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. 
  • April 11, 2025

    Definition:Overloading a boat—meaning exceeding its weight or person capacity—can lead to instability, increased risk of swamping or capsizing, and difficulty in maneuvering, potentially endangering everyone on board. Well, here’s one for the books… this Squallgirl is overloaded. Not with anything unwanted; it’s the opposite, really. My life right now has been pushed from a gentle…

  • March 27, 2025

    I have bought and packed a lot of things for my children during my 25 years of motherhood—lunches, baseball bags, overnight satchels for sleepovers, vacation suitcases, and college dorm room essentials. Each item procured and packed marked a season of growing up. When you transition from their favorite stuffed animal to an iPad charger, you…

  • March 17, 2025

    It’s 5 AM, and while most people are still sound asleep, I’m already in the kitchen, embracing the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with some good old-fashioned comfort food. The coffee is strong, the Guinness is flowing (into the pot, not my glass—yet), and the corned beef is ready to slow cook into something magical.…

  • March 14, 2025

    Explanation:The idiom refers to a ship that has been tipped over in the water.In this case, the crew takes action to steady the boat so that it is upright. A few years back, I was living a contented life. Moving toward twenty-five years of marriage, kids at the point of semi-independence with one in college…

  • February 28, 2025

    As we creep into March and Mother Nature gives us a few glimpses of rising temperatures, only one thing comes to mind every year… I have limited house project time left. You see, in the boat world, there is only a small window between November and March for this to happen. November and December bring…

  • February 14, 2025

    As Valentine’s Day approaches and as the stores fill their shelves with overpriced candy and flowers, and restaurants promote their special prix fixe menus, I have to grin and bear it because in the 32 years I have been with my husband, I have always known he has another love. One for whom he has…

  • January 31, 2025

    Looking Back with Empathy—A Lesson from My 19-Year-Old Self Have you ever stumbled upon an old journal and cringed at your younger self’s dramatics? I did—and it was both eye-opening and humbling. As I read through pages of heartbreak, self-doubt, and over-the-top emotions, I found myself judging the 19-year-old me… until I realized something important.…

  • January 20, 2025

    I have been hit, not by a squall, but by the common winter cold I have somehow avoided the last few years. You know the one—the aggravating stuffy head, runny nose, and cough—enough to keep you up at night but not enough to lay you out for a long sleep. So here I am at…

  • January 3, 2025

    We have ushered in a new year, and as we move into 2025, we are filled with hope for what this new chapter will bring. The ups and downs of the previous year are now behind us, like a gentle wake trailing our passage. While we encountered storms and enjoyed moments of smooth sailing, we…

  • December 19, 2024

    So every year, Santa packs up his tight-fitting sleigh, filling each crevice with multiple items he needs, starts up his power, and takes off for a long trip around the world. During his trip, he stops at many places and gives gifts to people of all walks of life. When done, he returns to the…

  • December 6, 2024

    Unless you are harkening back to the good old days of following the stars, charts, and your innate sense of seamanship, you’ll likely rely on a wide array of technical assistance while out on the water. You have your chart plotter, Navionics, or another app for direction. The radio for communication. A depth sounder to…

  • November 21, 2024

    I have to pull up my anchor. There is a new place I want to explore, and as much as I love the location I’m floating at now, I believe there is more for me to see and experience. Before you think I’m giving up this blog and sharing experiences with you—this is something beyond…

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Compass on Old Map