We've been quiet for a while. Oh, things have been happening; just not things on the boat. Life, as it sometimes does, has thrown in a course change.
Fall was upon us, hurricane season was over, and as we made preparations to cast off on the southbound leg of our journey, we frequently saw colorful autumn leaves floating in the river. We took that as a sign that things were changing and it was time to move on. But the move would not be what we expected, not what we'd planned and Christmas in the Florida Keys would not happen this year.
We are of an age where we’ve see the passing of three of our four parents, and also one step-parent. One of those was the result of a quick and unexpected illness, the other three were the result of a more long-term condition. In November, we were presented with some test results that our remaining parent was about to begin that long-term care journey. The actual illness and details don’t really matter for this discussion, but there will be some dramatic and unfortunate changes coming. Some say that the family of a patient with a long-term illness often suffer as much as the patient, though in different ways of course.
We’ve moved back to land, to a place not too far from the long-term care facility. The last couple of months have been juggling moving and setting up a household again, making trips to the care facility, and winterizing the boat. At least as much as one does that this far south. And then there’s preparing our parent’s house for sale. It’s not what we had planned and dreamed of, but it is what we have to do. We take some solace that the facility we have chosen is well regarded and our parent seems happy there. We visit as often as we can between dealing with our house and the family home.
We also take solace in knowing that should the opportunity arise, Kotona will be waiting for us, even if it’s only for a quick afternoon daysail. Our own little bit of caregiver therapy. And one day, though we don’t know when, we will set out again and find those places that we’ve dreamed about. For now, we’ll do what we have to do, but one day we’ll be out there again. Until then, Kotona out.
