I’m not completely sold on the advantages of boats. The ocean is a dark and scary place, boats are slow, they requires so much more maintenance (because they’re niche) and you can’t really find anything you need out at sea. I mean…you can’t drink the water. You WILL get tired of eating fish. There’s a good reason you go out to sea and bring what you need with you…and then you always have to come back to shore to replenish supplies. Why bother, really?
Imagine living on a houseboat and not having a garden. I couldn’t live without my garden; it keeps me sane, lets me grow a little bit of colour and gives me an outlet for my habit of tree pruning. Melbourne has people who can do that for you, but that won’t be happening until my arms get too old and frail to hold the shears. But then, could you take a small garden out to sea with you? Can’t remember if I’ve ever seen anything like that. You could probably have a pot plant, but there’d be no chance to replace the soil. What you take is what you get, so any long voyages and that plant would be dead in a couple of weeks. Sunlight just isn’t enough!
I can’t imagine being back in the age of seafaring, going weeks upon weeks without ever seeing a single tree. Humans and trees are just made to be together, I think. Side by side, every day, except for those rare times when we just have to chop them down. It’s usually for the sake of safety, so I’m okay when we get the tree loppers in to do that kind of thing. It doesn’t mean we stop liking trees! Sometimes it’s the opposite, like having a hamster put down. The arborists based in Melbourne are basically vets, for trees. Yes, that sounds good.
Did I have my medication today? I really can’t remember…
-Arthur