The Back Story

     I am going strictly from memory so some details are for sure to be left out or a little out of order.  I am going to do my best and share my recollection of how and why we traded in a yard and fence for the salty sea water swirling around our home 2-4-7.

     I met Scott in June of 1999.   We married August 31, 2002.  Scott had mentioned several times that he was going to buy a boat and sail around the world.  This was his dream and he was going to make it happen.  Well, honestly, it was a dream that was not even within my reach, or anything I had even imagined.

    Together we bought a house in Nampa, Idaho.  We roofed it, painted it (inside and out), planted a garden, had 3 dogs and a fence.  For me, it was everything I wanted in a home.  It was quaint and comfortable.  I had planted a yard that was like a secret garden.  Along with the trees, shrubs, herbs, flowers, vegetables, and fish pond, we had a pottery shed complete with wheel, kiln, glazes and anything one would need or want in order to occupy every day of the year creating pottery if they so chose.  I mentioned the three dogs.  They were such a treat.  I get teary eyed even today when I think of them and the joy, companionship, laughter, and love they brought to us and our home.  They were such a big part of our life.  I miss them.

Epic, Daisy, Lily

They liked to be involved and included, they are happy dogs!

Another kid, my faithful, loyal friend

They enjoyed the back yard as much as I did

     As you can imagine, finding a home for these three family members and having to say goodbye to them  has been the hardest part of this transition, at least for me.  I know Zayden and Scott had a strong attachment too.  They are still a part of our conversations and we imagine them running on the beach and rolling around in some of the stinky stuff the tide brings in.  Our Lily would think she was the most beautiful dog in the world after rolling in death scented perfume.  It is the nature of the dog.

     Scott and I both worked at our jobs.  We worked and made money and spent money and traveled and bought motorcycles, and clothes, and furniture, and made home improvements, we lived our version of the American dream.  I was comfortable and content in my daily routine.  Tuesday through Saturday 7:00- 1:00 (or whenever I would complete my postal route), I went to the Post Office and did my job, a job that was made just for me.  I loved it, it loved me.  I was sure I would be there until I was at least 60.  I would get home early enough to play the domestic Goddess.  Cleaning the house, redecorating, planting a garden, with herbs, vegetables, flowers, landscaping, making meals, yes, I even washed the windows and yes, I enjoyed it.  I was living my dream.

     I am thinking back and remember Scott started reading a lot more than usual, and a lot less novels.  It must have been early 2010 he started ordering subscriptions to sailing magazines.  Once a month we were receiving Cruising World and Sail.  He did read some novels they all had the word "sail" or "sailing" in the title. This should have been a "heads up" for me.  His Dad started sending him sailing books through the mail.  This was beginning of a new beginning in the works.  I continued living my dream yet observing Scott's attention being focused in this new direction.  2010 was a big year for us.  The Bucket was born in March, Ariel graduated High School in June, and we made our last family vacation in a motorhome for Christmas.  That vacation is a story in itself.  Let me make it short by saying we had all three dogs, six adults, and a nine month old in a pretty cool motorhome with slide outs and the whole shebang.  We were going to Disneyland.  This is where Zayden was coined, the Bucket.  First he was a grump Bucket, then a love Bucket, and low and behold diareah out the diaper he became a poop Bucket.  Bucket he was. We also broke a mirror off the motorhome trying to go through the car lane of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Luckily we had gorilla tape.

     Zayden started living with us full time beginning the end of March 2011, shortly after his 1st birthday.  It was the summer of 2011 I noticed Scott researching boats.  Which were safest, most efficient, most reliable, and the most sea worthy that two people could handle.  He spent hours and hours online and his head down in the books and magazines researching and researching.  I observed and listened.  Island Packet, Caliber, and Passport were the three I heard repeated most often.  I did hear him say Hallberg-Rassy would be the ideal, however, was out of our price range.  His dream was becoming reality.  I could feel it, see it, hear it and knew it when in February of 2012 he told me what we were doing for vacation.  No, it wasn't Costa Rica, or Belize, or France.  We were going to Poulsbo Washington to look at a 40 foot Passport.