A Priority

It all started with an idea.  Or was it a need?  A fear?  I'm not sure--maybe all of those things.

I am not quick to jump in the direction of things that hold me down (this is my way of saying that I may have a mild case of commitment phobia).  I like new experiences; I like to move; I like change.  So, I'm not sure I will ever want to buy a house.

When I decided that my next move should be toward the river, I had no idea what kind of adventure that would be!  I searched for rental property with a yard that would allow me to drag my kayak right out onto the river.  It didn't take long for me to discover that this place I had in mind did not exist. 

One night, while standing on the deck at Sandbar looking at the boats in the marina, I realized I was looking in all of the wrong places for my river-front home.  That night began months of searching for just the right boat.

My non-negotiables served to decrease my options.  I wanted a boat that was inexpensive (that fear of commitment thing ruled out a large loan--there's nothing like debt to weigh you down).  I wanted it to have lots of room so that my friends could crash, a bed at window-level and catwalks all the way around the boat (so pups could explore).

Months of walking docks, visiting marina bars, searching online, and networking in the boating community led me to three boats:  boat #1 was a heartbreak, boat #2 was just not meant to be, and boat #3 has become a priority.