Signing Off, For Now

We've been quiet for a while. Oh, things have been happening; just not things on the boat. Life, as it sometimes does, has thrown in a course change.

We are of an age where we’ve see the passing of three of our four parents, and also one step-parent. One of those was the result of a quick and unexpected illness, the other three were the result of a more long-term condition. Some say that the family of a patient with a long-term illness often suffer as much as the patient, though in different ways of course.

Fall was upon us, hurricane season was over, and as we prepared to cast off on the southbound leg of our journey, we watched the colorful leaves floating in the river. A sign that things were changing and it was time to move on. But the move would not be what we expected as we were presented with some test results that our remaining parent was about to begin that long-term care journey. While the actual illness and details don’t really matter for this discussion, Christmas in the Florida Keys is not going to happen this year. Maybe next year.

We’ve moved back to land, to a place not too far from the long-term care facility. The last couple of months have been juggling moving and setting up a household again, making trips to the care facility, and winterizing the boat. At least as much as one does that this far south. And then there’s preparing our parent’s house for sale. It’s not what we had planned and dreamed of, but it is what we have to do. We take some solace that the facility we have chosen is well regarded and our parent seems happy there. We visit as often as we can between dealing with our house and the family home.

We also take some solace in knowing that when we are able to return to our sailing adventure, even if it’s only for a quick afternoon daysail, Kotona will be waiting for us. Our own little bit of caregiver therapy. And one day, though we don’t know when, we will set out again and find those places that we’ve dreamed about. For now, we’ll do what we have to do, but one day we’ll be out there again. Until then, Kotona out.