and at the cottage has direct relation to the use of showers and toilets. In each case, water pressure is affected as well as the amount available for use. Sailor showers use one cup of water and/or last one minute. How delightful it is to come home to stand under the Niagara Falls of an urban shower every morning!
The septic tank at the cottage and the macerator unit on the boat both have an aversion to toilet paper. The old adage, "If you haven't eaten it first, don't put it in the toilet", gives people pause. The very first thing I relish on coming home from the land of water-soluble, see-thru toilet paper, is the luxury of thick, absorbent, soft, toilet tissue.
There are no king-size beds with pillow-top mattresses when I leave home. There is no escape from the bounce of Hubby's flip-flop restlessness, no respite from an elbow in the eye or battery from flailing limbs when we are confined to a double mattress butted against a wall. Returning home means
S L E E P.
Grocery stores are so far away as to be considered non-existent when we anchor at sea or get to the ends of the earth in Down East Maine. Food is simpler and usually garnered fresh from the water or fields where we find ourselves. What a treat to hop in the car and carry home gourmet yummies at any time of any day at home.
Funny how the simple things we take for granted at home can actually be luxuries to treasure in other circumstances.
I love being away.
I LOVE COMING HOME!
7 comments:
Hi Rosemary. I think I would enjoy coming home too, to lovely soft toilet paper and an urban shower!!! Steadfast certainly looks like a beautiful boat.
Diane.
I can echo some of this from our time in our RV. Some places we go have water, electricity, and sewage. But many have NOTHING at all. We've gotten pretty good at conserving what we have. I know it's still not the same as being on a boat, in the middle of the ocean.
Hope you are doing well!
I will say I did notice in your photo of you on deck...you return with a lovely tan! We had a couple our family was friends with who would travel the seas on their boat and they always returned tan and relaxed!
So Welcome Home~
I know what you mean! There's nothing like sleeping on your very own bed (yes, my own super single bed)and hogging my spot on the sofa!
Welcome home, Rosemary!
Oh, you're on to something there. My parents lived on a catamaran in St. Lucia for six years and all the things you list were carefully guarded.
Life on a boat. :-) Lovely.
Pearl
Traveling does make you appreciate home and vise verse. lol, love the Niagara Falls shower visual. Too fun!
Although I truly envy you the time at the Maine cabin - not so sure about life on the high seas :)- I know the wonderful feeling of coming home! Glad you had a great trip.
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