I will do my best to make a long-ish story a bit shorter. January went out with a bang at a friend’s amazing birthday retreat in NH where we made art, sang songs, practiced yoga, wrote poetry, went snowshoeing and dined on amazingly prepared raw food meals. February was when I realized I really needed to make a drastic change in my diet in order to experience real health – sugar, dairy, gluten and anything else that fed yeast was out the window. Also in February, I began designing a wedding invitation for some dear friends and took a fun trip to Franconia, NH with my mom’s family. In March I attended a fantastic course in CranioSacral therapy and added this amazing form of bodywork to my practice. I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s training program to become a holistic health coach, and I attended my goddaugter Stella’s fourth birthday party. April (back to iphoto…) found me in my kitchen or on the couch. I cooked delicious, beautiful and fun meals, looking for ways to be creative within the restrictions of my new diet, and I rested a lot.
In mid-May, my health coaching program started and on May 21st, we had a new member of our family join us – Ivy the goat was born that morning, and she continues to bring lots of joy to the goat yard. The next day, my dad and I sailed in 28 foot Mabel from Vineyard Haven to Chappy with four young people as part of their initial orientation to a year-long vineyard fellowship program. What was cool about the trip for me was realizing, finally, I am more comfortable sailing that wee boat as the captain than not. This felt like a big deal for me and a testament to a new-found level of comfort and self-confidence. It wasn’t that all of sudden I had become a better sailor; I think it had more to do with just being more relaxed and calm in general, and willing to be responsible even when I wasn’t sure how things would turn out. In June I attended what would have been my 11-year highschool reunion (had I stayed in school), and it was great fun to see folks who I hadn’t seen in years. I also finally bought myself a “real” digital camera and while I have been having a blast taking photos with it, I am a bit overwhelmed by the task of learning how to really use it. July was a busy month with lots of massage work, friends having babies, eating veggies out of the garden, visiting with family (from both coasts!) and friends, selling my photo cards at the farmers market, attending a lovely wedding in VT and camping by myself in my new tent!
August began with a bang in NYC for a dear friend’s (since kindergarten!) bachelorette party, and a day spent wandering around the village. Mid-month August found me back on the water and LOVING it. It has been six years since I worked on a big schooner and the week I spent sailing as 2nd mate in Spirit of Massachusetts from Mystic, CT to Gloucester, MA with a bunch of teenagers was the perfect way to get back at it. The crew was awesome, we had gorgeous weather and fantastic sailing. I got off the ship thinking, I want to do more of this! And then I thought about sailing anywhere but New England in the summertime and I didn’t feel so enthusiastic, so I’m looking forward to being on the water again…next summer. At the end of August, my friend Jessica had a “hurricane wedding”, and then in early September I headed up to VT with my family for a “family vacation”. This consisted mostly of us driving around in the rain in two separate vehicles, snacking and staring wide-eyed at the washed away roads and houses. We did have some nice visits with friends and family along the way as well. The beginning of October found me in beautiful Boothbay, Maine where my dear friend Charity married her new love, Rob. I have to say I had the most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding, and there wasn’t even dancing. I’m not quite sure what made it magic, but it was. I spent the next two weeks packing all of my belongings into a storage locker and moving out of the sweet home I had shared with my dear friend Amanda for the last year and a half. She is engaged, and I wish her so much happiness!
Mid-october I headed off the island on a road-trip adventure. I told myself that I could go wherever I wanted once I got off the island – no one was expecting me, and my intention was to head south eventually, but the place I found I wanted to go most was Portland, ME! I headed north and spent a good five days in Portland, resting and re-charging for my road trip. And really, the only reason I was even willing to leave and head out on the road was because I told myself I could head back there soon. I had a fantastic road trip, spent many lovely visits with friends, making it as far south as Charleston, SC before being very ready to head home, exactly a month after I had left. Although I visited many interesting places on my trip, I felt clear that Portland would be my home again soon. I have spent the last month doing who knows what (read: figuring out what life is all about) and all I know is that it has been challening, and I am looking forward to landing in one place in January when I take up residence at my friends’ home while they are in Hawaii for three months. Upon their return, I plan to pack up my stuff and drive myself back up north to Portland. After that, who knows. I am excited to create a new life in a city I love, surrounded by friends and water. Please feel free to come and visit once I get settled.
No comments:
Post a Comment