Musical Monday, Weekend Recap and Many, Many Pictures!
I've spoken before about my study abroad in Europe during the summer of 1999, and how incredible and life-changing and important and amazing and just so so so so so so (lack words to adequately describe) it was for me. For me, this entire album by Morcheeba brings back every feeling I had from that trip. Near the end of the trip, an Austrian guy wrote down a bunch of bands or singers to buy for a couple of us girls. One was Morcheeba. When I got to Paris, I ran across a music store and went looking for some of the recommended music. I don't remember if this album was the only one by Morcheeba but it was the one I bought and I didn't listen to it until I got back to Chicago, and then I couldn't stop listening to it.
Weekend Recap and Many Pictures (written Sunday night)
Okay so yesterday (Saturday), I went to The German's at around 10 a.m. and he made us breakfast and we cuddled for a bit, and I also got jealous when he got a call from first a long ago ex-girlfriend who he is still friends with (not like he is with me though, and to be fair, she's getting married very soon) and then from some chick who I know he sees occasionally as a friend but who I've never met or seen but she's a girl so of course I don't like it - and when he was talking to her he said that he was having breakfast the next morning with a third girl and a couple of her friends (and that third girl brought him back a stuffed pig from England a year ago so I of course also dislike her, even though again I've never met her or seen a picture).
With regard to the ex-girlfriend, I mocked the way he always talks to her on the phone, like she's this fragile little flower who will crack if he doesn't talk to her like a five-year-old. It's annoying as hell. He laughed while I did this, and didn't deny that he does talk to her like that. With regard to chick #2, I quizzed him to make sure I understood this relationship, and with regard to chick #3 I did the same, and he laughed at my jealousy and told me, "I am yours." And it came out later in the day that both of these two chickypoos are not pretty and are overweight, and I know it's extremely petty of me, but it made me feel so much less threatened and so much better.
While still at his place though, and after I was being silly with my jealousy and he was laughing at my silliness, I burst into tears about it and he pulled me over to the bed and kissed me and held me and kissed me again. I know we have a bit of an odd relationship.
Anyway, after that we took a cab to the marina because we were running late - the sailing Race to Mackinac started at noon and thereafter and we wanted to see some boats, and I wanted to take pictures! I was really nervous about getting to his boat because when he was there the weekend before he said it was infested with spiders and as we all know, I fucking HATE spiders. And when we got there my worst nightmare was coming true because they were everywhere - at least mostly babies but some really huge ones as well, including one that was as big as the tip of my thumb that The German swiped overboard - oh holy shit my heart is beating fast just thinking about it. I killed many many many by stepping on them and they had dark green guts - how gross is that! But there were so many more on the rolled up sail above our heads!
The German just got right to business and suddenly, before I knew it and before I felt that the spider situation was even close to adequately addressed, he had started the engine and unhooked us and we were motoring out. I got my camera out because of course I couldn't let the opportunity go by to take some great pictures, but my position was one of straight back, not leaning against the backboard because spiders were crawling all over, and I knew where every single visible spider was in the wrapped up sail as well as a few that weren't easily visible, so I was monitoring those spiders as well as constantly looking at the floor, the seat across from me, the board behind me, and everywhere else possible. It was terrible. I felt so vulnerable.
But anyway, I did manage to get some great shots that I just love!! I put my telephoto (or is it telefoto?) lens on and it was the first time I've really used it, and I'm so excited about it now! And when The German and I had motored for awhile but before we went out of the final breakwater, he said something about putting the sail up and I told him just how LITTLE fun I was having because of all the spiders that he hadn't helped me get rid of. Because he's who he is and a good guy, he felt really bad so decided we should try out the anchor for the first time and just watch the boats parade out into the open lake. I liked this plan.
Anyway though, he then felt bad and apologized about not having the rope untangled before, and for not making me feel comfortable with the spider situation. And he helped me kill some of the obvious spiders that I pointed out and then fashioned a little comfy area for us and held me reclined against him, and we watched the ships go by and I got to take a lot of pictures. And when he put up the sail later I sat in the front of the boat so that no spiders could drop on me, and he killed any and all that fell down.
