Mason Jars. Carrot Juice. Sunshine.

This blog needs some happy.  Let's talk about Mason Jars. I brought Mason Jars to work with me this trip.

I'm kicking myself.  HARD.  I should have brought jars to work years ago.

They make life awesome.  Totally awesome.

I have a jug of carrot juice left over from port.  I've been drinking carrot juice out of jars on the bridge wing.  AWESOME.

I have some lime juice.  I squeeze a little into ships water (which always tastes a little funny) and drink it out of my jar during watch.  AWESOME.

I have yougurt, mango puree and, cardamom powder.  I blend it up and make mango lassi's which I put in jars for my shipmates at afternoon coffee.  AWESOME.

When I have left overs I just seal them right up.  AWESOME.

I'm telling you, they make life just the tiniest bit more wonderful.  They also are just pretty - especially when the light hits them on the bridge.

You totally wanna see another photo right?  Except this time you want it to be more artsy with a slightly out of focus ocean in the background...

Mason Jars = Awesome.

Also, THIS:

Because Sunrises are also Awesome.

An AMEN of sorts.

It's Official.   US East Coast, you kicked my ass.

20 days.  3 ports.  16 days in port.

Whew.

The good news?  I'm back at sea....It's About Freakin' Time!

I came up to the bridge at 0545 - I grabbed a cup of coffee - relieved the watch - and watched the sun rise.  If that's not an AMEN of sorts I really don't know what is.

The icing on the cake?  Busting out Big Bertha for some cloud photos.  Yesss....

I turned the deck gang to at 0800 and then I snuck off to read my book and no, NO I DON'T FEEL GUILTY!

Remembering.

We're out in the deep blue....rolling around... I'll allow the rolling becuase this mornings sky made up for it.

Dark and Cranky looking clouds with Happiness pouring out of them.

Being back at sea is always a little bit of an adjustment (as is completing your first cargo operation).

I have to remember that if I leave a glass on my desk - it might be on the floor when I turn back around.

I have to remember to keep one hand on the rail as I fly down the ladderway.

I have to remember that ginger is the best medicine when your tummy says that the rolling is becoming a problem.

I have to remember that I have to put my book down because there is no sleeping in.

I have to remember that the world will be waiting for me when I get back.

Thank You For Not Talking Like A Pirate

Nautie Friends, did you guys know that September 19th was International Talk Like A Pirate Day? You know that I'm pulling my soap box out of the closet while typing so that I can begin discussing the seriousness of piracy, right?

Thank goodness my favorite source of maritime news bits The Old Salt Blog wrote about The Human Cost of Piracy so I didn't have to.

My poor father had the misfortune of emailing me a little somethin' somethin' he wrote about allowing pirates to attend church.  I tell you one thing, I wouldn't let a pirate anywhere near my cute little old Japanese ladies.

(For the record, what you wrote was great Dad....minus the whole Pirate thing...)

*Also, if you're in the mood to read old rants, raves or musings you can find them here, here and here.*

The Blues...

Yesterday I had a case of the blues...and it was a bad case of the blues. It's bound to happen a few times during a rotation.  (In fact I've talked about it before...)  I wake up and think, 'Get Me The 'Eff Off This Ship!!!!'.  Then I start thinking other depressing thoughts.  Such as, 'everyone at home is forgetting about me.  Why am I wasting my life out here?  I've got to get a new job!'.

Clearly, thoughts like these aren't healthy....or productive...

While I'm having these thoughts I can clearly intellectualize the fact that they aren't even rational but, that doesn't make them go away.

So there I was....standing my afternoon bridge watch feeling sorry for myself.  (My watch partner was probably feeling sorry for himself too....I was pretty miserable to be around...)  I couldn't stop thinking about the weddings I was missing....and the friend reunions I was missing....or the fact that someone else was driving my car to a dinner I couldn't attend.  I was truly just standing there, staring out the window, feeling so incredibly melancholy that I was on the verge of tears.

Then I spotted it.  A huge school of dolphins heading our way.

I ran to get Big Bertha and just started snapping away.

They frolicked, splashed, jumped, flopped and surfed.

It was as if all my melancholy just disappeared.  I felt invigorated, renewed, refreshed and lucky.  It was like being sprinkled with magic happiness dust.  It made me wish so, so much that I could somehow share the feeling.

Do you ever just stop and think, 'Oh My Goodness....I forgot how incredibly lucky I am...'?

After I stood on the bridge wing and watched the last dolphin zoom away all I could think is:

An Attitude of Gratitude.  An Attitude of Gratitude.  An Attitude of Gratitude.

I continued to stand there.  I started taking pictures of the sea foam.  I took some photos of our wake.  I let my hair get super messy and zip around my head.  I just stood there feeling lucky.

*For the record I was seriously missing the lens that makes Bertha BIG.  Oh good golly miss molly....if only I could have zoomed in closer....*

A Hazy Gibraltar

Passing The Rock is a milestone.  In and Out of the Mediterranean.  It means we're one leg closer to crossing the Atlantic to come home!  This evening the view of The Rock of Gibraltar was lame.  I know, I know....picky, picky!

It was hazy.  Blah.  More importantly, there was a fair amount of traffic so I couldn't spend too much time taking photos.  (Again with the blah!)

It made me long for a trip to see THE MONKEYS!  God, I love those monkeys.  I also love me some crazy Gibraltar Sunrises.  That would have been a nice treat too.

I guess we'll have to settle for hazy with mini tankers in the foreground....

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