Sailing at Sixty

[Marlene A. Sassaman]

A sea knots friend recently asked where my writings are. A loyal crew on our women's sailing team reminded me to write. My calendar tells me that time is slipping away. All I want to do is sail and write and swim and work out and dance at parties and visit with friends and be with my family and be a good school counselor and produce interesting slide shows and snuggle up with my husband and enjoy my home and make money and buy things that catch my attention and eat frozen yogurt and learn to speak and write Spanish and French and . . . sail some more.

The days go by so quickly. With a 4:30 am alarm ring, a 5:00 am walk with 'My Lady" (aka, Sammy my sailing pup), my 5:30 am date at the outdoor heated pool, my 7:15 greet the kiddies as they arrive at school, my 2:45 pm end of the work day, my 4:00 pm sailing date, my 7:00 pm fitness fun, my 8:30 pm Sammy 'n I time, then 9 pm get ready for bed, when am I to write?

How about now? NOW, oh my gosh it is 10:45 pm and I am finally writing after over a week of putting it off. Time to shift priorities and write at least fifteen minutes each night from 9 to 9:15 with lights out at 9:15. Afterall 4:30 rolls around whether I've had enough sleep or not. And, I have to sail tomorrow after work, and sail on Saturday. Oh yea, I have to sail on Sunday, too. Then, there is practice on Wednesday evening and a big 3 days of racing next week-end. Oops, don't forget sleeping on my tri Saturday night, and organizing sailing stuff on Monday and Tuesday, Then, on Thursday night will be spent finishing up details for an intense 3 days of match racing, to be followed by a fleet race the following Saturday. Lots to write about while the clock tick tocks away................................................................