23 Days to Cast-Off: Whatever Happens Will Happen...

Yesterday Todd asked me, "If the holding tank is leaking, the water is still dripping in the guest stateroom and the satellite antenna is still not installed, will we still leave on August 12th?"  I said, "Yes!".  One thing every boater understands is the age old saying 'A boat is a hole in the water into which money flows'.  Buyer BEWARE!  If something breaks, leaks or needs to be installed, it can happen anytime anywhere.  These small caveats in boating don't wait for the boat to make it back to home port.

Stuff is going to happen during the adventure.  That's why it's called an adventure.  When I think about adventure, I remember Samuel Clemons two books, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.  I loved them both.  I felt their adventures, dreamed their adventures, wanted a raft on the Mighty Mississippi.  It made me dream up adventures when I was a youngster, not that any of them would ever come true.  I mean, what kid dreams of being a hermit in a cave in the Rocky Mountains?  I did...but I really like the life I've had much better.

I'm so glad I found a partner that is full of adventure, too.  Marriage IS an adventure.  During the Loop, Todd and I will celebrate 41 years of marriage.  During that 41 years, we've had so many adventures together.  The Great Loop will be the biggest yet...and we are SO EXCITED!

We will TRY to finish up the current problem list before we leave:

• Find and caulk the leak that is dumping the large pool of water on the guest stateroom bed.  Alternative: turn the guest stateroom into a storage area with a bucket in the middle of the bed!  (We'll put up a tent on the back deck for guests...or just buy a blow-up queen size bed for the salon, which I intend to do anyway)
• Determine if the holding tank is leaking again and decide what to do.  Alternative:  bring a portapottie.
• Find the electronics installer, bring him to the boat (possibly kicking and screaming) and get the satellite dome installed.  Alternative: sell the dome immediately on Craig's list, use the boat antenna we have.  If there's no signal...who cares!  We can go back to work finding the leak in the guest stateroom or go to work ripping out the leaking holding tank so someone can install a new one!
• Wait for the next money drain to open up...

Today, we'll head home so I can wash all the sheets that went onto the guest stateroom mattress, only to find the leak hadn't quit leaking yet.  Note to self: bring more sheets (and towels) to the boat!  There's never enough...and both beds are queen size so I could go without washing sheets for MONTHS!  Todd and I also have a laundry list of to-dos to wrap up at home before August 12th arrives.