Day Dreaming

P

potter water

New member
All through my school years my teachers criticized me for day dreaming. In fact I did and barely made it through to graduate from high school. Here, some 50 years later, I can't focus at all on anything. My mind keeps drifting back to Oak Bay on Lake Powell and the fun it was to attend our first "gathering" and enjoy the camaraderie of other cruisers.

Now, I look out at my deck that has 2 feet of snow on it and can't help but think how long this winter has been and how lonely "still crazy" must be in her storage. At age 68, I also see the sands of time quickly oozing down into the skinny part of the hour glass. It's kind of scary to think that I'm of an age when there's no point in getting life insurance as the companies assume you'll die any time now and don't want to sell it to you. That's okay, but it is a mark in my timeline. I went to the foot doctor today. Yep, he's the age of my youngest son. He's cut my right foot open a few times and has done a good job. The middle aged men in my church tend to call me sir instead of brother.

I think well, maybe I've got 10 more good boating years in me...or not.

But regardless, it was great being in Oak Bay even though I was among the 2 or 3 oldest there. I was by far the better looking though, so there is some satisfaction in that.

I'm looking forward to the snow being gone, trying to figure out how to get the batteries back into the boat correctly and firing up the water hose to run the engines. Then, I will be young again and the world my oyster, (don't know where that comes from...I'd rather the world be my mega-yacht), my wife will look like she's 25 years old, I will be able to swim miles without losing my breath, my body will be firm and sporting a nice 6 pack, food will go down without any digestive retribution, I will sleep like a baby, the tinnitus will be quiet, I will save many distressed boaters, and I will be a boating god.

Oops, I hear one of the little grand kids we're baby sitting, crying in the other room!
 
When I was looking for our first boat I viewed a couple that were being "given up" by old guys who were no longer able to launch and look after them.

The saddest day of my life will be the day I am forced to admit I am no longer able to "go down to the sea" and "mess about with boats".

Regards, Rob
Another day dreamer
 
How about this-We went to the humane society a few months ago to adopt a kitty. We picked one out and then the staff went into a huddle. I asked our daughter what that was about and she said they were hesitant to let me adopt because the kitty would probably outlive me. Well we got the kitty (our daughter had to "cosign the loan" so to speak). Anyway, being 76 isn't so bad. Lots of good things about it including the fact that I've outlived all my enemies.
:lol:
 
I share your daydream of spring and nice boating weather. I would call you sir because of your obvious wisdom, yet brother because of your adventuresome spirit. :)
 
Anyway, being 76 isn't so bad. Lots of good things about it including the fact that I've outlived all my enemies.
Always a silver lining huh Marty?
 
Harry, best post I've read here in quite some time & did it ever strike a nerve with me. Sounds like we could have been twins concerning the daydreaming. When young & ever after if not doing something adventurous, I was daydreaming about either the last one or the next one being planned, with when young school work & later, just plain work suffering to some degree on account of it. Now due to the freedom of retirement my daydreaming has almost disappeared & am more content then I ever believed possible in the here & now with grandkids & a relaxed enjoyable day to day living. I'm happy to say Jolee & I are doing everything we can to slow the arms of time by living fully every day as it passes & keeping our bodies & mind in the most healthy condition possible so as to fully enjoy what ever time remains to us. Not to say future adventures are not being planned or looked forward to or past ones relived through video, photos & sharing with others. My daydreaming is now being more regulated to a sleeping aid at bed time. Much better to me living old dreams come true & planning new ones than counting sheep.

We started the boating chapter of our lives very late compared to many here who have been involved in one way or another with boating most of their lives. I know most here push the safety factor before most any other aspect of boating as perhaps it should be, but when we purchased our first boat (other than a small rubber inflatable & canoe) our 22 foot CD, we knew where we wanted to explore with it & because of our very limited boating knowledge knew that an elevated risk must be accepted in the doing or wait longer than willing to lower the risk. Fortunately for me I had time on the job to throughly learn all that I could from reading books & other information about cruising, seamanship, instruments & boating in Southeast Alaska. It was the actual hands on experience that we were sorely lacking. As those who have followed my writings of our various cruises in the Grand Adventure Forum, through this learning process know, we jumped in from the get go learning as we progressed from adventure to adventure. Our boating through the last 10 years has been a phenomenal time & the most enjoyable period of a wonderful life with very few regrets. I'm now more happy then ever that we entered this boating phase of our life in the manner we did, because if we had waited until retirement & slowly gained experience, it most likely would have not have made up for the loss of physical ability & confidence brought on by the aging process & the concerns shared by the good hearted well meaning folk of the C-Brat community. At that time, we being mountain not water people didn't know anybody evolved with boating to tell us our plans were just not realistic & much to dangerous for us & the others we might encounter due to our lack of experience & knowledge of boating in general & particularly the ocean waters of Southeast Alaska. Now at the present time due in good part to this time accelerated learning curve during those wonderful adventures, we gained achievements & experience to counter the present loss of physical ability, endurance & declining drive, which is giving us the confidence to continue on exploring these & other waters as we continue the aging process.

