Boat mama...run aground

Well, if you were wondering, "How long will Ari and Sarah really live on the boat with the baby?"  The answer is 18 months (and only 15 of them with the baby).  Each of us has our own version of the story, but it comes down to our life being a bit to big to live aboard right now.  We both like to joke that it was the other one's idea to move off the boat.  But in reality, it was both of us, I think, for different reasons and some the same.

We still have plans to go cruising in the future, but for now we want to enjoy life in our new home.  We found a cute little house, on a quiet street, in the quaint town of Port Townsend, WA.  We're not sure if Macha will come up or stay in the Bay Area until an eventual trip to Mexico.  I miss her sometimes and hope she is okay without us for now.

Yemaya loves our new home.  There are a number of wonderful and fascinating things that she did not have on the boat including: stairs, doors, a bathtub, her own room, kitchen cabinets, and a yard.  She misses all the birds on the dock, but is making fast friends with the deer that roam our neighborhood.  Yemaya and I left many good mama and baby friends back in Alameda and Oakland.  I miss the women who so quickly and easily became a regular part of my life, and Yemaya misses the fun and activity of all of her playmates.

Ari and I are making a few friends here and both enjoying the larger bed and running hot water.  In particular I am loving the dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, hot shower (that is not a ten minute walk from my bed), table that I can leave stuff out on, garage with room for a bike and trailer, my art studio (in the garage), and an amazing and large kitchen.  I don't know how long it will be before I stop looking for the foot pump at the kitchen sink, or how long it will be before I miss the cozy simplicity of the boat.  But for now, I am basking in the space and room in our wonderful house.  As I write this I am waiting for trick-or-treaters to come to the door.  So simple for someone to come to our door.  It does not require a phone call and a 10 minute walk to meet them at the marina gate.

But if you find yourself in Port Townsend, as many people seem to from time to time, we are just around the corner from Aldrich's Grocery and would love to have you over to share stories of life on sea and land.