About us… we are your average family, or at least we think so, with a dream. We have two daughters, Lyn and Julie.  We now have five grandkids that we love a lot!  Mike was in construction and moved into computers, which was less physical and more money, it helps to have more money when you dream big.  Cindy was in advertising and when Drug Emporium sold, she moved into credit management at Food Services of America. We attend and where we were very involved at Angle Lake Neighborhood Church; well we were until this new adventure.

It was actually Mike’s dream to sail around the world, now that is big! Cindy suggested he go alone or actually with a friend, but Mike was not interested this was a dream for us. In a nutshell we believe God gives us giftings, talents and life dreams for his purpose. To find and fulfill this purpose is to find fulfillment in your life. Cindy agreed to sail to the Caribbean for one year. That was after we chartered a sailboat in the BVI where there is great wind and sunshine most the time. And that was before the planning part came into play where you plan your route around weather, like hurricanes. Oh and there are pirates! Now we have a new plan, after meeting Michael and Nancy Morrell, who have sailed around the world. We are going to sail to the South Pacific, where it will be a little safer. After just a little planning we realize this will probably take more than just one year. So we have given it two years and then we have to get back to work.

We actually had been planning for more like six years, paying off bills, saving money, taking sailing classes and looking for that perfect sailboat.  We both told our respective employers that we would be quitting our jobs to go cruising in August 2007.

We found the perfect boat, a McIntosh 47 on Lake Union in March of 2006 with the help of Tori at Signature Yachts. Tori came highly recommended at the ‘Big Seattle Boat Show’ and helped us negotiate for the McIntosh and sell our Catalina 30’. 

So while repairs were being done on the boat we began planning to rent our house and clear out some of our stuff. Downsizing to live on the McIntosh was a very difficult task. I had 3 sizes of clothes so I could gain or lose weight and still have something to wear; now I don’t even have room for one size. And ask Mike, the garage just doesn’t fit on your boat! What do you really need….

We had a garage sale and gave a lot to charity and rented a storage facility to put the stuff we thought we would need when returning from cruising. We rent out our home of 23 years. Now we are prepared to live on the boat, so on Memorial weekend, 2006 we moved onto the boat.

It was great in the summer, the cockpit doubled as a living room or a place to entertain friends and family. But in the winter that was out. In the winter is another story, mold and mildew are now a force to be reckoned with! And it costs as much to heat our boat as the whole house!  I am not sure we did any preparing for cruising in the winter, only surviving. Then spring came and it was better. We spent lots of money buying new sails, a Wind steering system, like auto pilot only not electronic, new safety lines, and just fixing all the little things that seem to break or didn’t work due to lack of use.

Friday the 13^th, July 13, 2007 marked the last day of work for both of us! J It was exciting and yet sad. We had to say good bye to so many people that you may not see again. And family you don’t know when you will see again. Now final preparations must begin, starting with a weekend “open boat” where so many came to wish us well. Thank you all.
 

Now the work, sell the Kia and Expedition, this was hard. Now we have no job and no cars. We ended up taking our stuff out of storage and into a container on Julie and Birks property. That was back breaking, and we wondered why we saved some of the stuff we saved. We had the life raft certified, bought a new Eprib, the ones we had you could no longer buy batteries, what a bummer! We stocked up on food and supplies just hours before selling our Expedition to Dianne and Marty. So many last minute things to do, cancel car insurance, buy boat insurance to cover sailing the coast, update our Will, doctor, dentist, new glasses, prescriptions not to mention all the social engagements!  And the last haircut, the buzz cut for Mike.

We meant to leave July 22^nd but with so much to do, and Julie and Birks – Austin Chase café opening for friends and family, we did not leave until the 28^th, but now we are out there!