Life is changing so fast. I am no longer aboard Boudicca. We're selling her as I write. Hopefully, she will be sold and totally off our hands before next weekend! Alan and I are getting a divorce. Steve and I are living aboard Serendipity, (my WestSail 32). The girls are going to live primarally with me. It looks like we're all going to be living aboard close to each other.
Speaking of that type of thing... Serendipity is supposed to be leaving port on May 5th. We're trying to get everything ready in time, though I don't know if we will. But it may be that we go with whatever's done. I need to head back to Key West for my health.
I've been playing with photography again. Been stating to work on a portfolio.
At this point, we are also planning to continue unschooling. In FL, we will join an umbrella school to "cover us" with FL law. When we get down there I want to find some activites. Plus, Steve plys guitar and Kali is wanting to learn to play. Lily's reading has taken off. I want to get her a library card so she can get her fill of books. Hopefully, Kali will take to it as well.
- Mood:
stressed
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Things have been boring around here; normal life dock-side.
Alan is still in Florida. The trip to Guatamala aboard Second Summit is being pushed back. They are trying to get her ready still.
Alan and the girls will be going to Mexico for a family wedding in a week or so. I’m not going to be going. I’m taking a break and hopefully getting work done on Boudicca.
Steve is still working, thought he’s getting fed up with the BS that goes along with the job.
BOUDICCA UPDATE: We have set a departure date. We are planning to leave in April. (Ideally, April 1st.) There are still several things that need to be done, but once Alan makes it home, things can really get happening.
One of our friends is thinking of coming with. It is a complicated situation, as one of his roommates doesn’t want him to go. We had almost come to yelling, as I believe peple should be able to make their own choices and she thinks he is unable to make those kinds of decisions.
So, I am getting myself through my seasonal depression with a count down till when we leave (ideally). Even if we don’t leave April 1, I know it will be shortly thereafter. So, here I am… Flordia Dreaming…
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Life has been odd, as life usually is.
Alan has gone back to FL to prepare for/ go on the trip to Guatamala. They are planning to leave anyday now. When he get’s back, he’ll be taking the girls to Mexico for a wedding. (I’m not going due to other things going on.)
Steve has been working, as usual, though he had a couple weeks off around Christmas/New Year. But back to work and we’re all trying to make the best of it. However, he got a poker set for Christmas and is wanting to ue it. (I don’t know if our friends will really play against him, though… he’s really good. He’s actually thinking of going semi-pro/pro.)
The girls and I are well too. We like seeing family and friends, but we’re looking forward to heading back to Key West! We miss it, and cold weather makes us miss it more!
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Alan got home last night. He is only home for a week or two, then he is taking one of our boats, (Serendipity), south. He are trying to spend time as well as getting work done. We have to get Serendipity ready as we can for a single-handed trip.
It looks like the plan has changed yet again. Here’s the new (improved?) plan. Alan will take Serendipity south. Alan will come up for thanksgiving, then head to FL again to take Second Summit (his step-father’s boat) to Guatemala. Then he’ll come back stateside and finish taking Serendipity to Key West. He will get a job down there on a boat and start fixing up Serendipity to sell. Meanwhile, Steve, the girls and I will stay up on Boudicca and bear the winter as we try to save money and get Boudicca ready to head south. In the spring, we head south, probably with Alan’s help.
That seems to be what is going on here now.
Fair Winds,
Regina
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
This was written by a person in one of the groups I am part of.Here is the whole thing and over the next several days, I will take it piece by piece and talk about it. I hope you enjoy…
“The Liveaboard Simulator”Just for fun, park your cars in the lot of the convenience store
at least 2 blocks from your house. (Make believe the sidewalk is a
floating dock between your car and the house.
Move yourself and your family (If applicable) into 2 bedrooms and 1
bathroom. Measure the DECK space INSIDE your boat. Make sure the
occupied house has no more space, or closet space, or drawer space.
Boats don’t have room for “beds”, as such. Fold your Sealy
Posturepedic up against a wall, it won’t fit on a boat. Go to a hobby
fabric store and buy a foam pad 5′ 10″ long and 4′ wide AND NO MORE
THAN 3″ THICK. Cut it into a triangle so the little end is only 12″
wide. This simulates the foam pad in the V-berth up in the pointy bow
of the sailboat. Bring in the kitchen table from the kitchen you’re
not allowed to use. Put the pad UNDER the table, on the floor, so you
can simulate the 3′ of headroom over the pad.
