"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...
Back to the Future...

Those of you who have been paying attention probably have noticed that
we've
been ashore, in a boatyard for a very long time, now. The multipage
list of
things to do keeps having items crossed off (many 10s of them so far,
many
of them major), but also keeps getting added to, as is the nature of
boat
refits.

The good news is that the end is in sight, and that we may be able to
finish
the necessary work to make Flying Pig viable in the foreseeable future.

Which is a good thing, because she'll soon be available on YachtWorld
and
all the other places brokers make note of such events. Without such
work,
she'd be a very poor candidate for anyone not ready for a big project,
lessening the already monohull-depressed boat market (catamarans, in the
marine - that is, salt water - market, have come to dominate, severely
down-valuing monohulls) values.

Lydia's mother has been patiently waiting for us to finish the boat -
since
the 4th of July, ironically, Independence Day here in the US - and
living
nearby with the son of her best High School buddies, now both deceased.

However, Lydia's been there, now, full time, for a month, and herein the
nature of the subject line. She's been there because her mother, a US
citizen, has been living the UK for 40 years, but came to the US to go
cruising with us after Lydia's daughter's wedding. If you've been
following
us, you know that's been a continually receding target.

However, that's irrelevant, now. Her 86 year-old mother, never taking
any
medication all her life, and a wonder to the medical fraternity, was
overenthusiastic at yoga a month or so ago, and, with osteoporosis
progressing as it does in folks of her age, got a compression fracture.

Needless to say, that was a painful experience, and debilitating.
Chiropractic, accupuncture, and, eventually, a trip to a pain clinic,
with
treatment there, has moderated the symptoms to a manageable level.
However,
Lydia's noticed a severe decline in her mother, as well, during the time
we've been visiting regularly, in breaks from - in some cases - the
backbreaking (well, in our case, the backs are fine, just tired!) work
we've
been doing on our floating home.

As such, we've had to toss around the reality that she may need some
care/a
constant companion. And, indeed, last night, the hard decision was
made.

We're turning hard to starboard, selling Flying Pig, looking into the
most
economical areas in the US (we still want to be US citizens) in which we
can
either build, buy or rent someplace small, but still be within
reasonable
distance of quality medical care and cultural possibilities.

Interested parties will have to wait a bit until it's listed, but look
for
Flying Pig in the near future. In the meantime, we'll get along with
wrapping things up here. Lydia's been enjoying her time with her mother
immensely over the last 9 months, and relishes stepping up to the plate
to
be her companion/caretaker in her (presumed) last few years.

A new chapter in our lives, this will allow me, as well, to resume my
musical entertainment, vocally and instrumentally, in a presumed (we
don't
know where we'll land, but these are among the checkpoints) involvement
in
community groups. Given that maintaining (should we build or buy) a
house
is orders of magnitude less expensive than maintaining a boat, we may
even
be able to start saving some money, instead of bleeding it arterially!

It's been a great ride - ah, I forgot that; more below - but we're
looking
forward to our new chapter.


Good luck on your retirement from sailing, Skippy. It sure comes as no
shock to me. Did I not say that a woman on board will likely be the end of
your sailing career? Women need a safe, secure little nest ashore they can
call home. Women are usually encumbered with relationships they value more
than the cruising life. But, at least you got several good years in before
the hen had to come home to roost.

It sounds like you not only decided to put off cruising, you've apparently
decided to give it up altogether. After all the work you put into your
boat, that seems such a waste. Why not just store your boat for a year or
two and keep it in reserve for the time after Lydia's mother passes away?
It might be good therapy for Lydia's and your loss. A way to get away from
it all one more time, to get your heads straight after a personal loss.

I doubt you'll be able to get anything near what Flying Pig is worth to
you or what you've put into her. The used boat market really sucks at this
time and is likely to suck well into the near future. There's a place up
the Okeechobee Waterway where dry storage is pretty cheap. They dig a hole
in the field that will fit you hull and they place the boat in the hole up
to the LWL. Supposed to be pretty safe from high winds that way. You don't
have to worry about jack stands carrying away.

Alternately, you could look for a little piece of land on one of the many
sounds along the northern Gulf coast. You could sail Flying Pig up there
and build a dock and a house while you're using the Pig for a place to
live.

Anyway, good luck to you both. I'm sure lots of folks will miss reading
accounts of your cruising adventures. In the meantime, best wishes for
Lydia's mother. May she live long and prosper.


Wilbur Hubbard