Sail Away

It's been a spectacular week in the East End (of LI). The ocean has been the perfect temperature and color. Striped bass are running in schools so huge they appear as roiling dark shapes heading west in blue jello. The nights have been cool enough for quilts and the mornings hold enough of a chill that you need to seek a sunny spot to perch for your first cup of coffee.
Sister-in-Law-Mactech lives out here full time. She's a learning specialist in a public elementary school about a third the size of The Burpie Cow-Wow School. Her summers are non-stop fun and we get to tag along. Last week she suffered a slight set-back as the thwarted terrorist plot made necessary the cancellation of her plans to fly to London this week to see the musical, Billy Elliot with the other sisters-in law.
She didn't waste any time filling her dance card and so last night we got to participate in a dinner party on a 52 ft. boat in Peconic Bay. The boat belonged to a fellow-teacher and her husband. He grew up in a marina and understood how to deal with all that crap behind the door they called "below."
I loved the boat with its miniature bedrooms and heads. And I was astounded at how easy they made cooking and serving a dinner for 12 seem. Well, served to 10 of the 12 because two of our party spent the evening in the stern (is that right? The back?) silently staring straight ahead or leaning over the side doing some unanticipated chumming. Seasickness is pretty much identical to the nausea of pregnancy for those of you currently moving through that state. Everyone else was sympathetic as there wasn't one of us who hadn't been there - either seasick or pregnant. I remember a particularly bad ferry ride to Block Island. I wouldn't get back on the boat at the end of our stay. Mac-husband had to take me back by air in a puddle jumper and then we had to find a way back to our car at the ferry terminal in Point Judith.
The water on Peconic Bay was unusually choppy last night. The wind kicked up as a low-pressure front moved in. Today it is here in earnest and the skies have opened and poured out for the first time in about 10 days. So it's not a beach day. It's definitely a blog, listen to music, read and eat day.
I'm in my last two weeks of summer vacation. But I'm not going to feel bad about it ending. I'm having a good time now.