My husband is in Bradenton, Florida right now, which is where our catamaran is docked. He is spending the bulk of his time researching and ordering parts for the refits.

Meanwhile, I’m in Ottawa packing up our house while our children finish the last couple of weeks of school. My husband and I talk on the phone in the evenings – if we don’t fall asleep first – because that’s when our children are in bed, and the people working on our boat have left for the day.

Tonight we spoke about plumbing parts, and whether we want an ice maker or under-the-counter lighting. In truth, I find it a struggle sometimes to talk, late at night, about things like shower taps. The mobility angle of an LED reading lamp was also on tonight’s agenda for discussion. But, I haven’t lost sight of the big picture. There is a lot of work happening on our boat. Lots of details are being reviewed. And, our boat is going to be amazing when it’s completed.

In mid-August, we have a skipper, Mark Burton, joining us. So, we have a timeframe in mind that the refits need to be completed. To help meet our timelines, my husband plans to spend most of July in Florida. We are looking at accommodation options for me and our four children.

This weekend, my dad is going to Florida to check out the boat, and to see the refits in action. He booked his trip yesterday evening, and will be arriving in Florida on Saturday. My dad loves to travel but it was kind of out of character for him to book a trip on such short notice. We think he has our family and our safety in mind. Let’s hope he’s as excited as we are when he sees our boat for the first time.