Panic!

I got up at 5am this morning after an almost sleepless night, my brain wouldn't shut off, I have so many things to organize and do before I leave at 4:30am on Thursday morning.  A morning when you can guarantee I will be sound asleep when it's time to get up!

I kept putting the light on all through the night to write down notes of things I must not forget to do. I still haven't booked a marina for us to stay in, I still haven't arranged to have Daisy's bottom cleaned before we leave, I'm still trying to sort out health insurance. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate health insurance companies they are hateful, nasty, evil organizations, that deliberately make everything so difficult and impossible to understand it makes you want to smash something, so you end up just signing because you have given up any hope of trying to understand all the hidden clauses and exemptions, of which there are so many the policy looks like a draft of War and Peace...  

I haven't even thought about packing yet, and I have to pack for 3 continents!  I still haven't bought an outfit for my niece's wedding, I hate shopping for clothes these days, so I'll probably just drag something old and moth balled out of my closet and end up looking like the poor relative!  I don't have anything suitable for a safari, all my cotton clothes are white or bright colors, the lions will love that, they will see dinner approaching from the far horizon... ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH

I have a pile of bills to pay today, and I need to sort out the fact that my stupid bank, Fifth Third seem unable to pay my rent on time, instead they remove the money from my account 5 days before its due, and then send my landlord a paper check 10 day later, so they have had the use of my money for 10 days, and my rent is paid 5 days late.  I can wire transfer money here from the Caribbean in 3 hours and yet the bloody Fifth Third bank is incapable of transferring money from one account to another when its just down the road (sigh).

So much to do and so little time to do it, so I'm sitting here making more lists, and typing this to try and relieve my building frustration, it's only 6"30am so it's still too early to start making calls to all the sad and incompetent idiots who, I know are going to get me wound up tighter than a drum, OH boy do I need a drink and it's not even breakfast time yet, actually kidding about that, coffee will do for now! Lots and lots of it caffeine overload...

Now which idiot do I call first?

Savoring the Moment

So the clock is ticking, and I'm both depressed and excited at the same time, to be leaving.  Depressed at the thought of leaving because I love being here with Edi and Danni so much, cooking for them, spending time with them, helping them in whatever way I can, actually feeling useful.  My children are so special I will never tire of being with them.

And I really love spending time at the barn with the horses, I feel so at peace when I'm there, just being near them makes me happy. Grooming them, giving them extra hay, and treats in their bucket when they come in from the field, bathing them on sticky hot uncomfortable days, when I get more of a bath than they do "seriously"... I even don't mind mucking out, it makes me happy just to know they have a nice clean soft stall to lay down in, I scrub the water buckets, so that they are so clean even I would drink out of them, am I nuts?

I wander through the isles of the barn every day and sneak extra hay and carrot treats to all the other horses that are left standing in a dark barn, when I feel that they should be out in the fields, enjoying the fresh grass and the sunshine, they all look so sad, it breaks my heart.  Danni tells me off, saying I shouldn't give treats to other peoples horses without asking, because perhaps they shouldn't have them, and maybe she's right, but what can an extra flake of hay or a piece of carrot or apple hurt?  I know Danni's right, but I'm going to do what the hell I want anyway because I never live by other people's rules.

The trouble is now when I enter the barn and say hello to my horses, all the horses in the barn nicker and whinny, because they recognize my voice "it's the treat lady!" they all say to one another... and I can't resist, I'm buying 2 large bags of carrots a day, I really hope Danni doesn't read this...

Also I love having a fabulous kitchen to work in, and great, fresh ingredients just a stone's throw away, for the first time in 4 years I really feel as though I have a home again, but now I'm getting ready to leave once more!  The tomato plants I planted 6 weeks ago, are growing like triffids, and they're going to produce a bumper crop of fabulous tomatoes and I'm not even going to be here to enjoy them :o(

On the other hand I'm excited because going back to Daisy means new adventures, new lands to explore, and much more material for my blog, writing has become a real passion of mine, and living on the boat provides me with so much to write about. I shouldn't complain, especially since this trip Niki is coming with us, for 10 days at  least, so I'm really, really excited to be spending time with her.
But I'm still sad to be leaving, I don't suppose I can expect to have it both ways!

Suspicious Behavior!

Just 10 days left on land, and I should really be thinking about packing, an exercise I usually leave until the night before, which is not always the best plan, and normally guarantees that I leave without all the things I had planned to take with me.  Wow, that was a long sentence, I didn't even stop to take a breath.

So I woke up in a panic at 5:30 this morning thinking about what I needed to take this time.  I have to carry back everything I need for the next 3 months.  This includes an outfit for my niece's wedding in South Africa (an outfit I have yet to buy), also clothes for a 10 day safari, and then clothes for 6 weeks in Europe. Who the hell knows what I'm going to need there, raincoats, thick sweaters and tank tops probably!  