Block off both long sides of the pad, and the pointy end so you have
to climb aboard the V-berth from the wide end where your pillows will
be. The hull blocks off the sides of a V-berth and you have to climb
up over the end of it through a narrow opening (hatch to main cabin)
on a boat. You’ll climb over your mate’s head to go to the potty in
the night. No fun for either party. Test her mettle and resolve by
getting up this way right after you go to bed at night. There are lots
of things to do on a boat and you’ll forget at least one of them,
thinking about it laying in bed, like “Did I remember to tie off the
dingy better?” or “Is that spring line (at the dock) or anchor line
(anchored out) as tight as it should be?” Boaters who don’t worry
about things like this laying in bed are soon aground or on
fire or the laughing stock of an anchorage…. You need to find out
how much climbing over her she will tolerate BEFORE you’re stuck with
a big boat and big marina bills and she refuses to sleep aboard it any
more…..
Bring a coleman stove into the bathroom and set it next to the
bathroom sink. Your boat’s sink is smaller, but we’ll let you use the
bathroom sink, anyways. Do all your cooking in the bathroom, WITHOUT
using the bathroom power vent. If you have a boat vent, it’ll be a
useless 12v one that doesn’t draw near the air your bathroom power
vent draws to take away cooking odors. Leave the hall door open to
simulate the open hatch. Take all the screens off your 2 bedroom’s
windows. Leave the windows open to let in the bugs that will invade
your boat at dusk, and the flies attracted to the cooking.
Borrow a 25 gallon drum mounted on a trailer. Flush your
toilets into the drums. Trailer the drums to the convenience store to
dump them when they get full. Turn off your sewer, you won’t have
one. This will simulate going to the “pump out station” every time the
tiny drum is full. 25 gallons is actually LARGER than most holding
tanks.
They’re more like 15 gallons on small sailboats under 40′ because they
were added to the boat after the law changed requiring them and there
was no place to put it or a bigger one. They fill up really fast if
you liveaboard!
Unless your boat is large enough to have a big “head” with full bath,
make believe your showers/bathtubs don’t work. Make a deal with
someone next door to the convenience store to use THEIR bathroom for
bathing at the OTHER end of the DOCK. (Marina rest room) If you use
this rest room to potty, while you’re there, make believe it has no
paper towels or toilet paper. Bring your own. Bring your own soap
and anything else you’d like to use there, too.
If your boat HAS a shower in its little head, we’ll let you use the
shower end of the bathtub, but only as much tub as the boat has FREE
shower space
for standing to shower. As the boat’s shower drains into a little pan
in the bilge, be sure to leave the soapy shower water in the bottom of
the tub for a few days before draining it. Boat shower sumps always
smell like spent soap growing exotic living organisms science hasn’t
actually discovered or named, yet. Make sure your simulated V-berth is
less than 3′ from this soapy water for sleeping. The shower sump is
under the passageway to the V-berth next to your pillows.
Run you whole house through a 20 amp breaker to simulate available
dock power at the marina. If you’re thinking of anchoring out, turn
off the main breaker and “make do” with a boat battery and
flashlights. Don’t forget you have to heat your house on this 20A
supply and try to keep the water from freezing in winter.
Turn off the water main valve in front of your house. Run a hose from
your neighbor’s lawn spigot over to your lawn spigot and get all your
water from there. Try to keep the hose from freezing all winter.
As your boat won’t have a laundry, disconnect yours. Go to a boat
supply place, like West Marine, and buy you a dock cart. Haul ALL
your supplies, laundry, garbage, etc. between the car at the
convenience store and house in this cart. Once a week, haul your
outboard motor to the car, leave it a day then haul it back to the
house, in the cart, to simulate “boat problems” that require “boat
parts” to be removed/replaced on your “dock”. If ANYTHING ever comes
out of that cart between the convenience store and the house, put it
in your garage and forget about it. (Simulates losing it over the
side of the dock, where it sank in 23′ of water and was dragged off by
the current.)
Each morning, about 5AM, have someone you don’t know run a weedeater
back and forth under your bedroom windows to simulate the fishermen
leaving the marina to go fishing. Have him slam trunk lids, doors,
blow car horns and bang some heavy pans together from 4AM to 5AM
before lighting off the weedeater. (Simulates loading boats
with booze and fishing gear and gas cans.) Once a week, have him bang
the running weedeater into your bedroom wall to simulate the idiot who
drove his boat into the one you’re sleeping in because he was half
asleep leaving the dock. Put a rope over a big hook in the ceiling
over your “bed”. Put a sheet of plywood under your pad with a place
to hook a rope to one side or the other. Hook one end of the rope
to the plywood hook and the other end out where he can pull on it.
