Week 8

This has immediately begun on a much better foot than last week. thank goodness. Turnday (Sunday) was rigorous as always, but lugging stores around and putting them away actually felt good on my body, as opposed to strenuously exhausting. Hattie and I still managed to work out too.
I also found out why last week was so hard internally: my days were a routine of hard work but no play, physical exercise but no mental challenge. Even writing this blog provides a wonderful opportunity to practice correct grammar, exercise my vocabulary, and remember how to write in an interesting manner. So I have picked up my next book: Journal of Solitude by May Sarton. It was lent to me by Mario when he was still here and he left it behind. It is written as journal entries with dates. Each entry is a reflection on the author's daily life linked to deeper connections of a questioning philosophical nature.

Atmosphere
The days are getting a bit shorter. No longer can I enjoy the sunset after work. By then it is almost pitch dark at an early 8:30 pm. I wonder what it will be like later in the year. How will my general discomfort with winter fare in one of the coldest and darkest places of all?

Work life
The Contessa's season ends September 30th, on Papi's birthday. Hopefully I will get a break at that point before transferring to the Empress of the North. I shall join the Cousin! We shall ask for the same rotation! We shall work our little a-star-stars off and make buttloads of money! We shall save it all and then spend a juicy quantity traveling!

Nature
How could I have forgotten! Last week two incredible phenomena occurred on the same night. Tyler, the deckhand, woke me up at 1:45 am to inform me that the northern lights were visible from the stern. Thankfully my brain caught on quickly o the information he was giving. Sure enough, right outside the lounge windows were long waves of dancing green light, jumping up and sailing down in a seemingly random patter. Two strands barely touched yellow and red tones. On and on they played with each other, while the few of us who managed to get up quickly rubbed the sleep out of our eyes and marveled at the spectacle. On port side we could see the moon, which was undergoing a complete eclipse. We would hop around from one side to the other, trying to decide which one as cooler. The aurora Borealis faded into the horizon' glimmer at 2 am and only the moon's hide-and-seek game remained. I put myself to bed and left the curtain up so I could watch her disappear. The warmth of the soft blankets and the sight of a friendly light are much more comforting than imagined. I was asleep by th time she hid her face. Apparently the embarrassment caused it to be red.


Songs of the moment: Fortress by Pinback, Lay Lady LAdy by Magnet, Atom Song and Cherry Trapstick byThe Popular Butchers.