Friday, October 10, 2008

Hurricane Season


Ten years ago today The Mister and I were on a wonderful seven day cruise through the south Caribbean. Upon our arrival to the Port of Miami we were upgraded to a large stateroom with a balcony and a roomy king sized bed. Lovely!

We visited several islands including St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic. Hurricane Georges happened to be spinning about in the Caribbean at the time. The ship had to change course and fore go one of the island stops because of Georges. On the last night of the cruise we followed Georges right into Miami.

Although we stayed outside the fringes of the storm, the waves were so high and the wind so strong that sea water splashed all the way up onto our balcony. The rolling of the ship did not bother us at all. We felt safe, and it was just a fun and exciting adventure.

When we finally went to bed in the wee hours the waves rocked us to sleep. For a final treat we were able to sleep until 9:00 on our last morning because the Port of Miami remained closed while the storm made landfall and moved inland.

We planned that cruise to coincide with our 29th wedding anniversary, October 10th, 1998. I wrote this poem for The Mister as an anniversary gift:




Hurricane Season

(On the Occasion of Our 29th Wedding Anniversary)


About the time the last spiral bands
Of Georges fade from the sky
We’ll set our own path
You and I

As we approach a common attitude
At a longitude and latitude
Of twenty-nine

All the time continuing
Slowly to the north and west
Toward thirty

As always
Our divergent paths
Track at different speeds
And varied intensities
With diverse priorities

The only commonality
An uncanny calm
Found within our eyes

The ability to see beyond our storms
Enough respect to weather our differences
A capacity to withstand destructive elements

For those who speculate upon our strength
Our potential for landfall
Our ability to endure
We say
Buy Spam

Cynthia Ann Conciatu 1998
Today, we are celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary! We are planning to drive down to Sarasota for the day. We'll browse through the shops at St. Armand's Circle and enjoy lunch at the Columbia Restaurant. The Columbia serves wonderful Cuban food and they make a guava cheese cake that makes our hearts happy.
So, bloggyfriends, You won't be hearing from me for a while in blogland today - see ya'll when we get home!

24 comments:

soulbrush said...

39th...omg we are only on 33 and it seems like forever! happy happy day and whatever you do,don't get involved in any bank robberies, fraudulent heists (dunno what they are, just sound good) or skulduggery...okay maybe a bit of the old duggery.....for old times sakes!

Debby said...

Celebrate your day!

Sparky said...

39! Wow! We're on 29 (Aug.11, 1979). Need to plan something special for our 30 next year ... hmmm ... but no jewel heists. :o) Y'all have fun celebrating. Hope the weather is really nice today. Here's wishing y'all the best! ♥ ∞

Pat said...

Happy anniversary and many more new adventures for you two!

Shelley said...

Have a wonderful anniversary celebration and enjoy your guava cheese cake!!

Stanley said...

Happy 39th anniversary! And have a nice holiday too xP

Lavinia said...

Happy Anniversary! Wow, how does the Mister feel, being married to such a wonderful, sweet, and funny criminal mastermind? Ha ha ha. By the way, how many of the Archduke's gemstones did you have to 'dispose of' to finance that hurricane cruise? ha ha ha ha....

Love ya!

Signed,
Frenemy for life,
Lavinia

steviewren said...

Have fun with the Mister today.... Don't even think about the suspicion and shame brought upon me by you and your frenemy for life. Go ahead, eat drink and be merry while I try to rebuild my good name.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary Muse and Mister. We'll be waiting for a poem.

MuseSwings said...

Stevie The Wren - we promise to fuggedabowdit!

Thank you all, friends and frenemies alike for your good wishes!

Lavinia - for that cruise I used one of the Tsarina's strands of pigeon egg sized pearls. Two pearls paid for the cruise, the rest I donated to the casino.

Lavinia said...

You're back! Or else you haven't left yet? I can't keep track of your comings and goings anymore! Frankly, neither can Interpol. But we won't get into that now. By the way my parents will soon mark 49 years of holy deadlock....er...I mean...wedlock! LOL!

BY the way, don't be so quick to fuggedabout Steviewren's life as a notorious jewel thief. We gotta have fun at her expense don't we?!

MuseSwings said...

We changed our plans for the day - went out to breakfast and we'll go out to dinner this evening. 49 years is quite amazing! Considering I'm married to The Mister, 39 is miraculous!

We shan't fuggedabowdit, Stevie the Wren!

I think Interpol is sitting out by my mailbox watching for postcards from the outer reaches of the world. I hope you've used the special secret code on yours!

Lavinia said...

I had such fun putting together your postcard. Comes with its own magnetic swipe and everything, redeemable at all 7-11 stores in Zaire. You *do* live near Zaire don't you? If not, oh well, it was the thought that counted...

MuseSwings said...

Lavinia! According to my knowledge of geography, Zaire is just north of Tarpon Springs. And there's a 7-11 there and the Zairina speaks halting English.

Yes, I had fun putting your postcard together too! Only open in well ventilated room and, whatever you do, do not read near open flame or hit it smartly with any object.

Lavinia said...

Oh yeah, Cynthia, that's the drill for all my mail. Ever since that package from that Hungarian Count that made a curious ticking noise. They felt the blast as far away as Three Mile Island. No wait---I *was* on Three Mile Island. Oh it was hilarious the way I gave off a strange green glow for days afterward. Good times.

steviewren said...

Lavinia, wait just a minute...your photo STILL gives off a greenish glow....eeeeekkks!

soulbrush said...

excuse me, mind me interrupting - you and lavvy seem to be having your own personal chat here.
you've been tagged - see my blog!(whe you recover from your night of wining dining and ....).

MuseSwings said...

That explains the aura I see in all of your pictures, LL! Stevie the Wren - keep your Geiger counter handy and our next social gathering.

Why Soulbrush! How could you possibly ever interrupt! I shall dash right over.

Tess Kincaid said...

Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your day with the Mister in sunny Sarasota. Tell my uncle hello if you happen to bump into him!

MuseSwings said...

I will certainly do that - when I do go to Sarasota. We opted to stay closer to home today and had a breakfast date and just came back from our dinner date.

Betsy Brock said...

Happy, happy celebrating! :)

ChaChaneen said...

Happy Anniversary! That was truly a lovely poem and tribute to your marriage... the heights and the compromises of truth. Very nice! What a wonderful memory at sea too ~ my favorite type of vacation also.

MuseSwings said...

Thank you Betsy and Janeen!

Kelli said...

Happy 39th Anniversary Cynthia! Your plans sound scrumptious! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful day of remembrance and celebration!
Hugs,
Kalianne