Concrete Memories

My Step Dad is really into memory making these days.  I know that sounds a little goofy but, I actually mean that quite literally.  He'll say, 'Mei, I think you need to come help me do this....someday you're going to wanna say you helped....we're making memories!'.

The 'side-yard' has been an ongoing household project.  (When I say ongoing I mean....we've been working on it for years...)  Johnny (he'd be my Step Dad) has been making concrete pavers, he's been eradicating the 'yucky grass' and cultivating his favorite type of grass, he's been building rock walls and most importantly carefully cultivating orchids.  

Every weekend he makes three pavers - which is exactly one wheelbarrow full of concrete - and last weekend he absolutely insisted that I help him.  Which sounded like this:  'but Mei, you'll be soooo sad if someday you can't say you made some pavers....we're making memories!'.

Out into the yard I went to help shovel some concrete and then use the mag float to smooth the surface....but basically I just took pictures of Johnny making pavers.....

Concrete memories being made.

Concrete Memories In The Making.

What is the hardest part?

 People often ask me, 'what is the hardest part of your job?'.  I'm often stymied however; over the last few days I've been thinking about this quite a bit and I have an answer....with a caveat.

Currently, the hardest part of my job is the unpredictable schedule.  I'm almost 60 days into my vacation and I literally Do Not Know When I'm Going Back To Work.  

Here's the caveat:  this is more of a problem on this particular ship - a container ship, a tanker, or a car carrier would have a much more defined schedule.  Granted, even on these types of vessels it can be difficult to commit to an event.  Perhaps your relief misses his flight, perhaps your relief quits at the last second and they can't fill the position, etc.  

Regardless, I currently don't know when I'm going back to work and it has turned me into a little stress ball.  There are so many things that require a schedule.  More importantly, there are so many things that require a BUDGET!  

Ummmm....Hold Up!  What happened to:  What would Beyoncé do?  

Okay.....fine.

I'm keeping my eyes and ears open for new opportunities.  I'm embracing the everyday.  I'm working on some projects that I had previously put on the back burner.  I'm enjoying Hawaii.  I'm chatting with friends.  I'm drinking coffee.  I'm reading trashy romance novels.  I'm listening to Beyoncé's new album on repeat.  I'm eating as many fresh fruits and vegetables as I can stand.  I'm joloking (this is a new word...it means jog, lope, walk...).  I'm channeling my inner Beyoncé.

Sunny and Windy!  Power and Phone Lines down all around town.... 

Let's Empower Women This Holiday Season!

I wanted to do something special for Christmas to let you all know how much I love you!  I racked my brain trying to think of the perfect gift.  I thought, 'host a giveaway!' and then I thought, 'make them a playlist!' but then I thought, 'nah, I can do better than that!'.  

Here in Nautie Mermate Land we believe in empowering women.  In fact, we believe in it a lot.  We want women to know that they can go anywhere and be anything they want.

We as women also know, that sometimes this means we have to work a bit harder. 

“Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”

— Charlotte Whitton

While it may be true that women have to work harder it's not true that they have to do it alone.  We owe it to each other, men and women alike, to be there for the Ladies who are out there getting it done.

In your honor (and in the spirit of Christmas), Nautie Mermate empowered a women's group via Heifer International.  Nautie Mermate believes that with a little education, a little encouragement and, a little bit of girl talk women are unstoppable.

Nautie Mermate also believes in community - especially our own.  While it's true that international women need a boost up it's also true that there are some pretty spectacular women in our own community who are getting it done.

Team Rock is a group of 10 female paddlers who race long distance and are gearing up to participate in the Takapuna Beach Cup 2014 in New Zealand.

These Chicks are rugged and I can't wait to see them kill it in Aotearoa!  

Imagine hopping out of an escort boat in the middle of the ocean and treading water until your canoe comes past - you wait for someone to hop out and then you pull yourself up into the canoe.  Rugged.Water.Women.

change out

Here's to you Nautie Friends!  Thank you for being the best support network I could possibly ask for - to say you've made a difference in my life would be an understatement.  Here's to supporting all the unstoppable women out there!  