As soon as he shuts off the weedeater, have him pull hard 9 times
on the rope to tilt your bed at least 30 degrees. (Simulates the wakes of
the fishermen blasting off trying to beat each other to the fishing.)
Anytime there is a storm in your area, have someone constantly pull on
the rope. It’s rough riding storms in the marina or anchored out! If your
boat is a sailboat, install a big wire from the top of the tallest tree
to your electrical ground in the house to simulate mast lightning strikes
in the marina, or to give you the thought of potential lightning strikes.
Each time you “go out”, or think of going boating away from your
marina, disconnect the neighbor’s water hose, your electric wires, all
the umbilicals your new boat will use to make life more bearable in
the marina.
Use bottled drinking water for 2 days for everything. Get one of those
5 gallon jugs with the airpump on top from a bottled water company.
This is your boat’s “at sea” water system simulator. You’ll learn to
conserve water this way. Of course, not having the marina’s AC power
supply, you’ll be lighting and all from a car battery, your only
source of power. If you own or can borrow a generator, feel free to
leave it running to provide AC power up to the limit of the generator.
If you’re thinking about a 30′ sailboat, you won’t have room for a
generator so don’t use it.
Any extra family members must be sleeping on the settees in the main
cabin or in the quarter berth under the cockpit….unless you intend
to get a boat over 40-something feet with an aft cabin. Smaller boats
have quarter berths. Cut a pad out of the same pad material that is no
more than 2′ wide by 6′ long. Get a cardboard box from an appliance
store that a SMALL refridgerator came in. Put the pad in the box, cut
to fit, and make sure only one end of the box is open. The box can be
no more than 2 feet above the pad. Quarter berths are really tight.
Make them sleep in there, with little or no air circulation. That’s
what sleeping in a quarterberth is all about.
Of course, to simulate sleeping anchored out for the weekend, no heat
or air conditioning will be used and all windows will be open without
screens so the bugs can get in.
In the mornings, everybody gets up and goes out on the patio to enjoy
the sunrise. Then, one person at a time goes back inside to dress,
shave, clean themselves in the tiny cabin unless you’re a family of
nudists who don’t mind looking at each other in the buff. You can’t
get dressed in the stinky little head with the door closed on a
sailboat. Hell, there’s barely room to bend over so you can sit on the
commode. So, everyone will dress in the main cabin….one at a time.
Boat tables are 2′ x 4′ and mounted next to the settee. There’s no
room for chairs in a boat. So, eat off a 2X4′ space on that kitchen
table you slept under while sitting on a couch (settee simulator). You
can also go out with breakfast and sit on the patio (cockpit), if you
like.
Ok, breakfast is over. Crank up the lawnmower under the window for 2
hours. It’s time to recharge the batteries from last night’s usage and
to freeze the coldplate in the boat’s icebox which runs off a
compressor on the engine. Get everybody to clean up your little hovel.
Don’t forget to make the beds from ONE END ONLY. You can’t get to the
other 3 sides of a boat bed pad.
All hands go outside and washdown the first fiberglass UPS truck that
passes by. That’s about how big the deck is on your 35′ sailboat that
needs to have the ocean cleaned off it daily or it’ll turn the white
fiberglass all brown like the UPS truck. Now, doesn’t the UPS truck
look nice like your main deck?
Ok, we’re going to need some food, do the laundry, buy some boat parts
that failed because the manufacturer’s bean counters got cheap and
used plastics and the wife wants to “eat out, I’m fed up with cooking
on the Coleman stove” today. Let’s make believe we’re not at home, but
in some exotic port like Ft Lauderdale, today….on our cruise to Key
West……Before “going ashore”, plan on buying all the food you’ll
want to eat that will:
A - Fit into the Coleman Cooler on the floor
B - You can cook on the Coleman stove without an oven or all those
fancy
kitchen tools you don’t have on the boat
C - And will last you for 10 days, in case the wind drops and it takes
more time than we planned at sea.
Plan meals carefully in a boat. We can’t buy more than we can STORE,
either!
You haven’t washed clothes since you left home and everything is
dirty. Even if it’s not, pretend it is for the boater-away-from-home
simulator. Put all the clothes in your simulated boat in a huge
dufflebag so we can take it to the LAUNDRY! Manny’s Marina HAS a
laundromat, but the hot water heater is busted (for the last 8 months)
and Manny has “parts on order” for it…..saving Manny $$$$ on the
electric bill! Don’t forget to carry the big dufflebag with us on our
“excursion”. God that bag stinks, doesn’t it?….PU!
