I miss my Hubs...

So many obstacles, too many things in the path of our dream.  
Sometimes it seems like too much.  Sometimes we wonder why we are working so hard to get 'there'.  Today tonight, when my Hubs has worked 16 hours and comes home completely exhausted I question our motivation.  
Is it really worth it?  Not now for sure.  But, later, when later comes, will we be glad we missed out on life now~?  It kind of seems like a gamble sometimes.  It feels so far away right now~  on Friday night when we have been separated all week, when there is no time for family, for us.  
So, I'm holding on and betting on our (very close) dreams.  Crossing my fingers and toes that its not all in vain.  

I really have a love/hate for this time of year.  It's Spring and with it comes the hope of so much possibility.  But, it is also the harbinger of the dreaded  'busy season'~ it pays the bills and gets us 'closer' but  we are also denied the ever elusive 'time' we are fighting so desperately to get to.  

And then there is this....

 And I remember what we are working towards.  
That is what gets me through times like this. 

What they don't tell you....

Oh, yacht life is really grand.... Not.  Well, sometimes (most of the time) this boat thing is great.  It is getting better for sure.  It really is amazing the difference from the marina for our family.

We haven't been able to set out on even a little adventure yet.  Soon.  Hopefully. 
But, for the now, we are enjoying just being on the water.  Just us.  Just us and the bird poop.

It's surprising that the solar panels are still able to function,  Thank goodness for small miracles.  

Yep.  That's not in the books, or the magazines.  I'm sure (I hope) that when we actually do start cruising... actually moving around... it won't be such an issue.  And yes, I get that we are not able to stay aboard Airabess all the time.  Working on that too.  So, we are crossing our fingers that when we finally do get to spend more time on the boat, the birds will go somewhere else to take care of their business. 

Right now though... they have set up shop.  And it is disgusting. 

We have been trying (with the unpredictability of March weather) to spend more time on Airabess.  And every time we get ready to dingy over... we (Hubs) mentally prepare ourselves for the carnage that awaits.

We are also trying everything we can to deter them... owls, old cds, etc... 

Did I mention the smell? 

Nothing has really been as daunting as the excrement.  Seriously.  The heat of the summer on the hard, working with fiberglass, black widows, all of those things we got through with laughter. 
This,  this  might be what does us in.

Today was a good day...

Hubs and his nephew getting stuff ready. 

 She was so very excited.  I think she is more ready for a big adventure than we are.... but right now they are all big to her.  If only she really knew what was in store. 

Good-bye marina....







                                Hello wide open(ish) spaces!






We looked at Coco's photos when we got home (I really need to load some) and the view from her lens was priceless. She wanted to take everything in... and did.

 Yep, that's hubs and yes, the steering wheel is behind him.  We did not design it that way.  The guy who owned the boat before us came up with that brilliant idea.  And we had so many of his brilliant ideas to fix~ this one hasn't been addressed yet.  It is going to be really fun when it's my turn at the helm, as I can't even see over the electronics box.  It will be pretty funny to watch though....

Me and the nephew.  We were really glad he was there with the extra hands (and eyes).  I am a complete novice, and a blind one at that.   Not to mention I was jacked up on nervous energy.  I know it wasn't that far.  And I know that people motor under a bridge everyday... but I/we never had.  Plus, there was the excitement of actually moving on the water.  I can't tell you how much I prefer to not be tied up.   I really didn't realize how much until we were.

The following pictures are pretty self-explanatory.   Some very kind (boat friends) took the photos from the bridge.  

We had to circle around for 30 minutes to wait on the next bridge opening... good practice for the captain who hadn't had much chance to actually captain the boat.

 And, although he doesn't look it... my Hubs is really stoked.  Today was a good day.  It is a day that we will remember as one of many firsts.  I have said it before, but it bears repeating... I wouldn't want to be on this adventure with any one else. 

Let's go.

 

Another step closer.  I think she was ready.