Happy Winter Solstice Everybody

Equinoxes and solstices are the only calendar events that seem to matter to me anymore. Religious holidays never did, nor did all the "shopping holidays" like Xmas, Halloween, and Valentine's day.  When we still worked, long weekends were important, but now all our weekends are a week long.  Maggie and I still observe birthdays but even those lose their significance as we see more of them.

Pagans: that's what we are becoming.  The seasonal events punctuate time for us because they indirectly impact the weather and the weather tells us what we are able to do - use the weather to travel or seek shelter from it.  This year our Winter Solstice celebrations here in Sicily were special. 

Ibla di Ragusa

Merry Christmas

Louie and Molly

The cruisers living aboard their boats here in Marina di Ragusa are all very nice and a lot of fun.  So last night a few of us caught the bus to nearby Ibla di Ragusa to see how this fairy-tale town was dressed up in lights for the holidays. It was beautiful.  We had the baroque streets to ourselves as we strolled on the cobblestones.  After a drink to toast the sun's return from the Tropic of Capricorn, a snack and more strolling, we took the local bus back to the main town.  As the bus wound its way out of the valley that encircles the hilltop town, we could look back to see the town highlighted by its streetlights and Christmas decorations. 

Lighting the stove

Solstice Group

The next phase of our pagan celebration would have us gathering around a fire.  We collected some kindling on the way back to the marina from the bus stop and rendezvoused on H2OBO and lit the fire in the new wood-burning stove that I had installed the day before.  The heat from the stove and from our drinks, the faint aroma of burning wood, and our lively conversation all made for a very cozy setting and one somehow appropriate for the shortest day of the year.  I am sure it was a scene that has taken place every winter solstice stretching back to humanity's origins.

The stove has transformed life on board.  Electricity here is costly; folks are spending 4 or 5 euros a day to run small electric heaters to heat their boats, so they use them sparingly and their is always a little chill in those conditions.  But we have been collecting wood from the beach to burn in the stove and have been basking in the glorious heat without thinking about the cost.  My morning routine now consists of getting out of bed, starting a fire, and making a coffee on top of the stove with my espresso maker, while the boat warms up for Maggie when she rises from bed. 

Jessica, Ange and Branko

Ange taking the dogs for a ride

Branko trying to find his stove part

Branko driving the Ragusa train

So life is great here.  There are ample activities and attractions to keep oneself busy if you want to avoid doing chores, which I have been doing so far.  And that is why the solstice is important.  It reminds me that from now on the days will get longer, and, as the new cruising season approaches, it is time to start preparing for the new adventures in the upcoming year.

But before I get to it, I think I will just throw another log on the fire.....

Branko

Sophie, The Ships Cat

Sophie died September 12^th 2013, she was plus fifteen. It has taken me this long to write and I miss her.


When I hear 'news'(and given the option) I prefer bad first, followed with bittersweet memories and a few funny stories, to leave me smiling. So, with that in mind I have prepared as short story of Sophie.


She found us, loved Chester her dog, thought she was something other than a cat and believed she could climb anything and return to the ground by throwing herself into the air and landing, hopefully on something soft..ah but that was a long time ago, before she became - Sophie, the Ships Cat.


She had no idea.
Successfully making her way up the animal chain (in our home) to the 'proverbial' top, (our bed ) quickly found herself moved and living aboard H2OBO ...she adjusted well. As long as we were all together she was happy.
Never liking the engine noise,..but once we put the sails up and turned the motor off, she quietly lay down and sleep peacefully, a true sailor cat.


Sophie crossed the ocean, (in keeping with many a fine feline of old) an excellent first mate – keeping each of us company on our night watches, usually sitting on the chart table, and grinding her claws into the chart...and of course talking away about what she had seen and heard that day...dolphins, whales, fish and H2OBO gossip. Well the gossip was a little strange so I won't repeat...but whenever we were in some exciting circumstance, there she was, right beside us – literally. A furry bundle to hug and pet when you needed some comfort, she never said no..OK maybe sometimes she refused..but she was sooooo cute.


Everywhere we went, Sophie came too – whether driving through Bosnia, spending a weekend in Budapest or relaxing at anchor in Bermuda..she was there. Last winter however, we thought it might be nice for her to stay on a farm in Branko's family village in Croatia. Her new family consisted of Lydia, her Mom and Dad, a farmyard, 4 cats and a dog (who had puppies) – of course Sophie loved her new dog but was concerned with those other furry things called cats...she was never too sure about those guys. Sophie loved her new life. And to prove she was a worthy house guest would help in the barns(where the family kept animal feed) killing mice/rats.


Lydia’s Mom tells of a story, of going to the barn to chase away vermin, Sophie followed her and spent the day helping get rid of said vermin, 25 at last count, in 1 hour and...all on her own. She has always been a great hunter, enjoyed the 'stalking' aspect, and usually happy with her results. Her new family was quite taken with her and appreciated her quirky personality.


Sophie had never fought, but in her old age was having adventures she never dreamed of...one day, at the farm she met up with another cat (we are told the cat was visiting with one of the other farm cats) in the yard...Sophie not happy with this intrusion put up a valiant fight and came out of the scrap with a chunk taken out of her ear...Lydia said she now looked like a pirate...and had a little swagger that was not present before.


Sophie has lived an exciting life. The boat although wonderful was a little small and looking back we both feel her time in the village was a beautiful cat experience, one that she would never have had living on the boat. Or so I hope, as I would be thoroughly disgusted and perhaps living somewhere else if rats and mice were in such abundance aboard H2OBO.


Sophie remains in our memories, in my writings and in our hearts. Yes she was just a cat, but don't they just make their mark on your life?

Mag

Road Trip

Dinner with Branko

Sophie's berth