The whirlwind has had its way with us, and we’ve finally been spit out the other side. I can’t begin to describe what we’ve been through this past week. Not because I’m at a loss for words (Me? Never!), but simply because there’s just not time to do it justice. It’s a week before Christmas, and we haven’t even done our cards yet, much less wrap up our shopping for family and friends, so a comprehensive blog post is not in the offing. Let’s just say that our walk-through with the buyers was scheduled for 9AM last Tuesday (December 16th), and at 8:30 we were still loading trash from the garage into my truck to haul away and dispose of. After a week of extremely long days consisting of early mornings, late nights, movers, cleaners, shoving things into boxes to haul to storage, we arrived for the walk-through five minutes late because of that final trash run. That’s how tight things were. But we made it. We closed. The check is deposited. We’re officially homeless. The shock is starting to wear off, and we’re adapting to our new reality.
We’ve never spent Christmas in a hotel before (I guess there have been quite a few “never before’s” this year). But when the folks at Homewood Suites heard that we’d be staying with them through Christmas, they delivered a tree to our room to brighten our spirits.
Meanwhile, Eagle Too’s mini-refit is coming along nicely. The waterline has been raised six inches to accommodate all the gear we’re about to bring onboard, and a host of issues to help the boat be a better liveaboard are being addressed. We should be splashing the boat tomorrow (December 19th) and shortly after, we’ll move her to Palafox Pier, a marina in the heart of downtown Pensacola, where we’ll take up residence. It will be an interesting change for us, going from living a quiet rural life in a sprawling home on acreage, to living within the cozy confines of a 37 foot sailboat amid the hustle and bustle of life downtown with its festivals, street fairs and community events.
For the moment, things are quiet, and we’re enjoying the opportunity to collect ourselves and catch up on our sleep. Maybe I’ll make the time to enjoy a good cigar, and take my lovely wife on a date night to see a movie or two. But things start up again right after the new year, as we continue converting Eagle Too from a comfortable liveaboard into a boat that can truly support a Life On The Hook™. Please stay tuned.
Oh, and Rhonda and I wish you all a very merry Christmas!