Of course, we came here by BOAT, so we don’t have a car. Some nice
marinas have a shuttle bus, but they’re not a taxi. The shuttle bus
will only go to West Marine or the tourist traps, so we’ll be either
taking the city bus, if there is one or taxi cabs or shopping at the
marina store which has almost nothing to buy at enormous prices.
Walk to the 7-11 store, where you have your car stored, but ignore the
car.
Make believe it isn’t there. No one drove it to Ft Lauderdale for you.
Use the payphone at the 7-11 and call a cab. Don’t give the cab driver
ANY instructions because in Ft Lauderdale you haven’t the foggiest
idea where West Marine is located or how to get there, unlike at home.
We’ll go to West Marine, first, because if we don’t the “head” back on
the boat won’t be working for a week because little Suzy broke a valve
in it trying to flush some paper towels. This is your MOST important
project, today….that valve in the toilet!! After the cab drivers
drives around for an hour looking for West Marine and asking his
dispatcher how to get there. Don’t forget to UNLOAD your stuff from
the cab, including the dirty clothes in the dufflebag then go into
West Marine and give the clerk a $100 bill, simulating the cost of
toilet parts. Lexus parts are cheaper than toilet parts at West
Marine. See for yourself! The valve she broke, the
seals that will have to be replaced on the way into the valve will
come to $100 easy. Tell the clerk you’re using my liveaboard simulator
and to take his girlfriend out to dinner on your $100 greenback. If
you DO buy the boat, this’ll come in handy when you DO need boat parts
because he’ll remember you for the great time his girlfriend gave him
on your $100 tip.
Hard-to-find boat parts will arrive in DAYS, not months like the rest
of us. It’s just a good political move while in simulation mode.
Call another cab from West Marine’s phone, saving 50c on payphone
charges.
Load the cab with all your stuff, toilet parts, DIRTY CLOTHES then
tell the cabbie to take you to the laundromat so we can wash the
stinky clothes in the trunk. The luxury marina’s laundry in Ft
Lauderdale has a broken hot water heater. They’re working on it, the
girl at the store counter, said, yesterday. Mentioning the $12/ft you
paid to park the boat at their dock won’t get the laundry working
before we leave for Key West. Do your laundry in the laundromat the
cabbie found for you. Just because noone speaks English in this
neighborhood, don’t worry. You’ll be fine this time of day near noon.
Call another cab to take us out of here to a supermarket. When you get
there, resist the temptation to “load up” because your boat has
limited storage and very limited refridgeration space (remember?
Coleman Cooler).
Buy from the list we made early this morning. Another package of
cookies is OK. Leave one of the kids guarding the pile of clean
laundry just inside the supermarket’s front door….We learned our
lesson and DIDN’T forget and leave it in the cab, again!
Call another cab to take us back to the marina, loaded up with clean
clothes and food and all-important boat parts. Isn’t Ft Lauderdale
beautiful from a cab? It’s too late to go exploring, today. Maybe
tomorrow…. Don’t forget to tell the cab to go to the 7-11 (marina
parking lot)….not your front door….cabs don’t float well.
Ok, haul all the stuff in the dock cart from the 7-11 store the two
blocks to the “boat” bedroom. Wait 20 minutes before starting out for
the house.
This simulates waiting for someone to bring back a marina-owned dock
cart from down the docks…..They always leave them outside their
boats, until the marina “crew” get fed up with newbies like us asking
why there aren’t any carts and go down the docks to retrieve them.
Put all the stuff away, food and clothes, in the tiny drawer space
provided. Have a beer on the patio (cockpit) and watch the sunset.
THIS is living!
Now, disassemble the toilet in your bathroom, take out the wax ring
under it and put it back. Reassemble the toilet. This completes the
simulation of putting the new valve in the “head” on the boat. Uh, uh,
NO POWERVENT!
GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT SWITCH! The whole “boat” smells like the inside
of the holding tank for hours after fixing the toilet in a real boat,
too! Spray some Lysol if you got it….
After getting up, tomorrow morning, from your “V-Berth”, take the
whole family out to breakfast by WALKING to the nearest restaurant,
then take a cab to any local park or attraction you like. We’re off
today to see the sights of Ft Lauderdale…..before heading out to
sea, again, to Key West.
Take a cab back home after dinner out and go to bed, exhausted, on
your little foam pad under the table…..
Get up this morning and disconnect all hoses, electrical wires, etc.
