Keeping Our Eyes on the Ball

Originally Posted at www.svsweetescape.com

We have begun the process of down-sizing our belongings, a process that must result in reducing possessions acquired over a lifetime down to what will fit comfortably aboard a 44 foot sailboat.

We have read a lot written by other cruisers on this subject and so we were prepared for it to be difficult.  Just how difficult is starting to become clear.  “Its just stuff” is the mantra but the reality of giving away furniture, art and other items that hold meaning for us is tough.  It helps somewhat that we’re giving these things to our kids but even with that the act of doing so carries a certain finality to it that is weirdly uncomfortable.

Part of this is the fact that we have not yet closed on Sweet Escape and that while we fully expect to do so in the next few weeks, the boat is not yet ours.  It would help if that side of the equation was complete and we could begin moving things aboard to begin the process of transforming the boat into our home.  Now, even though work on the boat is progressing, we feel like we are in a holding pattern. 

Daughter Erin will be here tomorrow with a trailer to relieve us of our dining table, china cabinet and a desk top computer.  Later, daughter Jennifer will take our bedroom furniture along with the contents of our living room.  There is a lot more that we’ll have to figure out later.  For now, we just have to keep our eyes on the ball.

Today, Brian completed and mailed his pension application confirming his July 1st retirement date.  Judy will leave her job on June 26th.  Weather permitting, this should provide us with a solid month of sailing Sweet Escape every day in preparation for our departure in early August.  Of course we expect to get some sailing in before July 1st but it will be more difficult with our jobs in the way.