Finally an answer

Ok, so I've put this off long enough:

We've given up, cashed out. We're done sailing... at least for the time being.

There are a million reasons, one big one was that, even though we were making money, and still able to save a little each year, we weren't able to put enough away for retirement. LeeAnn and I were a little worried that we would wake up one day and be 60 years old with no money and less teeth.

We had a great boat - we loved it, fixed it up, and sailed it thousands of miles. There were times I was scared for my life, but it kept us safe and never let us down once. It was our home. However, for long term sailing, we need a boat that can hold more people.... like... uhhh, kids... :)

Last but not least, we wanted to spend a little time with our families. Most people who leave home do it because they don't like where they live. That wasn't the case at all with LeeAnn and I. We liked where we were, we just ended up leaving. During the time we were gone, my Grandfather had a stroke, and I wasn't able to come home to see him. Things like that made us want to come back to spend a few more years with the people we love.

So! Our plan is to spend a few years at home.... like 10. Save up a little money for the future, buy a new boat, and have a little family time.

This won't be my last post, I hope to write a better, more thoughtful "farewell, and thanks for following along" post. But I keep putting it off because I don't really want to believe it's truly over! So for now, I hope this answer satisfies those who care to know. Speaking of which, thank you very very much for your interest. LeeAnn and I have gotten many emails asking us "What's going on?" We never knew so many people followed along, that makes it all the harder to stop! When I got an email from my big brother Frodo, I knew it was time to write something!