Goodbye 2009 and Hello 2010

For those of you expecting another post on new equipment or anything else boating related, you can log off now. It has been an interesting year to say the least. We have made many changes, some planned and some totally unexpected. But in the end we believe they will all be good changes and we don't regret any of them, well almost. Let me just say that our philosophy has changed considerably over the years and we have taken a more optimistic approach to the things that happen in our lives. Not too long ago, a loss of a job or changes in our circumstances would have had us energizing ourselves to correct the situation and make it conform to our plans. But something happened and I can't put my finger on just when the transition took place, or what the defining moment was. We came to the realization that if we looked closely at unfolding events, instead of trying to steer them in the direction we chose, we would see a different path open up that in the end was the proper direction for us. We were enjoying life in South Carolina and had settled in and things were not great but pretty good. Suddenly we found ourselves in the middle of a major recession with neither of us having a job and no prospects for the immediate future. Most folks might panic in a situation like this. But we have positioned ourselves financially to be in pretty good shape and our cruising lifestyle has kept us in a debt free state, or close to it, and the constant practice of filling the cruising kitty keeps us fairly fluid. When the job Susan had in Beaufort came to an end, and no viable employment looked available, then we considered our options. We could stay and tough it out, not our first choice. We could head south for warmer weather, but the economic situation in that area was not looking great either. Or we could head north where we had a good support system and lots of contacts with a greater potential for employment. The logical conclusion, and all of the sign posts, pointed us to the road north. This was not our favorite choice mostly because after more than 15 years in the tropics and subtropics, northern winters were not particularly inviting.



Our kids had come to South Carolina for a vacation and we realized that we had missed out on a lot with the grandkids, with us being off traveling around the planet. That alone gave us the reason to head north for a while and try to make up for lost time. But at the same time my old position in Maryland came open so gainful employment was again a possibility. And with over ten years in state employment, odds were pretty good that Susan would quickly be working also. The signs were pointing us in that direction so we took the path of least resistance and went with the flow. We know that when one door closes another opens and there are no accidents and no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason, you just need to look carefully for the reason and look for the new direction that you are being pointed towards. We both did some long distance interviewing and were feeling pretty good about the job prospects as we made the decision, then began the trip north on the boat, to relocate. But wouldn't you know it? Half way through the trip, before we arrived in the Chesapeake, the job possibilities faded for both of us. For Susan the jobs were being delayed due to funding and for me the company also decided to delay rehiring anyone till after the first of the year.

This might all sound discouraging but we just concluded that things were not where they needed to be yet, but we were still heading in the right direction. We needed to let everything play out and see where it was going. The trip north was fairly uneventful and we arrived at our old marina and met friends we had not seen for a long time. We had planned to make contact with Jack Dozier of the Waterway Guides when we arrived in the Chesapeake in hopes of doing some updates to his Chesapeake Guide over the summer months on a part-time basis since we would be here for a while. We had let Jack know we were relocating and he indicated he would like to meet with us after we arrived. Once were were settled in we did indeed meet him in his Annapolis office, and after a few meetings and discussions, I moved from an occasional job updating the Waterway Guide to a full time position as Marketing Director. Susan's job for consideration was still being delayed due to funding issues but at least one of us was now employed. As part of my position with Waterway Guide I have been tasked with developing and introducing new products that will enhance and add to the services the Waterway Guides already provide to the boating public. This meant considerable time and effort to gather data and get these new products to the marketplace. With Susan's cruising and boating experience and her penchant for detail, she was a perfect candidate to assist me in this new endeavor. We are now both gainfully employed and we can commute together every day. Once again doors closed and new ones opened.

We have spent the first holidays in a very long time with family and I have to say that it feels really good. The time we lost with the kids and grandkids can't be replaced but we can try and make up for it. Our new jobs are fun and exciting, developing new products that will be beneficial to fellow boaters, and we will have all of the resources at our disposal to outfit Beach House for extended cruises in the future. Not to mention the fact that we will have plenty of time to spend cruising her on the Chesapeake Bay, one of the greatest cruising grounds on the eastern United States. We will most assuredly be detailing each and every one of those cruises and all of our preparations and renovations on the boat. Now I know this is not about cruising or new equipment or anything else that we have posted in the past. But it is our Blog and we can post anything we like. For all of our family and friends and followers to the Blog we wish you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year and remind you to keep an open mind when life deals you lemons. We will soon get back to new projects even with the snow piling up outside. And thanks for sticking around and giving us an excuse to keep this site going. Chuck and Susan