No candles on my birthday cake! One of the main reasons why I like living in the Key West area is the music scene. A lot of the bars have live music. Sometimes when I'm on my bicycle heading for the Green Parrot I think to myself, "Am I getting too old to go listen to a rock & roll band?". But as I pull up and while locking my bike, I can hear the music and smell the popcorn, and I think, "Nope, not too old yet!". Many nights, dinner is at the Green Parrot: popcorn, Sierra Nevada beer, and good music! (but the average age of the crowd is right up there, so my gray hair is not an anomaly!). A good friend of mine has a 22 year old son who likes Beatles music. There is a group of local musicians here that get together about every 2-3 months to play all Beatles music. I told my friends son of an upcoming date at the Green Parrot, and he said, "Like I really want to hang out in a bar with a bunch of old people!". Yeah, well, the music was great, people dancing and singing along, having a good time, and many of the people there probably saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show!
I'm such a fan of you and your attitude, Cudjoe Bob! May we never outgrow live music at a bar with some cold beer. If so, all is lost. The irony of a 22-year-old is that we all felt that way but shouldn't have! Think of the wisdom conveyed to us from the old timers and now we are them. Hmm. Just gotta be happy with it. You're sporting that gray very well if I recall properly.
That's a pretty good late night bike ride, isn't it??!! Checking my geography and hoping your reflectors are all in working order. I just got caught up on my comms and so did you, so I'm going to your other comments in just a bit. Best place to be this time of year especially. Enjoy. Race week isn't it?? Steve used to go down every year.
Yes, it is too far to bicycle from Cudjoe Key into Key West! I put my bike on the rack on the back of my car, head in, and park on the edge of old town, then bicycle to wherever I need to be. Key West is such a pretty town to bicycle in! It takes me 35 minutes to get from my front door to the Green Parrot, via car and bike. And I get served pretty quickly! You know how sometimes the band is so loud the bartender can't hear your order? I made up a small sign "Sierra Nevada" and simply hold it up a little. The bartender sees it, gives me a nod or a wink, and gets me my beer! I can be 2nd or 3rd in line, and they'll pass it over to me. People in front of me ask, "how'd you get served so quick?". I had one guy that was blown away by that. He said, "Man, that is so cool, can I get a photo of you?". So probably on Facebook somewhere, is a photo posted of me holding up a 'Sierra Nevada' in one hand, and my "Sierra Nevada" sign in the other! By now, many times the bartenders recognise me and I don't even have to hold up the sign.
.....hahaha.....how many times have I told you guys that while you make Steadfast young, she will make you old....still and all, you are totally involved and committed to temple building in a unique service to God, all the deities of the oceans and the seas....a truly noble and solitary endeavor.....
Many instances, oh wise one. Now we know why your rebuild in Puerto Rico was a long-term endeavor and turned you shades never realized, and, most importantly, gave you the life you wanted with all those deities riding shotgun. She is most certainly our temple. ~J
What will go on top of the gray? Such a process and so many layers of becoming. It's fascinating and such a tribute, Janice. And, thank you for the mention. I was totally in sync with the STEADFAST, it seems! I hope her coat of gray is a precursor to motion in the near future. -- As for going white or gray.... I truly hope you embrace it!
And to answer your first question, she'll get another coat of this epoxy and then two coats of Trinidad Green bottom paint. It's a lovely Caribbean greenish blue. I love that my world is out of your wheelhouse and yet you've stayed interested and aboard. It's an honor.
It is beautiful women such as yourself (and @Chicken Scratch!) who have taught me to embrace it, for certain! I'm headed over to read your Sunday ponderings as I always do.
I'm seeking to make the process as interesting to others as it has surprisingly become to me! Who knew how many procedures and processes and precautions it takes to safely put something out on the ocean? Seems simple, and makes me respect those ancient mariners far more than I used to. Thank you, Amy! ~J
You do a wonderful job sharing the whole process with respect for it and fidelity. Can’t wait to see the green, and I enjoy following along - even if I am often behind.
She will be a beautiful sea creature when all this is done. And whilst you may not have any eyebrows left, worse case, you can always be piratical and have 'em tattooed back on.
I plucked a white beauty last night and realised with the use of magnifying mirror and magnifying glasses, that I have very few brow hairs left at all. I either have to manufacture a pretty natural line or be a pirate myself...
If loving the sea makes us pirates, we're already there! And I'm happy to be in your company even with thinning brows....! No matter the hemisphere things change in the same manner, eh, Prue?
