I took my watch off 7 months ago and it took me about 5 hours to lose that naked feeling on my wrist. Since then, time has been having its way with me.  If it were not for the Chuck Norris tear-a-day calendar that sister Beth gave us, I would not even know what day it is.  There were actually several times where I missed tearing off the day and missed a Tuesday or Sunday completely. Losing hours or even days had become routine. I embarrassed to admit that I lived for an entire day when I was not sure what year it was.  This was March during our stay in La Cruz.  I had been trying to figure out our itinerary for heading to Central America.  I was looking at a website that suggested we  sign up for a cruiser’s package which included discounted rates at marinas and help with doing the entry paperwork for Central America. The catch was that your boat had to arrive at a marina in El Salvador by May 10th, 2010.  I immediately dismissed it because in my mind, we were well into summer and May 10th had long past.  My mind and body are used to having seasons–I’ve been living in July for 6 months.  I’m still trying to justify that we are going to be back in the Midwest for the 4th of July.  With the exception of this last month, we’ve had fireworks almost every night.  I’ve had at least 20 4th of July celebrations this year.   I’m ready for jeans, sweatshirts, and pumpkins.  Oh, and Meendering/Jungers family–I’m expecting Christmas-like gatherings with games, cards and cheeseballs on a regular basis for the next 3 months.  Gifts are optional. List upon request.

There was only one occasion where Jeff and I cracked a beer before noon (or at least the clock said it was 11am).  This happened last week and we had been trying to clean out our food and beverage supply.  We were working on the boat, it was hotter than crap and the only cold beverage left was beer.  It was a Mexican beer, so it was mostly water and probably doesn’t even count.

Time has been elusive.  It seems to fly by and it feels like it has been years since we have left.  When we get back to the Midwest I expect dramatic changes in all of you–I mean really, we’ve been gone for almost 7 months.  Do you know what you can do in 7 months!?!

Not as much as one would like (but this doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook–BIG changes people–that is what I’m expecting).  I, on the other hand have not accomplished as much as I would have like to have.  I’m still not proficient in Spanish, I can only tie 3 knots, and I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.  The latter is even more confused than ever.  But I’ve got plenty of time to figure that out, right?

Looking back, the fish tacos in Ensanada, the first time I saw a ray jump out of the water, the Chepe train to Creel–they happened forever ago.  I know that I’ve been living the charmed life  of a Jack Johnson song (other than the throwing up and living in a space the size of a dorm room)-I’m not living by the clock and wishing my hours away until the weekend. I eat when I’m hungry and sleep when I’m tired.  I don’t eat 3 meals a day at 7:00, 12:00 and 6:00 and I don’t get a continuous 8 hours of sleep during the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00 am, I don’t listen to talk radio, I don’t watch 24 hour new networks, I don’t know what celebrity is in sex rehab.  I don’t even know what time it is right now.  I also know that this is not the American way. For the next few months I will go back to wearing a watch, answering to a job (if I can find one), and being expected to eat cereal for breakfast.

I will do this so that in the fall I can slip back to my Oblivion.