Sailing?: Not sure yet: Ahoy, fellow landlubbers!

Here's the latest:

We've moved off Trio in order to make her ready for her new (yet-to-be-determined) owners. We continue to work on her-- there is no end to this; there are always more improvements that can be made-- and I hope that someone buys her soon, so we can stop. We've had prospective buyers from all over-- Colorado (they went to Florida first though, on their boat-buying trip to the East, and unfortunately for us, found what they were looking for there.) And a couple from the Caribbean somewhere; they found their boat on the way here as well. Next up is a couple from Texas, and then two men-- one from France, one Italian. I fear the Texans have already heard of Florida, and will go the way of the others. That leaves us with the Europeans, and the need to convince them somehow that Holden Beach, NC is the Gateway to America. At the very least the Boat-Buying Capital of the East. 10% off sale? Free anchor with every test-sail? Submit ideas, please.

Meanwhile, we have moved into the Greatest Little House on Holden Beach-- situated directly across the street from the Big Blue Sea itself, with views of same, and a pedestrian access to the warm sandy beach about thirty seconds away. It's teeny-tiny-- the place, that is-- one room plus bathroom above a two-car garage with a deck. I am in heaven. A real kitchen, (well, it would be considered real in New York City). A real shower (though so narrow, if you drop the soap, you must pick it up, carefully, with your foot). There's a washer and dryer in the garage below though, for our use, and a barbecue as well! And here's the kicker-- this place costs a mere $25 a month more THAN THE ROACH-AND MILDEW INFESTED HELL-HOLE OF A TRAILER WE LIVED IN FOR THREE YEARS. Not that this one was available then, so no grieving over the past. Just fun, fun fun. Smelling salt air, watching the ocean through storms, walking every day on the beach. I am a happy girl. And Bob likes it too! Yay! Now when people ask us about the new boat (the trawler, still residing in a boatyard an hour and a half North of here), I think What boat? I would be happy to stay here forever. But I need to sell a book or something, if we're going to do that. Or a boat. Something.

More happy news: On April 27, Kai will marry the love of his life, the beautiful Merry. The wedding will be small but still requires most of the normal details, the vast majority of which do not fall to me. I am left with mostly the very self-centered and therefore completely enjoyable task of fitting myself out with new clothes. This is a mostly guilt-free task, as well, since my “wardrobe,” of late years, has been comprised of about 80% painted-on, epoxied-on work clothes (the kind that look filthy even when they're not), and 20% items that are between 10 and 30 years old, and look it. So I took to the internet and ordered scads of things. When they arrived, I tried them on and looked at them in my wavy funhouse mirror and then sent many of them back, free shipping, but kept a few. As style adviser, I had my friend Valerie—we started our friendship together as terrible twos, living across from each other on a quiet street in Springfield, PA. She lives in California now, so we went shopping together on the phone, with laptops open in front of us, visiting websites simultaneously, despite the three hour difference! Sometimes we'd lose each other, though (now wait-- are you on page 5 or page 6?? Get back here! I found something I like on page 5!). No different than having to go searching for her amongst the racks in a boutique, dragging along my newest find. Hmm. Boutique. I like the word, but am not really sure I've ever been in one. But the coast-to-coast shopping? Scads o' fun. Especially when one MUST BUY CLOTHES!

Odds and ends: I had a little garden, for a month or so, in the boatyard, but it has since been demolished by overzealous new owners. Why they thought a garden did not belong in a boatyard I'll never know. On a happier note, literally, I am singing again, which is a great joy (to me at least!), in a local church choir. It's a new group, so I'm in on the ground floor-- not as much of a newcomer as I usually am. Also, speaking of being a newcomer, I've started to attend (Free!) yoga classes twice a week held at another church, this one a short walk from the aforementioned what-could-be-better residence. I have missed singing, and I have missed Yoga, so both are wonderful to have back in my life. I have not missed Pilates, but that's on Fridays, and also free, at the same place, and I'm starting to like that as well!

So yeah, we're still poor, still working hard, though admittedly not as hard lately as some times in the past. Having more fun, still planning to some day get Trio sold and Serendipity all spiffy and shiny and ready to travel. Then we'll have to see if I can tear myself away from my happy place. I, for one, am not worrying about it.