Sunday, September 28, 2008

Forgetful?

I did something so breathtakingly empty-headed I can't even believe it.

(This has nothing to do with being bold at all. Just following up on my boating adventures.)

I lost my boat. My sweet little inflatable kayak, in which I have traveled as much as 8 miles in an afternoon.

I lost it by walking off and leaving it, forgetting to put it back in the trunk of my car. It always takes me two trips to get the boat and gear from water's edge back into the car. On this occasion 2 weeks ago, I simply forgot to make the second trip. Instead I got into the car and drove off.

There's some excuse in the fact that I was a little addled, because the boat had sprung a leak. I discovered about 50 feet from shore that the right side was deflating fast. It was not a convenient day for swimming because, in spite of the 80+ degree weather I was wearing knee high rubber boots because I had a cut on my leg that wasn't supposed to get wet. But I got to shore with no problem because I was close and the wind and water were strongly heading that way.

I hadn't realized that if one of the compartments of the boat were to go flat, it would no longer be a boat, it would be a sort of raft. So perhaps I was unconsciously feeling "let down" and annoyed and thus walked off.

Sure didn't mean to leave it there.

Now I've posted signs at the boat ramp, called four government agencies, felt like a crestfallen fool. Somewhat forgiven myself.

The other excuse in this matter (other than aging) is that I take a wee bit of medicine for obsessive compulsive disorder which is supposed to help a person not check locks and burners over and over. Well, it can also keep a person from checking once. I override this with extra care in anything that has to do with work or driving, making sure not to get Drano confused with a soft drink. But I didn't know I had to use extra care to remember to pack up my boat. Damn!

Well, now I'm alerted. Have stepped up the mindfulness meditation.

Here's a photo from a few weeks back of my little kayak. Do let me know if you see it.

I keep telling myself that a needy family with 18 children found it abandoned and patched it and is enjoying it so much that I wouldn't even want to reclaim it if I could see them.







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8 comments:

Debra said...

Oh Peggy, I feel so sad about your boat!(unless that cute, GIANT family has it) I could tell how much pleasure you got from taking it out on the lake. Will you get a new one?

Peggy Payne said...

I do plan to get another one. The new one will likely be a little smaller, easy to hoist in and out of the car, assuming I remember to do that.

May wait until next season. I'm not sure. I'm going to give the old one a few days to show up anyway.

One of my serious-boater brothers consoled me yesterday, said let it go. He told me about a dentisit buddy of his who decided that his boat would slide off the trailer easier if he unhooked all the ropes before he took the car down the ramp.

Well, of course, the boat fell off in the parking lot as soon as he moved the car. People offered to help but had trouble not laughing.

My mindfulness meditation increase hasn't totally kicked in yet. I was sitting thinking yesterday that I was going to be much more mindful every moment; and while thinking that, I poured a soft drink down my shirt: I'd failed to turn the can so that the hole in the top and my mouth coincided.

Really paying attention!

billie said...

Peggy, I'm sorry about your boat too. But I suspect someone else "needed" it - they got it - and now you are free to let it go and get something you like even better.

I did something totally silly and forgetful last week - we were all laughing about it here - but of course now I can't remember what it was!

I'm generally addled this past few weeks - have been sort of officially "not writing" b/c of computer ergonomic issues - and am about halfway through the process of shifting to a new set-up to make it easier on my body.

The not writing thing is hard on me and I get a bit crazed, so I've been doing all sorts of odd things.

Hope you get a new boat soon - end the boating season with a voyage on the new one!

I'm

Peggy Payne said...

Hey Billie, sorry about the ergonomic problems. I hope that resolves soon.

Maybe the odd things you've filled in with will turn out to have been vital.

Good idea about shopping for a kayak now. For one thing, it's the right time of year to do buy a Craigs list vessel. And just as soon be ready to go next spring without rueful backward thoughts.

Debra said...

Peggy,

Any word on the missing vessel? Like Billie said, someone else must have "needed it".

Peggy Payne said...

No word, Debbie. Thanks for asking. I've located a good possible replacement that'll fit me and my car better. And when I see my old boat out on the lake I'll have a look at the new owners and see what I think.

Debra said...

Peggy, maybe there's a possible "story" behind the loss of your boat. I do hope that you spot it out there on the lake, and that it looks happy with whoever found it. Can you go boating all year round?

Peggy Payne said...

No doubt it'll work into a story somehow.

I haven't tried any winter boating here. It would take a wetsuit, which I've considered but not gotten. I'm not sure that winter kayaking in an inflatable is going to appeal to me, now that I know how fast the air can go out. And I do want an inflatable because I can carry it in my trunk, and lift it myself. Bob and I have a canoe, but it takes two people and a lot of planning to get it to the lake.

I love the spontaneity of hitting the water on the way home from work: just roll up my pants legs and puff up the boat.

Are you a boater? I know you've had lovely ocean pictures on your site.