Today is a rainy fall day in the middle of October, so I’ve already had my coffee and am planning out when to make my sweet potato cinnamon buns. Don’t worry, you can even be fall themed on a boat ;). I actually almost bought a little fall decoration or fall candle, but decided that 1. There was nowhere to put it once it wasn’t fall anymore and 2. Fire on boats is typically a no no. So, I’ve been baking with lots of cinnamon and pumpkin spice and taking in all the delicious smells as we make our way into the cooler weather.
We have some awesome news: our forestay should be fixed by the end of this week!! We are SO stoked about this, because it means our original plan of being in Urbanna in November will still work out, and our trip South will not be pushed back. Of course, I’m writing all of this with my fingers, legs, and toes crossed while simultaneously knockin on wood because you never know what the world has in store for you, so I better not jinx it! Overall, it’s really good news and we’re hoping to get a lot of other little things done (boat stripes, painting the bottom, changing the name, portholes, and the forward hatch) in between now, being hauled out, and November! As always, the list of things to do is not short, but it’s all things we can still sail and manage while underway or once we get to our destinations. However, this rain is really not helping the progress of any outside work, so fingers crossed the rain passes and I get a lot done before we get hauled out next Monday!
Other than the stay, we had quite an exciting weekend. We made our way back to Chapel Hill, where I went to college, and got to properly celebrate my graduation. I was supposed to graduate in May of 2020, but we all know that was the midst of COVID so it was cancelled. So, when I got the news we were going to have a make-up graduation I really wasn’t keen on going because it had been a year, I was probably going to be in AZ or sailing, and it just didn’t make sense. However, when they announced our old basketball coach, THE Roy Williams, was going to be our speaker, I couldn’t not go. Our AZ trip was cut short because of the forestay breaking, so everything seemed to fall into place to make this happen, as life normally does.
I was able to show Steve around my old stomping grounds, where I used to live, my favorite places to get food or coffee, the way I used to walk to and from class every day. It was very nostalgic. He met so many of my friends that we probably wouldn’t get to see because of work, living in different states, school, etc. I loved sitting there, in my Carolina Blue cap and gown, one last time with all the people I loved most surrounding me.
I guess this is partly a love letter to UNC, but also just a reminder that having that “one last time” can be so life-giving. It really lit me up to see my beautiful friends who helped make my college years into what they were, and me into who I am. You can’t just forget about the people who were such big parts of your life, and I know I never will. So maybe this isn’t a love letter to UNC, but one to all of my friends and family who truly saw me through all the tears and bad test grades and the laughs and joy. Life, in the end, is what you make it.
Our Chancellor quoted Ferris Bueller, which was one of my favorite movies for the longest time. He said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,” and it’s true. If we don’t stop to take in the way the sky looks in the morning or the smile on your friends’ faces when they’re laughing so hard their stomach hurts, we’ll miss all the good things this life has to offer.
I really hope you stop and look around once and a while, because I don’t want you to miss any of it.
Happy Tuesday,
Skye
Mentally Sailing 