I have a new way of being. I've had it for ten minutes already, and it's really working well, so I thought I'd tell you about it. We have finished the bottom paint, and Kalliope is back in the water. The sailing guys are coming tomorrow, to familiarize themselves with the boat but more importantly to help us move her to a more convenient slip down the waterway, where it's easier to get out to the ocean. This means that by tomorrow morning we need to have Trio closed up for the winter, the yellow truck secured, and Kalliope ready to move. There is a lot more involved in that than I can say in one sentence.

Now the inside of this boat is still a mess. A more organized, cleaner mess, yes, but still a mess. Shit has happened. Stuff has come up. Emergencies have been attended to. Here's is Bob's to-do list: tighten headstay-fill water tanks-strtn handle and tighten baby stay raise rear swim ladder install dinghy instll jerry cans chek run gen set chek record f.filter res.disconnectbattsTrio.... that is half of it. Notice how it all starts to run together into gibberish? Here's my list: make a comfortable, attractive home out of this boat! But-- and here's the big realization: it is more important that Bob's list (which involves sails, and electricity, and the engine, and not sinking) get done. He is making the cake. I am merely icing it. And even though it would be bad form to show up anywhere, on this continent anyway, with an uniced cake, it can be done. It's still a cake, and you can still eat it. Hence, my New Way of Being: I am a drone. A serf, a peasant. A Catholic nun. A Buddhist priest. I am without needs or desires of my own. Tell me what to do, and I will do it. And, FYI, if it has anything to do with ropes, you better tell me how to do it too.
In five days, come hell or high water, all the really important stuff will be done, and we will be sailing to Florida. When we get there, we will throw the anchor down and go swimming. The next morning, I will get up early, unearth my new bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap and scrub these dirty floors. That, for me, will be the icing on the cake.