The timing is almost uncanny…  Chris’ official last day at his job was on Friday, August 25th, and we closed on the boat on Monday, August 28th.  Talk about closing one chapter and opening another.

For those that don’t know, closing on a boat is much like closing on a house.  There are titles to be checked, mortgages to be paid/disbursed, inspections (or surveys) to be completed, insurance to be in place, and a whole lot of signatures.  The reason I share, is signing all those documents, puts into perspective the commitment to this journey.

The survey was generally clean, meaning we have a solid boat.  It doesn’t mean that we’re ready to sail away, but it’s good to know she’s ship-shape in all the critical areas.  Over the past week, Chris headed down to Annapolis with his Dad to measure every nook and cranny on the boat, so we can start planning how to store all the critical items and downsize from a house to a boat.

We also brought the girls down to see her for the first time, they were ecstatic, to say the least.  Of course they were most excited about seeing their ‘room’ and making sure the TV worked. I’m not exactly sure what signal they plan on getting, once we get out there; but it’s exciting nonetheless.

Becky notified her boss about her intentions which went very well… There will likely be a spot for her when we return.

Last major conversation – school…  We met with Tali’s and Savy’s teachers to get a reality check on what boat-schooling was going to look like.  We were pleasantly surprised to see that the experience itself, with careful explanations and involvement, will be the foundation of their education for the next year.  Of course there are some workbooks that Tali will need to work through for Math and Reading to make sure she stays current, and there will plenty of time to read (whether Tali reading herself, or us reading to Savy), but in general, just let the experience drive the education.  The other recommendation was for Tali to start a blog, so she can share with her classmates her journey, and at the end of the trip… a powerpoint presentation!  I’m not sure Chris expected to have to look at another powerpoint presentation for awhile : ) — so look for Tali’s blog to start in the upcoming weeks.