My tugboat man is gone, and I’m left with an empty house and the debris and detritus from his departure: the cardboard box from his toothpaste on the floor, tossed in haste–the same for the dental floss packaging–clothes not taken strewn about–all in all, a gargantuan mess.
No matter how many lists he makes, sometimes things are left behind. He realized when we got to the airport that he forgot his watch– this time he was lucky, he’ll have time (ha ha, I made a joke) to buy one before he’s underway.
Now comes the period of adjustment to being half of a whole; he’s going to be traveling to another continent while I wait for him to return. Sigh.
Hold on a minute…do I feel the urge for some retail therapy coming on? Oh yes, I do! All is good. There’s nothing that a little shopping can’t make better. Right? Right!
Yesterday we went for a three-hour hike in one of my favorite spots: the Daley Ranch in Escondido. While it was overcast and drizzly near the coast, Escondido is inland where it’s usually always warm and sunny. We took the Sage Trail all the way up to Stanley Peak
This is an especially lovely time of year with the ceanothus in bloom. Ceanothus blooms are rich in saponins, which produce lather when rubbed with some water; basically ceanothus flowers make soap. It really works! Try it for yourself! Pick a handful of flowers, add a little water, and rub your hands together.
Ramona Lilac Ceanothus
As you can see off in the distance, it was a very hazy day near the coast.
White Lilac Ceanothus
The Ranch House
A forest of Monkey Flower, a California Native
Related articles
- Santa Monica Mts. Wildflower Report 4/3/13 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
- Santa Monica Mountains Wildflower Update 3/23/13 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
- Southern and Central California Wildflower Bloom Updates 3/29/13 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
Sorry he’s gone again
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Me too. 😦 sniff.
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 10:40 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Sending hugs xo
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Hugs received. Sending them back. (( ))
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 10:40 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Gorgeous pictures, thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for stopping by!
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 10:52 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I have never seen or heard of Monkey flower before. Thanks for sharing your retail therapy.
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We have a few in our garden and can’t wait until it looks like that pic! Here’s a wiki about them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimulus
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 10:59 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I’d keep you company during your ‘therapy’ sessions if I lived closer to you! Beautiful hiking photos.
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We’d have so much fun! The hike was moderately grueling. I stop to take pics and he hates it!
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I love it – I annoy all of the peeps I keep company with by constantly taking pics…and being all – this will make a great post!
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I know, right? You and I are sooo alike!
On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 7:28 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I know – it’s kinda scary…maybe we’re distant relatives?! 🙂 I hope so!
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Hope so, too! I would love to have a blonde in the family, ha ha!
On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 8:18 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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This is–hands down–the best time of year around here. California coastal Spring is like no other! We are headed to Carlsbad tomorrow to pick strawberries!
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OMG, I live right near where you’re going and I’ve never done that. I’ll be thinking of you! It should be a beautiful day 🙂
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 2:40 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I love lilacs and even though they are not in bloom here yet I can actually smell them just by looking at your pics. I love how you describe half of a whole. Do you know how long he will be gone?
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Right after he’s gone, that’s how I feel, then I just get on with things on my own. I think he might be gone about 2 months. Sigh…
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 3:28 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Seems like nice scenery. Go and get a dog and you will never be lonely when the boatman goes for sailing. You can bring your dog along to hike with you.
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This is the first time in our life we have not been surrounded by the love of dogs and cats. We wanted to wait for a while to get pets again so we could travel a bit –I hate to leave my pets and never really went anywhere when they were alive. But funny you should say that about taking a dog on the hike. yesterday there was a beautiful dog hiking with his owners and it got really warm and he got a overcome by the heat and had to be helped off the trail. Poor thing!
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 6:33 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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I’m sorry your hubby is gone again. It looks like an excellent place to hike if I were into that. Do you go anywhere on your own when your hubby is away? If not, maybe you should think about getting a pet again, but get it used to being boarded if you need to go away. If would be company for you when you’re alone.
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No, I don’t ever hike when he’s gone unless my son or DIL are here. Sometimes I visit them but that’s it. The problem with me and pets is that I’d never board them. I never want to be away from them ever, When all of our petchildren were alive, we only travelled separately. I went to Germany to visit my son for his junior year abroad and hubs stayed home to be with our pets. Or he goes away and I’m always here. It’s only been in the last couple of years that we have ever gone on a vacation together. He feels the same way, we never wanted a babysitter or daycare for my son and I couldn’t see strangers caring for my animals. I’ve heard too many horror stories, plus they would miss me as much as I miss them and I think it would be traumatic to be taken away from their home. Yes, it’s an issue I know I have!
On Thu, Apr 4, 2013 at 9:09 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Sorry about the departure … but his return gets closer by the minute. Thanks for sharing the hike!
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That’s a lovely way to look at it. Thank you for coming by!
On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 6:31 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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very pretty pics. And I really don’t know how you do it..must be real love for sure :0)
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What do you mean, the hiking? I’m an exercise freak, I need to work out a lot. A girl can’t shop ALL the time, can she?
On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 4:45 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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No the married to a Captain.
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OK, got it!
On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 12:49 AM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Hi there 🙂 My name is Nikki and I saw your post on Moms with Travelling Husbands forum. My partner is currently away for work for the first time and it’s a struggle to adjust. Hoping to find some friends with similar situations.
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Hi! It’s nice to meet you. How long are you going to be alone? I keep forgetting about that other forum I signed up for.
Let me know if you need a little pep talk or have any questions. 🙂
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I’ll be alone just a week this time, but two weeks at a time in the future. Thanks for adding me on Twitter! 🙂
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My pleasure! Let me know if you get lonely, and don’t listen to Christina Perri sing “Thousand Years” until he’s on his way home It’ll make tears every time!
On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 4:44 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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Do you know of other similar forums ?
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No,I don’t but that’s one of the reasons I initially wanted to do this, to create a community of merchant mariner spouses and girlfriends, or really any travelling spouse, and I wish I had more of a community. We used to own a maritime nonprofit and hubs is a USCG certified instructor, and between the two of us, we have tons of info, but it seems like most of my readers want stories about my life, more than about the nuts and bolts of a maritime career and I don’t know where all the MM women are.
On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 4:44 PM, Enchanted Seashells…Confessions of a Tugbo
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