Mooring Fever

LUNACY AT SOLSTICE 

Mooring Fever Run Amok

I am not at all surprised to learn that a rare Christmas night full moon will light the sky next week.

Last week we were overcome by temporary insanity. It all started when we received, via email, an invitation to a party on December 22 that we very much wanted to attend. The hosts and the guests are among our favorite pals. Their gala evening would sparkle, no question. So we decided to book it. The only hitch is that this gala takes place on North Shore Drive, the favorite pals are our favorite Michigan pals, and we are back in St. Louis.

As noted previously, one of the great charms of The Mooring was its spontaneity, reflecting the personalities of Bob and Charlotte Horner. True, some of the surprises happened in concert with weather. If the wind was up, you dropped everything and went for a sail. Maybe a midnight sail, were Bob so inclined, with swimming in Lake Michigan. If the wind was down, Charlotte came around to announce a turtling expedition. But Bob and Charlotte loved to take off, just for the sheer joy of it. If they could get away from The Mooring for a bit, it was nothing for them to dash on over to Chicago for a session of their favorite jazz combo.

So what could be more of a lark than showing up on our neighbors' doorstep? We decided to do it! We could make a five-day getaway of it! Our calendar would even allow it! Our Michigan house hadn't yet been winterized! We could take the dog-- she would love it! We could stroll through magical, Yuletide downtown Holland! Catch a glimpse of Sinterklaas! And visit our favorite restaurants! And on and on!

Howard and I still associate spur-of-the-moment fun with our Michigan experience, and have even been known, in recent years, to stir up things up. This winter trip was the chance to stir some more. So very ... Mooring.
 
We went to bed happy and excited. However, later in the night during my customary 3 a.m. wakeful spell, second thoughts came buzzing through my brain, roosting like harpies. Really? Make the eight-hour drive twice in five days? In snow season? And walk Molly through the drifts? And shlep food into the house? And hope we could get safely back to St. Louis for Christmas with our family? Hmmm. Was this maybe Mooring Fever gone virulent? Just because we took a notion to pop up on North Shore Drive didn't guarantee that our friends would have time to see much of us during this busiest time of the year. They have their own plans, after all. And on and on.

We decided our impulse was nuts. We're staying put. But please know, Jeff and Cyndy and everyone in the hood: we so wanted to make merry with you! And even though we scrapped the trip, we had a blast imagining the details and all your shining faces. So pop some corks, tell some whoppers, laugh a lot and dance by the light of the moon as the solstice turns us around to face the sun again. We will be celebrating right along with you.

                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~