It’s been awhile since I posted. Paul has been handling the posts lately. Today he finally networked all the computers/tablets to our Wi-Fi extender. This means no more using data on our phone to get into the internet as here in North Sound, Virgin Gorda the free Wi-Fi reaches us at anchor.
On Sunday I had a birthday. Paul was full of surprises. He bought me a nice sun dress, which I wore to Saba Rock Bar in the evening to have a few Caribbean Painkillers (rummy yummy) and some appetizers which we now consider a meal. He also bought me a luggage scale (to weigh the propane tanks .. yes, I worry about running out of propane while in the middle of cooking dinner), a sarong, another dress, a glass Turtle from Green VI (a not for profit glass studio here in the BVI), and the biggest surprise of all .. a bug zapper. I love the bug zapper. I’ve not got much opportunity to use it yet, but I know when we return to the Chesapeake next summer, there will be plenty of fun. I did finish off a big moth type thing the other night and fed it’s remains to the fishes. I guess I’m a little sadistic when it comes to flies, mosquitoes, and moths.
With the birthday over I’ve since read three books in as many days. Now we are really getting down to relaxing. Not that we don’t do other things, because we do. I do laundry, cook most meals, was floors and windows, exercise myself and Charlie. Paul makes water, takes care of technical issues, overhauls our dinghy motor, repairs things that break, exercise himself and Charlie. All in all our days pass by in a flash. I have no idea how I ever got anything done when I worked full time. Oh yeah, well I wasn’t reading all that much, maybe a book a month, and I wasn’t getting as much exercise, etc. But still, retirement is fun.
The day after my birthday, I spotted a pink flamingo on shore near our boat. Paul pulled out his camera and snapped a few shots. What a joy, as we’d hoped to see flamingos on Anagada when we were there, but didn’t. So this really excited me. Two days later we saw the same flamingo in flight heading south. No pictures of this one as it moved off too fast, but what a beauty. They are so big and bright pink.
Yesterday, I took the dinghy ashore without Paul for the first time. I managed to start it myself, put in into and out of gear and land it without much issue. It still messes with my head when I steer it, especially when I go from reverse to forward, I found myself heading the wrong way more than once, but I made it to shore and back and the motor still runs like a charm. I didn’t flood it or anything like that.
I still can’t believe I’m retired and living on a boat that happens to be in the Caribbean while everyone back home is dealing with rain and snow and cold. How lucky is that? I do need to remind those who hope to follow a similar path, that it took some footwork and some level of guts to sell off the house and put stuff into storage for an extended period of time. Basically you have to trust that your new home will always be afloat, that you will find yourself in safe harbour during a storm, and that you have the strength to manage when you find yourself in tough situations. There are days when you miss your family and wish you could just pick up what you need at the store for your next meal. But the warmth and relaxation is great. Am I grateful? You bet I am, every minute of every day.