Reef conservation (part 1 the arrival to Bali.

I spent two weeks at a north Bali reef conservation camp. This is my view not that of anyone else. From the beginning I arrived in Bali after a Long Long flight from Dallas Tx. My first 14 days there was Great to say the least my husband and I stayed at the Ritz Carrollton Bali (by far the best Ritz we have ever stayed at the staff there is amazing) and the Property is Beautiful. It took a good 3 days to balance out from the jet lag but after that we were out and about. The people in Bali, I have to say were very nice even if some didn’t speak English they tried and you could tell they really wanted to be friendly.

Our Trip to the Monkey forest. Amazing to see the animals there on their own free will was awesome. No one was forcing them they were running wild and could go and come as they please and yet they still had the care providers that they needed. ( why cant we do this for Sea Life??) ( Dauphins ?) anyways

When in Italy /Venice

Sometimes you just got to go sailing

  

Sailing

  

Morning visitors

    

First sail of spring

so this is how it starts ! Living near Dallas Texas you learn that when the weather gets cold it’s time to start doing repairs on the sail boat ( there won’t be a long window to do them). So my current situation is that I was fixing up my Catalina 30 few lines some washing jib sail repair this year was easy ! Late one afternoon talking with friend in the a marina ! He states that the guy in the end slip wants to get rid of his J24 cruiser and only wants 1,000$ for it ( in my head I’m thinking this boat is going to a wreck and needs to be parted out !!! To my surprise it was just recited last summer new sails lines, and keel painted (( what’s the catch )) long story short his getting a divorce and refuses to let his wife ex wife have it !! 

So after the purchase I thought let’s take it out for nice long spin around the lake ( after all I had only sailed it about 20 min before I purchased it !!!!!  Not having sailed with the tiller in hand in quite some time my heart sunk with joy at how responsive these J24 can be it was like falling I love with sailing all over again 

Finishing up my degree

I guess some might say I’m a late bloomer I didn’t start college till I was 32, don’t get me wrong before that I had worked for the same company for 10 years and loved it ! Still not sure what happened to make turn in my notice and do something different. After all , I loved the company loved the people and really enjoyed what I did everyday and some really good money doing it !! 

So now I’m coming to the end of my degree which I started 4 years ago ! I have to ask myself is this really what I want to with my life here at 37 years old? Was this a total waste of my time and money? Or is it fear of starting from scratch? 

Either way I know that everything will be fine I always find a way to make the best out of each situation! But it still doesn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty, 

Sailing

One of my favorites

Set sail towards the horizon
Amitav Radiance

Set Sail
You are a sailor
Drift way from the harbor
Pull up the anchor
That binds you down
Set sail towards the horizon
Take off the blindfold
And hoist the sail
Let the wind be your guide
Sun and the Moon your compass
Steering through uncharted waters
Sometimes calm weather
Or, inclement weather, rocking your ship
Tackling the deep waters with alacrity
Unfathomable depths, yet the ship sails
Cutting through the waters
The saline water, which is a part of you
Seagulls guide you towards the shore
Anchoring at the preferred destination
Every grain of sand cushions your feet
Welcoming you to the island of bliss
Cut off from the mainland
Yet, helping you connect with yourself
Now it’s time to unwind
And join the party after a successful voyage
Ready to set sail for another expedition
As a sailor, cruise till the end

© Amitav (Radiance)

How it all began (Ska’s pick)

Sail Away Into the Blue

Meow, cats, humans and other beings….

According to Wikipedia, I’m now around 70 human years old (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_years), should sleep peacefully more than 70 % of the day, which both sound an awful lot but sitting here on my bed, I can tell you, this human of mine has moved me around so many miles I hardly know where I am!

Well, at the end of 2011, I had everything I hoped for, a lovely home with a view over the Simon’s Town harbour and mountains, a cat door which gave me freedom to go wherever I wanted, lovely neighbours that spoilt me and the occasional chase of mice and birds – life was a  bliss. Then my human changed it all…

She met this little female chick who brought her human with her and that furball kept on bothering me from then on. No respect for elders, she jumped on…

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Vegan/vegetarian the struggle

This is the completion of week two for me on being a vegetarian. I never really understood the concept and how people could simple just give up something that we as children are taught is good for us! But on the flip side I don’t understand how as young adults could have turned a closed eye on how animals are treated, especially those of us who grew up on a farm!
I have learned in my two weeks that it’s not hard at all I feel that it is just a matter of opening up your mind when you walk by your local meat counter and understand what those animals went through !! There are other options I have found vegan based no meat plant based meat is a very good alternative !
I have also discovered that it is not such a leap from vegetarian to vegan in the middle of week two I discovered my fridge was completely loaded with only vegan products and I never missed anything

Life is good on this side and if it is only one animal I saved today by not eating meat it is a win win for us both

Loving the new vegan/vegetarian life

PS eating out is an is the new challenge