If your mainsail looks like this, your season's over. This is my sail.
This weekend has been a rollercoaster, a smorgasbord, a yard sale
of emotions. I broke bread with Tillerman: high. I brought my boat
to be hauled and stored for the winter: low. I stayed home all day
Sunday and did things that I never would have done during sailing
season: okay, high. I'm a homebody, and I admit it.
So what do you do with all of the chicken carcasses that you
wrapped and froze and threw in the freezer? Chicken stock.
A big honkin pot of chicken stock that simmers all day long.
My shirts smell like it, my towel smells like it, my pillow smells
like it. Could be worse, I suppose.
Beef stew on egg noodles, with baby brussel sprouts,
and roasted turnips and carrots.
"And it's good old country comfort in my bones
Just the sweetest sound my ears have ever known
Just an old-fashioned feeling fully-grown
Country comfort's in a truck that's going home"
I'm hearing from everyone on the Eastern seaboard that the season is over. Most of the summer I envy you all for the variety of sailing and festival opportunities you share but this time of year I get the smug feeling that if I care to work hard enough the sailing season has just hit it's peak here on the left coast. It's wet, but isn't that what foul weather gear is for?
ReplyDeletedoryman
Foul weather gear is for wet, but do you often get ice? I believe the Northwest is maybe a bit more forgiving than the Northeast in winter. Plus, I'm getting older and don't feel like toughing it out like I used to. Waaaaaah. Can you hand me that blanket?
ReplyDeleteHail often, some light snow but no freezing water, especially salt water. We keep our boats in year-round though few people actually use them except for the occasional afternoon drink and a hot stove at the dock.
ReplyDeleteWinter sailing is special for me because I might be the only boat in sight on an otherwise overcrowded bay.
When I lived further north and raced on the Puget Sound my skipper only sailed the winter season because you could depend on good wind.
Aging --- you had to bring that up, didn't you?!?
That's my best excuse these days. And the bad joints.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of freezing water and bad joints is making me feel that my three-hour sail today was mainly a guilty pleasure.....
ReplyDeleteYou should feel guilty. Love ya
ReplyDeleteNot quite done here, but soon enough. If I can find some boots without a divider for the first toe (like my wetsuit boots have) I'll be able to use my dry suit. But the real limit for me is Kimie's willingness to join me, and I fear her limits differ from mine.
ReplyDeleteFirst snow of the year here in Rhode Island this morning. Another few inches and twenty degrees colder and I may get the urge to go frostbiting.
ReplyDeleteSnowed here a bit too this morning. I think I feel a fever coming on... yup, I think it's mad POW disease!
ReplyDeleteOMG, do we have to hear all winter about the fact that your boat is laid up for months? Just kidding, turnabout is fair play (LOL).
ReplyDelete