Windows are open. The first time this year. This is a very big deal. Even though the sky is overcast and it may soon rain and I’ll have to close them.
I look down from our balcony and find buds on the limbs of the tree below. Also, on a tree closer to the street, an indestructible plastic bag
Soon boats will be budding in Lake Michigan marinas. But not quite yet. North Point Marina sailing friends who are always among the first in the water and the last out, went up to Skipper Buds last weekend and anti-fouled and waxed the hull. They intended to launch yesterday, but found ice floes still blocking the fairway. Another week might not seem much; but it is to those who have been longing to be back on the water for months.
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For me time is accelerating, now that it is short. There is increasing, not exactly excitement, but pleasant tension, a sense of heightened awareness, as felt by an athlete before a big event.
On work days Carol’s alarm goes off at 5:30. I, who do not like to be awakened by alarms, almost always wake up earlier. These past few mornings I’ve come awake at 4, lay in bed for ten or twenty minutes, going over in my mind what I still have left to do, both here and in San Diego. (This is not a contradiction of my recently noting that I had reduced my immediate to do list to zero.) I do have to place orders for freeze dry food and JetBoil fuel about a week before we leave and a few other things.
This morning a rolling duffle bag I ordered to take gear on the train. Several days ago I arranged the stuff I’ve collected: waterproof bags and boxes, tarp, mesh snorkelingl gear bag, prescription face mask, some knives given to me that I could never take on airplanes, extra eneloop batteries, Zebralight, a backup Tripp Lite inverter, courtesy flags, watch cap, spare Torqeedo propeller, Columbia Omni-Heat fleece jacket, pants and gloves, two new pair of Levis; and measured to determine if it would all fit in the smaller of two sizes of rolling duffles available.
The bag was delivered at 11.
I had it packed by noon.
This is early, even for me.
We don’t leave for three weeks and two days.
Maybe I’m eager.
