So Much to be Thankful For – 2022

As 2022 comes to an end and we reflect on this crazy, unimaginable year, it was a year quite different than the spreadsheet indicated (haha!), full of highs and lows but so much to be thankful for.

Our own 12 days of Christmas – 2022 year can be summed up with 12 facts of 2022 –

12 Weeks of Cardio Rehab

11 Thousand Roundtrip Road Miles to Melbourne

10 Times 6 Combined Pounds of Weight Loss

9 Ports of Call

8 Months in our Dirt Home

7 Open Heart Bypasses

6 Large Home Projects

5 Trips to the Now or Never

4 Boats of Interest

3 Family Deaths

2 Hurricanes

And a Dog Fight in the School Yard

We began the year arriving downtown Fort Myers on January 1 where we would call the Yacht Basin home the next two months. We are thankful to have spent our winter in Fort Myers as it will never be the same. We left Fort Myers and made our way to the Keys for the month of March landing in Marathon.

We headed out April 1 for what we thought would be seven months of leisurely cruising along the east coast north to the Chesapeake until we returned to Fort Myers for our second winter. It was not meant to be. In Melbourne our pup had a health episode that led us home which turned out to be a HUGE blessing in disguise. Our golden angel knew where we needed to be. 2022 had us visiting just 9 ports of call, cruising 498 miles, before tying up the Now or Never and heading home.

Now, eight months at home in Indiana and so much has changed for us and our cruising grounds. As we celebrate this Christmas season, reflecting on our past year, we realize just how much we have to be thankful for.

Thankful for . . . A mended Captain who needed his heart repaired before we had catastrophic issues. One open bypass surgery later including seven bypasses and 12 weeks of cardio rehab, the Captain is in tip top shape. Dave has regained energy and strength; we didn’t realize had deteriorated so much. Dave felt like he wasn’t as strong as he used to be, was more tired, but little did we know his heart was struggling so. Listen to your body, go to the doctor, and get that check up! We can’t imagine how things might have played out should we have needed medical help on the loop. We were home where we needed to be.

Dave graduated from cardio rehab with flying colors and completed his stint in physical therapy for his sciatica. Dave is feeling strong and energized and Tasha has been having a hard time keeping up.

While biking, Tasha would get left in the dust. As Tasha doesn’t have a regular bike, she would use our small electric bike from the boat (looks like a clown bike for the circus). Dave would take off, Tasha puts the e-bike on the full assist, pedals like a crazy woman, and still can’t keep up. It’s comical.

Yes, we’d say he’s back!

However, the first day after graduating from cardio-rehab (September), we found ourselves in the ER again! In twenty-five years together David’s never been sick, now twice in a few months! This time, a kidney stone and he did not hesitate to say, “Let’s go to the ER!”. Eight hours later and good meds, we returned home to wait and wait. After five days on drugs and a painful passing, he was good to go again. We are so hoping that is the end of our medical excitements around here!

The upside to the Captain’s heart health is we have altered our diet and have shed more than 60 pounds combined. We were enjoying the flavors of the ports we were exploring way too much! While we both hope to drop more weight, we’re working on getting stronger and fitter to enjoy all the adventures the remaining miles the loop and life have to offer.

We have been working on a few big house projects. Prior to leaving on our journey, we moved into a home we (David) gutted and remodeled. It was meant to “store” our belongings while we cruised. Not all was completed or added as we didn’t anticipate living in the home for extended periods. So, being home, we have decided we needed to add some additional features that have led to a list of six big home projects to keep the Captain busy!

We’ve spent time reconnecting with those we missed while cruising. We rejoined our weekly Thursday chicken night dinner group and Ohio River friends who shared their boats with us in late summer. The crew was able to take in needed aqua therapy on the Ohio and Kentucky rivers, on our own small vessel and our friends’ houseboats. Nothing beats a day out on the water with friends. We have missed it so much, all of us! Remy is a different pup on the water and the Captain just relaxes so much more.

We have (David!) been burning up the interstate checking on the Now or Never. The captain is not one to sit still and the 3 months restricted at home just about did him in. But then he was off and running. He’s made the trek to Melbourne more times than we should admit, traversing multiple states, he continues to search for his dream boat (4 in all), but we conclude each time that we have a beautiful boat that is in great shape, but there is always the dream.