Get ready for “sea”. Crank up the lawn mower under the open bedroom
window for 4 hours while we motor out to find some wind. ONE
responsible adult MUST be sitting on the hot patio all day, in shifts,
“on watch” looking out for other boats, ships, etc. If you have a
riding lawn mower, let the person “on watch” drive it around the yard
all day to simulate driving the boat down the ICW in heavy traffic.
About 2PM, turn off the engine and just have them sit on the mower
“steering” it on the patio. We’re under sail, now. Every hour or so,
take everyone out in the yard with a big rope and have a tug-of-war to
simulate the work involved with setting sail, changing sail, trimming
sail. Make sure everyone gets all sweaty in the heat.
Sailors working on sailboats are always all sweaty or we’re not going
anywhere fast! Do this all day, today, all night, tonight, all day,
tomorrow, all night tomorrow night and all day the following day until
5PM when you “arrive” at the next port you’re going to. Make sure
noone in the family leaves the confines of the little bedroom or the
patio during our “trip”. Make sure everyone conserves water, battery
power, etc., things you’ll want to conserve while being at sea on a
trip somewhere. Everyone can go up to the 7-11 for an icecream as soon
as we get the “boat” docked on day 3, the first time anyone has left
the confines of the bedroom/patio in 3 days.
Question - Was anyone suicidal during our simulated voyage? Keep an
eye out for anyone with a problem being cooped up with other family
members. If anyone is attacked, any major fights break out, any
threats to throw the captain to the fish…..forget all about boats
and buy a motorhome, instead.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Our plans keep changing. I know we’ll be heading to Key West soon, but when keeps changing.
I am ready to go in so many ways. I am looking forward to being back where the sun shines on the blue water; palm trees sway with the gentle breeze. Where we are out on the hook away from pressures of land.
But at the same time, I’m going to miss our friends. I finally have a a social life. I have always wanted to have a social life where my friends came over. Going back to Key West means I leave this behind. I will still be able to talk to everyone on the phone. As far as people coming over, I’ll need to start over trying to make friends.
I look forward to our new adventures, yet acknowledge the sacrifices I need to make to have those adventures.
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</->
Our plans keep changing. I know we’ll be heading to Key West soon, but when keeps changing.
I am ready to go in so many ways. I am looking forward to being back where the sun shines on the blue water; palm trees sway with the gentle breeze. Where we are out on the hook away from pressures of land.
But at the same time, I’m going to miss our friends. I finally have a a social life. I have always wanted to have a social life where my friends came over. Going back to Key West means I leave this behind. I will still be able to talk to everyone on the phone. As far as people coming over, I’ll need to start over trying to make friends.
I look forward to our new adventures, yet acknowledge the sacrifices I need to make to have those adventures.
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</->
What is it about docks/marinas that you don’t like? What are pros/cons of
anchoring out?
There are many things I, personally, don’t like about marinas.
One of the major things is the price. Marina’s charge by the foot. Each foot of your boat accrues more cost per month, season or year (depending on how you pay). Being that I am on a 66′ boat, costs add up very quickly. In order for life to be more affordable, avoiding marinas is helpful.
I also don’t like having neighbors close by. Marina living is like living in a small boat city. You and your neighbors are crowded in a small area together. You can easily hear what is happening outside on other boats and sometimes hear a loud television or party Happening on boats near you. I prefer living with my neighbors farther way. The community is still strong out “on the hook”, but you have your space.
In a marina it is easy to forget to monitor your water and electrical usage, in that way it is much like a house or apartment. I believe in conservation and working toward living a “green” life. On the hook, water and electricity must be monitored. We create our own electricity and have to fetch water. We do use a generator or the engine for electricity, but we use everything we create and we conserve.
I’m sure I will be able to think of other reasons, but there is a few to explain why living on the hook is better for me.
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Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
What is it about docks/marinas that you don’t like? What are pros/cons of anchoring out?
There are many things I, personally, don’t like about marinas.
One of the major things is the price. Marina’s charge by the foot. Each foot of your boat accrues more cost per month, season or year (depending on how you pay). Being that I am on a 66? boat, costs add up very quickly. In order for life to be more affordable, avoiding marinas is helpful.
I also don’t like having neighbors close by. Marina living is like living in a small boat city. You and your neighbors are crowded in a small area together. You can easily hear what is happening outside on other boats and sometimes hear a loud television or party Happening on boats near you. I prefer living with my neighbors farther way. The community is still strong out “on the hook”, but you have your space.
In a marina it is easy to forget to monitor your water and electrical usage, in that way it is much like a house or apartment. I believe in conservation and working toward living a “green” life. On the hook, water and electricity must be monitored. We create our own electricity and have to fetch water. We do use a generator or the engine for electricity, but we use everything we create and we conserve.
