Post Looping

Today marks one week since Jim and I returned to Osprey, Florida.  One whole week. I think I’m suffering from a bit of post loop withdrawal. It’s a thing, I’m sure.

We have settled in at Casey Key Marina.  We have signed our lease agreement for the slip we are occupying. We are now, where, we call home. Home is where the boat is. 

Returning from such an epic adventure, for me, has been bittersweet. One thing that I found myself doing is checking out people’s blogs from previous years.  I am truly interested in what they did with their lives after such an incredible experience. I wanted to know how “they” handled this first week, first month, after crossing their wakes.  I wanted to know if they had a life changing experience and read about it. It has been real easy for me to chronicle our adventures on the Great Loop, but now I’m struggling a bit.  I just don’t know how I feel. I wanted to know if they had these feelings too, and maybe how they dealt with those feelings. I especially wanted to read about the “All In” boaters like us. Did they plan another adventure? Did they get a job? Did they volunteer their time somewhere, just to have something worthwhile to do? 

I never did find my answer. Most people stopped writing in their blogs, never to be heard from again.  I refuse to let that happen, and I want to let all of you know, that it is, a life changing experience, and I intend to find out what the “afterlife” has in store for me. 

I will write so if anyone in the future reads our blog, looking to find out what people do after completing the Great Loop, maybe my writing will help them .  Jim and I don’t have the jobs to go back to.  We don’t have our children and our friends around the corner or down the street.  Our world is small.  It’s literally just us and our boat. We are going to have to make things happen or we will probably go crazy.  On our Loop, we had something to do almost every single day.  Plans to be made, charts to be plotted, challenges to be met.  Logs to be dodged, lines to be thrown, reservations to be made.  New sights to be seen, like minded people to have conversations with.  Meetings to be found, tugs and tows to be passed.  That is over for us, at least for now.  I’m a little sad, and that’s ok.

One way I have found to be helpful for me this week is to talk with the friends we traveled with, and to have been blessed to meet some brand new loopers who came to visit us and pick our brains. Andy and Cindy are just starting their adventure. They are from California too, quit their jobs, sold all their stuff, and put their boat on a ship to be delivered to Florida. It was really fun to share our experiences with them. They had lots of questions and both had that incredible wanderlust and excitement that we had last year. I really enjoyed my time with them. They get “it”, and I know they are going to have the time of their lives!

  We drove to Miami, where Peter and Giselle had been fostering our car.  We got to visit with the new baby Sebastian, which was a joy.  He is growing like a weed, and I know Grandpa Jim was in hog heaven.  It is Christmas time too. I’ve sent all the grandkids their gifts. We picked up a couple strings of lights and a few poinsettias. The bow of the boat now looks quite festive and our living room is quite cozy. There are no other boaters here in our marina, so it’s pretty quiet here.  We have enjoyed a few long strolls, and been witness to some pretty fabulous sunsets.

Our favorite color is Sunset

Now that we have our wheels back, Jim has decided to drive for Lyft and Uber. 😂 He is signed up and already making money.  Someone’s got to work around here! I certainly don’t think this is Jim’s calling, but he’s out and about and having fun, which makes me happy. I was online today looking at job opportunities at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.  I’m sure, if we are staying put for awhile here in Osprey, that some sort of, something, will have to be incorporated into my life.  I don’t know what that looks like yet, but my God is good, and I will continue to ask in my morning prayers what his will for me should be. Our local Dollar Tree is hiring.  Jim could drop me off as he drives off to pick up a passenger! 

 The Gulf is experiencing some pretty foul weather the last few days.  Tornado watches and gale force wind warnings. Rain, coming down in buckets, with thunder and lightning strikes! I’m really happy to be right where we are today.  Our boat is under a covered roof, so the rain isn’t pelting her.  This makes me feel safe and secure.  It’s the little things.

I think ultimately what I’m trying to convey in this blog post, is that I am going through a big change again.  I’m confused.  I really am glad to be “home” and I’m super happy that I am in touch with my feelings today.  Feelings just are.  They aren’t right or wrong. They aren’t good or bad.  They will change, they always do.  

 If you are one of my friends reading this, and you’ve just finished your Loop, too, I hope you are doing well and you are happy. We have returned from an extraordinary event that very few people on this earth get the chance to do. It changes us.  It changes our outlook on life. There is life after the Great Loop. I hope to see some of you at the Gold Looper Reunion in January.  Until then, fair winds and following seas, roads and freeways! 

Merry Everything and Happy Always🎄