"Make Way For Ducklings"

We have some new visitors here at the marina...:)

The Sunset, Ruby, and Sagittarius!

Some sunsets you never want to see pass.  Last night's sunset was one of those.  I was sitting on the deck of our boat with my dog, Ruby, and it was silent...I forgot I was in the city!  The peaceful moment was quickly disrupted, however, when my dog caught sight of the cat, named Sagittarius, who lives opposite us. Sagittarius likes to tease Ruby, she has free range of the marina and Ruby does not, and all Ruby can do is growl and "threaten" her.

The Sunset:

"Summertime...Fish Are Jumping"

I'm officially done with my Freshman year of college - how time flies!  Today also marks 10 months that we have lived on the houseboat!

I thought this clip of Billie Holiday singing "Summertime" would be a perfect one to post right now..

I have  met so many wonderful people: at school in Boston and at the marina in Charlestown.  I hope everyone has a memorable, relaxing summer  2012 :)

BTW, Earth Day was last weekend, however, I never posted about it!  I found this quote while driving through my old hometown of Sudbury last weekend.  Pretty on target for a person who lives on a boat, yes?

"What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?" - Henry David Thoreau

Shipyard Quarters Marina 

Anything Goes!

Suffolk University Theatre Department's production of Anything Goes opens tonight.  Yes, it is about people on a boat - runs April 19 thru April 22!  All aboard :)

https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=d2f1a8739283879f830810568c440046&t=tix

One Day More!

I don't consider myself to be a religious person, meaning that I don't practice a particular religion, however, I do consider myself to be spiritual.  I find myself most spiritual when watching the sun rise and sun set on the boat.  The reflection of the pink, blue, and purple clouds on the water looks like one of Fitz Henry Lane's luminous paintings.

Painting by Fitz Henry Lane

A couple of nights ago I saw Les Miserables at the Opera House in Boston.  The only word I can use to describe this production is breathtaking.  Les Miserables is the type of show where you walk out feeling changed by what you experience in the aching beauty of the story [no matter how many times you have seen it before], much like when you watch a peaceful sunset close a cluttered,  long day.  

As I heard a navel officer sound "Taps" on the Constitution, I was struck by all the amazing moments in history I had taken in at Les Miserables which marks the lives of those who lived during the French Revolution.  In fact,  the USS Constitution was built in 1794 which was well before the French Revolution that Les Miserables chronicles.  

I know that Les Miserables has nothing to do with living on a boat, but I think it is worth taking a listen to this song: 

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment"

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment."

 ~ Ellis Peters ~

Oh my, it has been a LONG time since I last blogged!  Spring is officially here...it felt like summer last week!  The past weeks have been quite eventful at the marina.  Two people and a dog fell into the water [they are all ok!], boats are moving into their "summer" slots, and the duck tours are back in force!  

A beautiful morning... I love waking up to this view 

Watching a plane lift off early in the morning

Duck Tour passing by 

A boat moving to its "summer" slot 

Feels Like Spring!

It was chilly outside, however, the weather was amazing today!  The sun was shining on all of the boats and it felt like spring.  One person has taken the shrink wrap off of his boat!

LOVES the sun!

No more shrink wrap!

The water was sparkling from the sunlight 

The Snow Is Falling...

The snow is falling and the docks are getting supper slippery!  The Catalunya Spirit LNG tanker just paid us a visit - cutting through the fog that separates us from our normal view of the city.  In 2008 the 992-foot-long Catalunya Spirit had to be towed because it lost power.  This was a major concern because, as the Cape Cod Times said, "it was carrying as much as 36 million gallons of liquefied natural gas, which experts say can burn people up to a mile away if a major fire occurs".  It is always a comfort when these tankers go by...not!

The snow is starting to stick...

The Perfect Cure for a Cloudy Day!

The last couple of days the clouds have been hovering above us in thick sheets and the wind has been whipping the boat all over the place.  The power of wind is amazing [and terrifying at times!].  

Nothing like some song and dance from The Artist to cheer you up on these cloudy days! 

"Blow High, Blow Low"

The tide always catches me by surprise!  At certain times the water/boats look like they could roll into the parking lot and apartment buildings near by [because it is low tide].  Other times I have to tilt my head fully up to see the "solid ground" [because it is high tide].  When we are on the boat our perspective is constantly altered. "There is this energy that you don't feel on land", as one of our neighbors says.

