Sailing on the San Francisco Bay

I’m not fond of sports at all. When we had a television and watched television, we—or I should say hubs—watched football once a week. I could never understand the game and was always asking questions. But it really didn't interest me. He isn’t into sports either although he pumps iron and walks the treadmill three times a week. (Remember, he’s a retired Marine and keeps in shape.) But I just am not into watching any kind of sport. Except sailing. I could watch it if we had a television. I absolutely love sailing.

When hubs and I lived in California, I belonged to a yacht club where I took sailing lessons. It was the thrill of a lifetime. I'm only qualified to captain a 25' boat though. But it got me hooked on sailing. We don't have a sailboat, never did, just rented them when I wanted to sail.

Two days stand out vividly in my mind however.

I wanted to take a friend of mine sailing once and she agreed. It was just the two of us and she wasn't a sailor but as I kept to an estuary in the San Francisco Bay I felt safe. The winds in SF are treacherous, let me tell you. You'd be warned to wear a coat even in July or August there.

Anyway, my friend was red-headed and fair. I warned her that day to put on sunscreen but she said she knew her limit so I didn't nag. But I know the water.

We sailed up the estuary and I had things under control until we decided to stop at a marina restaurant for lunch. The wind caught me and we were coming in too fast so I shouted a warning to some men on the dock and they helped me a bit. We laughed and I was humbled, but not enough that I was too proud to ask for help.

Also, needless to say, she suffered a severe sunburn that day. As I said, I warned her the sun and its reflection was worse on the water.

The other day that I'll never forget is when I took hubs, my daughter and my granddaughter out for a sail. Again, sticking to the estuary because of my precious cargo, we planned on sailing up the estuary for a lunch at a marina restaurant. Since my granddaughter was only about 3 years old, I wanted to put a rope around her just in case she went over the side and I wasn't able to come around in time. She absolutely wore a lifesaver. But when we tried to tie the rope around her she had a fit. No way was she going to let us put it around her. I let it pass but told hubs and daughter to watch her very, very carefully and they did. Neither one of them—hubs or daughter—had ever sailed so I was very nervous but I showed them what to do when I gave certain orders to them and to do exactly as I said. They did it well. It's amazing we're all alive today! I enjoyed it but I could tell Love Bunny was very nervous since I was a pretty new sailor.

We don't own a boat and there isn't much water near us to sail anyway. But I thought I'd share a few boats that I think are gorgeous.

If I could sail on this I'd be in heaven.

I love that sail in red and white stripes.

I was never this adventurous in sailing however. Actually, I'm not fond of being in the ocean. I may tell the story why in another blog post.

I. Absolutely. Love. This. Room!

Isn't this settee adorable? Squeeeeal.

This looks like it's an entry to a side or back yard.

See what you can do with an old globe you have stuck back somewhere? Make it into an adorable lamp for a study or a boy's room.

This is a room by one of my favorite decorators, Charles Faudree. I've seen his decor in books, magazines and on line and he's very much a French decor decorator.

Time for eye candy here. Pretty papers stacked in a pretty pink bucket.

I wish these were still available. Aren't they adorable? I'd love to know where to buy them if they are. I think they're very glamorous and remind me of the 1940s and 1950s when things were much more glamorous than today. It all went down hill with the 1960s and the hippie movement. Sad.