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

— Ayn Rand

Yanksgiving

Ummm....let's just pretend that I haven't been neglecting you all and just carry on....shall we?

I'm a bit of a turkey day nay sayer.  It's not really that I don't want to enjoy it - it's more like I never have enjoyed it.

My lovely Mother is a Canuck (and Mom please forgive me) not a Kitchen Goddess. Don't get me wrong she has all the potential to be a Kitchen Goddess but it's majorly not her jam.  Pair this with living in Hawaii removed from most of our family Thanksgiving was a holiday that could very conveniently be swept under the rug.

As I get older I actively work on scheming up ways to avoid Turkey Day. When you're on your own people love to take you in (bless their hearts). I will admit that my three favorite Thanksgivings have been spent with friends in their homes. 

Believe me when I say that this year I was feeling particularly proud of my Turkey Day Avoidance plan - just go to Canada I thought!  Brilliant. 

Upon arrival in Vancouver it was exuberantly announced, 'We're having American Thanksgiving for yoooouuuu!!!!'.  *commences internal groaning* I reply, 'oh yay!  Sounds fun!'  

It was FUN.  It was YUMMY.

The Fixins'

It was Sleeping Ninja Turtles (must have been the tryptophan). It was playing Pirates (because Auntie Mei Mei loves playing pirates *eye roll*). It was FAMILY. 

Sleeping Turtles

It was the best Yanksgiving EVER.  Thank You Canadian Family.   

Technical Difficulties = Lessons Learned

If you ask my friends what one of my faults is they'll probably tell you that I'm impulsive - this might be true - I tend to leap first.  Most times, things work out and, sometimes they don't.  When they don't, they don't.  What I've found though, is that when they don't work out I end up a little bit smarter than I was before.   

I recently decided that I was going to switch my blogging platform from WordPress to Squarespace. 

I'm vowing now to write about this process ad nauseum.  Why?  Because when it comes to the 'behind the scenes' part of blogging (i.e. the coding, the domain mapping, etc.) I'm totally clueless.  When you read things on the internet like, 'I transferred my site from Wordpress to Squarespace!  It was awesome!'  what they aren't telling you is that it took hours.  Or maybe they forgot to tell you the part about how they have been working in IT for the last 10 years.

“A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.”

— Author Unknown

To say my transition was less than smooth would be an understatement. 

The point of this post?  Well, it's an apology of sorts.  I'm sorry that things were defunct if you stopped by.  I'm sorry if your RSS feed isn't properly working.  I'm sorry that you think I'm a traitor for leaving WordPress. 

Hopefully, things will be fully back in business soon! 

In the meantime, I hope you like the new look....because I mean really, what's not to like about simplicity?! 

Happy Birthday Sweet Blog.

Nautie Mermate is three today.  Three. A lot has happened in those three years.  I lived in Hawaii, tried out Maine for a bit, and then plopped a squat in Houston.  I've changed ships twice.  From the Persian Gulf, to the Med, to a worldwide tramper.  I made the move from tankers to heavy lifts.  I upgraded my license and dove head first into the waters of Chief Mate-ness.

This blog has become so much.  A sounding board for all my coulda, shoulda, woulda's.  A motivator.  A sweet escape.

Two years ago I celebrated Oct. 19th with friends in Maine - there were cupcakes.  Last year, I have no clue why I didn't celebrate and, this year I find myself at sea.  Eastward bound for the Panama Canal.

Today, life couldn't be sweeter.

I saw an amazing sunrise.

I sipped an orange goodness.

I watered my plants.  

I made a quinoa salad for lunch.

...and seriously, if this blog isn't about sunrises, orange goodness', shipboard gardens and quinoa...well then, I just don't know what it's about...

Nautie Friends, thanks for all your kind words through it all - the pep talks - the mettle making - the whip cracking - the virtual hugs.  I heart you.  Like...I heart you a lot.

I have one small request for you...de-lurk!  Who are you lovely readers?  Where are you from?  What do you do?  What do you enjoy most here in Nautie Mermate Land?

Here's looking forward!