Happy Holidays!

Following is an excerpt from our 2014 Holiday Newsletter...

Marcie rejoined David in Port Adelaide, South Australia in early January 2014. We wasted no time getting Nine of Cups ready, but had a chance to get a taste of Adelaide before we left. We were off the dock  in mid-February, heading west. We sailed rather determinedly from port to port, waiting for a good jump-off point and weather window to cross the infamous Great Australian Bight which we did in March.

April found us coast-hopping through the Recherche Archipelago and along the southern coast of Western Australia. We rounded Cape Leeuwin, our fourth of the five Great Southern Capes. By early May, we were exploring Geographe Bay and headed into Mandurah for a planned haul-out. Mandurah turned out to be a safe and friendly haven for Nine of Cups when we returned to the States once again … both mums were ill.

We finally returned to Cups in early August and made a hasty departure for points north and finally west across the Indian Ocean.

As we end an old year and begin a new one, we have some decisions to make. We'll complete our circumnavigation and round the last of the Great Southern Capes in Cape Town in early 2015. Where to next?  Stay tuned. We'll see which way the wind blows us.

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Celebrating Yule

It's no coincidence that many religions celebrate festivals of light at this time of year. There's Hanukah and Christmas and Diwali, not to mention all those luminaria that light pathways during the holiday season. It's winter in the northern hemisphere … a time of darkness, cold and short days. With Lin's circle of Earth-centered friends, I celebrated the old pagan ritual of Yule in anticipation of the solstice. It's a time of contemplation and hope, knowing that eventually the lengthening days and light of spring will follow. The venue at the UU church in Milton, Massachusetts is the perfect setting for such celebrations.

We sang traditional yuletime songs with a fire blazing in the fireplace. We each lit our own candle in celebration of light. We spoke of the past year and things to come.

I always find the Earth-centered celebrations to be uplifting. I'm warmly welcomed by the group though my participation is sporadic. I usually try to bring something of what I've experienced or learned to share and this year I brought bindis, those little dots that Hindus wear on their foreheads. The bindi is said to retain energy and strengthen concentration. It represents the third eye and was created as a means to worship one's intellect. Used by both men and women, the bindi helps to ensure our thoughts, speech, actions, habits and ultimately our character become pure. A strong intellect can help one make noble decisions in life, be able to stand up to life's challenges with courage, and recognize and welcome good thoughts. The belief is that on this premise,  a strong individual, a strong family and a strong society can be formed. How can you go wrong with that?

As with all celebrations, we ended with a feast very much akin to a cruiser's potluck. Everyone contributed a dish or two. Everyone brought wine or a beverage to share. We ate and drank. We did a Pagan gift trade … aka  a Yankee swap. Music played in the background. The evening was filled with warm, spirited conversation and good karma. Bring on the holidays … I'm ready.

Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree

Choosing a Christmas tree in the past has always been about finding the perfect tree. Height is important … tall, but not too tall. We need room for the star on the top without hitting the ceiling. Full, but not so bushy that it stands 5 feet out from the wall. Shape is important … it needs to looks like the perfect triangular, evergreen Christmas tree. Those were the main criteria and we maintained a high standard. This year, however, was a bit different.

Lin and I were alone picking out the tree. It was cold and raw. Lin has just had foot surgery and is still in a walking cast. As we were perusing the tree inventory at the Christmas tree lot and shivering, I thought about getting it up the stairs and into her house. The weight of the Christmas tree all of a sudden became important. We traipsed around the lot lifting trees. If we couldn't lift it up in the lot, chances were we'd be pretty challenged getting it up the stairs, into the house and into the tree stand. We looked at trunk size … those big, thick trunks were weighty. We didn't want a Charlie Brown tree, but we needed to be able to get it into the house without risking a hernia or hiring a crane. This is kind of reminiscent of measuring a turkey in the supermarket before buying it to ensure I can fit it into the galley stove.

The cold was a definite incentive for making a quick decision. “That one!” Lin pointed at one that seemed perfect. It looked fine AND I could lift it by myself. To prove it, I toted it down the walking path and plopped it before a smiling lot attendant who trussed it up and tied it to the roof of the car.

I'm pleased to report, we got it into the house and into the stand without drama. I hauled the boxes of lights and ornaments up from the basement. Christmas music was playing and we were singing along … off-key and loud … an art we've mastered through the years. We were sipping hot apple cider laced with a wee bit of rum. We decorated slowly. There was no rush. There was a story associated with each ornament, a memory remembered, a family anecdote to be retold. Let the Christmas season begin.