And then we sailed! And any spiders that were left on the sail flew off and when I would every once in awhile see a small one crawling around I would kill the motherfucker. So he showed me tacking, and I did the tiller and he did the jib or jenny or whatever it's properly called. And we had really good wind for awhile! And it was fun! Then awhile later we got a good wind going outside the breakwater so headed straight out but then we had a brief lapse in the wind, and I decided to take some pictures, and then I started feeling a bit of something in my stomach. The German went below to get me some of the anti-seasick pills and we ate some grapes and drank some water and I felt a little better at first but then not so much so we turned around, and then the wind died. So finally after sitting for a bit rocking in the water and my stomach rocking more with each minute, I suggested turning the motor on and he agreed and we started motoring in and then The German admitted that he was feeling a bit seasick as well, so I didn't feel as bad. We motored all the way in and near the end I navigated while The German packed up the sails so that we were ready to be picked up by the tender as soon as we got back. I was happy to get back on dry land!
And then we went back to The German's place for awhile and laid on the bed and looked at the pictures I took and ate some dinner. And then we went to Home Depot so he could get some bug spray (because he also has some wasp nests built inside his boat - yuck!). And then we parted ways. So it's no wonder that I was so tired last night! Sailing takes a lot out of me normally just because of the sun and the kind of always being on and bracing against waves and all that, but sailing with my constant worry about spiders was stressful as fuck!!!
Here are some of my pictures from the day, I love them!!!
Didn't this turn out so well!!! I didn't even have to crop this picture! I felt like a professional photographer when I saw this picture! I love my telefoto lens now!
View of the skyline from a little further out.
When we looked back at this picture we counted 24 people on this boat! (But to be fair, I don't know if it was racing or not - still though, it's a lot of people!) Another racer heading out. We anchored right by the lighthouse.
This is a commercial tour sailboat that we always admire from afar because it looks so so so cool and pretty with all its sails!
A racer in action with both sails all the way up! (Regular lens)
Skyline from farther out, right before I got seasick. (Regular lens)
Okay, those are the fun pictures! I love how especially that second one turned out - the close-up of the sailboat and crew from behind! So so cool!
Today, as I said before, The Bold One called to wake me up at 11 and I managed to get down to her area at 2:00 p.m. - 1) because I'm slow in the morning and 2) because it took well over an hour to get there between the time that I left my place and arrived at the restaurant where she and another friend were having lunch. This is the first time that I've been to this area or anywhere around this area, I was so excited!!! It was the kind of Little Italy area of the city and around her new condo it was so cute and quaint and there were flowers and little gardens all over the place, it had such a nice little atmosphere. But then just a few blocks away there were some old Projects (and that's what she had me first walk through to meet them at the restaurant so I was wondering just what kind of area she had moved into!).
After lunch, The Bold One and I walked a ways towards where the open-air Sunday market is, which I guess use to be on Maxwell Street (which I have heard many stories about). We were late so the market was closing up and most of the people were busy packing their stuff up. We're going to go again next week and get there earlier so we can get the full experience. But even though we were late, we saw so many characters and every kind of thing was being sold, from old used tools to old vacuums to new shampoos and drug-store items to tons of men's shoes, to tires. It was really cool!
And after that we walked further and went to Target - and I just LOVE going to Target! They have some of EVERYTHING!!! We spent at least an hour there looking at everything. I ended up getting two pair of yoga pants (my favorite and I live in them at home), a little t-shirt, a very cool clock, a basket for my living room that perfectly matches the color of the paint in my dining room (to put magazines and stuff in so my coffee table is less cluttered), and some silver block letters that spell "Love" (and I don't care if some people think that's cheesy, I love my power words!), and The Bold One bought some shirts and a flashlight.
And do you know what Target had that I was just fascinated with? They had special escalators for the shopping carts!! I'd never seen those before even though The Bold One said they're in Europe and at some other stores here. I loved them! We didn't have a cart when we went upstairs so I didn't get to try it out but I loved it!!!
Okay, I'm getting really sleepy now. But first, here are two pictures from today:
A beautiful flower near The Bold One's house.
This is the front door on a place in The Bold One's neighborhood, how cool and amazing is it - it's solid carved wood, even the door handle!
Okay, time for bed!