Mill:

Hanging out here to see if my sailboat friends want a ride from wherever they decide to stop back to their vehicle in NYS. I told them I could give them a ride to the border - will not cross it but I can get them to a point where they can easily take a bus.

An afternoon on the St. Lawrence on a 22 foot boat is a great way to de-clutter every speck of energy. Saturday's wonderful boat ride started out with me wondering if I was about to de-clutter my life totally. After a few minutes, I realized the boat was not going to turn over and dump us into the very cold water! I questioned the lack of life jackets and was handed one which I clutched to me for the next several hours. Actually, it was only about 3-4 hours from pick up until we found a dock where I could get off - just as the sun set (7pm)! We were elated to find this spot, at a park/boat launch site, with a nice outhouse with composting toilet! The water was much less wavy once we were off the river and in the (new) Beauharnois Canal - big enough for ships.

Although I had phoned R at 6 to ask him to start down - about an hour from the city - it took him more than an hour to get organized with a functional vehicle. After a couple of "where are you exactly" phone calls, he finally found us just before 9pm. What to me what an obvious traffic signal, was to him " a light". (at the beginning of the very long draw bridge.) What was obvious to me was not at all so to him.

We went to the mill for the night and he drove me to my car in the am after a good BF. I hung on to life until about 3 - tea with Geri and a visit to a new art show - then succumbed to a long nap and then bed with book until almost 10. Better today.

Incredibly interesting to see the area from the river - "Ah, that's what that darn bridge looks like!" The one which often clutters a trip by being up for an ship, adding 30 minutes or more to a trip of 40 minutes. And looking at the "other side" of the areas I had traveled by car a couple days earlier. I was greatly wishing I could have gone further - to see the other side of Ile St. Bernard and the canal along the Mohawk reserve. I hope I can do that next summer. (mini "bucket list"?) Is is "clutter" to add on things that one would like to do?

I cluttered my life by offering them a ride as I am ready to go back to Beaver and they have 'til Weds to motor on down the river. Cold as it is - hit freezing last night - I would think they would want to be off the water sooner.

R continues to de-clutter the house; I am staying out of the way. Real estate agent wants to bring prospective buyers but was finally convinced it needed to look better first.