December 20

My senior steward and I fondly call working here the boat bi-polar. Within an hours time, or maybe 10 minutes, you can easily find yourself from one emotional extreme to another. This was particularly true for me the first few weeks of my contract (oh hey! Two months left as of yesterday by the by!). This is certainly the hardest job that I’ve ever had. (Right now I’m writing this rather objectively and during an ‘up & up’ portion of ‘boat bi-polar’ so don‘t worry. J ) I have in one moment been amazed to be kayaking among seastars and jellies in remote places of Alaska and another having a meltdown while cleaning a cabin, throwing pillows and heave crying saying to myself “You do not do this! You don’t lose it like this! This is not professional!” A picture which now makes me laugh out loud. I can be freaking out on a turn day* trying to soft scrub 1 of 7 heads* that are part of cabins which need to be fully turned around from guests that got off that morning for guests who are getting on at 5:00. And I can be laughing in a snorkel mask with disbelief that I get to be paid to be in Baja California. Boat bi-polar.

*turnday- the day one group of guests disembarks in the morning and a whole new boat load of guests comes on in the afternoon.

*head- bathroom

~ ~ ~

Today is my brother Samuel’s 12^th birthday. Happy Birthday Sam! I love that kiddo and miss him muchly and I hope that his day, and coming year are remarkably good.

~ ~ ~

Happy Christmas week! I love Christmas and even though I’m not home (can’t think about it!) I’m excited that it’s Christmas. I love this time and I’ve been reading through advent devotions that are very good. Last night my friend and fellow steward, Edd, read with me and we also read through the prayers and such for the day in his prayer book. It was such a good thing and my heart was very glad. Tonight Jackie and I worked on harmonizing a couple of Christmas carols and we’re going to try and get the boys to sing with us for Christmas day. Thanks to the lovely Miss Leah our crew lounge is decorated with a string of Christmas lights, sprig of mistletoe and even a felt snowman “Let It Snow” sign. I don’t really see that happening though; J Here we call Pelican Poo on the rocks our “snow”. Strangely it looks just like it. We’ll have a ‘blue’ Christmas with the beautiful Baja water. Daisey and I are going to bake cookies on Christmas eve and we’ve all drawn names for exchanging gifts. Plus I have a brown paper package from home sitting in my closet.

“It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.”

Smile. I’ve had this line from ‘The Grinch’ going round in my head.

And now I shall go and take a short late night nap before the lunar eclipse at midnight thirty. G’night.