All for REI

Have you ever loved something so much that you just end up hating it? Goodness, I despise REI. Every time I go into that place I just want to buy everything! I am sure that I will go camping in the near future and I could go rock climbing tomorrow! Ohh no, that is not the case though. Walking into REI makes me think of all the things I could be doing in the outdoors. Someday... yes, someday I will be doing those things.

Yesterday was Friday. We worked until around 4 and then I started doing some research for camping in or near Newport. First I needed a sleeping bag that I can travel with. There was an REI in Cranston so I then had to find the right bus. After searching endlessly on the internet I eventually decided to just go to the bus station and find out which bus I needed to take then. After showering and cleaning up I didn't get off of the boat until after 5.

At the bus station I found that the bus I would've preferred left before I got there and it would not be running anymore that night. I walked inside and talked to the customer service guy who told me to take route 60 until the very last stop. I said, "Ok, thanks!" and ran out the door to get on the bus as it was waiting. I had no idea where the bus was going.

I climbed on the bus, took my seat and removed my Rhode Island and rt 60 map from my bag. I was going to Providence, I thought. I asked the woman behind me but she only spoke Spanish. The two men sitting in front of me turned around in their seats and told me exactly where we were going and how I should continue on to Cranston. They were very nice.

I arrived in Downtown Providence around 6:45 and the two men told me I should get on Rt 22. I stood there for about half an hour before the bus arrived and told me they were not going to Garden City. "Great!" I thought. There was a whole wall of bus routes in the station and I had no idea which one was for me. By chance a woman inside (strange woman) said that Rt 13 would definitely go to Garden City. I walked outside and waited for another 20 minutes. By this time it is dark.

I rode on the bus for about 15 minutes on the freeway before I hopped off in this huge shopping place called Garden City. I found an outdoor store but it was not REI and greatly overpriced. Nice, though. They pointed me in the right direction to REI. At REI I found the bag I wanted and talked to the man who was helping me about camping places. I soon discovered that it would be very difficult to get to the places I wanted to go as unfortunately, busses do not go into the woods.

There were no more busses leaving out of Garden City by the time I left REI (9:00) so I walked to the Day's Inn I saw on my way in. So here I sit in Cranston wondering what I should do today and tonight for that matter. I have a sleeping bag so I might just go into the woods.. haha probably not. I do have to worry about safety a bit, especially being by myself. I don't have a buddy to use the buddy system with but I don't want to completely stop what I want to do. I just need to figure something out.

I think I'm going to go into Providence today and walk around. Maybe I'll find a hostel or something. Otherwise I'll have to go back to Newport and sleep on the boat. I bought a 7day bus pass so I can ride it as much as I like. So that's good. Anyways! I have to check out here in a few minutes so I had better get a move on. Love you all and miss you. Woof,

Jacks

My coffee shop

I have been in Newport for some time now. We are going to be here still until the end of the month. My evenings have been spent here at a coffee shop called Empire a short walk away from the boat. I like it here a lot. I simply sit and read or spend some time on the internet searching for who-knows-what.

After the guests left the crew had a few days off. I spent the weekend walking all around Newport and into Middletown. The cliff walk was fantastic in my opinion only I wish there weren't so many other people. Over the weekend I walked 30 miles. Not bad, I think. Last weekend I went to Boston to meet with Mike and Anne and of course Isabella.

I was hoping to go camping and hiking this weekend but I have to get a small portable sleeping bag and we can't make a trip to REI until next week to pick up some jackets for the boat. Next weekend then will be when I do that. I have to find something else to fill this weekend but I just don't know. I've walked all around Newport and really don't feel like spending the money on a train ticket to Providence or Boston as it will be $70 round trip. I'd rather do something free and fun. I guess I might end up walking again just because I do enjoy it and like I said, the cliff walk was really nice.

I have so many things that I would like to do in between now and when I'm 30. There are so many plans to put into play! There's Colorado and the mountains, Arizona and the Grand Canyon rapids, backpacking through Europe, living for at least a year in a city with a friend, a long roadtrip with Mom and our dogs (when I have one!), living in the deep south for a while, paying off school loans so that I CAN do all of those things lifted above...

I think that those things will happen but maybe not all at once. I like to think they will anyways. My sleeping routine is all messed up. All of a sudden I am in bed in between 9 and 10 every night and up before 8. I know that is still sleeping in to Erik but for me that is pretty good.

I've been working outside since Monday. It has been great; so great that I don't want to go back inside. I have some thinking to do and some discussing with Laz. The weather has been very nice. Today sunny with no wind. Just great, I tell you.

I am very tired. I am not quite sure why but I cannot keep myself from yawning and my eyes are watering. Oh and look, it's only 10 till 10. Something is dreadfully wrong with me;-) I love you all so very much. Write again soon... Well, within the month that is. The internet is still out on the boat! Highly inconvenient! Woof you guys. Love you

Jacks

Busy Busy

We've had the owners on board for 5 days now and their guests for only 3 but goodness, it's tiring! I have to be up by 6:30 and then it's go go go. Mr. Guest is ALWAYS up at the same time as me and I have to get the coffee brewed before he has a chance to walk into the galley. When Dawn and I are frantic to set up for breakfast the last thing we want is to try and keep a polite forced conversation.

I love the owners. Mrs. Owner is sooo nice. She's an interior designer and has really cool huge fancy real shells and big candles for decorating. I know, bad english, but seriously, wonderful decorations. The day seems to go straight from breakfast to lunch to dinner. It's amazing how quickly the day goes by but at the end it feels like it has been so long. You know... kind of like fishing.

We're going to Martha's Vineyard tomorrow and the Nantucket after that. The guests leave... soon. Sooner than planned I think if the owners have anything to do with it. The crew is really great and I love the owners. Everything is wonderfully good. Of course, sometimes I have off moments but most of the time I am so thrilled to be doing this. This morning I woke up to set up the breakfast buffet and it was such a beautiful morning! It was Kevin's birthday so we had a great homemade pizza and cake.

I'm actually pretty good at my job. I've got a lot of room to improve for sure but every day is a bit better. I'm sorry but this blog is going to be a short one. I'm really tired and tomorrow's another early morning. Early for me anyhow. Not quite my normal routine as you know. Love ya tons and miss you!