It's Me Again--the Bosun/Commander-In-Chief

Like so much in life, it all depends on your perspective. In my case, I know I'm the Commander-In-Chief and, when they're being honest, the Admiral and Cap recognize it too.

I'm having a hard time believing we're in Georgia and still afloat; it's our ninth state on our floating domicile. (Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and now Georgia--"the whole day through."). But who's keeping track? There were times I didn't think we'd make it this far. The Admiral and Cap were sure unhappy the week we spent at Port Charles, Missouri. We had bumped the bottom on an uncharted spoils pile and Cap was worried about the prop and shaft. And that's where we finally got the generator fixed the first time--not an easy process. We all panicked when the steering failed on the Mississippi River (I thought for sure we'd be hit by a barge train or smash the abutments on that interstate bridge--I did not want to get wet). And I have to say, the trip across the Gulf of Mexico was nothing short of Shake 'n Bake. I do not like being a flying cat; I don't care for weightlessness; and I hate bumps and bruises. And then there were the alligators--first one trying to get Cap and I could swear it also had its eyes on me. I'd be a tasty morsel. Thank the Cat gods the Admiral and Cap were smart enough to leave the swim platform door closed. That eased my mind a bit. Cap says we'll only have alligator risk one more time when we lock into a freshwater marina at Hilton Head. I'll be glad when that's behind us.

Scary things aside, I am more and more comfortable on Katahdin. What the heck, it's not the life I'd choose but it is the life I live. I've established my routine. I start my day screaming at Cap to feed me. He's a lot happier to do that when my overnight dish is empty than when it's just gone stale because I didn't feel like a late night snack. He hates waste. Then, I scream again at the door to the master berth to get someone to put me up on the bed so I can snuggle with the Admiral ("Other eyes smile tenderly"). She always sleeps later than Cap. To be truthful, I can be a pain in the ass and the Admiral and Cap sometimes fight about who will move to pick me up. The Admiral being the Admiral, Cap is usually the one to jump up and do it ("Other arms reach out to me") although to be fair, except in extremis, the Admiral takes care of my box--a yucky job. After I jump down off the berth a few times and then demand that Cap put me up again, I wander up and take my place on the salon settee while Cap drinks his coffee, reads his papers, checks the weather and tides, and plans the day's navigation.

The settee has three sides--two short ones that I allow the Admiral and Cap to use and a long one for me. If I'm feeling like company, that's where I ride while we're underway, too. If not, I go down to the guest berth and crawl way back in like I've told you before although sometimes I lie under the salon settee--the best of both worlds--close but out of sight. I've also taken to checking out the cockpit while we're underway. Usually Cap is at the helm and the Admiral is either advising him (the nice way to put it) or doing her desk work. I think someone needs to know what's going on back there outside.

Typically when we're docking and fueling, I go below and hide in the guest berth. There are strange voices, the Admiral and Cap are wearing their funny headsets and life jackets, and I don't want to get stepped on or knocked overboard in the fray. Once we're tied up, the Admiral and Cap usually go for a walk, go for groceries, go out for supper, or leave for some other reason. In my capacity as bosun, I guard the boat from my position on the settee. I have to admit, the peace and quiet are a blessing and I've been known to doze off though I always try to look steely when I hear the Admiral and Cap coming back. That brings us to evening. I enjoy my position on the best part of the settee while the Admiral and Cap eat supper and watch a show or two. When they go to bed, I repeat my morning routine and snuggle and jump down, snuggle and jump down all the while screaming to get picked up again. They finally go to sleep and I do my Cat (uppercase C please) thing. We are nocturnal you know. But then I get lonesome and start screaming again. It took a surprisingly long time but the Admiral and Cap have learned that if they close the door to the master berth, I give up ("Still in peaceful dreams I see")

And that's a day (and a night) in the life of the Commander-In-Chief!