Nautie Randomness III

I don't have too many random things to say. That's pretty random. 

​It was an incredibly foggy trip from Alaska to Asia. I've said it before I'll say it again. Fog makes people crazy. 

​I haven't taken Big Bertha out at all this trip. What's wrong with me?!  I miss that old girl. I gotta get back in my groove!

When we were up in Alaska the Captain and some of the crew caught tons of fish!  We had fresh fish tacos and ceviche for dinner - yum!​

I am getting kinda into weather. I've been having fun printing out the weather maps and putting them up on the board to get a good feel for what's to come. Pretty much what came this trip was fog, rolling and then lots of wind. I'm looking for sunshine!

That's about it for this random post....where's the action?!  Where's the excitement?!  Oh boy...you're not the only one wondering this!  I've got some bold moves coming soon...so I'm saving up some energy...I'll keep you posted Nautie Friends!

Nautie Notes :: Playing Catch Up

Dear Airports Everywhere, You provide the best people watching ever.  Yesterday I saw:  a gothic chick with red velvet doc martens, a couture track suit, hipsters in skinny jeans and a women in a homemade dress and bonnet.  best. people. watching. ever.

Dear Starbucks,

As far as I'm concerned your red cups have arrived waaay too early.

Dear iPhone,

Why does the battery seem to die as soon as I use you?  I don't think this is normal.  Are you sick?  Should I be concerned?

Dear Maine,

The fact that you still have leaves on your trees makes me happy.  The reds, yellows and oranges are the icing on the cake.

Dear Lovely House Ladies,

Having a bowl of crack homemade hamburger helper waiting for me when I walked in the door is all sorts of awesome.

Dear Vera Bradley Luggage,

Yesterday, as I was checking out of my flea bag hotel a little old man stopped me to compliment me on my luggage.  I also received compliments from my male taxi driver, the lady at the ticket counter and the TSA inspector.  Compliments + 4 wheels = worth the money I spent on you.

Dear SeaWife,

Your email made me tear up.  I loved it.  I'll write back soon - or call - or stop by.

Dear Nautie Friends,

I'm furiously working on getting the Book Club up to speed.  Pinkie Swear.

Nautie Tidbits :: Quinoa and Boats

I'd love to say I'm sorry for the lack of posts....but.... I've just been having too much fun!

Since I've been 'away' for awhile I figured the best way to get caught up would be to share some photos from my phone....because honestly my iPhone has been my go to girl lately - Big Bertha has been spending too much time at home.

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1.  I spent a day on the couch (what?  I'm on vacation!) and I decided that I'd go to my neighborhood variety store for a pizza (now you're jealous).  As I was getting out of the car there was a little girl parking this sweet ride right in front of the shop.  I was instantly jealous and decided that I had to take a picture.

2.  Sampling my homemade toothpaste.  I was thinking of saving this tidbit for a post of its own but alas, time is getting away from me.  Let me just say - it was better than I thought it would be!

3.  Boat shoe wearing in March?  Yes, please!  When I stepped off the plane in Maine (that rhymed....and made be giggle because even in my head as I was typing I was saying, 'the rain in spain'....heehee) it was over 70 degrees out!  I was wearing shorts and slippers!  Sadly, it was incredibly short lived.  I did however; get to ride on a boat in my sassy little Sperry Topsiders with friends who are also sassy Sperry wearers.

4.  Aforementioned boat.  Don't be jealous.

5.  I got my hair cut and colored.  I sat down and said, 'you can do anything you want as long as it all goes up in a pony tail'.  (Anyone who has tried to secure an anchor in the middle of the night with hair that is just slightly too short for a pony knows that they will never, ever have hair too short for a pony again!)  The sylist says, 'I think we need to give you a more mature length'.  To which I responded, 'You mean, you don't think I should have hair that makes me look like a sixth grader who loves horses?'.......and then she cut off six inches.  (I'm still deciding if this should count as my 'something sassy' on my 30x30 list (#8).  I decided I'd wait till I'm home in Hilo to run it past my Mom first.)

6.  I made a Quinoa salad.  With beets, oranges, almond slices and mint topped with honey goat cheese.  I personally thought it was quite yummy.  Please note that next to the dish of quinoa is an orange goodness.  Hells yah.  Funny story about the Quinoa (welll...I guess I'll let you be the judge on the funny factor).  I was having trouble with the ratio of Quinoa to water - I was following the instructions of a recipe that I had found online but was modifying.  My housemate walked in and I decided to ask her opinion.  She was all - just do the same thing you do when you're cooking rice....and then I was all - who the hell knows how to cook rice in a pot?!  Don't you have a rice cooker?!  Seriously folks.  Who doesn't own a rice cooker?!  My Mom doesn't because she thinks cooking in aluminum is terrible.....valid enough reason.  I however; bought trader joes rice in little bags that I can microwave because the thought of cooking rice in a pot makes me cringe.  If you've never used a rice cooker I seriously recommend it.  (I was going to write a whole post about this...aren't you glad I didn't?!)

7.  The yummiest breakfast burrito ever.  I thought it was so yummy that I actually emailed a photo of it to TravelBuddy.

8.  This is my friends dog named Diego.  As far as dogs go I like this one a lot.  This is his little toy named Elmer.  My friend will say, 'Diego, go get Elmer!'.  I can't tell you how funny I thought this was.

9.  Confession:  I'm addicted to Gossip Girl.  I know, right?!  What's wrong with me?!  This show is completely bizarre.  Realizing young women around the world are watching this is frightening.  The thought that some of these young women are too young to discern the show is complete fiction and grossly unrealistic is even more frightening.  That being said, it's Netflix crack - don't ever, ever watch even one episode.

