momo and the big blue world: The Battle Cry of Paragon

Listening to "Le Violette" by Luciano Pavarotti

Lying in the aft cabin this morning, eyes still shut and clinging to sleep, I heard the Battle Cry of Paragon waft into my consciousness. Though it has many different endings, the beginning is always the same.

"Mo! Do you know where my _________ is???"

As in do you know where my headlamp, drill, shoes, boat pole, drill battery, jacket, glasses, belt, coffee, headlamp again, pen, little piece of starboard that I just had in my hand, backpack and, most recently, leatherman is.

I have always known where things are located, even when they are not in their designated spots. Should you happen to absently place your notebook on top of the washing machine or drop a shear pin in the top drawer, there is a good chance that I will somehow absorb this information and be able to regurgitate it's exact position even days later. I do not know how I do this, but since Drake is the master of misplaced things we make a good pair.

That being said, I found the missing leatherman this morning (port side settee in the plastic box under the cushion) and we commenced to enjoy our last day living at anchor in Ocracoke. I spent a great deal of time on the phone ordering parts for future projects and arranging several returns while Drake sewed closure straps on the storage bags that live on the stern rail. I even bundled up and sat on the bowsprit to watch the ferry, the jellyfish, and the various birds circling the lake. It made me happy to sit outside in the frigid weather and just be a part of this magical place.

Watching the world float by

Freezing cold, but happy to be at anchor

Now the dinghy has been raised and secured, lines have been checked, and the cabin is almost completely stowed in preparation for our departure. We have reached a point in our projects where we need an infusion of parts that are waiting for us in Oriental, plus we are currently burning our last pieces of wood in the stove. It is supposed to be bitterly cold the rest of the week, with temperatures plunging into the low 20's, so off we go back to the marina.

In celebration of our last evening, Drake has even surprised me with...STOVE TOP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES!!! Oh yes! We are missing some key ingredients (pah! who needs baking powder!), but improvisation is what cooking at anchor is all about. They are deeeelish and, with a cozy fire in the stove and hot chocolate at hand, a perfect way to end our stay in Ocracoke.