Home Music Studio Completed

Still Landlocked

Whoa! Once again, I've waited forever to post. Just to relate, the "countdown" to retirement is now at 1852 days!!!!

I failed to mention in my last blog that we were back to being homeowners and not renters. In addition, we are pretty much free of debt. And now we are more financially solvent than we've ever been. All this due to blessings beyond our control.

Cathy and I were finally able to be together whilst upon the sea! I found a fantastic deal on a cruise that we literally could not dismiss if we were ever going to go on one.

The events leading up to our adventure began with finally getting passports. The day they came in, I "joked" that we need to go ahead and book a cruise. Deep down, I knew I wasn't joking. Ok, not so deep, since I immediately began looking for deals.

And a deal I found! It was a seven night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's enormously beautiful ship, Freedom of the Seas...for $798....for the BOTH of us! SEVEN NIGHTS!!!

I called Cathy from work to tell her what I found. She was somewhat taken aback after realizing I was serious.

"We can't pass this up, honey!", I told her.

"Well, it sounds good".

She really hadn't had time to digest everything. I, on the other hand, was excited because I knew this was "the one" and it was a "now-or-never" decision. And boy, was it!...

"So, when is it?" she asked.

"Well, see, the thing is, the reason it IS such a good deal, is...well, because we'll have to leave this Saturday."

"WHAT?"

"But, honey, it's with Royal Caribbean and it's one of their biggest, nicest ships!"

"Yeah, but..."

"I know it's soon, but this is a deal of a lifetime!"

"Yeah, but..."

"We can finally be together on the ocean...You can finally have that cruise you've always dreamed about!"

"Yeah, but...."

"And it's for the price of a four-night cruise!"

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"That's TOO soon! I could never get ready by then! I'll have to shop, and...and I'll, uh, I have a doctor's appointment...and,...."

"Honey? A doctor's appointment? You would rather give up a dream vacation for a doctor's appointment? Can't you reschedule?"

"I guess, well, yes..I could. But see, there is so much I'll have to do to get ready.."

Well fortune smiled upon us by Loren, my step-daughter overhearing some of the conversation. I could hear in the background....

"Tom said he found a deal on a cruise", Cathy told Loren.

"Really? Where?"

Cathy to me, "Where?"

"St. Marteen, St. Thomas, and a Royal Caribbean island, Cocoa Cay".

I heard mumbling then, "What?!! That's the same cruise Brantley and I were on!!

After Cathy relayed to me what I and the rest of the town overheard, there was more mumbling, then, "You're kidding! Is that all? Momma, you gotta go! That IS a deal!

Well, I could recount the whole conversation, but the gist of it is, Cathy agreed thanks to Loren! The next thing I knew, they were headed out the door to go shopping. Two days later, we were driving to Cape Canaveral Florida!

I have to admit, a vacation could not have been any more perfect than this. It was one of those few times in life where it was obviously meant to be.

Everything went without a single hitch. I couldn't believe it. Everything from the drive, the hotel, parking, the cruise, the weather...Everything! There was not one bad day...nay, not one bad minute the whole vacation. It was wonderful.

When our ship arrived in St. Thomas, Cathy and I stood on deck to watch as we moored. She finally comprehended the want and desire I've had all these years which is to retire on a sailboat. Once she saw the view with all the boats anchored in the harbor, she was hooked as much as I.

2090

2090. Sounds like a year I'll never see. But it's actually the number of days until I can officially retire from my current job. It, too is something it seems I shall never see.

Much is happening in the world. Most of it bad. Most of it eating away at my dream to sail away from it all.

The BP oil spill in the gulf last year opened my eyes more than I care to admit. There is no "sailing away". The world is smaller than it ever was while greed, corruption, and power continues go grow exponentially.

Still, a dream it is and continues to be. Although it may never come to fruition, it can never be taken away.

Not big bloggers, are we?

Saturday afternoon as we hide from the rain inside our little rental house. Rental because in the government's infinite wisdom in getting the economy back on it's feet, it neglected to think about the people that were hurt the most. Not the banks, not the lenders, not the insurance and credit card companies...THE PEOPLE.

So, even though we are now more financially secure than we've ever been, one mistake keeps us from being able to secure a mortgage loan from banks that made bu-cu mistakes and were rewarded.

That sailboat can't come soon enough.

Don't believe EYH...Bought cheap "mp4" player on ebay...shouldn't have!

No boat, no bike,....

Cathy and I are having to endure separation anxiety from our beloved motorcycle. We thought by concentrating on our next "phase" of life it would ease the pain. But it's difficult to maintain that level of sailing nirvana when you have no sails billowing over your head...or anywhere around you for that matter. Yet we continue to see and hear happy bikers every day.

Every once in awhile we toy with each other saying how it would be nice to get another bike. But we loved the one had. So what would have been the point giving it up if only to buy another? The same danger exists.

Well...I know the answer. The spirit to be free still dwells inside the two of us. And both the bike and the boat represent a vessel to provide that freedom. And by Cathy saying she wants another bike, she is saying that living without one isn't really living.

So, in the meantime, we exist in a dormant state, waiting for our new vessel.

Slideshow Updated

This Saturday morning I (Tom) was actually up and out of bed in the A.M. part of the day! Early enough to find most if not all pictures of just Cathy and myself. I've uploaded all the images and now they appear on our slideshow.

Anyway, this shows our history up until now. From our first date on a motorcycle in 2003 to our last time together at the beach in 2008. I can't believe we've acquired so many memories in such a short amount of time.