This vessel will most certainly be beautiful upon her return...Thank goodness we have such beauty within. ~J
She looks excellent, and so do you!! I dare say you've both earned your colors (and your stripes, as they say). I noticed my first silver strands when I was just 28. At 45, I decided to give up the ritual of trying to be what I wasn't. Was it because I spent too much time fretting? 🤷♀️
I think this year is about doing what we must to protect ourselves from forces that are determined to destroy us, and to pluck the wild hairs out!
Loved Amy's year of gray. Loved this. You look ravishing in PPE.
I just mentioned you in my reply to Amy because you sport your style so elegantly, Miss Elizabeth! I have often wondered if the correlation between worry and hair transformation was real. Seems more genetic predisposition from my view.
I climbed on board with your description of the year. Sounds absolutely perfect, no matter what you have faith in, repel the crazy and circle the friend wagons, it's going to be a rough, soul-testing ride. Glad we're in it together! Ravishing might be too strong, but it is highly appreciated and laughter invoking. Thank you! ~J
Circle the wagons is one of my favorite expressions! And you're right, ravishing might be too strong, but I suppose that all depends on the eye(s) of the beholder(s). Hugs and linked arms, friend.
To me, gray is the shade of infinity, and the older we get, the closer we come to that endless journey. Years ago, I attended a funeral service for an older woman named Adell, who was truly beloved by everyone who met her. Her husband was a legendary surfer/lifeguard in Malibu, so he and many others paddled out to form the traditional circle within which lay a large bouquet of flowers.
Not being a surfer, or in possession of a wetsuit or board, I watched from the cliff.
It was a gray morning, a high fog overhead coloring the gray sea, and as the ceremony unfolded, I couldn't distinguish where the gray water ended and the gray sky began: it was all one amorphous void. Not being remotely religious, I'm not a believer in the afterlife duality of heaven or hell -- it seems to me that those two realms are right here with us, each and every day -- but I couldn't help thinking how appropriate this gray void was under the circumstances, with the flowers representing Adell floating from sea to the infinite sky.
Your boat looks beautiful in the white and gray coat. Well done!
BTW -- I had dinner with our mutual friend last night. She's doing well.
This is a beautifully written comment, Michael--I'm there with you on the cliff and learned a new tradition which does seem perfect, doesn't it? It's always eerie to me when the horizon line disappears out on the water, whether it's pitch black night or the conditions you describe so perfectly here. No wonder folks thought they'd just fall off-- and perhaps no wonder others figured life somehow went on forever because they wanted it to.
I love that you shared that story! Nice. Nice. Nice.
That friend and I had a great chat one day about our mutually wild and graying/transforming locks. We both agreed they're pretty bad-ass and I'm betting you do, too. ~J
Wow, progress is truly being made!! Yippee! Re the white hair syndrome, did you ever read Dominck Dunne's potboiler The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, back in mid 80s? Though fiction, he based it on the real life murder of Grenville's husband by Mrs. in NY. (not sure if he changed the surname or not, probably). After the deed was done, the next morning, her entire hair had turned white. Not sure if he embellished that or not. So JA, be glad that you are experiencing a very delayed rate of that white syndrome ): Take care!!!
You know, it’s been so long I can’t recall the ending!! But I do love Dunne’s dishy and excellent writing. The story tells itself as it parallels life, but he goes into the whole class system of elite and old money NY and it’s captivating. A page turner.
I, too, use "platinum," correcting folks (like those at MVA) who insist on gray. Yikes. Do we ever really accept aging? No. I don't. Odd, though. It happened in my 55th year, the first year I moved out west, slowly transforming from light brown to, yes, platinum. When I visited my office in Baltimore the next year to say howdy to my former co-workers, I could tell they were surprised. I said, "I guess it's the drinking water - the lack of humidity - and the almost constant sun....", laughing.
The folks I am around most often are over 60 - and active. Here's what I notice - those who keep moving, pursue goals, gather with others - we are the most surprised at our age numbers. It's hilarious to me when I think of my number! I have role models at least a decade or two older than me. My partner and I had a blast attending Willie Nelson's 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in April 2023. Now there's a role model! And also 102-year-old Ivy Marie Broussard. She regularly shops for groceries, gets dressed to the 9s (nice clothes, heels), and in 2025 took a three-day train trip from Houston to California. Imagine the stories she has of her many years of living!
