A Pirate's Life!

Niji Saru decided to discover more on the great question of piracy. Poor Yorick, but he holds a great deal of delicious beverage.



She climbed up on the beware of pirates sign in order to keep a good lookout. This lead to many pirates calling out, "Ahoy! Powder Monkey Ahead!"

Although she still has no mouth, magically, Niji Saru discovered a pleasure in Pirates Booty!



Phew! A wild day as a pirate ended with hanging out with rubber duckies on the crew and swabbing as best as possible!

Dig Down Way Down Deep!

Caught admiring the completely fake orchid, Niji Saru asked if we could do some gardening. I said "Great idea!"



Niji Saru was ready to just dig it! Dig it! Everybody wants to dig! Just dig it! I said, "dance gardening this is not." Niji Saru said, "go with the flow!"



This has been the driest winter on record in south Florida, so we were hauling around water to the most distressed plants.



Then Niji Saru climbed the tomato ladder to supervise my harvesting of tomatoes and beet greens. She definitely had the better deal on that! Wise monkey!

A is for Alligators All Around

Niji Saru reminds me to meditate every morning:



She loves a good mystery and some sunbathing, although I made sure she had on her sunblock.



And because she practices mindfulness, when the alligators show up, she is ready with an open heart.



Her meditation for us this morning: may all beings have joy!

Gonna Wash That Dawg Outta My Hair!

Today was the day for much housekeeping and Niji Saru was not about to sit by, idly. No, these were more opportunities for mindfulness meditation and the compassion of sharing suffering. Borrowing a headrag from Wunderdawg, to absorb any stray sweat and protect Niji Saru from dust, we were off and cleaning!

First, the dishes. Having read in many places that washing dishes is a real mindfulness practice, Niji Saru joined her friend, the washtopus, Scrubby, and imitated that sacred pose of the Buddha of Dishes.


Then she worked on becoming one with the mop, so that by mopping in between the dust particles, there would be effortlessness.



She especially enjoyed the quarterly oiling of the wood surfaces in the house.

Mmmmm! Lemons!

However, Sock Monkey Nature took over when we broke out the vacuum cleaner. Turns out, Niji Saru loves to ride the vacuum and hunt for Wunderdawg fur.


Recycling brings good karma. Niji Saru told me so.


After all that mindful work, we needed a restorative cuppa tea. Here, Niji Saru is with her favorite mug and lotus cushion.

Niji Saru arrived on Saturday and sat out yesterday by the pool, before the weather turned cool:



Ah, the sisterhood of the traveling sock monkeys. Flat Stanley for what we must euphemistically call, "grown-ups". Ha! not in NeverNeverLand!

We did sit in meditation this morning, opening our hearts to all of life in the widening circle of connection. We all need intimate circles; we are all dependent upon the larger connections! Look at how wise this sock monkey, Niji Saru is!

Launching My Barque

I've long been overdue to launch a personal blog -- aside from a working blog! Now that I have sent little Violet off into the world



there must be a place to record her -- and my -- adventures.

Now what does a corsair have to do with a sock monkey? You're right, matey, the usual gruff, brusque, and downright irritable corsairs don't have anything to do with sock monkeys. But you must remember, this is the happy corsair -- cruising for new plunder (yarn!), new battles (haha!), and really bad jokes (haha-haha!)!

Violet Perigee is in a box now wending her way to Northern Ireland. Soon, a wee sock monkey exchange student will be arriving to spend a month in her place, here at Port Weevil Rak You, to learn more about being a happy corsair. Ahoy!