I’m sure I will be able to think of other reasons, but there is a few to explain why living on the hook is better for me.
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I am also now taking a venture into photography. I have been obsessed with photography for the past few years. My mother-in-law bought me a nice digital SLR for my birthday and I have been taking a lot of pictures.
I have now found a place that will sell prints! I want to share my photos with everyone who loves seascapes, sailing, tropical scenes, etc… I currently have 7 seascape pictures available that were taken in New Hampshire.
I am looking forward to taking more pics and getting more exposure for my photography as well.
Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
I am also now taking a venture into photography. I have been obsessed with photography for the past few years. My mother-in-law bought me a nice digital SLR for my birthday and I have been taking a lot of pictures.
I have now found a place that will sell prints! I want to share my photos with everyone who loves seascapes, sailing, tropical scenes, etc… I currently have 7 seascape pictures available that were taken in New Hampshire.
I am looking forward to taking more pics and getting more exposure for my photography as well.
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Friday, we left NJ to head up to New Hampshire to meet Steve’s mom and step-dad. I was nervous! Meeting people’s parents always set me on edge.
Steve got home from work at 4 o’clock(ish), I finished packing our stuff for the weekend trip and off we went.The drive was fun.
We only stopped a couple times for potty stops. The girls fell asleep as soon as it got dark. Which made the rest of the drive that much more peaceful, (I love my girls, and I love quiet drives too).
We listened to music, sang along and relaxed along the rest of the drive. There wasn’t much traffic, so we went straight through, trying not
to get there too late, as Laurey and Thom usually go to bed early.
We arrived in New Hampshire at about 11pm. His parents greeted us and showed us where the girls were going to sleep. I tucked them in, then went back down stairs to join the grown-ups. Everyone was watching tv, (they are big sports fans and one of their teams won the division). We got to talk a little, then at 1:30 we decided it was time for bed. They let us use their room since they are used to going to bed early and getting up early; they slept on the pull-out.
The next morning, I woke up at 9:30. There were no children around me. I was scared… “What are they getting into?” Steve and I headed downstairs to find the girls playing with wigs. They had already been up, fed and playing for a while.We finally decided to go to the beach and window shopping in Portsmouth. The girls decided that they would like to go to the beach first.
It was gorgeous. The air was salty and the water much more blue then I expected. They 
played near the water, Lily buried her shoes and they made friends with a couple other kids that where there. I took a lot of pictures
Then we went into town, Laurey offered to stop anywhere along the drive to let me take pictures. We walked around and window shopped. Even got to stop into Laurie and Thom’s favorite cafe in town. They had great muffins and Kali’s hot cider was good too. Then we drove around and did a bit of site seeing. (I found a few places I’d like to stop to take pictures next time.)
That night we had cheesy rice and bbq chicken for dinner. We relaxed and hung out while playing with their two Yorkies, Yankee Doodle and Bruschi.
Sunday, we had a relaxed day, knowing that afternoon we were going to head home. We
decided to stop into one more store near the house. It was a fun little shop, and Steve bought me incense.
Laurey made us sandwiches and gathered snacks for us. We said goodbye, and they invited us back whenever we want to come back.
It was a great visit. Turns out I had nothing to worry about.
On the drive home, we ran into some traffic. But even with the traffic, it was a nice drive. The kids where asleep at dark again and we relaxed while having “grown-up” time.
I look forward to seeing them again at Christmas!
Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Friday, we left NJ to head up to New Hampshire to meet Steve’s mom and step-dad. I was nervous! Meeting people’s parents always set me on edge.
Steve got home from work at 4 o’clock(ish), I finished packing our stuff for the weekend trip and off we went.The drive was fun.
We only stopped a couple times for potty stops. The girls fell asleep as soon as it got dark. Which made the rest of the drive that much more peaceful, (I love my girls, and I love quiet drives too).
We listened to music, sang along and relaxed along the rest of the drive. There wasn’t much traffic, so we went straight through, trying not to get there too late, as Laurey and Thom usually go to bed early.
We arrived in New Hampshire at about 11pm. His parents greeted us and showed us where the girls were going to sleep. I tucked them in, then went back down stairs to join the grown-ups. Everyone was watching tv, (they are big sports fans and one of their teams won the division). We got to talk a little, then at 1:30 we decided it was time for bed. They let us use their room since they are used to going to bed early and getting up early; they slept on the pull-out.
