RESIGNING...

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult.

I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8-year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple.

When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.

All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair.

That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible.

I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again.

I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So...here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit cards and all my responsibility.

I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, 'cause,

"Tag! You're it."

~Author Unknown!~

 I found this poem a long time ago and even then I didn't know its author. I would gladly credit them if I could find their name. It is such a wonderful poem. I looked again and saw similar but not exactly word for word. The photos were taken in San Diego on a holiday. You may remember me mentioning that we lived there for several years in the 90s, and we revisited in 2010. The children were in Balboa Park, all grown up and perhaps with children of their own by now. The man is a bit fuzzy but he's resigning and wanted out of there in a hurry. I saw him on Coronado Island. It was a great place to live and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

FROM MY ARCHIVES - THE STAR OF INDIA, SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 2010

These photos were taken near the Maritime Museum, San Diego in September 2010. The ship is the Star of India.

The Star of India is the world's oldest, active sailing ship. She began life on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in 1863. The first name she bore was Euterpe and would remain so until 1901.  (For those who are not familiar with that part of the world, the Isle of Man is in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The island is not part of the United Kingdom or European Union, but has the status of crown dependency, similar to Jersey and Guernsey, with an independent administration. Its inhabitants are British Citizens.)

The Star of India began her sailing life with two near-disastrous voyages to India. 

On her first trip she suffered a collision and mutiny. 

On her second trip a cyclone caught Euterpe in the Bay of Bengal, and with her top masts cut away she barely made port. 

Shortly afterwards her first sea captain died on board and was buried at sea.

More interesting facts about her:

She was launched five days before Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. 

She sailed twenty-one times around the world. 

She was never fitted with auxiliary power. 

She went aground in Hawaii.

She became an American ship by Act of Congress. 

She was trapped in ice in Alaska. 

At the time of writing, she still sailed every November with a volunteer crew. Whether this is still the case, I don’t know.

More information about her can be found at the link I gave under the first photo.

Years ago, back in the days when we actually lived in San Diego, Gregg and I decided to drive into the city and visit the ship. We noticed quite a crowd of people and standing on my tippy toes I saw Walter Cronkite walk by and watched as he was escorted on board. I am not sure what he was there for but I do remember seeing him on the news that night. I always enjoyed listening to him.

If you want to learn more about Walter Cronkite you can click here.

This friendly man gave us a wave after his photo was taken.

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

~Louisa May Alcott~

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

FROM THE ARCHIVES - THE STAR OF INDIA, SAN DIEGO - PIRATE JIM

 

Pirate Jim

~Shel Silverstein~

"Walk the plank!" says Pirate Jim

"But Captain Jim, I cannot swim."

"Then you must steer us through the gale."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot sail."

"Then down with the galley slaves you go."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot row."

"Then you must be the pirate's clerk."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot work."

"Then a pirate captain you must be."

Thank you Jim, says Captain me."

Looking through my old photos I found this from a trip we took to San Diego in 2010. There will be a post tomorrow of other photos taken next to the Star Of India.

Until then, Avast me Maties.

Yo-ho-ho and a Bottle of Rum!

Thanks for walking the plank with me.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Groan as you please.

ANOTHER WISE OLD QUOTE

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."

~Charles H. Spurgeon~

(English preacher of the 19th century, 1834-1892)

NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO...

...you always find that people have trouble finding a parking spot.

Quick! Put your turn signal on!

Poor things, they have been going round in circles.

There are times when I can relate.

Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest of your week.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE - SAN DIEGO 2010

Lucky birds to live in such fine accommodations. 

 My photos were taken several years ago at the San Diego Botanical Garden in September 2010.  I was on my own but had tagged along on one of hubby's business trips, before retirement.  

It was the first time I had ever used GPS and remember feeling elation.  It gave me the comfort to venture forth in an unknown area.  I had an Atlas and had also written instructions, but could not take my eyes off that busy freeway.  I managed to get to the garden there and back without getting lost, while listening to the voice in the machine. It was a 70 plus mile round trip and meeting up with my Dear Other Half at the end of his work day, I remember the excitement of telling him all about the journey and about this beautiful garden.  

Another first for me was seeing my first hummingbird.  (I believe I have found its ID at this link, Allen's Humminbird?  Any experts out there who can confirm?  Added note:  In their comments below Anni of Hootin' Anni's Day Trippin' and David of Travels with Birds, both of whom know their birds, say this looks like Anna's Hummingbird.  Thank you Anni and David!  I can always count on my blogging friends.)  A great memory as even now it makes me smile at the excitement I felt at that encounter. I was sitting in a quiet spot on my own, and a hummingbird flew onto a branch just above my head.  We stared at each for what seemed like a long time, and I took lots of photos.  I put my camera down and observed quietly for several minutes before she flew away.

I felt like the young girl in this beautiful painting.  I wish I could give you the name of the artist, but I believe she knew how I felt with each brushstroke.  And at the end of every pathway was another memory maker.  I stayed for hours.  Absolute magic!

May you have your own magical moments this weekend, and thanks for visiting.