It’s hard to stay grounded when you’re anxiously waiting to cast off and start the next chapter in your life.

If you read my first (ever!) post, you know that I’ve made the life-changing decision to leave my job, my apartment, and my friends and family to move across the country and live on a sailboat with my boyfriend and our dog. What I might have left out? Neither of us really knows how to sail! Needless to say, it’s been a week of learning and a whole lot of Google searches!

I have to admit, I was surprised by how many blogs there are by people who live aboard their boats, either staying in one area or traveling the world. I suppose that stems from the fact that blogging is new to me – both following and writing. To be honest, if it wasn’t for my friend and chiropractor, you probably wouldn’t be reading this at all (thanks for the encouragement, Hayley!). However, now that I have so many questions about sailing and life on a boat, I can’t stop Googling questions. More often than not, this leads me to some very enlightening (and addictive) blogs, such as Dan and Jaye’s and Jereme and Kim’s.

I’ve also been in a permanent state of anticipation and excitement as I go about my day to day life. I can’t even begin to explain the tangents that my mind goes off on these days, while I am trying to work, while visiting with a friend, or in the middle of trying to practice a headstand (you can imaging how that ends…). I will even admit that there may have been one night when I was researching the Shellfish Harvesting Regulations for British Columbia at some time after midnight – which led to more Google searches, such as ‘what is a whelk?’ (For anyone who has the same question, Wikipedia tells me it’s a type of snail. A large snail. I’m sure there will be a point when I try one, but I can’t say it’s high on my wish list!)

“Large eastern conch” by ChildofMidnight at en.wikipedia

I’m not the only one who has been busy planning and researching. After we made the decision last Sunday, I came back to Toronto for a month or two to wrap things up and get ready to move in June. Since then, there have been hours of Skype dates, where the conversation swirls around the topic of boats, adventure, and our hopes, dreams and fears. There have also been endless texts and emails of thoughts and ideas.

Other than the obvious need for a Leonard-size lifejacket (I promise you all pictures when he gets it), there have been some more obscure items that we have come across. My favourite so far? I got an email from Alex that was a link to a company that sells solar ovens. That’s right – an oven powered by the sun! So we can be out on the boat, and I can still bake!

Everything this week has been overwhelming, but in a incredibly positive way. It’s not often that we walk around in a constant state of excitement, unable to keep a smile off of our face. The downside is that it’s been hard to concentrate (or to sleep for that matter). I’m constantly distracted by never-ending lists of loose ends I need to tie up (goodbye TTC pass!), as well as any number of daydreams that could very well become reality within a few months.

I’ll leave you with my favourite day dream at the moment: A lazy summer evening, sitting on a sailboat watching the sunset, and having a glass of bubbly and fresh oysters we harvested ourselves. Not a bad life to look forward to…