Again with the doubts...

Sam is going to be the death me.

I left the house Wednesday night to meet with my computer guru. He's awesome. Don't believe me? Read my happiness post devoted to him. Better still...just wait and see when I launch the business website.

Okay, so I left the house and Sam stayed home because he was spent after working in the blazing sun all day. I get that. Still, it made me a bit cranky. So we snapped at each other as I walked out the door. Then we talked on the phone while I drove.

Sam: Over being angry already?

me: Nope. I still wanted to talk to you though.

I can't stand when we fight. And that wasn't even a fight. It was just tension running high and venting taking place. By the time I reached Starbucks we were good.

Then, when I called on the way home, he started talking about how he had been looking at boats. And all I could think was...here we go again.

He was upset that I didn't have more to say on the subject. My feeling? Looking is pointless. These boats cost more money than we have or we'd have bought one of them. Sam is convinced we can work a deal. Oh, but in order for that to happen, we need to go see them this weekend...in Myrtle Beach.

To appease him, I contacted one. They haven't responded. The other...we haven't even emailed.

And I think of all the pros and cons. That's what I do. I weigh things. It's a close call. If we get a more expensive boat loaded with everything he wants, maybe he'll feel more comfortable following through with our plan. Right now, he's making me crazy. I'm set. I know what I want. I'm just hoping I get it.

I've built an entire life and business around what we said we wanted. I'm not altering it now. Something is going to have to give. This time, it's him.

So, we ate at McDonalds

We didn't want to. We wanted Subway. We wanted...no more fried food.

Only that didn't quite work out.

We were white knuckling it on the drive...torrential rains and dark made the drive a challenge. Sam's eyes were hurting him. We just gave in and stopped at the next rest stop so we could eat, pee, and switch. Mostly in that order.

So, we went to place our order. Sam was confused.

Sam: Are they all waiting to order?

There were a good ten people with drinks milling around near the registers.

me: Nope. Food purgatory. They've ordered, and now they wait.

I knew we'd be there soon.

We ordered and I went to the restroom. There was a funny announcement about the showers being free. And I giggled. Only, soon, at the marinas all over the Caribbean, this could soon be me. (Ask not for whom the bell tolls...it tolls for thee.)

And then I had a really sobering look in the mirror. Really sobering.

I was so sunburned. Mostly just my chest. It's the first sign of spring. You thought it was Robin Red Breast. Nope, it's Nicki Red Chest.

I was giggling as I returned to Sam's side in food purgatory.

me: Look at my chest.

A woman and man near us spoke. Apparently they had noticed and wondered where we had been for me to get so much...color. (Yes, that color was red. Red is most definitely a color.)

I looked at Sam.

me: Can I tell them?

Before he could answer...

me: Oh, what the heck. We bought a sailboat.

Yes, aside from my daughter, Rachel, two random strangers in some little town at a Pilot rest stop were the first to know we bought a boat. Sounds right.

We laughed and joked with them. After we finally received our food and went to our table, Sam and I spoke.

me: See, we're making new friends already. I knew the boat would be good for us.

She will be. I just know it.

We found our sailboat

Apparently that was the easy part.

We looked at the boat for three hours. Sam scoured every part of it, gaining information about the working aspects of the boat. We studied the outboard engine, we learned the upkeep, we discussed what conveyed and what we'd need. We discussed our options at length. And we decided, together, to purchase the boat.

A price was agreed upon...$2000 less than asking...and we made arrangements to leave the owner with a deposit and and to pay it in full when we come back to Charleston in a few weeks to work on sailing lessons. And the best part? We'll be using our own boat for the lessons. Nothing will give us more confidence in our ability to sail than to use our own boat to do so.

So, it's a start.

Let me tell you about the boat. It's a 1984 Lancer 27. (Really, just shy of 28 feet.) It's cozy. Cozy is real estate lingo for small. At the same time, it has the most important elements. And we've already started a dream list and need list of what we have to have before we set sail.

Only I don't want to think about any of the negative right now. Instead, let me share the happy pictures we took Saturday before we realized how sunburned we were and before the buyers remorse and the anxiety over our decision set in.

Tell me she's pretty. We get to name her. My vote: Sonador. It means 'dreamer' in Spanish. We're open to ideas. So, if you'd like to throw a name into the hat...do share!

PS. I really did plan to share my own pictures. (This is our boat, but it's from the ad on CL.) Alas, I seem to have lost the camera. So, if you have an 'in' with Canon, think of me! Or if you stumbled across my camera, call me!