Cafe Hitch-hike

2022-08-12

Under construction

I had a feeling I’d stay up a little later after crashing out after the contractors came. My kitchen was a bit disheveled. They tore out this awful tile that used to be my kitchen counter and backsplash (which included a brownish grout) and replaced the countertop with some very pretty quartz that I picked out. But, the walls are kinda mottled and I now wait for a drywall guy to come in to repair it before the backsplash is installed. Yeah, I decided to keep it simple and use the same slab for the backsplash.

I waited to clean up so the dust would settle. I turned off all the fans and don’t cough and sneeze as much from the stuff in the air. My vacuum has been getting a workout lately and will continue, though the workers did clean up after themselves.

I don’t have running water in my sink. I sure hope the project manager calls the plumber soon so I could at least use it. Oh, yeah, and I got a new sink and then a faucet. I’ve never had a job like this in my house, or any of them for that matter.

I’m sinking a bit of money into it; I got Carlo’s bequest after all, it’s going into what I’m about to call ‘Carlo’s Kitchen.’. It’s fitting because he worked in hospitality and was a good cook. I’m sure he’d like a kitchen like this! I stared at the counter when I made myself a snack. because it was so pretty. I can’t wait to see how the rest of it turns out.

I decided to take some time off work, 3 days but enough for now. Yesterday, I took out the paddleboard and checked out some canals near a beach where I later met a friend. It was beautiful and peaceful on the water. I saw a crab under the water, and then a turtle swam underwater and next to my board for a bit. I saw plenty of fish. As I paddled back to shore, I found a skim board. I figured it either belonged to some teens or a family that played near the shore. One of them called out to me and didn’t realize their board had drifted away from them.

“Here you go,” I said cheerfully. “If it wasn’t yours, it would had been a cool find for me!”. We all laughed and the teen got his board back. My friend and I watched the moon rise over the Atlantic.

It was a full moon tonight and I had some cacao. I still have a little ceremony every so often. It is very relaxing (from the magnesium) and stimulates the heart and lungs (thanks to the theobromine). I started to draw after the ceremony to process the energy, started that just over a month ago, and the pictures when they’re put together tell me a little story. I also thought it would be a good thing to do after the aya ceremony from this past weekend.

So it had been 3 years ago since my first journey and I revisited it again but I could see the distance between then and now. It’s interesting because although it helped a lot, it seemed to work in layers. No, it wasn’t a cure-all or quick fix. I always knew I had to do the work and process things after taking it, but what I started to see was it works quite gradually, almost like the way I healed after my surgery this past spring. Maybe healing is gradual rather than quick. And maybe I’m further along with all of it that I feel I am. That’s what the plant medicine told me quite early on in the weekend ceremony, which perhaps was why I spent a good part of of learning how to work with it and praying for others more than myself (for once).

I feel sleep coming on. I’ll quiet my loud blogging voice and lay down my head, and maybe hit the water again tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

downwind | upstream