She's off the coast of North Carolina!

Like a love-sick puppy, I check Olympia's progress no less than several times an hour while I'm awake (I've been going to bed quite late this week).

Right now (as of 12:10 pm), she is off the coast of North Carolina, sort of opposite Camp Lejune making steady progress in the right direction. It appears that her latitude is 34.25434 and her longitude is -77.10927.  I wish I could tell you what that means, but were it not for the tracker, I would be clueless.   It's amazing to be able to see this girl making her way home.  Wait til I tell her how closely her mama was following her trip home!

Tonight is the last night of my 8-hour boating safety class, complete with a test.  Yikes - I haven't taken a test in at least 100 years; you can't believe the butterflies I 'm having all day today!  Luckily, my friend is taking the class with me and is equally nervous about tonight's test.  The reality is that this instructor told us that no one fails and that the material will be reviewed in great detail tonight, emphasis on the words "great detail".  I'm taking courage from that - and from the fact that some students in the class were asking how they can remember port and starboard.  I  hope I don't meet up with them on the water!  Once I pass this test, I'm going to find as many other courses as I can, namely, navigation and weather.  I really don't know how to read the weather - except of course if a T-storm is right over me.  So I guess that's a pretty good course for me to take.

So as I sit here counting the hours until I'm reunited with beloved Olympia, I can't help but feel sadness that this trip to meet her will be taken without Tom.  Yes he is always with me, I know and feel that, but let's be real about the lack of his physical presence.  As it turns out, I will be aboard on the 17th, whether on the water or at the dock - April 17th marks 19 months since Tom's passing.  Even as I type these words I cannot believe them.  It seems like yesterday and forever - all at the same time.

I thank you for your company and empathy as I make this journey.  More on Olympia's progress to follow!