Living simply, simply living.

It is interesting to note the fish story (below).  Havent caught anything, and probably will not have a chance to go out 'hunting' again until after we leave Gaeta (between Rome and Naples).  

In 'real life', that is, in our house with our careers, school, cars, and the like, we dont have the opportunity to live very simply.  I never thought I would have the chance,and wasnt really sure what it meant, except less TV, less shopping, acquiring less.  So far, living simply does involve those ideas.  But it also involves things like the importance of water. I have not had a real shower in a real marina since Majorca (sometime in mid to late July...it is freaking August 15.  I am squeeky clean... I take showers by lathering up with salt water after a swim and rinsing with a gallon or less of fresh water from our water tanks on the boat.  It is nice...the water is (almost always) warm, if not hot.  I am as naked on the back of the boat (usually), and I dont care if is in a crowded anchorage or not...it is like a shower at the gym, totally unsexy.  

Living simply is noticing how nice land is. Solid land where you can run around...even just walk as much as you want. Grass is a treat, even for the kids.  When we see it, we all rush to take off our shoes and feel it. 

We live with more salt and dirt than we are accustomed to. Sometimes I hate it.  While we are in Gaeta, I am going to find a Lavenderia (laundrymat) no matter what it takes, or what it costs, and wash our sheets, towels, clothing...everything in a machine.  With fabric softener.  It is unspeakable luxury that sends me over the edge.

We have not made a cell phone call or watched TV in 2 months.  I have not driven a car.  I have read 5 fat books (more had I not been working).  Code is reading my Chick books.  The kids have learned to push past bored, and today, on their own initiative, they decided to clean, organize, and decorate their room.  They didnt want to rush through it, because they wanted to enjoy it. They worked in there for hours (a V-berth, double bed with a single storage locker and 2 shelves.  No floor space except a small spot to stand. They were so happy with their work in a way I dont see at home.

My hair.  I learned that I dont need a cut or anything in the way of styling.  Clean hair, sun, and seawater create long blondish curls. Graemes hair is even more of the same.  The Europeans LOVE his long hair, and he is now loving the attention.  I gush.

Cooking with fire even is a big deal. By fire, I mean propane, which is hard to find here.  No sooner is the stove on and the water boiling do I flick off the switch to make sure I dont waste precious fuel.  So unlike home.  

Simply finding a store clerk who speaks English (we hate that we are not fluent in any language, but grateful that we can get by in French and Spanish).  In Italy, we're really struggling, but Code seems to love studying other languages and he is quite talented in it.  He always surprizes me.

We are not deprived, but we are just more aware.   Groceries, like laundry, is a family affair and an event.  We buy a bag of ice once or twice a week, just for fun, and make granitas (slushies) of all kinds.  Passionfruit or cassis?  How about both?  I like just peach or lemon.  It is great fun to have our granitas in the middle of a passage, with the sun beating down and totally off the grid, unconnected.  Of course, we fire up the generator to power my blender, I pull out a chunk of our ice that we shlepped to the boat sometimes days earlier...and it is simple luxury.  

Ice, water, showers, clean, food,good solid land, hearing English spoken (or not).  My god, how we take these things for granted.  I love my discovery of these things, and I am grateful for that.  On top of that gratitude are the over-the-top experiences we are having.  The swimming.  The culture. The food (oh yes...) History.  Geography. The gelato...  

We still enjoy pretty Lux things and have our 'high on Mazlov's pyramid' wants and needs.  I guess the biggest treat of all is to learn that the simplest things of all are truely the most precious.