Josh and I have had a few “serious” conversations over the past few weeks regarding this whole life-changing event.  While I’m still cautious, I feel like I’m growing more curious.  What WOULD it be like to wake up on the water every morning?  To watch beautiful sunsets every evening?  To get to spend my life really living, enjoying every minute possible with the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with?  We’ve made a few agreements while I continue to get acquainted with this whole idea potentially becoming reality.  1 – Stop spending money on “stuff.”  $20 here, $20 there really adds up!  We have a 2,200 square foot house, full of “stuff.”  Do we really need more stuff!?  (The answer is, quite obviously, no.)  2 – Focus on paying debt down.  The idea of being “debt free” in a few years is nearly impossible (unless we win the PowerBall), but, the idea of paying DOWN debt with the money we would be spending on “stuff” is absolutely possible.  3 – Start purging!  We moved into our current home 4 years ago.  And, ashamed as I might be to say it, there are still boxes in our basement that I haven’t cracked open since we moved.  (If I am completely honest, I didn’t touch those boxes for years before we moved, either.)  It might seem a bit “too far away” to make purging really seem right, but, I’m at a point where I feel confident in my decision to find new homes for things that we aren’t using or thinking about (or even remember that we have!).  So, banking a few bucks on stuff we won’t miss can’t hurt.  And, at this point, I can afford for it to be a “controlled purge,” at my pace, on my time schedule.  (I made $28 just today, in fact!)  Having hatched a seemingly “simple-ish” plan, I’m planning to continue reading and researching and opening my mind to freedom.  Josh has suggested that we go to a boat show in Kent Island, MD at the end of October to be able to actually board some boats.  I agreed, and, truth be told, am actually kind of excited to try some boats on.  I’m increasingly curious if I will get a gut feeling about this whole plan, either way.  As Josh is the primary “researcher” around here, he’s identified three boats that he feels will be most appropriate for us at this point in our lives, both space-wise and money-wise.

The 34′ Mainship 34 Trawler.
(Conveniently, there’s one for sale right now in Grasonville, MD, for a price of $149,500.)

A Nordic Tug 32.
(The galley “upstairs” is pretty appealing!  And, there’s a 2003 for sale right now in Virginia Beach for $169,000.)

And an American Tug 34.
(Also, has the galley “upstairs.”  And, currently one for sale in Maryland for $169,000.)