Bob said Europe was really damp and cold last week, but then it can throw you a curve ball of having the occasional days of surprisingly warm weather.  I can see that I am going to easily exceed the baggage limit, OH dear.

Anyway, I came down to my office to make a list on my computer, of all the things I think I will need.  Making list's gives me peace of mind, because I have the worlds worst memory.  

It's only about 6:15am and I'm sitting here with my mind a complete blank, when I notice a red car passing  that slows down almost to a stop, and crawls past the house, there were 3 guys in the car and the one in the back seat had his arm out of the window pointing at our garages as they passed, they drove on slowly past the house then turned around further up the street and came back to drive slowly by again.  I had the desk light on and as they passed my office window they must have seen me looking at them because they suddenly sped up and drove off. 

So now my mind is completely off my packing list, and I'm panicking about whether these people were planning a burglary or something.  I mean, what were they doing at that time in the morning, and crawling past (twice) and pointing?
The house security here is pretty good with motion detector lights, and alarms, and of course Skye, she's so old that she doesn't exactly qualify as a great guard dog, but she is quite a noisy alarm.  Also we have Justin in the apartment and our landlord right next door, so all things considered we should be OK, but I'm still going to alert everyone to be extra careful.

Anyway back to my packing list (sigh), life is never dull!

Car boots etc...

Did you guys get a chance to check out my new foodie blog?

http://daisysgalley.blogspot.com/

I return to Daisy in 9 days, and then the fun will really return to this blog of mine, all previous reference to Peonies, and other random unrelated stuff will cease.

Hang in there, Daisy will be back before you know it, kicking and screaming!

Yeah Daisy!

:o) x

Off to Bocas del Toro

Barely 2 weeks now until I return to Daisy.  Yeah, that means new material for my blog, I think my recent posts on quiches and Peonies, have been possibly lacking a tad in readable entertainment!

Hang in there, it won't be long before you can read more about my terror and adventures on the high sea's, God help me!

Our next planned destination is Bocas del Toro, although as with everything in my family this plan could change at any time, much depends as always on the weather, and everything on Daisy being in good order.

Hotel Punta Caracol

Popo Paradise Resort

.    

I'm so excited to see this beautiful corner of the Caribbean, from everything I've heard it's really beautiful, and the wildlife is supposed to be spectacular, meaning more chasing monkeys and expeditions into jungles looking for fabulous species of flora and fauna and colorful creatures to capture on film with my trusty camera.

Niki is joining us for the trip, which will make it extra special

I really hope I get to see one of these little guys.

How Fickle is the Weather?

Just because I wrote about the consistent rain, rain, rain, wouldn't you know it, the day cleared up so beautifully it's possibly the loveliest day of the year, and I was able to photograph some of the amazing peonies at bloom in my garden...

Such incredibly beautiful flowers.

The day that started with black skies, thunder and pouring rain ended like this!

Who would have thought!

What a truly lovely day.

One of my little visiting chipmunks, helping himself to the seeds dropped from the feeders.

Just look at those cheeks!

Illusions of The Black Swan!

So it's raining again, and stores are quickly selling out of waterproof clothing and footwear, not to mention the run on umbrellas.  I can't help thinking planet earth is preparing to get washed away by another great flood, even though the Bible says the world would never be taken by flood again.  

Sorry, I'm not trying to preach, but after living in America for 13 years, I can honestly say I have never ever seen this much rain. 

One expects rain in England and Wales, countries where compulsory fashion requirements include a variety of sturdy raincoats with hoods, wellington boots (green Hunter boots if you're wealthy) and a bunch of umbrellas in various colors and patterns.

It's always baffled me that so many America houses have "mud rooms," a room that couldn't possibly be needed more than in England and Wales.

But wait, England and Wales have had sunshine this year, lots and lots of it,  even drought over the last couple of months.  

Last winter in the Caribbean we had so much rain, I remember being in Curacao in November, normally a dry month, yet we had non stop rain for a month, heavy, heavy rain, the sort of rain that will flatten a house, and wash a hillside away, it was their wettest season on record.  One of the few times I was actually happy to be on a boat! 

Colombia suffered dreadful effects from all the rain, with whole villages being washed down the hillsides. The government even put out a request to all boaters in the area to please help, by picking up the people that were left homeless and stranded on beaches. 

Bob was complaining recently about all the rain in Panama, although it is their rainy season right now, but there was still much more rain than normal.

It certainly looks as though the planets weather is changing!  

However, quite possibly,  when I leave next month to return to Daisy, the weather here in Ohio will clear up and be beautiful, and I will be stuck in Panama, once again in heavy rain. 

Perhaps the rain is following me?

I think I'm developing webbed feet, and starting to suffer from illusions of becoming a "Black Duck!" Hey perhaps this would make a comical sequel to "Black Swan!"