So much for plans

“I can't wait until the kid is 18,” my friends with young children say.

I smile a little inside. What magic is supposed to happen at 18? Do they go off to college that they pay for themselves? Get a good paying full time job? Move out into their own place? Maybe, but not very likely.

It does happen, but not often. I went to one semester of community college that I paid for, quit, and got a job as a firefighter, and all before I was 18. By the time I was 19, I was in my own apartment. Married at 20. That was in the 70s, and it was rare enough back then. Today? Might as well search for unicorns. My parents had it easy, didn't they?

There are stories of kids who are awoken on the 18th birthday, given luggage and told to move out. Those families probably have other issues too. They probably aren't the type to get together on the holidays either.

So I consider myself fortunate that my kids and grandkids are in my life. Spring and now summer have been very busy, and not much like I planned. That's life. I don't regret it. It does take up a lot of my wife's and my time. We should get a break by the end of July, but I'm not holding my breath.

In the mean time, I'm working on my boat build, and upgrading my Oday 19 sailboat. I'm pouring over my charts, reading sailing blogs, and going over cruising guides. So many sailing trips planned for this season have been canceled. If it wasn't for the fact the boat is anchored on a small lake off my beach, I wouldn't be sailing at all.

My lovely wife and I still plan on hitching up the boat and heading south in the fall. The family knows well in advance where we'll be and can plan accordingly. We'll be happy to meet them in any southern port this winter.

-Sixbears