The Call Of Laughter & The Clink Of Ice Just Wear Me Down

Turners Marina Dog River Alabama

Sometimes its really hard to remember that this is a life style change and we are not on vacation. It is especially hard when you are staying in paradise with tons of tourists all having a good time.  Fun loving cruisers enjoying sundowners, happy hour, or... what ever you want to call it.  It was pretty easy to behave in Cuba. Here in Isla Mujeres it is a different story. When there is a knock on the boat and someone says come on we are all going for supper, or the other dreaded knock, we are doing drinks.  Seriously everyday! I’m going to have to go home to dry out and replenish the boats bounty. My intentions are always good, then somewhere around three my resolve just fades into the abyss. The call of laughter and the clink of ice just wear me down.

Bahai Honda Cuba

Living on a budget is hard to do and something that we just haven’t done militantly for a long a time. When we started cruising for about the first six months I tried to keep a detailed log of our expenses. Food, fuel, dockage, laundry, repairs, entertainment, and the dreaded “stuff”. Dreaded stuff is really just code for Marc and Linda’s shopping whimsy. Marc’s electronics or something we just have to have for the boat. For me, my newest whim is whatever that may be. Now I have finally given in and the detailed spread sheet has gone to the wayside. I applaud those who have the discipline to keep it up. 

Havana Cuba

I do think that it is important to know where our cruising kitty is going though. The one thing that really shocked me was the amount of money we spend on entertainment. It really is staggering.  And as I said before so easily influenced. Some people just have more money than we do and we can’t keep up to their style of cruising. It just doesn’t matter how much I like them. Or how much we want to spend time with them. 

Dunedin Florida

Funny thought though, when we were working we liked to pick up the tab if we were out with friends and often it was reciprocated. It took us some uncomfortable moments when the check came and a stutter in our voice to say two checks please. Trust me this felt foreign. The other big change was kids. We liked to say yes. Now we say sorry we can’t afford it. Thankfully they have embraced our new lifestyle. 

Mobile Bay Alabama

So if I stumble when you ask me to join you it is not because I don’t want your company. I just need to get back to the boat to pour a glass of chardonnay and watch the sunset. Cheers from DevOcean 

Isla Mujeres Mexico