The Pull to Relax

I can't quite get my eyes open, they are still heavy with sleep.  I can feel the warmth of the sun hitting my face as it comes through the hatch.  Most mornings I detest this invasion of light and warmth, but today it is softly pulling me awake, teasing me with the promise of a new day.  I hear a few seagulls, but mostly the clanking sound of halyards hitting the masts on all the boats around us. These merry sounds seem to be the percussive music of a sailor.  They consider it a natural sound of the environment, part of marina life.

I pull myself to a seated position, being careful not to bump my head on the low bulkhead(ceiling).  Rubbing my eyes and testing how far they will open, before rubbing them again. It's a little warm in the quarter berth, Andrew and I's small bed tucked into one side of the back of the boat.  Swinging my legs around, I pull myself out of the berth.  I turn back to look at the mess of sheets, I will do the game of twister to get the bed made later. I stumble forward to the head (bathroom).  Things are coming more naturally now, like the conservation of water.  Turn on a small amount of water, get your hands wet, turn off the water, pump out the soap, lather and scrub, turn the water on and rinse quickly then turn the water off.  There is a lot of turning the water on and off, not that we can't just refill the water tanks, but it is something we are learning.  I wash the sleep from my eyes and brush my teeth.  Pulling my hair into a loose ponytail, I look for something to wear.  We are currently keeping our clothes in plastic bins in the v-berth that we have dubbed the "garage".  I pull on some yoga pants, a tee and find my flip-flops.  After a quick breakfast, coffee and a shower (at the clubhouse), I start working for the day, checking emails, cleaning up the boat, preparing paperwork for the show I am doing.

 There is a slight motion in the boat, although these days I am starting to not notice it.  But if I look out one of the windows I can see the masts of other boats seem to float around.  I keeping plugging away, but the sun is rising higher in the sky and the delicious brightness is calling me outside.  I can't concentrate, how can anyone possibly want to work when you are in a vacation-type setting.  So I grab a book, a summer ale and sit in the cockpit and read.  I could stay right here all day.  There is very little movement on the water, the breeze is keeping me for getting too hot and I have a nice cold drink. As I glance up from my book, I have a fleeting thought about what to make for dinner.  But really that is hours away, plenty of time for planning...back to the story and the beer and the sunshine.