Our Travels

It’s been more than two weeks since we shared anything about where we are, and folks are starting to inquire. We could fall back on, “Is this really happening?”, but that wouldn’t be very adult of us. So, now that we’ve had time to isolate ourselves and lick our wounds, here’s the upshot on our unexpected situation:

• The Good: We are safely docked in Stuart, Florida. (Thank you, Matt R. from Chubb if you’re reading this.)
• The Bad: The engine has to be replaced. (There was absolutely no warning, and it cannot be salvaged.)
• The Ugly: The process is complicated. (The engine must be lifted through the partially disassembled galley and out the top of the boat via crane.)

Between crying jags, there’s been plenty of time spent on the phone, via email, and in person, with mechanics, surveyors, yard managers, estimators, wood workers, fiberglass specialists, etc. I’m sure we are forgetting someone.

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When not engaged in exploring available options and needing time to mope each in our own way, lo and behold, we both distracted ourselves with mind-numbing, electronic “word” games (word games for goodness sake!?) for more hours than we care to count. Our grandchildren would be shocked to see us sitting in the same room with faces glued to screens for hours. (Or perhaps they would be pleased? Ha!) We’ve also occasionally ventured out for our sanity. Pizza. Bagels. Doughnuts. You know, fattening stateside comfort food.

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Oh, about that rental car in the photo at the end of our May 22 trying-to-maintain-optimism post? We had a flat and had to trade the car on Friday of Memorial Day weekend, when, as you can imagine, they had very few options. We ended up in this cute little guy. And we both fit! And we could carry a few days’ worth of groceries, barely. We did discover we could not unbuckle our seatbelts at the same time. 🙂

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Because life aboard the SaltyMare will simply not be allowed to remain enshrouded in negativity (have you met Susie?), here’s the affirming “all will be well” wrap-up: Journeys, like life, have their ups and downs, good times and bad times, etc. The challenges are called that for a reason. It’s these taxing situations that allow us to truly appreciate the good times. Otherwise, we wouldn’t value smooth sailing when it comes our way. Enough positive reinforcement yet? I’m starting to hear grandparents everywhere in a murmuring chorus of, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Or the ever popular, “This too shall pass.” I know. How about…. we just move on and get ‘er done.

Thanks, everyone, for being there!