The next morning, I woke up at 9:30. There were no children around me. I was scared… “What are they getting into?” Steve and I headed downstairs to find the girls playing with wigs. They had already been up, fed and playing for a while.We finally decided to go to the beach and window shopping in Portsmouth. The girls decided that they would like to go to the beach first.
It was gorgeous. The air was salty and the water much more blue then I expected. They played near the water, Lily buried her shoes and they made friends with a couple other kids that where there. I took a lot of pictures
Then we went into town, Laurey offered to stop anywhere along the drive to let me take pictures. We walked around and window shopped. Even got to stop into Laurie and Thom’s favorite cafe in town. They had great muffins and Kali’s hot cider was good too. Then we drove around and did a bit of site seeing. (I found a few places I’d like to stop to take pictures next time.)
That night we had cheesy rice and bbq chicken for dinner. We relaxed and hung out while playing with their two Yorkies, Yankee Doodle and Bruschi.
Sunday, we had a relaxed day, knowing that afternoon we were going to head home. We decided to stop into one more store near the house. It was a fun little shop, and Steve bought me incense.
Laurey made us sandwiches and gathered snacks for us. We said goodbye, and they invited us back whenever we want to come back.
It was a great visit. Turns out I had nothing to worry about.
On the drive home, we ran into some traffic. But even with the traffic, it was a nice drive. The kids where asleep at dark again and we relaxed while having “grown-up” time.
I look forward to seeing them again at Christmas!
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I was reading through other boating blogs and came across a blog about politicians on We Live Aboard a Boat. Here is the link to the news article.
Larry E. Craig recently involved the the Minneapolis airport men’s room scandal uses his 42′ yacht as his Washington home. Now I’m all for getting more attention to the idea of living aboard. Maybe with some politicians aboard the ICW could get the attention it desperately needs. But is this the kind of attention we really want?
I am appalled to find out he lives aboard!
Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
- Location:Boudicca
- Mood:
nervous
I have set up an account with ebay. Ebay Account: SchoonerBoudicca.
I will be making and selling hemp jewelry. I might even make velvet bags again! I love working with seashells, and once we are back in Key West next spring, I will be able to get them right of the beach of Wisteria Island (aka Christmas Tree Island).
I’m sure Alan will be happy to hear about it too as he does decorative rope work when he can and also some metal work. He has done several lanyards, decorated lighters, and several other interesting and beautiful work. I know he’d love to have an excuse to do it again.
Plus, as we travel, we will be able to find things that I know everyone would love and we can sell that stuff too. I know this winter we’ll be visiting Mexico for my brother-in-law’s wedding. Plus in KW we’ll have local crafts to sell. And once we are circumnavigating, there will be interesting things from all around the world!
I might even see if there is a widget to allow me to show our goods on this site too!
Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
I have set up an account with ebay. Ebay Account: SchoonerBoudicca.
I will be making and selling hemp jewelry. I might even make velvet bags again! I love working with seashells, and once we are back in Key West next spring, I will be able to get them right of the beach of Wisteria Island (aka Christmas Tree Island).
I’m sure Alan will be happy to hear about it too as he does decorative rope work when he can and also some metal work. He has done several lanyards, decorated lighters, and several other interesting and beautiful work. I know he’d love to have an excuse to do it again.
Plus, as we travel, we will be able to find things that I know everyone would love and we can sell that stuff too. I know this winter we’ll be visiting Mexico for my brother-in-law’s wedding. Plus in KW we’ll have local crafts to sell. And once we are circumnavigating, there will be interesting things from all around the world!
I might even see if there is a widget to allow me to show our goods on this site too!
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Why would anyone live on a sailboat? And other common questions. Here are your answers. Feel free to post a comment if you have any other questions.
I have had many people utter amazement at the fact that I live, with my family on a sailboat. Along with their amazement, comes many questions
Why do you live on a boat instead of a house or apartment?
There are many reasons why. One of which is wanderlust; My hubby and I have move on average every 6 months. Living on a boat gives us the freedom to move without having to go through all the “moving” part. We also are planning a circumnavigation, and living aboard is the natural extention of our adventurous spirit. Those are just a few of the reasons we’re on a boat. For us, it’s a sailboat in particular is the ability wo travel without using up as much fossil fuels. It also, in turn costs less, which allows me to stay home with the children.
What are the differences between living on a boat and land life?
