Bad things happen to all of us sometimes. Be it loss of family members or good friends, relationship difficulties or changes in our work. Difficulties can be relative or cumulative, but every situation has a silver lining. There is a positive, even if it is a small one. Often people don’t want to look for that positive or will dismiss it because the negative (sometimes massively) outweighs the positive. But that is usually just in the short term.
Holding onto that small positive and building on it will develop the good things in your life. If you hold on to and dwell on the negative bits that we all experience in life then you will develop them to the point that they envelop you and all that you do.
Having a great, strong relationship with with the person with whom you share a boat with is so important. Living in a confined space with little privacy and nowhere to go when things are difficult will test even the best relationship. And any problems you may have will be magnified in the confines of a boat.
Unfortunately following the death of the engine on Isosceles my marriage followed in the same fashion. There was a multitude of reasons behind this drastic change in circumstances, but this is neither the time nor the place to drag these out. I spent the following year using the boat as a floating caravan while I sorted out the fallout from this and came to terms with the changes in my life.
I lost a few friends through this time, some through me not being able to pander to their ego’s and some who listened to the lies and rumours that always seem to go with these difficult times. I can not mourn the loss of these so called friends. On the other hand, some who had kept talking to both sides of the situation remain friends after everything was done & dusted. Add to that some friends who have returned having chosen not to be involved in my married life. I have also made many good new friends since I changed my life.
It wasn’t a pleasant time, but eventually things began to settle, and life & plans could begin to take shape again. I never wished to end all contact with my ex, because of my love for my stepchildren if nothing else. However the response to our situation has helped me move forward with my life. Finally, a couple of years or so on, things are really beginning to look up for me.
I have begun to make plans for the replacement engine on Isosceles, it won’t be new but a good quality second hand refurbished engine. The works will involve rewiring the 12 volt charging systems, the mains electrical system and re building the fuel filtration for the engine. I would have liked to replace the fuel tank, but unfortunately this is not going to be possible. I will also be relocating to a much cheaper and easier to reach mooring, but more on that to come.