Holding Fast

Well - we're more than half way through 2018 and things have been quiet around here on the blog, so I thought I would post some updates and a few thoughts about what's been going on....

Last October, we moved to Point Hudson Marina in Port Townsend as planned.  By then I had found a wonderful job with Centrum as their Finance Associate (glorified bookkeeper) on the Fort Worden campus.  I've had a few lessons to learn this past year about patience and letting go of expectations when Life offers up her curve balls....  ok, let me back up a bit.

The "original" plan involved us leaving again in Aug/Sept 2017 for Mexico.  However, when we returned from BC, we simply realized we weren't ready to head out again just yet.  Donn's eldest daughter had her first child in September of last year - and we both agreed we wanted to be around and nearby for that momentous occasion.  We now have a beautiful granddaughter, Aria.  In addition there were a few other realities in our life which combined to help us make the decision to stay put for awhile longer.

I settled into my new job, which to be honest really excited me.  I have had an interest in accounting for years and to be able to learn the craft and work in a non-profit artistic atmosphere like this one is amazing.  It's an opportunity I'm incredibly grateful for.  Donn settled in to work on and finish his first novel, SAVIOR, which he published on Amazon in January.

Then in February, my network of new friends and co-workers helped me find and land a second (very) part-time job at one of the local cinemas here - The Starlight Room.  I take tickets, manage the theater, and run the movies.  It's a fun gig and comes with free movie perks, which is pretty cool.

We also started offering ourselves up for house/pet sitting gigs here in town during the holidays last year, which not only gets us off the boat once in awhile, but provides us with free showers and laundry, helps bring in a little extra cash, and, best of all, allows us to spend time with some pretty awesome animals.

In February I called one of our local nursing homes and asked if they would like Donn to come play and sing for the residents some time.  The answer was YES - and that resulted in them asking him to come play monthly for a small stipend.  We've both been enjoying that regular visit.

As the year progressed, I struggled at first with guilt around not sticking to our original plan.  I slowly came to realize that this "pause" was not a sign of failure, but of us re-calibrating our needs and expectations.  And being here in Port Townsend has been nothing short of wonderful in so many ways.  The friendships, the slower pace of life, the beauty that is the town itself are all such wonderful gifts I am truly thankful for.

So, you may be asking... "what's next?"  Well - we will be here for at least another season.  We are still hoping to head south to Mexico - that is our next goal.  We are staying loose on timing, but we have not lost sight of that vision.  Holding Fast.  To each other, to our goals, to enjoying each moment of our lives together - wherever that may be.