If I do last that long, I want to be like Willie. Doo-rags and all--so awesome you went to his party--throw in a train trip? Perfect. It is amazing to me that I am as old as I am --your commentary here is very true; it's the topic of conversation each time I speak with my older brother. And the time does, indeed go faster and faster so we must keep busy! Easy for the creative crazy among us. Congratulations on your 'Stack. ~J
Yes! We need our adventurous role models to inspire us, and our internal movitation to "keep on truckin'". I'm the oldest of four and hope to inspire them to enjoy these older years and always do something you love. Three of us do that. As for Faith, yes, I got a great image of her on Saturday (freezing, the dog balked at walking at the lighthouse, so we moved to William St and west.). Can't figure out how to post it here, but it is awesome :)
I am thrilled that I made such a difference in your morning. And even more pleased that you chose to tell me. Thank you, Jen. So nice to have you aboard. ~J
Sometimes, I feel a little sad when I finally complete a long hard project, almost as if the work, struggle, and worry was more important than the finished project itself. I must be a journey is more important than the destination kind of guy. I hear a tiny bit of that in what you wrote today, but on your case, the journey to the destination is so the journey can begin. 3d chess living.
One thing leads to another. So interesting that you chose this one to read today, it appears again in tomorrow's work. It's been a rough couple weeks, Switter, and I'm not afraid of long days. While Steve and I have talked about not having enough to do when this is over after the level of challenge, hours and committment, I'm ready to do, well, at least a lot less! I would agree with you completely if I thought there would ever be an end to the projects on this old girl. We keep finding more and putting them off. "til we're back in the water...so stay tuned and journey on. ~J
What awesome praise! Thank you, NF. WE"RE GOING GRAY came to me as title without the meat and took a while to transform...ironically enough, as some of our pieces do, as some of our projects do.... Those old wooden kayaks are stunning and most simply discard them as they don't always age gracefully, either, and so much work to preserve the classics--large or small.
It really was a bit of an epiphany and I loved reading that my writing had conveyed it as I wished, so I truly appreciate your comments here and would like to share them, with your permission? ~J
No candles on my birthday cake! One of the main reasons why I like living in the Key West area is the music scene. A lot of the bars have live music. Sometimes when I'm on my bicycle heading for the Green Parrot I think to myself, "Am I getting too old to go listen to a rock & roll band?". But as I pull up and while locking my bike, I can hear the music and smell the popcorn, and I think, "Nope, not too old yet!". Many nights, dinner is at the Green Parrot: popcorn, Sierra Nevada beer, and good music! (but the average age of the crowd is right up there, so my gray hair is not an anomaly!). A good friend of mine has a 22 year old son who likes Beatles music. There is a group of local musicians here that get together about every 2-3 months to play all Beatles music. I told my friends son of an upcoming date at the Green Parrot, and he said, "Like I really want to hang out in a bar with a bunch of old people!". Yeah, well, the music was great, people dancing and singing along, having a good time, and many of the people there probably saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show!
Been there and hope to return for certain. Older, wiser, better, with no pretense and no time to waste.
Right?
I'm such a fan of you and your attitude, Cudjoe Bob! May we never outgrow live music at a bar with some cold beer. If so, all is lost. The irony of a 22-year-old is that we all felt that way but shouldn't have! Think of the wisdom conveyed to us from the old timers and now we are them. Hmm. Just gotta be happy with it. You're sporting that gray very well if I recall properly.
That's a pretty good late night bike ride, isn't it??!! Checking my geography and hoping your reflectors are all in working order. I just got caught up on my comms and so did you, so I'm going to your other comments in just a bit. Best place to be this time of year especially. Enjoy. Race week isn't it?? Steve used to go down every year.
Xx J
Yes, it is too far to bicycle from Cudjoe Key into Key West! I put my bike on the rack on the back of my car, head in, and park on the edge of old town, then bicycle to wherever I need to be. Key West is such a pretty town to bicycle in! It takes me 35 minutes to get from my front door to the Green Parrot, via car and bike. And I get served pretty quickly! You know how sometimes the band is so loud the bartender can't hear your order? I made up a small sign "Sierra Nevada" and simply hold it up a little. The bartender sees it, gives me a nod or a wink, and gets me my beer! I can be 2nd or 3rd in line, and they'll pass it over to me. People in front of me ask, "how'd you get served so quick?". I had one guy that was blown away by that. He said, "Man, that is so cool, can I get a photo of you?". So probably on Facebook somewhere, is a photo posted of me holding up a 'Sierra Nevada' in one hand, and my "Sierra Nevada" sign in the other! By now, many times the bartenders recognise me and I don't even have to hold up the sign.
