Year 1 purge: All the crap you can’t wait to remove from the lockers to make more space. These bags are filled with dry clean only work clothes, moldy leather goods, tons of boaty shoes that we never wear, winter stuff, and more.
My sister’s wedding gave us a great excuse to plan a trip back to the US. I flew into Portland, Maine, ten days ahead of Brian (who didn’t want to be away from the boat that long in hurricane season and decided to fly just in time for the wedding), to fulfill my duties as co-maid of honor and get a little extra time with my parents at their peaceful country home before the wedding festivities began.
How strange it felt to suddenly be surrounded by people living in the “real world”. In line at the airport ticket counter in Grenada, I was in the company of New Yorkers, Long Islanders, and people from the Jersey ‘burbs (I made my connection at JFK), all red from their beach vacations in the Grenadian sun.
The line was moving slowly (It being the biggest day of Carnival, JetBlue may have been a wee bit understaffed), but we all still had a good three hours before takeoff – nobody in line was close to risking a missed flight. Even so, I started to notice toe tapping and arm crossing, tooth sucking and frustrated sighing; the trademark signs of New Yorkers with high expectations for service that are not being met. Strangers rolled their eyes at one another in solidarity. The lady in front of me repeatedly pulled in short breaths through her teeth, fixed her vexing eyes on the employees behind the counter, and not-too quietly whispered poison in her husband’s ear once every thirty seconds.
In that moment, standing in a line with plenty of time to spare, it hadn’t occurred to me to feel anything at all.
This was quite a personal revelation. Just one year ago, slow-moving lines made me anxious. I too would have been chomping at the bit to check my luggage and move on through security (though I would have kept these feelings to myself – unlike the lady in front of me), even when there was absolutely no risk of missing my flight.
The more time I spend back in the “real world”, the more I notice that I’m no longer sweating the small stuff. Furthermore, cruising has forced me to develop patience and better empathy. These are all huge wins for me, usually prone to being overly-serious, tightly-wound, and just a wee-bit complainy.
On a separate note: how crazy/humbling it is that 3,500 nautical miles passed under our keel during our journey last year, but it only took six hours on a plane to undo all that progress?
We had a blast during our visit. I tried my best to take lots of photos, but it felt really weird having a camera out all the time in places that I once called home – especially NYC. Here’s my lame-photo summary of our trip, which was nothing but fun.
First stop, the family homestead in Maine. My mom and I spent the better part of a week disinfecting and de-smellifying all of the stuff I’d brought home for storage. (Non liveaboards, how can you stand us? We must smell disgusting to you!) We also made a lot of nice, simple meals from my mom’s garden, had a BBQ that included a lot of my extended family, and dad took us for ice cream by the lake. I got a much-needed haircut, and finished a big writing project I’d been struggling through.
Next to family and friends, eating lobster rolls was Brian’s top prerogative during our trip north.
Finally! A haircut! Rat’s nest no more.
View of Mt. Washington from my parents’ back porch
Ice cream by Long Lake with mom and dad.
Then I took a bus down to Boston for a whirlwind weekend – throwing Tory and Maia’s bachelorette party and catching up with some friends. It was great spending time with Tory and Maia before things got real with the wedding. The party was super-fun, friends from both girls’ circles gelled really well, we enjoyed some awesome BBQ and karaoke in a private room (I planned the party from our boat in the Caribbean!) My friend Devon (who is also friends with my sister) came up from NYC and stayed with me so we could squeeze in some extra time together. The morning after the party, she introduced me to the magical spinning goodness that is Flywheel (have I mentioned how much I miss spin living aboard?). Finally, I got to meet up with my friend Scott, who I haven’t seen in ages, for burgers, (fantastic) beers, and political ranting in the neighborhood where we lived during college. Felt like old times!
Bachelorette party for the brides in Boston the weekend before the wedding. My sister Tory is on the left, her wife Maia on the right (unicorn horns by Brooklyn Owl).
We had A-AMZ-ING Texas BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q, followed by Karaoke, which is my sister’s all-time favorite activity. Here, we’re doing a sisterly rendition of Me and Bobby McGee.
Then it was back to Maine for the week leading up to the wedding. It was very DIY and there was lots to be done!
Making four rustic layer cakes in different flavors for the wedding – so great to be using a land oven and my trusty old Kitchen Aid!
Decorating the dining hall for the reception.