There are many differences. We are much more aware how much water and electricity we use. Our head, (or toilet), is different from a household toilet. When we are at anchor, we have to take a smaller powerboat, (a dinghy), to get to land. We are much more aware of the weather as it affects us in a more direct way. We need to be more attentive to maintenance; a problem on a boat, if ignored, can couse us to loose our home. We have many less refrigeration options, which causes us to be much more aware of our grocery shopping choices. We also have to be more aware of our “stuff” inventory, we have less room for stuff them a person in a house in a house would have.
I’m sure there are more differences, though that gives a good idea.
Isn’t it dangerous for the kids?
Yes and no… We have to take precautions, just like any other parent, but we have to take some additional ones; life jackets, lifelines on the boat (which is like fencing in the yard), and teaching the kids about safety aboard a boat.
On the other hand, we don’t have to worry about our neighborhood, as the kids don’t leave the boat without us. as our girls have grown up on the boat, they have been raised with the boating safety rules, they are accustomed to them and abibe by them without question. They also know that while underway, they must abide by the captain’s orders without question.
How do your kids go to school?
We homeschool. Specifically, we unschool. The girls learn by living life and asking questions. We occasionally recommend a specific topic we think they would be interested in or feel is particularly important. The girls love most topics, especially history and science. We nurture their love of learning and teach them how to learn.
Where have you traveled?
We have lived in the Philadelphia, PA area and in Key West, FL. We have traveled by boat all the way from Key West To Philly, then when getting the new (to us) boat from Long Island, NY to Philly. Within a year, we’ll be traveling back down to Key West for a couple years before we head off for our circumnavigation.
Originally published at Adventures Of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
Why would anyone live on a sailboat? And other common questions. Here are your answers. Feel free to post a comment if you have any other questions.
I have had many people utter amazement at the fact that I live, with my family on a sailboat. Along with their amazement, comes many questions
Why do you live on a boat instead of a house or apartment?
There are many reasons why. One of which is wanderlust; My hubby and I have move on average every 6 months. Living on a boat gives us the freedom to move without having to go through all the “moving” part. We also are planning a circumnavigation, and living aboard is the natural extention of our adventurous spirit. Those are just a few of the reasons we’re on a boat. For us, it’s a sailboat in particular is the ability wo travel without using up as much fossil fuels. It also, in turn costs less, which allows me to stay home with the children.
What are the differences between living on a boat and land life?
There are many differences. We are much more aware how much water and electricity we use. Our head, (or toilet), is different from a household toilet. When we are at anchor, we have to take a smaller powerboat, (a dinghy), to get to land. We are much more aware of the weather as it affects us in a more direct way. We need to be more attentive to maintenance; a problem on a boat, if ignored, can couse us to loose our home. We have many less refrigeration options, which causes us to be much more aware of our grocery shopping choices. We also have to be more aware of our “stuff” inventory, we have less room for stuff them a person in a house in a house would have.
I’m sure there are more differences, though that gives a good idea.
Isn’t it dangerous for the kids?
Yes and no… We have to take precautions, just like any other parent, but we have to take some additional ones; life jackets, lifelines on the boat (which is like fencing in the yard), and teaching the kids about safety aboard a boat.
On the other hand, we don’t have to worry about our neighborhood, as the kids don’t leave the boat without us. as our girls have grown up on the boat, they have been raised with the boating safety rules, they are accustomed to them and abibe by them without question. They also know that while underway, they must abide by the captain’s orders without question.
How do your kids go to school?
We homeschool. Specifically, we unschool. The girls learn by living life and asking questions. We occasionally recommend a specific topic we think they would be interested in or feel is particularly important. The girls love most topics, especially history and science. We nurture their love of learning and teach them how to learn.
Where have you traveled?
We have lived in the Philadelphia, PA area and in Key West, FL. We have traveled by boat all the way from Key West To Philly, then when getting the new (to us) boat from Long Island, NY to Philly. Within a year, we’ll be traveling back down to Key West for a couple years before we head off for our circumnavigation.
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Originally published at Adventures of Schooner Boudicca. You can comment here or there.
While the captain’s away, the crew will work.
The captain of schooner Boudicca is off to Florida to do boat work aboard his step-father’s boat. In November or early December, my father-in-law is taking his boat to Guatemala, before it is ready, there is plenty of work that needs to happen before then.
In the meanwhile, the crew of Boudicca has it’s work cut out for it. We have to clean the boat from stem to stern. We also need to clean our old boat, Serendipity, preparing her to be sold. The pilothouse needs to be cleaned up in preparation for flush decking Boudicca. I also need to turn a small storage area into a closet.
There is a lot of general work that needs to be done to prepare the boat for a long offshore passage within a year. All belongings need to be gone through to determine what goes, what stays and where things staying on the boat belong.
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