Innovation is a key to survival.... of the fittest...per Darwin and the Galapagos...
.....hahaha.....how many times have I told you guys that while you make Steadfast young, she will make you old....still and all, you are totally involved and committed to temple building in a unique service to God, all the deities of the oceans and the seas....a truly noble and solitary endeavor.....
Many instances, oh wise one. Now we know why your rebuild in Puerto Rico was a long-term endeavor and turned you shades never realized, and, most importantly, gave you the life you wanted with all those deities riding shotgun. She is most certainly our temple. ~J
What will go on top of the gray? Such a process and so many layers of becoming. It's fascinating and such a tribute, Janice. And, thank you for the mention. I was totally in sync with the STEADFAST, it seems! I hope her coat of gray is a precursor to motion in the near future. -- As for going white or gray.... I truly hope you embrace it!
And to answer your first question, she'll get another coat of this epoxy and then two coats of Trinidad Green bottom paint. It's a lovely Caribbean greenish blue. I love that my world is out of your wheelhouse and yet you've stayed interested and aboard. It's an honor.
It is beautiful women such as yourself (and @Chicken Scratch!) who have taught me to embrace it, for certain! I'm headed over to read your Sunday ponderings as I always do.
I'm seeking to make the process as interesting to others as it has surprisingly become to me! Who knew how many procedures and processes and precautions it takes to safely put something out on the ocean? Seems simple, and makes me respect those ancient mariners far more than I used to. Thank you, Amy! ~J
You do a wonderful job sharing the whole process with respect for it and fidelity. Can’t wait to see the green, and I enjoy following along - even if I am often behind.
You both look beautiful.
Well Miss Debby that took me by surprise! Must have captured our smoothest sides by pure luck ! Thank you very much. ~J
She will be a beautiful sea creature when all this is done. And whilst you may not have any eyebrows left, worse case, you can always be piratical and have 'em tattooed back on.
I plucked a white beauty last night and realised with the use of magnifying mirror and magnifying glasses, that I have very few brow hairs left at all. I either have to manufacture a pretty natural line or be a pirate myself...
If loving the sea makes us pirates, we're already there! And I'm happy to be in your company even with thinning brows....! No matter the hemisphere things change in the same manner, eh, Prue?
This vessel will most certainly be beautiful upon her return...Thank goodness we have such beauty within. ~J
She looks excellent, and so do you!! I dare say you've both earned your colors (and your stripes, as they say). I noticed my first silver strands when I was just 28. At 45, I decided to give up the ritual of trying to be what I wasn't. Was it because I spent too much time fretting? 🤷♀️
I think this year is about doing what we must to protect ourselves from forces that are determined to destroy us, and to pluck the wild hairs out!
Loved Amy's year of gray. Loved this. You look ravishing in PPE.
I just mentioned you in my reply to Amy because you sport your style so elegantly, Miss Elizabeth! I have often wondered if the correlation between worry and hair transformation was real. Seems more genetic predisposition from my view.
I climbed on board with your description of the year. Sounds absolutely perfect, no matter what you have faith in, repel the crazy and circle the friend wagons, it's going to be a rough, soul-testing ride. Glad we're in it together! Ravishing might be too strong, but it is highly appreciated and laughter invoking. Thank you! ~J
Circle the wagons is one of my favorite expressions! And you're right, ravishing might be too strong, but I suppose that all depends on the eye(s) of the beholder(s). Hugs and linked arms, friend.
To me, gray is the shade of infinity, and the older we get, the closer we come to that endless journey. Years ago, I attended a funeral service for an older woman named Adell, who was truly beloved by everyone who met her. Her husband was a legendary surfer/lifeguard in Malibu, so he and many others paddled out to form the traditional circle within which lay a large bouquet of flowers.
Not being a surfer, or in possession of a wetsuit or board, I watched from the cliff.
It was a gray morning, a high fog overhead coloring the gray sea, and as the ceremony unfolded, I couldn't distinguish where the gray water ended and the gray sky began: it was all one amorphous void. Not being remotely religious, I'm not a believer in the afterlife duality of heaven or hell -- it seems to me that those two realms are right here with us, each and every day -- but I couldn't help thinking how appropriate this gray void was under the circumstances, with the flowers representing Adell floating from sea to the infinite sky.
Your boat looks beautiful in the white and gray coat. Well done!
BTW -- I had dinner with our mutual friend last night. She's doing well.
