Why?

Bob and I have been planning a big adventure since before we were married. We started a notebook and filled it with newspaper clippings, maps and photos of the wonderful places we hoped to go together.  After we were married, we both spent a lot of years focusing on careers, and then children...and careers. Our second child, Finn, was born with a cleft lip and palate. We spent a significant effort just getting through the pregnancy. I took Finn’s first year off to attend to him which included 24 trips to Rochester, two surgeries, 900 hours attached to a pump and at least a zillion hours on hold with insurance companies. Needless to say, I had a lot of time in “The Chair” to think.

After returning to work, albeit part-time, or perhaps because it was part-time, we struggled both financially and mentally to meet our needs and that of the kids.  We also realized, after spending so many years in New York, we just weren't getting ahead. We had two older cars, a growing debt, and after 10 years, still talked incessantly of returning to Maine. Several things happened all about the same time that gave us thought and propelled us to the decision to buy a cruising boat.


1.       We met with our financial planner, Jay Williamson, who asked us what we would do with our Maine house if we got into financial trouble; our quick, in unison-response, “sell the New York house” gave him pause and then he quickly responded, “why not sell it now?”  Contact Jay, he just might change your life too!

2.       My boss and I had several discussions which led to me leaving the company and developing a consulting/contractor relationship with them.

3.       Our kid’s favorite game entailed pretending to sleep, yelling “WAKE UP! Time to go to school/day care”, running around the living room at break neck speed, pretending they were at school/day care, running around the room two more times to get ‘home’ and yelling (again) “GO TO BED!”

4.       We went car shopping and decided we would rather buy a boat.

5.       We decided it was time to move, so why not take a trip before we settle in Maine?

1 comment:

  1. Nina (Min)September 7, 2012 at 8:08 AM

    Oh Kim, I know that you have stage presence but upon visiting the Midwatch blog for the second time, I feel that you could perform or write for stand-up.

    Thank goodness for your financial planner who dared to ask a not-so-silly question.

    It is really inspiring (and humorous) to read how you and Bob are equally determined to make a long-held dream real.

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