Are you still planning on heading to Lake Powell for the gathering in April? If so, looking forward to seeing Susan & you there again.

Jay
 
It's sobering to realize that one's list of things they want to do, and places to they want to explore may well be longer than their Calendar; but that's the way it is.

Some thoughts:
(1) Eat Your Dessert First.
(2) Ignore tinnitus - eventually you won't hear it!
(3) Remember to STRETCH both your body and your mind. And keep the Ibuprofen handy, it's a miracle drug!
(4) Respect those who have gone before you, and Love the one beside you.
(5) Consider making your Next birthday be the number of your previous birthday (e.g. 66, then 65, then 64...).
(6) LIFE is about 90% Attitude; have a Good one. Ignore the rest.

Best,
Casey&Mary
 
Daydreaming vs planing for the future?

Always have to have goals in life--maybe even more important as you age.

I am seeing those who do not keep their mind active slip faster than those who do.

Those of us who are 76, had a life expectancy of 65 when we were born--and now we have a statical chance of living at least another 5 years on an average. 5 years does not seem like a long time--but one can do a lot of things in 5 years--if the body allows that!

Yes, Oak Canyon is a wonderful place, and wonderful people were there!
 
Carpy" comes from "Carpe Diem". After some adventures with mortality I no longer put off to tomorrow what I can do now. We are seizing the day here in Florida on the St. Johns. We had a wonderful 2 weeks on the water and are looking for a couple more before we go back to the frozen north.
Do it now!

Bruce & Joyce on Carpy
 
Great post Harry, Casey et al, I am doing much the same as you Harry, except I'm aboard looking out the window at the snow! That storm walloped AZ real good, even Tucson got snow. We are snug as a bug, with our big oil radiator heater going, 33F outside overnite. We'd planned on a 5 1/2 month run about the southwest and it's working great. Next winter, further south! We all need goals all of our life, like Bob says, it is absolutely true. My old sailing buddy Winston was down in the dumps last year and I challenged him on what his goal was currently. He didn't have one which was a revelation to a guy that always had a goal thru his whole life. Like sail around the world, sail the northwest passage, build a new boat. Like that. He immediately started planning his next voyage and cruise BC for 4 months, he also just flew back from Austrailia from a visit. He's only 76. Keep moving George :smiled
 
Sure like this thread. Thanks Harry.

As a kid (grade school) I was growing up in Sidney BC, and my best friend was an 8ft plywood dingy that I kept tied by the bridge on Rest Haven Bay. Because of the long shallow (mud) beach, I went out with the high tide, and came back with the high tide, (saved walking several 100 yards in the knee deep muck). I learned early that I could go "all the way around" mostly just big rocks that I called islands and then they got bigger and some were actually named islands. I went to Vancouver Island from the prairies of North Dakota, so I learned about the "Big Island on the left" early on, and often day dreamed about going around it in my own boat -- someday. Still a dream, but much closer to reality now. I would row up and down the fairways in the marinas, looking at all those boats with names on them and think, "one day I will have a boat with a name". That dream came true. Then I learned about the big island on the right, (Newfoundland) when my 6th grade teacher left to go there to teach. That is when I added that island as another circumnavigation goal. Still hope to be able to do both of them some day. Somewhere along the line I got saltwater in my veins and it never left.

When I found my boat it was set up to go to Alaska. That trip didn't happen. I have every intention of making that trip, but I daydream still about those two islands. Day dreams and goals - some differences both are motivational factors in staying young, healthy and sharp.

This site is a great resource for helping to keep the dreams alive.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

JC_Lately_SleepyC_Flat_Blue_070.thumb.jpg
 
"One man’s daydreaming is another man’s day."

Yes, daydreams can help to guide a future -- as a kid, I used to trace my finger around on maps and dream I was there -- seeing what that map promised. Then, I realized, I could do it. Worked after school jobs, saved money, and took off on school holidays to "see the world" and follow the trails of those dragged fingers.

Still doing it. Daydreams are a marvelous motivation.
 
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