This is a beautifully written comment, Michael--I'm there with you on the cliff and learned a new tradition which does seem perfect, doesn't it? It's always eerie to me when the horizon line disappears out on the water, whether it's pitch black night or the conditions you describe so perfectly here. No wonder folks thought they'd just fall off-- and perhaps no wonder others figured life somehow went on forever because they wanted it to.
I love that you shared that story! Nice. Nice. Nice.
That friend and I had a great chat one day about our mutually wild and graying/transforming locks. We both agreed they're pretty bad-ass and I'm betting you do, too. ~J
Wow, progress is truly being made!! Yippee! Re the white hair syndrome, did you ever read Dominck Dunne's potboiler The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, back in mid 80s? Though fiction, he based it on the real life murder of Grenville's husband by Mrs. in NY. (not sure if he changed the surname or not, probably). After the deed was done, the next morning, her entire hair had turned white. Not sure if he embellished that or not. So JA, be glad that you are experiencing a very delayed rate of that white syndrome ): Take care!!!
I'm intrigued enough to seek that one out, especially as that is my home stomping ground. Did the punishment fit the crime?!
I have truly come to see them as flags of life and valor. It's all good! Loving your memoir. ~J
You know, it’s been so long I can’t recall the ending!! But I do love Dunne’s dishy and excellent writing. The story tells itself as it parallels life, but he goes into the whole class system of elite and old money NY and it’s captivating. A page turner.
I, too, use "platinum," correcting folks (like those at MVA) who insist on gray. Yikes. Do we ever really accept aging? No. I don't. Odd, though. It happened in my 55th year, the first year I moved out west, slowly transforming from light brown to, yes, platinum. When I visited my office in Baltimore the next year to say howdy to my former co-workers, I could tell they were surprised. I said, "I guess it's the drinking water - the lack of humidity - and the almost constant sun....", laughing.
The folks I am around most often are over 60 - and active. Here's what I notice - those who keep moving, pursue goals, gather with others - we are the most surprised at our age numbers. It's hilarious to me when I think of my number! I have role models at least a decade or two older than me. My partner and I had a blast attending Willie Nelson's 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in April 2023. Now there's a role model! And also 102-year-old Ivy Marie Broussard. She regularly shops for groceries, gets dressed to the 9s (nice clothes, heels), and in 2025 took a three-day train trip from Houston to California. Imagine the stories she has of her many years of living!
If I do last that long, I want to be like Willie. Doo-rags and all--so awesome you went to his party--throw in a train trip? Perfect. It is amazing to me that I am as old as I am --your commentary here is very true; it's the topic of conversation each time I speak with my older brother. And the time does, indeed go faster and faster so we must keep busy! Easy for the creative crazy among us. Congratulations on your 'Stack. ~J
Did you go see FAITH??
Yes! We need our adventurous role models to inspire us, and our internal movitation to "keep on truckin'". I'm the oldest of four and hope to inspire them to enjoy these older years and always do something you love. Three of us do that. As for Faith, yes, I got a great image of her on Saturday (freezing, the dog balked at walking at the lighthouse, so we moved to William St and west.). Can't figure out how to post it here, but it is awesome :)
Somewhere, you have an email address for me...so glad you got there. She's got soul.
Thank you Janice for the much needed smiles & chuckles you gifted to me as I read this.
I am thrilled that I made such a difference in your morning. And even more pleased that you chose to tell me. Thank you, Jen. So nice to have you aboard. ~J
Sometimes, I feel a little sad when I finally complete a long hard project, almost as if the work, struggle, and worry was more important than the finished project itself. I must be a journey is more important than the destination kind of guy. I hear a tiny bit of that in what you wrote today, but on your case, the journey to the destination is so the journey can begin. 3d chess living.
One thing leads to another. So interesting that you chose this one to read today, it appears again in tomorrow's work. It's been a rough couple weeks, Switter, and I'm not afraid of long days. While Steve and I have talked about not having enough to do when this is over after the level of challenge, hours and committment, I'm ready to do, well, at least a lot less! I would agree with you completely if I thought there would ever be an end to the projects on this old girl. We keep finding more and putting them off. "til we're back in the water...so stay tuned and journey on. ~J
What awesome praise! Thank you, NF. WE"RE GOING GRAY came to me as title without the meat and took a while to transform...ironically enough, as some of our pieces do, as some of our projects do.... Those old wooden kayaks are stunning and most simply discard them as they don't always age gracefully, either, and so much work to preserve the classics--large or small.
It really was a bit of an epiphany and I loved reading that my writing had conveyed it as I wished, so I truly appreciate your comments here and would like to share them, with your permission? ~J