*I realize that this Nautie Tidbit post might be a little long but, dang! it feels great to be sorta caught up!

Sidenote:  Thanks to all of you who 'liked' me on Facebook!  I'm still figuring out how to more fully integrate it with my blog but, in the meantime check in every now and then for random Tidbits!

Nautie Tidbits :: Procrastination, Chocolate and Hot Dogs

You know what always amazes me?  The amount of panic I feel when I realize that I'm about to receive travel instructions to depart the vessel.  You'd think after doing almost 90 days aboard I'd be counting down the days and would be expecting it.....and I am.....but then suddenly the Captain gives me an itinerary and it becomes real.....and then I think, 'Damnit Megan!  Why are you such a freakin' procrastinator?!'....and then, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to tie up ten million loose ends....so that my relief doesn't think I'm a douche bag.  It happens every single time. You know what else happens a lot?  I get my travel plans for home and then they fall through.  Sometimes (as in this time) it feels like a relief when there is some sort of delay.  It means that I can regroup and catch my breath and tie up those loose ends! 

You know what the best kind of delay is?  The kind at anchor.  That's the kind I'm experiencing now.  Rushing from port, to port, to port allows zero time for loose end tying.

In a nutshell?  I got lucky.

Here are a few Nautie Tidbits....

• Apparently International Woman's Day is a really big deal in the Ukraine.  The Women take four days off!  Four Days!  When the Pilot came aboard he asked the Captain, 'How many Womens do you have aboard?'.  The Captain replied, 'Two many!'.  (Get it?  There are two of us...)  Anyways, the Pilot ended up giving me a bar of really nice dark chocolate as a Woman's Day present!  Kinda cool!
• When the Russian boarding party arrived to clear us for Customs they requested 'American Hot Dogs'.  It blew my mind.  Apparently they love American Weiners.....who knew?!
• I was able to upload corrections to the electronic chart system with no error messages!  I can't even begin to describe what a success this was and how amazing it feels!  WIN!  I had been sending emails to everyone I could thing of....the supplier, the hydrographic offices, the manufacturers.  You know who finally solved my problem?  An old instructor.  Teachers are the best.
• I didn't get ashore in the Ukraine - total bummer.  The good news is that Travel Buddy did go ashore....and he came back bearing gifts!  We officially have real beans on the bridge again!  The kind you can grind and use with the french press.  Yum-o!

Those, Nautie Friends are the highlights of my last 3 or 4 days.  I have more to share though!  There are photos on my computer!  (I know, I know, you're tired of hearing about it....)  Pictures soon!

Nautie Tidbits :: Hot Cocoa and To Do Lists

Happy Sunday Nautie Friends! Things here are groovy.  We're back at sea for a few days which always makes me happy.  Being at sea is when I can take a breath, take some naps and get back on top of things.

I haven't been blogging much and have to catch up so, here are a few tidbits:

• I went ashore in Rota, Spain!  Woot!  Woot!  The bummer is that I took photos with my iPhone only (Damn, I've been lazy lately!  Big Bertha is feeling neglected!) and I'm having a hard time getting the photos onto my laptop.  Grrrr....hopefully, I'll be able to share them soon.
• During our last port stay we got a HUGE stores order (food!).  Yay!  Hello oranges, hello hot cocoa!  Coffee on the bridge is back to being awesome!  (Plus, when I was in Russia Travel Buddy and I picked up some whole beans.....mmmm fresh ground!)
• I did laundry yesterday.  I hate laundry.  I don't think I like doing it at home but I really hate doing it onboard.  Someday, I'm going to write an incredibly long post ranting about laundry.  Next step is cleaning my room.  Wish me luck.
• I made a long ass to do list.  Yesterday I crossed off 4 items.  If I cross off 4 items a day I still don't complete all my desired tasks before arriving in the next port.  Shoots.
• Did you know that I play cribbage every day at coffee time?  Well I do.  Yesterday I almost got double skunked!  But, I didn't because all of a sudden I had mad luck and was able to save face.  Losing is one thing....getting skunked is another....getting double skunked?!  Don't even go there....
• (In reference to the above tidbit:  You may be wondering how I can lament about incomplete tasks and then make time for cards at coffee time.  Coffee time is a sacred thing.  Apparently, working through coffee time (or more importantly asking someone to work through coffee time) is the equivalent of asking them to cut off their right opposable thumb.....in other words....don't do it....ever.)
• I have under a month left aboard!  Where does the time go?!  I've been a terrible correspondent of late.  If any of you are waiting for personal emails it might be awhile.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  (I think some of you just got a little excited inside because you realized you'd be able to call me instead of waiting for emails....and then you got disappointed all over again because you thought, 'wait a minute, that broad will never answer her phone anyways!'.  Too true.)
• I listed my house for sale.  Are you wondering how I could have saved such big news for the last tidbit?!  Me too.  I honestly forgot!  I'm actually very excited about it.  I'll probably (repeat probably) write a long emotional piece about my house....but I'll most likely save it for when I'm off the ship. 
• I think that's it for tidbits. 

Now, go enjoy your Sunday afternoon.  Please?  So that I can live vicariously through you?  Because, if I were you I'd:

*Buy a cute Patagonia beach dress at Hilo Bay Paddler * Have a delicious coffee at a cute coffee shop * Take a walk along the water * Go out for sushi * Arrange fresh cut flowers throughout the house * Eat half a papaya with some lime squeezed on it * Enjoy a glass of Pinot Grigio with one ice cube * Go for a scenic drive and turn around whenever * Write a note to a friend (on cute stationary) and get it in the mailbox * Drink some carrot juice *