Ahhh.....

The view from Kalliope

I’m sitting at a table in a picnic pavilion, in Key Biscayne, Florida. My view is of the pale blue-green, endless bay, framed at the bottom with sea grass, and at the top with a chalk-blue sky. Our laundry is in the washer, just around the corner in this same little building. The family that was here for lunch has gone; I took some nice group shots of them before they left. Now I have the place all to myself.

Thanks to the anchor dragging because the prop shaft was moving because the boat was in gear because of a surprise malfunction of the shifting mechanism when we tried to start the engine yesterday, we have re-anchored. Now we’re tucked against the edge of the cove, in a private little spot where we can see the glorious bay, as well as watch all the various boats that come and go, which was extremely entertaining over the weekend, especially since we're already anchored, and they're not. Nyah nyah.
We hung out in the cockpit all yesterday afternoon, enjoying the breeze, watching the action, reading and napping. It was wonderful. Kalliope is clean and orderly, and pleasant to look at, inside. Outside is another story. There’s a pump-out right here, and we were all too seasick to do it on the trip down, so Bob and I planned it for this morning. It was quiet in the cove; just a few sailboats left after the wild weekend festivities, so I elected to drive the boat over. I did pretty well on the way, didn’t even hit any other boats or anything! but then there was the unfortunate point where I had to bring Kalliope to a stop, against the concrete wall, and I did—well beyond the pump-out, and firmly into the wall. Que sera. It’s only paint.

Last night, Bob and I went to the little restaurant overlooking the cove, for dessert and coffee. We sat at the railing, and watched the porpoises diving in the water and the Space Shuttle take off from Kennedy Center. Really. I thought it was a bottle-rocket at first, pink and coral in the sunset, just over the hill. It was the shuttle, 200 miles away. It was gorgeous. And we ended up with three desserts, instead of just two, owing to a little language mishap with the waiter. But they were all good.

Now I am alternately writing this and reading a not-even-too-old People magazine I found by the washer, getting caught up on what was going on with Britney Spears a few months ago, and watching the occasional boat go by. Bob is back on Kalliope, happily “fishing”. Later, we’re going to walk over to the beach for a swim. Ahhh. Clean boat, clean clothes, a lovely breeze, a spectacular view, the promise of a swim.

A woman just bicycled past the pavilion and commented on my “nice office.” Little does she know my home is here, as well. For now!