Finally all aboard!

               This has been a day of firsts.  First day/night on the boat, first morning cup of coffee and breakfast on the boat, Mike’s first shower at the marina…little things to be sure, but all these little things set us up of living the life we crave. 

               This morning we went out to walk the dogs and talked a little about how life has changed so radically in such a short time.  We talked about the things we wanted when we first got married – American dream stuff, white picket fence, two car garage, 2.5 children and a stable life.  All that’s gone now and what has replaced it, we decided, was more like the life our children lead.  How funny is that?  Most parents (I know mine did) want a life for their children that is better, yet still the same, for their kids.  But Mike and I have always encouraged the kids to live the life less ordinary.  We wanted them to follow their passions and travel, meet new people and discover the world in a way that was not mundane.  And they did!  Hales is fueled by her disease, for sure, but one positive aspect of her illness is that she has seen much of the United States…I wish it could have been under better circumstances, but this is a small positive aspect in a life gone so haywire.  Ian is a world traveler!  Recently we spoke of his need to list all the places outside our country he’s visited for an application into the Navy.  He realized, after seeing the list in black and white, that he’s seen a great deal of our little blue globe.  When we talked about this fact I was struck at how proud I felt of the way he’s led his life.  Proud and, quite honestly, jealous! 

               So, if most parents want for their children, what they wanted…maybe that means that we've wanted this life all along?  I feel blessed to be here.

               And the pups!  They are doing very well.  Marley has taken to the boat as if she’s always been on one.  She may be a little bit discombobulated, but I'm sure that will end soon.  She jumped up on the step that leads to the Starboard door this morning and I thought, “We’ll be ok with her.  She already knows where to go when she needs to go!”  Sennah is doing well with the help of Dramamine.  We dosed her in the late morning, took her for a long walk and then tried to board the boat.  With the calming effect of the Dramamine, she did just fine, not perfect, but a huge improvement!  She got another dose this morning and we will keep her drugged until she feels secure. 

               We are dealing with leaks.  I'm ok with it!  Funny, I thought I'd be freaked out, but I realize she’s an old boat…she’s gonna leak!  And, I’m living with Mr. Fix it.  Lucky me!  

Dogs and boats

I'd like to think that my two dogs would be happy to be aboard our (their) boat...not so.  This pains me greatly because the girls are such a source of joy in my life and when they're unhappy, I'm unhappy.
Sennah is our oldest.  At 13 (or so) she is not ready, willing or able to have any big changes in her life.  If I'm honest, I didn't consider her and her age when we decided on the Moonspinner.  If I had thought it through and considered her, I would have gotten a boat that had a much easier way of entry.  The Moonspinner has two ways to board.  Starboard side, up a set of fairly steep steps or a ladder from the swim step into the helm - a definite no go for Sen.  So we resort to picking her up, trying to be as gentle as possible, but what we end up with is a quivering mess that doesn't calm down for many minutes.  Our next step is to try drugs...something that doesn't make me very happy!  But whatever works because, very shortly, she won't have an option and neither will we - the Moonspinner's home!

Sennah doesn't like campfires either.  After they're lit, she spends the rest of the night in the tent.

Marley is another story.  Marles is a strange mix of loving and sweet and aloof and...well...downright mean.  I have a nasty scar on my forearm to prove her nastiness and so do several other dogs.  But she also has her good points...let me think...what are they?  LOL  Honestly, she's a pretty good dog.  Marley didn't have much of a problem getting on and off the boat.  She's around 7 and in pretty good health, but tonight things were different.  She was fine at first but as the night wore on she got more and more quiet.  At one point she jumped up on the couch next to me and pressed her side up against my arm until I was pushed off to one side - very unlike Marles to want any physical contact.  I'm not sure if the little bit of motion we experience tied up to the dock affects her, or if she just picked up on Sennah's nervousness?  Either way, she was not her usual self.  I must admit that I do like her more when she's cuddly!  

This is Marley, scanning the backyard for squirrels with her pet lamb.  

We spent the weekend in Virginia and Maryland and thought we'd come home and pack.  Mikey and I are both sick to death of this back and forth.  We really want to leave this house behind and be on the water for good!  But I realized that I have an exam on Friday, along with having all my clinical paperwork and a care map due, so we've put off the big move until this Sunday...I think?  There's really no rush, except for an emotional one.  We are both looking forward to being in one place.

I learned a few things tonight.  The microwave has GOT to go!  It takes up way too much space and I REALLY need all the counter space I can get.  And I need a new sink faucet.  The one we have (for our tiny little sink) doesn't come up high enough to be practical.  I want a faucet that has a high arch to it, so I can get larger items under the flow of water.  I also realized we need a clothes drying rack.  I use a dryer as little as possible for my clothes and the boat doesn't have much room to hang wet clothes to dry.  Not only lack of drying space, but I don't think we need the added moisture of drying clothes!  So a new faucet and drying rack are added to the growing list of "Needs, wants and desires".

So many adjustments and the story of the Moonspinner

I'm aware that I'm a full speed ahead type of person and my husband's not.  This is good because it causes balance.  This boat has been a lesson in slowing down, for me, and taking into account my husbands feeling. I'm afraid I accidently stomped all over him and his feelings because of my exuberance.  The sad part is, he didn't say, "STOP", he just got more and more quiet.  Usually I cue into this behavior and start asking open ended questions to draw him out...but that's where the exuberance came in and I shut him out.  Of course these things always work their way out and I discovered that he was feeling VERY pressured to do everything and get rid of everything.  Even after 25 years of marriage I still need to stop myself from forgetting that I'm not single, that I should think of him 1st because that's what he does for me. So lesson learned!  I'm slowing down!

   And the Moonspinner...Here's her story!
We are the Moonspinners 3rd owners.  Her first was a man who moored her in Seattle.  There was a young boy named Rocky who used to spend time on his father's boat and always admired this beautiful wooden Chris Craft.  He told us he knew he wanted one, "Just like her".  Fast forward and Rocky was grown up and ready to get his own 1965 Tri cabin Constellation, so he started looking.  He found an ad for just what he was looking for and took his wife to see the boat.  Imagine his delight when we walked down the pier and didn't just see a boat "like" the one he love, but THE boat!  The same one he loved and wanted as a child.  He immediately bought the Moonspinner.
 
Flash forward to last year.  Mikey and I knew we were ready.  Life wasn't taking me where I wanted to go and I was DEPRESSED!  Mike suggested our local boat show and we spent the day walking on and off beautiful and, mainly, way too expensive boats, until we walked onto the Moonspinner.  Right away I knew she was do-able as a liveaboard because she met my strictest criteria - she didn't stink!  Even some of the new boats we walked on smelled horrible, not this boat.  She was also large enough (38 feet) and her price was just about right.  Mikey and I went home, talked about it, then took the kids over to see her the next day.  Everything was perfect...sorta.  I just couldn't "pull the trigger".  Mike asked why and all I could say was, "I'm not sure"?  Just a feeling I guess?  Turned out I was right to hesitate because two days later I got a call from the nursing program and our money was to be spent elsewhere.  Weird!

So, a year later, there we were at the same boat show, looking at beautiful boats that were, financially, even further out of reach.  We were JUST LOOKING!  But there she was...10,000 dollars LESS!  I told Mike that before I even saw the new price I knew - it was gonna happen!  Mike and I hate jumping through hoops!  There were no hoops with the Moonspinner.  Everything just seemed to...flow!

So here we are, 10 more days until we are totally committed to our boat and I just cannot wait!