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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