Sweeping down cobwebs around windows and under the eaves on Saturday morning gave me more pleasure than I ever recall it doing so before!
Our house will be on the market soon. We hope for a quick sale so we can leave for a long sail!
Its funny though, leaving. Everything I've ever known is on land - houses, cars, jobs, day to day hassles of paying the bills, shopping, cooking, cleaning. I know that once we are on board there will still be some of these daily chores - what there won't be though is the endless cycle of work to eat, work to pay the bills, work to give us enough spare money to have fun when we are not at work.
We will have enough to live for a year or more without work. Later, when we need to, Peter can get some work building or being handy, and hopefully I can get paid for some of what I write. Mabe even get one of my books published.

As well as getting the house ready to sell we have sold my car. I was sad. I loved my car. The first new car I'd ever owned. A car people looked at. A car that was a pleasure to drive. I've got an old bomb to drive until we go. It makes me laugh! It has no heater, no automatic lights, no car phone, no cup holders! What a come down! But then I remind myself where I am going and its all forgotten in a moment! I can wait a little minute finishing things up here knowing that in such a short time I shall live aboard a yacht, sail around Australia, and then the world. Go to England and walk again on the shores that first gave me my love of the seas. It doesn't seem real but when I glance at my lovely old bomby car I sure hope it is!

We have had to begin sifting. What we will take, what we will never need again, what we might send to my daughters house in case I want it someday and its harder to replace than retain.

I sigh at leaving my books. I love books. I have a library now, built by my generous husband, and a music room. These things I will say goodbye to, though I will select some books and some instruments to bring with us. Books I have not yet read. Books I love too much to leave. Pride and Prejudice must come. And The Girl In Times Square that got me reading again and brought words back to life for me when I had given up hope in my life of ever being happy. The book that got me started writing my own. Yes, no matter what it must come. And others. The Wind In The Willows, so I can remember my old friends Ratty and Moley wistfully sighing about how there is nothing as much fun as messing about on boats.
Books for the children and Peter too. And music - we must make music on board - not just listen to others. I will bring guitars, my flute, a keyboard for Erina. We plan to have a lot of time to relax and have fun. Music will always be a part of that.

We all know we will need clothes - but other than swimming gear we don't plan on getting cold so we won't need our heavy winter Canberra wollens, coats, scarves and mittens. I won't miss them! I'll keep them though - along with my fancy shoes - I might not need them on board but I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go of everything! Not yet!

We'll sell the house and go the first day we can. Over accross to the other side of Australia and get to the boat. We have seen so much of her we can't wait. We'll spend a few weeks, a month even, learning the ropes! I know where that term comes from now - and then we will begin. We will head off on what promises to be the most thrilling adventure of our lives.
We will undoubtably miss a few friends - but we will have skype and facebook and the internet - we can keep in touch. We will have so much - so much to look forward to - so much to enjoy.