Getting ready for this year's journey

Wayne and I arrived in Brunswick today, ready to stock Cool Change for this year's journey down the Intracoastal.  I'm a little bit baffled by the large amount of "stuff" that filled the car.  This is our second load, after having brought an earlier carfull down several weeks ago.  I seem to have more sewing supplies and projects and Wayne seems to have more tools and boating gadgets.  Hopefully, we can still move the boat through the water with the weight we've added.  Our plan is to work on cleaning and some minor jobs and to head south no later than Thursday, December 1st.

Several friends and relations have commented after our last year's trip, implying that I (Colleen) am extremely nautical, very wifely, admirably adaptable and even adventuresome.  Now, last year's trip was certainly enjoyable but not for any of the above reasons.  I really must point out that the real reason for my willingness to accompany Wayne on this dream of living and cruising on a boat was all about him.  Not only do I like being with him a lot but he made an enormous effort to make me feel welcome and involved in his adventure.  He realized that I would be most content on this trip if I was able to pursue my hobby of sewing on our journey and right away he gave me generous space to do so.  He added the inverter so I could run the sewing machine (well, yeah, he did want to watch the TV too) and he worked hard to make sure that Cool Change has many creature comforts that make her appealing to a woman (new carpet and customized storage areas to name a few).

So, if you're a guy who has read of our adventures and you've said to your maybe a little reluctant significant other, "Look, Colleen took to cooking in cramped quarters, taking chilly Navy showers, giving up her king-sized bed for four months and hoarding quarters so she could wash and dry clothes in some pretty horrible marina laundry areas," I think you should try another approach.  Think of all the ways you can make living on a boat fun for her, just as Wayne did.  Good luck.