Our boat is hanging in there experiencing her first Florida summer and hurricane season. The Now or Never lies in Melbourne. With the arctic air descending upon us, the Captain will more than likely spend a great deal of the winter there.

The Now or Never weathered well through two hurricanes. We wish family and friends could say the same. Our friends that we spent Thanksgiving with last year while cruising suffered significant damage at their home and their bar/restaurant of Fort Myers Beach is gone. Other friends lost boats, cars, and/or had significant water damage, but we’re happy all our healthy and were unharmed. We watched from afar (you-tube tv news) as both storms sent high waters and heavy winds through Melbourne. A huge sigh of relief that we weathered the storms with only a ripped dinghy cover.

Our winter Fort Myers haven is gone, some boats at Fort Myers Yacht Basin weathered through the storm, the boat in our winter slip did not. Most of the marinas were total losses.

Dave traveled to Melbourne after both Ian and

Nicole to check on the Now or Never, perform routine maintenance and other projects on the boat. Blessed that through both hurricanes, a ripped dinghy cover was the extent of our damage. Thankful for the great marina crew and new friends Jim and Frank who checked on our boat and sent photographs.

And thankful for our home port dock mates Doug and Jeff helping friends in Fort Myers then heading over to Melbourne to see Dave for a boat ride. Not only did they get their boat ride, they assisted the Captain with a few projects. A couple days and many tales later they were on their way home North. It’s awesome to have friends help and hang with you.

On a much sadder note, our time home has had a lot of heartache with three family deaths. Blessed for being able to be with them at the end of life and their final journey home.

Tasha’s mother and both of David’s sisters passed within a 4 ½ month period. Our hearts are broken, and we have lost a great portion of our family.

We’re also so thankful for our beloved Remy who brought us home with a health issue of her own is doing so well. At 15½, we’re amazed by her spunk and day to day vigor. She may sleep a bit more, hear a bit less, and walk a bit slower, but we’re still doing our long walks each day (she demands them), enjoying visiting with neighbor kids, friends, and family, and playing ball in the hall, and with tons of toys every day. If she would just learn to put them away!

She is still going strong and defended herself well in her first dog fight. She was charged in the school yard where we walk by a neighbor dog that she has a tumultuous relationship with through the fences of both our yards. She held her ground and fought back with a vengeance a much younger male, before mom and the neighbor could separate them.  Head held high, she walked off a limp and continued her 1½ mile walk. Upon returning home, we found blood, three punctured bites with one requiring two staples. She’s a tough old broad (must be from her days on the sea!), never acted like any of it bothered her, and healed quickly.

Remy still shows her disdain for Piper by growling every time he walks by the house. Tough but not forgiving or forgetful. She can be a brut or a beauty. She is a reigning calendar girl for her rescue gracing the pages of both December 2022 and January 2023. We’re very happy to share all continues to be well with our Remy girl.

What does 2023 have in store for the crew? We are asked a lot of when we will return to the Now or Never and resume our journey. For the captain with thinner blood and more energy than in a long time, that will be in the next couple of weeks. For the rest of the crew, we have made the difficult decision to keep the first dog at home for the rest of her days, months, or years. That means the first mate will be home also. Remy is well, she could live and has lived a long life (15.5 years), but her arthritis and senior mobility issues make being on the boat a disaster waiting to happen.

We know the realities of panicking to find animal emergency healthcare and transportation while on the loop. She’s safer and much happier (as is her mom for her) in her home where she can get around and have yard access all on one level. It was an easy decision thinking of her needs but still difficult realizing our whole crew will not continue and finish the journey together and she will not be aboard her beloved boat again. We knew our journey could be interrupted at any time and enjoyed our 10 months that we were cruising as a family.

Our journey will continue at some point, but we’re not looking forward to the circumstances leading to that. If you happen to be on the east coast of Florida this winter, let us know, the Captain just might be there too and would love to see you!

From the Crew of the Now or Never,

We wish You a Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

Cheers!  David, Tasha, & Remy