“Everybody seems too kerbabbled. Isn’t this just a little superfluous?” – Cindy Lou Who, The Grinch

As I write this, there are only 8 days left in the year 2020. I can honestly say that this year has been very challenging and I will be happy to see him go. (Yes, I’m using the male pronoun here on purpose.) In my almost 45 years of being alive, 2020 is definitely on my top 5 years that I don’t want to relive. Justin and I have managed to get through mostly intact and can say that we are doing “ok.” Maybe we’re feeling a touch of FOTU: “the fear of the unknown” or the “one fear to rule them all.” We are both very anxious about the future mostly due to an absence of information and a lot of uncertainties. We are both very much planners and like to see the way out of situations. Right now, we are having difficulty finding an exit strategy and are in a holding pattern in multiple areas of our lives. Though we have had emotional losses and emotional strains, we have been on the luckier side of 2020. So, in the meantime, we are planning to work on patience and gratitude. 

“I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite.”

– Buddy, Elf

Though 2020 is ending with many challenges, we have a lot of things to be grateful for. So far, we’ve come out of this pandemic better than most. We both still get to work full-time remotely and our jobs have continued uninterrupted. Now that we are spending time in Utah taking care of things for Justin’s dad, our jobs were able to come with us without a hitch. We’ve also been fortunate to have friends in our “bubble” that we continue to hang out with when we need interaction with others. We’ve had our weekly Thursday geek nights watching Star Trek or the Mandalorian and regular DnD sessions via Zoom to escape and unwind. My family, even with a few close calls, has been able to stay healthy and I’m still able to talk to my mom and sister for hours on the phone. Justin’s mother and brother are healthy and we’ve talked to both of them more often since this pandemic as well. Though Justin’s dad is still in Skilled Nursing and we aren’t’ allowed to go and see him due to COVID-19, he appears to be on the mend and is getting stronger and is in better spirits each day. We are very fortunate and thankful to have such resilient employment and such loving friends and family to support us through this crazy year and into the uncertain future.

“We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.”

– Buddy, Elf

2020 made us stay home more and, after a wave of gluttony after the initial lock-down, we took a much needed introspective look at our overall health and wellbeing. We’ve started running and practicing Yoga, which are both very cathartic for us. We are working to eat healthier and cook more at home. We are also making an effort to curb our alcohol intake. Like most during the pandemic, we tend to drink when we are alone or with friends and when we are stressed, sad, mad or excited. We are learning that these are emotions that are meant to be felt and dealt with without being damped or exacerbated by libations. And, since Justin and I are spending more time as just the two of us, we are constantly working on our communication and how to help each other through situations instead of working singularly. If the year 2020 has taught us anything, it has taught us that a focusing on our mental and physical health will not only bring us closer together but make us all the more stronger for the unknown.

“Now you listen to me, young lady! Even if we’re horribly mangled, there’ll be no sad faces on Christmas.”

– The Grinch, Dr. Seuss

The year 2020 was a year of tidying up loose ends on Nymeria in a final push to get her ready to leave Texas for the bluer waters of the east coast. In looking back at pictures and old blog posts, we were able to cross off quite a few big items from the to-do list. We were able to diagnose and fix our temperature issues with the engine. We were able to finally flush out the issues with and ultimately replace our refrigerator and Firefly batteries. Justin upgraded our solar system and our head with an electric flush to save on our water usage for more autonomy when away from the dock. We were fortunate to be able to upgrade her instruments, radar and navigation system for more safety when we are underway.  We were also able to make her more beautiful by finishing her teak with a shiny coat of Cetol. We just finished replacing the Dometic air conditioner/heater prior to heading to Utah. We were able to have some fun too by taking Nymeria out for a couple of nights on the anchor and playing around in our new dinghy Lady. When looking back, we were definitely quite busy and got a lot of chores accomplished. Though our timing to cross the gulf is now unknown, we are extremely lucky to have a great group of “pier people” that are helping to make sure that Nymeria is still afloat and ready for our eventual return. 

Currently, I’m sitting here in Utah surrounded by snow in a spacious 4 bedroom home warming by the fireplace and I miss the small coziness of our 32′ Nymeria. Luckily, we were here Utah to visit Justin’s dad under happier circumstances for a ski trip with friends in February of 2020. I was able to see my family in May of 2020 to laugh and talk for hours like no time had passed. We were able to spend last Christmas with Justin’s mom, uncle and Grandpa Bud, who just passed, to play endless games of cards and over crab legs and champaign. Since we will not be traveling to visit family this holiday season, I will hold those memories and these people dear to my heart.

Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.

– The Grinch, Dr Seuss

As we say goodbye to the dumpster fire that is/was 2020, Justin and I are looking toward the new year with cautious optimism as we deal with the unknown. We are wishing Bruce, Justin’s dad, a speedy recovery and the ability lead a happy and healthy life. We are hoping that our friends and family will continue to be safe and healthy throughout the new year and that we will be able to be in person again soon. We are also looking toward the time to return to Nymeria and continue our quest to find blue waters. In the meantime, we will continue to fight our Fear of the Unknown (FOTU) by working to live in the moment with patience, serenity, and gratitude for all that 2021 may bring.

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

– William Arthur Ward