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Not sure if this
is a blog, or a place for random thoughts, or are they one and the
same? Let's just say that this page is for "Stuff to read about the ongoing work on
Faoin Spéir".
same? Let's just say that this page is for "Stuff to read about the ongoing work on
Faoin Spéir".
Blog
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11/11/2015:
Mary's Blog, plain sailing?
My whole life I
have had something to say. Ask anyone who knows me. In my life thus
far I have had struggles like everybody else but I have a pretty solid network of friends
and family to whom I have talked and sought help and worked out what is going on.
The prospect of living on board a boat and travelling the world seemed like a
wonderful idea when Leonard and I first talked about it. It appealed to my
unconventional side, the bit of me that seeks adventure and newness and desire to
travel. I love people, I am excited at the prospect of experiencing other cultures
firsthand, I want to open up my mind and feel the freedom of living without frontiers.
far I have had struggles like everybody else but I have a pretty solid network of friends
and family to whom I have talked and sought help and worked out what is going on.
The prospect of living on board a boat and travelling the world seemed like a
wonderful idea when Leonard and I first talked about it. It appealed to my
unconventional side, the bit of me that seeks adventure and newness and desire to
travel. I love people, I am excited at the prospect of experiencing other cultures
firsthand, I want to open up my mind and feel the freedom of living without frontiers.
However the
reality of living on the boat isn’t as grand as all that. Last week we spent
half term on Faoin Spéir on Bere Island where she is now berthed. There were good
bits in the week. The Island is beautiful and we had lovely walks. We had friends to stay
and that was fantastic, I loved the chatting and sharing fun and food. We went for a sail
on Thursday. That was pretty neat... But, we had storms and lots of rain and leaks and
wet and very little space inside as we continue the renovation and more storms and
rain and leaks and waking up with the rain dripping on us. I was so sick to the teeth of it
all and Leonard was all, “We have to have rain to see what is leaking, then we can
mend it”. I have only one word for it... Drudgery. It was miserable and cold and wet at the
end of October on the south west coast of Ireland.
half term on Faoin Spéir on Bere Island where she is now berthed. There were good
bits in the week. The Island is beautiful and we had lovely walks. We had friends to stay
and that was fantastic, I loved the chatting and sharing fun and food. We went for a sail
on Thursday. That was pretty neat... But, we had storms and lots of rain and leaks and
wet and very little space inside as we continue the renovation and more storms and
rain and leaks and waking up with the rain dripping on us. I was so sick to the teeth of it
all and Leonard was all, “We have to have rain to see what is leaking, then we can
mend it”. I have only one word for it... Drudgery. It was miserable and cold and wet at the
end of October on the south west coast of Ireland.
| 9 for
lunch :-) The table works! |
| Wind
Forecast!! |
I came home
feeling, I
cannot do this. Boat life is
not for me. So I feel a bit
shaken by the whole thing
not least because I never
expected to feel like this.
And so the soul searching
kicked in. This is not a
romantic notion this is to
become the reality of my
life and the ongoing
question? Is this what I
really want? Now I know
there are probably people
out there going,” well it’s a
bit late for that love!” And I
think what the heck have I
been thinking? But here is
cannot do this. Boat life is
not for me. So I feel a bit
shaken by the whole thing
not least because I never
expected to feel like this.
And so the soul searching
kicked in. This is not a
romantic notion this is to
become the reality of my
life and the ongoing
question? Is this what I
really want? Now I know
there are probably people
out there going,” well it’s a
bit late for that love!” And I
think what the heck have I
been thinking? But here is
the truth. I have
been chatting and thinking and romanticising and planning but not doing
reality, I think. I really want to live on board, but it is time for me to get practical.
I think up to now I have maintained silence about Faoin Spéir and our desire to live on
board because Leonard has done all the talking. He is perfectly comfortable with the
whole idea and he is perfectly comfortable with technology. I also felt that there should
only be one voice and as I felt a little differently about some stuff then it was best to say
nothing. Also to be honest until we put Faoin Spéir in the water last August and sailed
her the whole live aboard thing was all a bit pie in the sky and unreal. Now it is a
different story. Now we are eight months from becoming full time live aboards and I feel
scared. I have felt fear before, I know it is manageable and it doesn't last forever. But this
fear is very strong and it has levels... Let me explain
reality, I think. I really want to live on board, but it is time for me to get practical.
I think up to now I have maintained silence about Faoin Spéir and our desire to live on
board because Leonard has done all the talking. He is perfectly comfortable with the
whole idea and he is perfectly comfortable with technology. I also felt that there should
only be one voice and as I felt a little differently about some stuff then it was best to say
nothing. Also to be honest until we put Faoin Spéir in the water last August and sailed
her the whole live aboard thing was all a bit pie in the sky and unreal. Now it is a
different story. Now we are eight months from becoming full time live aboards and I feel
scared. I have felt fear before, I know it is manageable and it doesn't last forever. But this
fear is very strong and it has levels... Let me explain
| Out
Walking on Bere Island. |
I have some fears
about the fact that our boat is still a renovation project, we have the
basics and she is habitable in but it`s not home and I have no way to control that. I
cannot plumb or do carpentry or wire and Leonard is doing all he can. The boat is a
three hour drive from us now and we don’t get to spend enough time on her. Our
deadline is next summer that is not a movable feast. I am also feeling my size and
weight on the boat. I have always been obese and I manage it. I know it`s not good for
me, people have been unkind about my size but I have always been ok with it. Or at
least I have been ok enough not to do anything about it! However on board our boat my
size makes me less able bodied than everyone else so it is making my life
uncomfortable. I have to do something about it, my size and strength and fitness or
living on board will be miserable for me. Now I can do something about this, so my
own ‘operation transformation’ has begun.
basics and she is habitable in but it`s not home and I have no way to control that. I
cannot plumb or do carpentry or wire and Leonard is doing all he can. The boat is a
three hour drive from us now and we don’t get to spend enough time on her. Our
deadline is next summer that is not a movable feast. I am also feeling my size and
weight on the boat. I have always been obese and I manage it. I know it`s not good for
me, people have been unkind about my size but I have always been ok with it. Or at
least I have been ok enough not to do anything about it! However on board our boat my
size makes me less able bodied than everyone else so it is making my life
uncomfortable. I have to do something about it, my size and strength and fitness or
living on board will be miserable for me. Now I can do something about this, so my
own ‘operation transformation’ has begun.