full circle...

Today, as of 10 00 hours Liberia time, the dearly beloved M/V Anastasis/Victoria quietly began her final voyage... to an undisclosed resting place, 150 miles from Bombay, they say...

Months ago when I first heard the sad news of her retirement, I wrote something to help me process my emotions on the subject. Today I'm posting it in her honor as my last “ocean line”...

Buon viaggio, nave di angeli...




introductions...

Given that I've spent nearly four months with them now, I feel as though I should introduce you to my housemates. They are actually more like children... Although I swore I would never turn into one of those women who reverts to pets as a replacement for children, they really do have personalities that make them seem very much like little people.

Meet Winston and Bo. Today I took these portraits (cat and dog, respectively) for their absent family. Winston will stare at you all day but his expression rarely changes... Bo is more animated but it's much harder to get him to sit still for a photograph.

I have to say that although I'm not really a pet person, there's something very heartwarming about having a purring, fuzzy cat waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me every morning, and a wagging, happy dog greeting me at the door every time I come home.

:: “If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” – James Herriot