Seattle in the Moonlight From Elliott Bay – 2012

Last night was one of those rare nights where I laid in bed staring at the ceiling underside of the cockpit, struggling to fall asleep. Anyone who has spent much time with me knows that I have a knack for falling asleep in strange places and at inappropriate moments. I once fell asleep at concert and during a lunch conversation with my best friend’s grandparents. It’s not quite narcolepsy, if that’s what you are wondering, but it is a bit absurd. That said, as long as I can get myself into bed, I usually slip into slumber quickly. Last night, however, I tossed and turned, my mind racing as I listened to the rhythmic thud of the fenders on the hull as we rocked gently side to side. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe we live on a boat; our boat.

We plan to set sail in just under 300 days, and our to-do lists seem to be breeding while we sleep and giving birth to other to-do lists. Fortunately for me, I LOVE lists. Lists help to clarify expectations and enable me to set goals and feel like I’m making progress (and have some semblance of control). For me, checking an item off a list yields a level of gratification akin to the emotion felt by a second grader who has just earned a new sticker on a reward chart. Neil doesn’t experience lists in quite the same way, and sometimes my incessant list making drives my poor husband a little crazy! I have a spreadsheet for provisioning (thanks to theboatgalley.com), and I’ve been snagging ideas from other cruisers’ blogs to help us create an inventory for spare parts and supplies. We live on a tight budget and are diligently saving our pennies and eliminating expenses where we can. There are countless things to be fixed, serviced, and purchased, and more downsizing is yet to be done.

The more we try to identify the things that need to be done, the more we realize we have to do to get ready in time! I’d be lying if I tried to pretend I’m not a bit overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that I work two jobs or that Neil has a horrendous commute that extends his work day by a couple of hours. During winter in the Pacific Northwest, day break comes late, and it is pitch black by around 4:30 pm. It’s hard to find motivation to work on projects when time is tight and light is scarce! I’m thankful that the solstice has come and the days will now begin to grow longer.

Lucky for me, my partner in this adventure is smart, handy, and a lot of fun. Even when we find ourselves dangling from the end of our rapidly fraying rope with this process (or each other), little time elapses before we begin feel the surge of excitement and anticipation that helps us to refocus on our goals and to get over our squabbles.

Did I mention that there are less than 300 days to go!?!?

Summer 2013