Monday, August 7, 2017

Summer drifting past....

Well, most of the summer has gone past now.  I didn't manage to get a boat stall this year, and haven't gone out to scrub the boat down.  Between flooding in BC followed by fire, getting out on the water keeps getting pushed down the list.  I'm working at getting a separate stream of income going, something that I can do from anywhere, but it is going slow.  I should have expected it, with the learning curve etc. that always comes with a new endeavour.  We have discussed the whole sailing plan, I'm mostly the only one for it.  The soon-to-be-teen doesn't like the idea of leaving her friends behind AT ALL!  Spousal unit would like to see a reserve fund or guarantee that we can come back to land in a house and have investments for retirement.  Short of winning the lottery I don't see those conditions being met.  Her chief concern is that a house can't sink under you!  But as we have seen in BC and up north, there are no certainties that a house will not be lost.

With all the smoke in the air this year, it is hard to see clearly......

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Winter, why don't you just leave?

A very still front on the sailing side of things this winter.  There are a couple classes available for sailing around Calgary; marine radio, bookings for classes.  I've been looking at the listings for properties on the coast.  E-mailed a realtor or two.

The hard thing is, that unless there is a "market correction" down there and a bubble here, we would be in worse shape if we moved at this point.  I still don't understand how anyone with an ordinary job can afford to live there.  I suppose just living there is do-able, but without some kind of miracle you would never be able to afford a house.  You could afford to go to work and pay the bills and.....got to work again.  I see it here in Calgary as well, people who have over-extended themselves based on the idea that there will always be someone to rent out your investment property to, so that it "pays for itself".  Many are finding out what happens when all those regular workers leave for better jobs across the country.  It isn't really ugly yet, and I'm sure the banks (who do NOT want things to crash) will pump cash into whatever industries they think will help.  But even though I have very secure employment at a good pay level, the thought of "sticking it out" until retirement is very deadening.  Many of my co-workers have only a couple years left, and they are happy to stay.

I have more than that.  I can't see myself becoming just an "electrician" despite the obvious benefits.  As I told the realtor, I don't want to make the break too soon and just rebound back to a subservient life chasing a wage in the thrall of interest rates.

Well, this post is less about sailing and more about...well...winter frustration?  I see lovely properties with deep water anchorage that would be grand....if the exchange would buy it outright.  It doesn't, and so it would only work if I could stay at my job AND move to the coast!  Grrrr!

I am trying to get other means of support in place, but I am on the "total beginner" place on the curve so a lot of work (out side of work) for slow progress and development.  I know I've done hard and long term things before, it is just tiring.