Day 1...and so it begins...

Today is really the end of day 2 and it was lovely - morning coffee and breakfast on the boat, some unpacking and tidying up, some shopping for necessities and the wonderful company of Patrik and Sofia for a pizza dinner. Day one wasn't quite so smooth...

As for the start of Sailboat living, let me just say this:

Trip to the doctor - $30,
Antibiotics, $23
Watching the jeweler removing Ron's wedding ring with a saw - Priceless.

Here is how day one went:

1. Sleep for 4 hours after not sleeping during the 18 trip to get here.
2. Wake up and have coffee in the cockpit - very nice
3. Find our where the nearest medical clinic is.
4. Take Ron to the clinic and wait an hour to see the doc because his ring finger has been mysteriously swelling for two days and is now turning purple and blue in spots and is the size of a small cucumber.
5. Find a pharmacy and get antibiotics for something called "fish poisoning" which is caused by a bacteria that some fish and shellfish carry and has somehow gotten into a scratch when Ron was scraping the barnacles off the dingy on Saturday.
6. On the doctor's concerned advise, we had to locate a jeweler in Simpson Bay that could cut off Ron's wedding ring (with thanks to Lindsay, who works in the boatyard rebuilding engines and offered to do it)
7. Get groceries and something very quick for dinner.

After day 2 of antibiotics, I think the color is starting to return to something resembling normal and the swelling may be going down a touch, but I think Ron would trade the pain in his finger for just about anything.

At least we got to enjoy a sunset from the cockpit - Olivia and I.

Olivia is, as always, a stellar traveler. She is so content to be wherever we are and watch the world go by and. She loves her cabin on the boat is has already claimed the space under the dining table as her "fort". She squeals with delight when we go across the lagoon in the dingy and loves to go fast over the rollers and wake from other boats. She's already picking up on a few boat chores and is getting her sea legs quite quickly.

Three more sleeps and NO MORE WORK!!

This past October I celebrated 25 years with the company I work for (I started when I was 5) and I'll tell you if I ever slacked off (which, of course I didn't) I sure as heck made up for it in the last 6 weeks. There was so much to finish, train on and hand off and still there were files and work related things that I would pick up and scratch my head wondering why the heck I ever kept them. Well, they're gone now. After a terrific lunch at the Bengal Lounge in the Empress Hotel with my boss and my replacement, I bid a fond farewell to my work laptop, my client files, my company vehicle and my blackberry. I got in our beat up pick up truck and felt a sense of loss....FOR ABOUT 4 SECONDS!!! I work for a great outfit with some pretty great people, but I can't believe how good it feels to walk into my home office and have nothing to do! I'm simply giddy with glee!

Miss O and I still have lots to pack up over the weekend and somehow have to pack 6 duffels worth of stuff into 4. We have a few more hugs and farewells to deliver but for the most part, we have our act together and are ready to go. Olivia has one more morning of preschool before we go and I think her teachers are planning a little something special for her. She knows we're going on a big boat trip, but I don't think she grasps the magnitude of what's been involved or how different the next year of her life will be - I think she thinks it's just another weekend on the boat and wonders what all the fuss is - it's all so wonderfully black and white when you're 4.

Ron arrived safely in St.Martin 3 days ago and has been busy getting to know Exodo and her systems and has plenty for us to do when we arrive also. It's hard to imagine that this is all finally coming together for us and we're so excited for whatever adventures and experiences lie ahead.

Warm Hearts and Bon Voyage...

 

We have the greatest groups of friends!! Our dear friends Ed and Jen hosted a wonderful Bon Voyage get together for us on Monday night with some of our closest friends and having them all together in one setting really gave us cause to think about how each of them has contributed in some way to our deciding to undertake this experience, or been such a big encouragement or source of support in the process. Then, last night my D-partner from the ladies hockey team that I play with hosted a girls Bon Voyage get together and it was fun to enjoy a drink and a social and yummy food in an environment that smelled soooooo much nicer than the locker room - Thanks M.E!!

I'm not sure how we would be doing this without so much support from our friends. I wish we were bringing them all with us. Experiences of a lifetime are always something you want to share with the people who are important to you and make you happy, and we love every one of them and feel so lucky to call them friends.

A huge thank you to you all - we're already missing you. xoxo

 

 

 

 

The Countdown Is On

Happy New Year to all! Christmas for us at "The Penthouse" was wonderful and busy. There's nothing like experiencing the magic of the holidays through the eyes and the heart of a four year old. I wonder if she knows how lucky we are.... Anyway, decorations are now put away and our digs are back to whatever 'normal' is for us and the countdown is now in full swing.

12 more sleeps for Ron and 19 for Miss O and me. It seems the closer we get, the more there is to do and the small lists just keep getting bigger. At times the reality of what we're undertaking still seems daunting and overwhelming and at other times it's just pure excitement. I think we are both feeling a little anxious these days about the myriad of things to do before we go and the unknown changes that lie ahead for us, but still we both know that this is the opportunity of a lifetime for all three of us. Packing for the boat has started and it's actually quite funny to see the things that each of us have put out to pack aside from clothes. We've never had to verbalize who would pack what, but it's quite obvious what each of our priorities are and how each of our roles will develop. The captain's pile has boat parts, cruising guides, hand held electronics and charts, gardinkles and whoplunkers (which are very important/handy gadgets of some sort), while mine has arts/crafts, kindergarten curriculum, first aid supplies and meds, a few kitchen gadgets that I just can't part with, ebooks and my ipod. No stereotyping in this family....

We had the last of our travel vaccinations last week (although Miss O still has one more set of shots - shhhh...don't tell her) That wasn't much fun and I had a small reaction from one of them, but at least it's much better than the alternative.

I have 2.5 weeks of work left and was hoping that things would be winding down for me, but it's actually busier than ever right now with some big initiatives underway and about to come to fruition. I'm just starting to work with the person who will do my job while I'm away and there's lots for her to learn and plenty of loose ends to tidy up, so there won't be much down time over the next couple of weeks. Captain Ron is busy lining up moorage, boat insurance, bottom paint, and lots of other jobs he'll need to start on as soon as he arrives in St. Martin.

On a more somber note, my granny left us on New Years eve to join my grampa Nick, Phyllis and my mom in a better place. I'll remember her kindness, craziness, eccentricities, and her bright, beautiful eyes....Rest easy, Rita.