Thurs Oct 5-Mon Oct 9: Back on board, sort of

Thank you, everyone, for your loving support. I had a truly special month in Boulder. I made it home in time to join my family in saying goodbye to my Poppa. And we had lots of days to share stories and tears, and to walk him home. Hopefully I left my mom in a peaceful place, ready to face her next journey. 

Also, in some way I cannot explain AT ALL, we made an offer on a condo in Boulder-with the idea to sell Atlanta and move (maybe with Will) next summer.  I have no idea how this came about, as we had discarded, not just this same idea in June, but this exact condo.  In fact, I thought we were moving to St Simons Island. 🤷‍♀️ My brain is a complete mystery to me.  Poor Rick…

Anyway… back to the boat.  The timing all just seemed uncanny. Traverse City was the first place all summer that I could get to an airport. And I could stay in Boulder for a whole month because our flotilla isn’t scheduled for the IL River locks south of Chicago until Oct 16.  Rick did an amazing job moving down Lake Michigan, partly alone and partly with friend Bob. All unfolded as it needed to, and with reasonably light hearts we left Boulder for Chicago, ready to resume boat life. At least long enough to finish and sell the darn thing..

One night on the bouncy boat was enough to convince us to decamp for an Airbnb near Claire-we are killing time….may as well be comfortable. The weather was too rough to move the boat; easier to move us.  Although the tortuous route, involving a sprint for a bus, a train, a walk, the L and another walk wasn’t exactly easy.  I have no idea how Rick figured it all out.  But we DID arrive at her cute new apt. We had fun treating her and friends to meals, and did lots of walking.  These city dwellers get a LOT of walking exercise! It’s definitely fall now, hope we brought enough warm clothing for cold boating...

The more you walk the more treats you can have!

On Monday it was walk/L/train/bus in reverse to get back to Michigan City (which, inexplicably, is in IN) for a big dither about what to do on Tues.  For 4 years we have been promising Claire we would bring the boat to Chicago. So close and yet so far.  It is a 5-hour trip across the bottom of the lake…and the Tues weather was such that, any other time, this would = no go. We agreed to hope that it would calm down overnight and to decide by 11am. 

Stay tuned…

 

 

In honor of my Poppa 💕