A lot of people who meet us are shocked by what we are doing. Not because we're living on a boat, not because we live by the weather, not because we take to the sea, or that we don't have refrigeration - but because they cannot imagine spending that much time with anyone, let alone their partner. We are together, for the most part - 24 hours a day. That's a loooongg time.
I don't know what it is about Scott and I, but we seem to be handling it just fine. When we first got together, over three years ago - we were the couple that spent a LOT of time together. It's our natures I suppose and we're lucky that they work well together. When we moved into an apartment together everyone warned us, "This is a big test! You are going to learn a lot about each other and you may not like it..." but when we did, the only thing we noticed was how much easier everything was. All that schlepping stuff back and forth was really becoming a pain in the butt.
When we planned our wedding (while simultaneously prepping for this trip, mind you) everyone said we'd have some heated moments, that it would be "stress-city". "Oh, the guest list!" a friend would lament, "...that is a nightmare....and the seating chart! So awful!" Sure enough, Scott and I got through the entire wedding planning process with nary an argument. In fact, the whole wedding planning experience was a piece of cake (mostly because I hired a wedding planner who was worth her weight in gold - you can see more of my bridal mentality here).
Don't get me wrong. We are not living in "la la land" and we don't burp rainbows and fart sunshine. As Scott likes to say, "the claws come out fast, but they retract fast too". We have had our moments. Anyone living in a space that could very easily be someone else's walk in closet is lying if they tell you otherwise. For the most part, however, it's nowhere near as "hard" as some people have either warned us or envisioned and I think this is largely due to the fact that since day one Scott and I have been each other's full-time partner.
I don't want to mislead other cruisers by thinking living on a 35 foot boat with your partner is a cake walk - because it is definitely not for everyone. But if you can find your "space" in a book, in silence or even (god willing!) snorkeling off into the sunset, then you too can live in a space slightly larger than a cargo elevator!
Love,
Brittany & Scott
7 comments:
We're like this too :)
Nice post! We have been married over fourty years and we`re most definitely not like this, although some times we are happy in close proximity (and have been for several years at a time) and other times we need our space, so I go of boating on my own or my wife takes shopping trips or holidays with her friends. It sort of charges your batteries and re-affirns your need for the other person. If at some time it re-affirms that you don`t need them? then perhaps thats a good thing too, I guess its risky but thats the way that has worked for us (for over 40 years.) :o))
I'll second. We have lived aboard for 6 months with our 2 little ones as we prepare to cruise. The kids can be challenging (though that's more the age than the space) but sharing a small space hasn't really been much of a change… except now we don't IM each other from across the house anymore.
I knew Melanie and I were like that 3 years ago when we first started dating. After being married for 2 years I know we would like the cramped space and also the snorkel into the sunset, we just need to get down there! We are lucky people.
That "Smoking Jacket" Scott has on is hilarious and ages him abut 10 years. Good show buddy!
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