The wedding took place at Camp Encore/Coda, where I spent summers during my early teen years and later worked as a lifeguard and head counselor during college. It’s a nostalgic place for Tory and me – and the perfect setting for such an important moment in her life.
The wedding party posing on the bridge that separates the girls’ side from the boys’. Tory and Maia gifted the members of the party with these beautiful flannels– will come in handy for cold sails, no doubt! Photo: David Oberborbeck Andersen
In 1993, I performed as Sandy in the camp musical Grease! on this very stage. Behind us are the first sailboats I ever sailed. Lots of good memories in this old concert hall. Photo: David Oberborbeck Andersen
L to R: My sister Tory and her wife, Maia. photo: @BenWheelerPhotography
Wedding ceremony in the pine grove next to Stern’s Pond near sunset. (I can’t remember who took this photo on my phone during the ceremony, but thank you!)
photo: @BenWheelerPhotography
The second of four lobster rolls – these were at my mom’s house the night before we left for NY.
A group of camp alumni from over the years on my parents’ front porch – day after the wedding. Yup, I’m the oldest in this group. Some of these peeps were my campers!
After the wedding and the post-wedding clean up, Brian and I said goodbye to my family and flew to Long Island to visit his. We had an awesome visit with his parents and his sister, Lindsay, who is engaged to be married next summer! Unfortunately, we were so busy experimenting with our fun new Polaroid Snap camera (thanks Maia and Tory!) that I didn’t get a chance to take any real photos during this part of the visit. If you squint, you can see shots of us cooking, playing with Lindsay’s dog Indy, belly-laughing, and eating more lobster rolls! Practice makes perfect, I guess.
Poorly focused Polaroid shots from our adventures in Long Island with Brian’s family (wish I’d gotten out the real camera here!)
Finally, it was on to NYC, where we had less than three days to cram in as many friends and delicious greatest hits from our favorite food stands and restaurants as we possibly could. We found a tiny, serviceable Air BnB studio apartment in the East Village, where we used to live, and did our best to re-live our normal life in the New York the way we would have on an average summer weekend. It was fantastic catching up with so many friends from all parts of our city lives! And the food and wine… I won’t even start.
Morning run along the river in East River Park
Hanging out by the fence, watching the dogs play in Tompkins Square Park
Bagels at David’s Bagels on 1st Avenue
Union Square Farmer’s Market
I would have stuffed all of these in my suitcase, if only it wasn’t illegal to bring them back to Grenada.
Green tea and black sesame ice creams at my favorite – Sundaes and Cones
Hanging out on the lawn under the latest installation in Madison Square Park
Italian wines! By the glass! While we wait for our table at Momofuku up the street – just like old times. At Veloce on 2nd Ave in the East Village
With Morgan, one of our besties
First course: ham tasting at Momofuku Ssam Bar
Meatpacking District, as seen from the Highline
Walking with iced coffee at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brian’s first cronut! He never got to try one of these magnificent pasty mashups by Dominique Ansel (my favorite pastry chef), before we left NYC – so we made up for lost time.
Drinks with friends at Pier A Harbor House
With Kelley and Jason of Sailing Chance – our original NY sailboat neighbors. I miss seeing their faces everyday on our ferry commute to and from our boats to work and back. They’ll soon cut the dock lines to take their beautiful boat out for their second cruising adventure!
Annnnd the terrible Polaroid snapshots that didn’t come out so great – including our favorite fried chicken from The Redhead, get-togethers in Brooklyn with friends from Etsy (my former employer), and more downtown Manhattan shenanigans!
We loved every minute of our stay, but we were also very happy to return to the boat, which feels like home wherever we roam, and to Nico, who survived the week with the 1st Mates (highly recommend these guys) coming to the boat daily to feed him and attend to his kitty needs.
Where are we now?
Thank you for the Pictures of your Family Wedding you had in Maine.And the pictures of you and Brian. We are sorry we were not there for this good time.
Glade you are having a good time . Keep in touch Please..9-6-16, 5:32pm
It’s always an interesting experience fitting back into the old life. I felt it most acutely going to NYC after living in India for nearly four years in the mid-90s. That’s when I coined a term to decribe it: “reverse culture shock.” I felt it to a lesser extent after Hong Kong/Thailand (7 years). But, it’s amazing how quickly you fall into the old routines once you go home for good.