retired landscape boots over the power line

On his last day of work, Wil quite literally hung up his boots, symbolizing of the end of his landscaping career and marking the beginning of what is now his life as a mariner. He will miss the many good people whom he worked with for so many years, but he is ready for the next exciting, new chapter in our lives. After he hung his boots, he enjoyed a wonderful going away party given by his co-workers and their families. Many thanks for all of the tasty food and fine gifts!

As we drove away from the Raleigh/Durham area for our last time, we were exhausted and numb. The past month has been a constant whirlwind of activity which all came to a head over these past few days. It wasn’t until this morning when we started to realize that this is it. This time we are here to stay. The boat is our home.

one project completed for the day ~ bottle opener mounted

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time to celebrate!

We are on our way!

What a feeling! What a relief. The rush of emotions felt. Twelve years to reach this point. Eight years of driving every weekend, all in the name of getting a boat. Three years of weekend boat work, all in the name of building a cruising kitty. Today, Wil hung up his boots. Today, we are here. Today is day one of a new phase in our lives.

Today, a new rush begins. Many people want to know when the boat will go in the water. We would love to know that answer ourselves! As with many cruisers, we are hoping for sooner rather than later. While it would be nice to launch sometime in the next couple of weeks, it’s very possible a month could slip by. We cringe to think of launching being more than a month away. It’s a boat, and with a boat, one can easily double or triple the time you think projects will take. Our priority projects are set, and we will aim to stay focused. No one will know when, including ourselves, until a few days prior to the big splash.

So sit tight. Read about more boat work. Then, let the journey begin!

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One more day until we are together as a family for 24/7. Yes, we like that idea!

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Two days until no more driving to the coast every weekend.

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Three more days until no cell phones.

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Pictures speak a thousand words.

name the items

prepared for our last trip in the truck

The photos may say a lot, but one funny story must be told.

This morning, we were moving at a high rate of speed in order to get the truck loaded. There was a lot of unsettled weather in the area, and we needed to hit the road as soon as possible.

Suddenly, we realized that Colin wasn’t dressed yet, and there wasn’t an ounce of his clothing left in his closet. His suitcase had already been packed and was one of the first items onto the truck. Colin’s expression, as he stood there in his boxers, was priceless.

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watching the wildlife calms the soul (American Goldfinch photo by Justine)

Checked off this week:

• received FCC Ship’s Station license . . . check
• Colin finished the 4th grade . . . check
• Colin’s 10th birthday celebrated . . . check
• Vesper AIS Watchmate 850 ordered and shipped . . . check
• sold a water cooler, a clock radio, a set of lamps, a camera and a fire safe . . . check
• re-listed the big, red dinghy and the corner desk . . . check
• added more items to the moving sale listing . . . check
• ordered feed pump for the water maker . . . check
• located a rebuild kit for water maker . . . check
• hauled off a truck load of trash . . . check
• laundry . . . check
• pack more . . . check
• kids’ last music lessons . . . check
• boys’ night out fishing . . . check
• girls’ night out for books & coffee . . . check
• dedicated to our inside joke about the cat . . . check
• exhausted . . . check

Still need to:

• finish filling out the kids’ passport applications
• help Justine study for her last two tests
• find the manual for the water maker
• ship banjo & school books sold on ebay
• keep packing
• finish organizing the medical kit
• get prescriptions filled
• get dinghy registration
• get car serviced & detailed before buyer pickup
• make another charity trip
• do last Costco shopping trip
• fill out change-of-address form
• try to remember everything
• get some sleep
• try to breathe

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Today, I’m walking around with the Beatles song, “Eight Days a Week”, on my mind. Sure, it feels like we’ve been working 8 days a week lately, but this morning Wil informed me that he only has 8 more days of work. Four days this week, and four days next week. Wow! That number really makes the finality of the move seem that much closer. The feelings are a mixture of extreme excitement and pure panic.

Eight more days of work for Wil. Eight more days of living in a trailer. Eight more days to get rid of the rest of our furniture. Eight more days of meal planning with very few cooking supplies left. Eight more days to clean out the garden. Eight more days to say our good-byes to friends in this area. Just eight more days!

While there are just 8 more days in our lives as landlubbers, there are still many days of work on the boat. Although, we have been able to knock a few items off the priority list. Wil managed to get the steaming and foredeck lights working, as well as take off the old radar dome and remove the old wire. He also finished the goose neck installation at the base of the mast. The majority of my time has been spent finding storage locations for our last load of items. Surprisingly, I found quite a few empty compartments that haven’t been touched yet! After a thorough cleaning, they were ready for their stowage of provisions. Now we’re ready for the next and final load. We think.

wiring in the new deck light

the gooseneck will help keep the cabin dry

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