Squall Girl Blog
Explore my lifestyle blog, where I share advice on navigating life’s challenges. Join me as I share my musings and insights on living life to the fullest.
August 15, 2024
Well, who knew this would be the one that would be tough for me to write? It seems simple, right? The whole concept of an anchor should be one-dimensional. You lay it down, and your boat stays in place. That was my premise for this edition of the blog, but then the rewrites happened, and…
July 25, 2024
Single-handed sailors are impressive. I know this because my father-in-law is one of them. The grit, planning, and peace that come from being by yourself and using your resilience to overcome ever-changing conditions must give you the confidence to take it all on. I assume this because it's not me. I am a cruising club…
July 3, 2024
Knock downs. Pic Credit: Duncan Wells I was 30, six months pregnant with my firstborn, and we decided to move back to the area where I was raised so our kids could grow up around family. It was chaotic. We found a beautiful piece of property, had house plans developed with all the perfect finishes…
June 6, 2024
It is apropos that I am writing this now while pedaling away on my exercise bike. The refit. Shit. Where do you start? You are looking at what some would consider a loss. Just put her on the hard, and then two things will happen. She will sit there and rot, or someone will see…
May 16, 2024
This week, we are heading for a course change. Not for us directly, but for our youngest. He’s graduating college and making preparations to enter life outside academia after 16 years of guidance. While I’m excited for him to enter this new chapter, there’s this sense of melancholy. After he leaves this chapter of his…
April 24, 2024
Definition: Regulate stability and reduce stress loads Ballast is not something routinely spoken about in sailing terms. Sailors talk about performance and comfort. Those new sails provide us with the drive to go faster. A rolling furler would make the sail-take down easier. The depth of the cushions for sleeping. A simple water system. The…
April 3, 2024
I love to cook. In fact, I’m chopping butternut squash as I dictate this passage to my iPad! But I won’t tell you what I’m making just yet. When I’m reading a book and someone mentions that they are eating a beautiful lobster and corn risotto, the book gets swiftly tucked away and I find…
March 19, 2024
Woke up to fog—the most dreaded of the water elements. Most weather you can plan for, or you can make on-the-fly adjustments to stay safe and dry. High winds? Reef your sails. Rain? Pile on your foul-weather gear. Easy, you’re prepared. But fog? Do you stay in place or go out blindly into the blanket…
March 6, 2024
Provisioning is the act of being prepared for a journey. When we head out on the boat for a weekend or a week, there are particular items we must consider. What will our meals be? Will we be eating under sail or on an anchorage? Do we have the necessary equipment to make the meals?…
February 9, 2024
I am heading out on a journey where I will be exploring life. I am not going deep here. Religion, philosophy, politics, relationships, and parenting advice are not part of my travel bag. What do I have packed? A little bit of everything else. All the odds and ends you have rummaging around, causing a…
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