Depicted here is my home, or should I say Harry’s and my home since Flapdoodle took to the air and landed stranded in Koehler Kraft Boatyard.

I decided after climbing the fully extended extension ladder to the top, that I temporarily had a “Tree House” as my home instead of a boat. A tree house because of the very long ladder that needs to be utilized to access “my life.” A tree house because I am elevated, to where I can see the world all around me. I have previously likened our boat to a castle with a moat. Now we are in a castle in the clouds. In this blog I wish to share with you some of my feelings about this experience and state of affairs. [See below photos taken in four directions from the top of the Tree House.]

I had been feeling a little nervous and worried about Flapdoodle’s hauling experience. If you closely look at the next images documenting the structure supporting the Tree House in the air you might feel some of that nervousness is justified.

I also understand more the importance of children learning to build towers with blocks and experimenting with the strongest, highest structures. Boatyard workers are merely adults playing in the block corner, but getting paid for it and perhaps with greater responsibilities should the tower fall.

The boat was last hauled 4 years ago when we purchased our floating home. I was not present. I have seen other boats hauled, ones that are bigger and smaller than ours; but somehow it was a more momentous event when all that was within Flapdoodle’s confines was everything Harry and I needed for living. We had also had first hand experience with a boat yard when we had the mast pulled. We knew that we would be charged highly for the service and that responsibility for anything that happened was ours and ours alone. One is taking a risk just by being present in a boatyard. When our mast was pulled we still had some of our home comforts like a working refrigerator. Our boat still sat in the water. Dock carts could be used to get within close proximity of the boat. To step aboard the boat there were three steps, not an extendable ladder.

Like most things new and Harry initiated, I was at first of the impression that there was no way I was prepared to live in a boatyard while work proceeded on Flapdoodle. It would be dirty, noisy, and away from my Chula Vista marina friends, comforts, and pleasures. As time approached I started to realize that Flapdoodle is my home . I meditated upon some quotes about home to see which ones aligned with my innermost feelings.

“Home is where you hang your heart.”

“Home is not a place. It is a feeling.”

“What I love most about my home is who I share it with.”

“Home is where our story begins.”

“Home is where you feel loved, appreciated and safe.” Tracey Taylor

“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends.”

“Home is not where you are from. It is where you belong. Some of us travel the whole world to find it. Others, find it in a person.” Beau Taploin

“Home is the starting place of Love, Hope, and Dreams.”

“Home is where I can look and feel ugly and enjoy it.”

I am afraid that old habits die hard, I always like to provide more than is enough and have trouble at times making decisions and choosing. All of the above resonated with me.

On Flapdoodle are all the things She, and Harry and I need for our current lifestyle.

[SIDENOTE: I didn’t say that all that we owned fitted well into the boat, nor that it was organized. Pictured below is our v-berth by day and by night. We are always playing the shuffling and relocating game.]

This good old boat is where we feel comfortable. Where our love, hope and dreams are shared. To move off and be based somewhere else was going to be tedious. I would need to pack. There would be lots of tooing and froing, coming and going. I might not be around when Harry needed me to find something, to tidy up after him, to feed him , to give him second opinions, to photograph him making progress, and to report to when he was at his other job and wasn’t at the boat working. Despite all the wonderful offers I had to live else where [like Coronado Island], and to be collected to join the fun back at Chula Vista Marina, I found myself once again stepping out of my comfort zone and living, on Flapdoodle, in a boatyard.

Life continues to be good. There is always something new to observe, ponder upon, and learn. I can live this lifestyle. I can meet it’s challenges.

Things are not IMPOSSIBLE. I’m possible.

I am not rendered IMPOTENT. I’m potent.

[I’mpossible/ I’mpotent idea from Book –“The Art of Being Yourself” by Carolin McHugh]

Cheers! There is always time to play. We dined one evening at “Fathom”, a Bistro on the Shelter Island Fishing Pier. Great beer, burgers, sausages and hot dogs.