Author Archives: Sailing Serenity

Hello family and friends from Punta Gorda, FL!  We arrived at our boat this last Tuesday after a long day of flying to Fort Lauderdale on Monday.  We packed as much as we could without incurring baggage fees on Southwest Airlines.  Thankfully, that airline allows two checked bags per traveler, and we made liberal useContinue reading “We made it to the boat!”

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. William Shakespeare If Shakespeare’s idea is that names don’t define us in any way, why do we spend so much time trying to pick the right name for our kids, pets, and in this case, a boat? The more likely answer is that names matter.Continue reading “What’s in a name?”

We have finally found our new floating home! We just returned home from Florida about a week and a half ago. The survey went well, but a few larger maintenance items did come up…as expected. We renegotiated the price to account for some of the issues found, but we made pretty quick work of it.Continue reading “We bought a boat!!”

Wow! When it rains it pours! We’ve had lots happen this week, mostly good, but some scary moments too. It’s probably easiest to digest by topic: We sold one of the gliders! I got contacted earlier this week that someone was interested in my glider. I’ve had a few folks express interest over the lastContinue reading “It’s been a whirlwind week!!”

Mostly a bust, but I think it will work to our benefit in the long run. Ed and I have just returned from Florida where we looked at a few boats that we were interested in. We made an offer on one we loved, but the owner countered way too high with word that heContinue reading “Boat Shopping Round One:”

Also, the nonprofessional’s guide to boat shopping. We’ve spent the last month or so mostly in a holding pattern. I’ve made it a point to being intentional in enjoying family time without the pressures of jobs, school, projects, and tons of tasks. A few more items have gone out the door, we are getting closeContinue reading “The Pace is Picking Up!”

It’s really easy to get wrapped up in starting a new chapter of one’s life. In America, we are all raised with the value that it is virtuous to be goal-oriented and be successful at a career, raising a family, and accumulating wealth, to name a few. We see the “somebodies” of the world asContinue reading “Sometimes you have to stop and smell the… artichoke blossom.”

The rush to prepare the house to sell has begun, and I am again starting to feel the crunch as we realize we have quite a bit about the house that’s been left undone that now must be finished quickly. This is my third rodeo, and Ed’s second, of selling a house and having toContinue reading “I’ve Never Lived in a Finished House”

If you didn’t have so much god damned stuff, you wouldn’t need a house. – George Carlin I have found the first major hurdle in transitioning to boat life is getting rid of our stuff! It seems like our full time job right now is finding stuff and figuring out how to get rid ofContinue reading “So. Much. Stuff.”

We are selling everything, buying a boat, and preparing to sail around the world! I catch myself wanting to roll my eyes every time I say it because it is so cliche. The most common response I get is “wow,” followed by the predictable question, “what made you guys decide to do this?” Well, aContinue reading “It’s Happening.”