Happy Mother's Day - Atlantic City, NJ

5/13/18 . Atlantic City, NJ

A rainy low pressure day (literally and figuratively, here at the Atlantic City Aquarium/Gardener's Basin dock.

A great day to indulge pensive and thoughtful, remembering my mom and her  traits and actions and values, in retrospect. Many I appreciated when she lived, and expressed appreciation and love to her. But, post-death those same traits and actions get distilled to their essence. I can think about her with more, even more, love and clarity, ... for foibles and strengths. Continuing her love and nurturing efforts for the natural world, David and I clean the ocean of plastic as we are able. This balloon plucked from Delaware Bay, perhaps saving some sea life from painful death. Mother celebrates with us.

How much can my heart expand with love and gratitude before it explodes like an over-inflated balloon? We'll see, I guess. Love and gratitude continue to grow as years pass.

I appreciate her spiritual presence with me, now more than ever.

David and I slept late this morning, a first in a while and so needed. Amelia has continued to sleep most of the day. I think she was really stressed by our rolling morning at sea yesterday.   David and I went to Gilchrist's for breakfast this morning, a short walk down the dock. Bacon! and great hot cakes (aka pan cakes) and an over easy egg for me. An award winning place and it was crowded. At least 4 people served us from host, to "something to drink", to taker of order, to server, to cleaner-upper. Labor union or just specialization to keep the flow flowing? Whatever, it worked for us.


Some emailing, some thinking about ACAF (Arts & Cultural Alliance of Freeport), groceries, left-overs for dinner, brownie cooking for a little heat in Grace. A look at the weather for possible travel tomorrow. Both David and I agreed - we're sick of "looking at the weather," even though earlier at the Aquarium we were applauding how "close to the elements" we are on the boat. Bah! Humbug!! It's damp, chilly and less than delightful today on the boat in these elements. We took the bus to the food store, watched lots of people, experiencing some of Atlantic City. We looked for a show at a casino but nothing tickled our fancy so, again, we didn't experience what AC is known for. It seems to be a town in further decline with pockets of improvement. A number of casinos have closed in recent years. Lots of "eggs in one basket" in terms of economic base. The Basin where we are docked looks like a sweet neighborhood with some commercial boating businesses, maybe oystering, dragging? Discovering public transportation offers opportunities and less isolated here.

David contemplating the empty Delaware Bay

Some photos from the last couple of days that finally uploaded after I rebooted my phone:

light house

deck line drying out

Sails up...finally!

Power...sun jewels, plus

Nuclear boom

I'm fascinated by these nuclear power plants and views. Sort of that horror/mechanical, scientific beauty fascination. ..similar to the Norfolk war ships. I remember the first time we sailed past this power plant and how nervous I was...waiting, watching, fearful. The physical, structural shape is so iconic at this point, such clean and clear lines, grounded and solid which sort of defies the danger, the fragility of stability.




something weird about the solar, nuclear energy juxtaposition



As we traveled the C&D Canal I was struck by the beauty - a walking/biking path along the entire 10 mile (?) length, birds singing, spring greening, some houses visible, roads, cars but all a little away from our center on the Canal, mostly. David commented about how all those lives were going on, people eating breakfast, going to work or school, carrying on their regular lives. And we were "just passing through."

Yes. literally passing through. And I expanded that notion, philosophically/spiritually "just passing through" this earthly journey, not just the boat journey.

"Our time on this earth is sacred, and we should celebrate every moment." from the Paulo Coelho book I'm reading The Witch of Portobello. 

No "shoulds" but may we all celebrate every moment to the very best of our abilities.

Casino lost in the clouds