Blue Moon Rising
It’s early new year’s morning and the rain is falling steadily. But the night before last we rang out the old year at anchor along the beach at Lido Key. A break in the weather brought warm temperatures, light tropical breezes, and the rise of the blue moon.
It’s the first time we have had a blue moon (the second full moon in a month’s time) on New Year’s eve since 1990. We cheated a bit as the weather forecast correctly predicted a cloud cover in Sarasota on New Year’s itself, so the night before had to do.
With friends Jan and Paul and a bottle of champagne, we bid farewell to 2009 aboard CAPER and watched the moonrise to port and the sunset to starboard. The sandy bottom is steady at 20 feet plus almost to the beach because of the rapid tidal flow through Big Pass. It is a lovely place to anchor and watch the boats go by in the pass and the people grilling on shore not 50 yards away. As we enjoyed the early evening we were reminded of the forces of nature, and I could not help but think how impressive and predictable they are compared to the mayhem of man. With all of our accomplishments, our engineering, intelligence, and technology we can not match the serenity of nature.
So, we start a new decade with hope for a better world and a place for each of us to be fulfilled.
Happy New Year!
A grand way to celebrate. Well done,
Lew
Great way to say farewell to the old and wish for more harmony and peace for the future. Moreover, as I lookout at mounds of snow, the thought of ocean breezes and warm climate seems even more alluring.
Bill–
Nice end to a very forgettable year. I hope you had more than just one bottle of champagne for the evening.
Shirley and I enjoyed a frigid walk over to the Belden-Stratford Hotel and dinner at Mon Ami Gabi. Probably our favorite dinner spot in Chicago. The place was bustling as you would expect. We both enjoyed the steak frites with a bottle of Joseph Perrier.
And the walk back was beautiful, lit by that same ol’ blue moon. All the best to you and Sue [and Claire] in 2010!
Bill,
Nice words, great photo. And indeed, as others here have said, here’s to a much better year. Sorry we didn’t get together in Sarasota in December, but we’re planning on April.
Also, to your friend Lee Ponton: Cade and I also have enjoyed Mon Ami Gabi in Chicago. One of the best we’ve experienced.
See you in April,
Whit