In order to go from solid land to the water, we use the ramp.  Depending on the tide, the ramp is either VERY flat or VERY steep!

This is what we like to see:

Not much of a climb...

The water is almost right up to the parking lot

 This is not what we like to see:

Very steep...10 ft. drop!

"Blow High, Blow Low" from Carousel 

All The Fish In The Sea

Ruby and her beloved [toy] fish!  Quite fitting for where she lives.  As I'm writing this she is fast asleep with the fish tightly held between her paws....whoever said pit bulls were nothing but ferocious animals couldn't have said a more false statement.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive." - Gilda Radner

Watching the ducks and boats go by

With her favorite fish toy

Terrorizing the fish

Not impressed with the fish

Love Ever After!

An amazing night at A.R.T's Love Ever After with an impromptu performance by Phillip Boykin [who currently plays Crown in Porgy and Bess on Broadway] accompanied by the amazing Stephen Shwartz on piano!

Enjoy!

Good Sports!

I must admit that I didn't watch the Super Bowl last night...instead I tuned to PBS to watch Downton Abbey.  As a crucial scene was playing out, I heard a large cry of "Noooo" come from another boat...that was my sign that the Patriots did not win.  We woke up to a quiet day at the marina.  There must be many mourner live aboards.  However, a peaceful day at the marina is always a very nice thing!

City of Boston casts a bright glow despite the feeling of loss by all of the Patriot fans

Random Style Note:  Ruby got a new "nautical" collar...she is ready for her topsiders now lol!

An Eerie Evening

I love eerie evenings on the boat.  From huge tankers quietly passing by to flocks of birds circling the sky like in the movie The Birds, it feels peaceful and calm.

The Birds

Large Tanker

Stormy Clouds

One of my favorite etchings by Frederick Church, which is in my room.  It is magical and eerie in its own way.

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came."

- John F. Kennedy - 

Thoughts That Stay With You

It's always hard to close a show.  No matter what character you play, you always feel like you are leaving a part of yourself behind that you discovered during the rehearsals and the run.  Yes, in Cabaret, which closed this past weekend,  I played a part that is basically the exact opposite of who I am as a person, however, I know at some point in my life something will remind me of the character.  Actually, today I was reminded of another character I played this past year: Beth in Little Women.  Today I was walking to the boat just as the sun was setting and it reminded me so much of the calmness I felt when I was singing the final lines about the ocean in "Some Things Are Meant To Be".

"Some Things Are Meant To Be" - Broadway Cast 

South Pacific

It has been a long time since I last posted on this blog!  I've been caught up in tech week for Cabaret which is running this weekend only at Woodland Theatre Company.

Today I was walking past the Cassin Young and couldn't help but think of the musical South Pacific.  A couple of years ago Opera Boston gave a free presentation of South Pacific on the Cassin Young.  Here is a clip from the 2008 Broadway revival of South Pacific:

Photo taken from the Cassin Young Association

Snowy Evening

Very peaceful night at the marina with a thin layer of snow...

Come Rain or Come Shine!

The weather this past weekend was magnificent!  We decided to take a quick road trip to Gloucester right as the sun was setting.  We walked around Stage Fort and saw such a peaceful, beautiful sunset.

However, now it is very rainy!  Ruby does not plan on leaving the boat...she is determined.

Here is a fabulous video sure to brighten your day!  Judy Garland singing "Come Rain or Come Shine" with Peter Gennaro, Joe Bushkin, George "Red" Callender, Dick Cathcart and Jack Costanzo. 

How Deep is the Ocean?

I've always wondered how deep the harbor is under our boat at the marina.  Due to the unusually warm weather this weekend, we bumped into a "neighbor" at the marina who was reading,  taking in some sun just as if it was summertime.  Our neighbor has lived at this marina for over 25 years and, therefore, is quite knowledgeable about the harbor.  I asked him about the depth of the harbor and he said that at the highest tide the depth reaches close to 50 feet!

In this video Judy Garland asks the same question [but not for the same reason!] in the song "How Deep is the Ocean" by Irving Berlin:

Kicking off the New Year!

To kick off the New Year in wonderful style Cheryl Richards treated us to a fabulous brunch at the Boston Harbor Hotel .  Later the Richards clan stopped by the marina to relax and feed the ducks.  

Banana Creme Pie Handle Bar Mustache 

Feeding the ducks!