HOLY COW! Where did the time go???

Today marks 1 year since we left our slip!!!
I mean really, it does not feel like we have been gone a full year...but, this very day last year we spent our first night, traveling The Great Loop, on Washington Island.

The day we left our slip in 2015, proudly flying our Great Loop burgee!

We ONLY have 32 days until we arrive back home!!!

We have been gone 365 days spending our time exploring, meeting new people and eating in 19 different states and 100's of towns! What an experience this trip has been. We are so blessed to have been able to do this trip!!

What a difference this Jane is compared to the Jane I was August 2, 2015.

What I wish I could tell my old self about the trip:

Stop all the worrying!! I was so nervous about docking and not knowing what the next day was going to be like, I had myself all worked up. I was more than capable of doing this trip yet I was second guessing everything I did from tying a fender to the boat (which I have been doing for 6+ years prior) to handling the deck. All in all, my present self is annoyed I wasted all those weeks/months worrying instead of just going with it and doing it. I still get a bit anxious coming into dock but only for a spilt second and then its focus and enjoy the challenge.

Stop being so sensitive!! Living on a 42 ft boat is a privilege I never dreamed I would be doing. But it also is a fairly small space to spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 365 days with your spouse. I tend to be a bit sensitive and I would like to think this is one quality my spouse likes about me. However, I have a feeling this quality sometimes poses a problem. Being together this much means that you experience the full range of emotions from anger to silliness. In the thick of things we both may say things that we would otherwise reserve for another time. I've learned that we both have a right to express ourselves. As long as we always come to a place of partnership and love. So far, partnership and love win!!

Spend time alone or separately. It is easy to spend all our free time together, but we also have learned that all that leads to is boredom and annoyance. So, we try to do something we each enjoy solo. My choices always lean towards blogging, walking Crocket and reading. Ben enjoys playing his banjo, chatting with new friends, boat work and tv watching. As much as we like spending time together it is always nice to give each other the space needed.

Enjoy every minute because time flies!! Boy it is really starting to bother me that we are one month away from crossing our wake. When we started this trip I wanted to rush it and get home. I feel because of that attitude I missed out on some great places the first month or so of our trip. I am now savoring every last minute of this trip. Ben always says that what he expected this trip to rate on a scale of 1-10 has far exceeded his expectations. He rates it a 20! I happen to agree! We really have enjoyed so many parts of this trip that we are wanting to do it again! We certainly have the itch!!