Different Slants

By Rick Munden and Robert M. Katzman

The Situation: Rick and Mary Munden, residents of California for a quarter century, sold their house and car and gave away or disposed of almost everything else they had accumulated during that time so as to condense their life sufficiently to allow them to live their lives on a thirty-one foot sailboat.  Both are now sixty years of age.

Prior to that period, the Mundens lived on another boat in the Caribbean for nine years, leaving the Chicago area via the Mississippi River, learning to operate their sailboat as they went along.  They decided to return to the United States to have a child, who turned out to be Robert Munden.

When they felt Robert was ready to be on his own, and yearning to return to living their prior lives life on water, they bid him farewell, and left the USA in June, 2010, flying to The Netherlands and waited there to collect what few possessions they decided to keep, which they’d shipped from their old West Coast home.

Rick and I, who first met in 1961, on the South Side of Chicago when we were both eleven, will be making periodic reports on the minutia of what it’s like to shrink a shared life to a space smaller than a one-car garage.  Ninety-nine per cent of anyone each of us knows, or doesn’t know, will never live a life like the one they have chosen.  This new series of reports will examine the results of what others may consider to be an unobtainable fantasy.

We will probe, in detail, whom they meet, the problems they encounter—if any—with local governments, the weather, their boat, where they find supplies, the quality and availability of fresh food, how they make repairs, pleasures and frustrations, how they deal with illness if it occurs, how they communicate both locally and with the world, and whatever philosophical musings they, or I, may have about all of the above.  All photos will be supplied by either Rick or Mary.   I have encouraged them to supply many, illuminating as many aspects of their existance as possible.   My personal hope is not to see panoramic vistas, but more of a written and visual diary of everyday life.

This the first report about their new life, as they gradually sail south-east through Europe, with the eventual goal of landing in The Mediterranean Sea before winter sets in later this year.

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Q.
I wonder what you guys do all day.  Do you read, or explore the town or what?

(Read on …)

Mary and I have been living in a marina just outside of Stavoren for about ten days.  Stavoren is a village in an area of northern Netherlands called Friesland, that was once a very wealthy town.  Its wealth was based on shipping and fishing.  It began its decline in the 12th century when a sand bar blocked the mouth of the harbor.  This event led to the origination, in the 16th century, of the tale “The Lady of Stavoren”.

When I travel to a new place, the first things I notice are the contrasts to the US and other places I have lived or visited.  Differences are accentuated this time because I have moved from a house to a sailboat.  Here is a recent picture of the constantly changing view from my “back porch” (the cockpit of my boat).

view from my back porch

By the way, we seem to be the only American boat around.  Almost all the others are either Dutch or German. (Read on …)

Older Sister                                                                                                                                                                                                    Wherever you are                                                                                                                                                                                                       I hope it’s all                                                                                                                                                                                                                Periwinkle                                                                                                                                                                                                               Fuchsia                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Mauve

The daughter                                                                                                                                                                                                               of an                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Interior Decorator                                                                                                                                                                                              Ought to                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Dwell in Eternity                                                                                                                                                                                                       In a                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Universe                                                                                                                                                                                                                        of                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Subtle colors

You                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Were the Perfect one                                                                                                                                                                                          

You                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Did everything                                                                                                                                                                                                  Right: 

Dressed right

Acted right

Great grades

Perfect parties

Perfect in Hebrew School

Perfect house

So polite

Not like your                                                                                                                                                                                                        Little brother                                                                                                                                                                                                           The                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Hell Raiser

But secretly                                                                                                                                                                                                      Bonnie,                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Maybe                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I’m the side of you                                                                                                                                                                                                     No one                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Ever saw

Not so perfect                                                                                                                                                                                                          But                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Far more                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Free

To me                                                                                                                                                                                                                           For the longest time                                                                                                                                                                                               You                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Were the standard                                                                                                                                                                                                    Of                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Excellence

What                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Wished                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Could be

Perfect

(Read on …)

Last week, I sent an email to many of my closest friends and associates announcing my imminent departure to Europe where I will move on to a recently purchased sailboat.  I included in that email a list of the most common questions people had asked when I told them of my plans.  Here is a slightly modified version of that list:
Q.  Are you retiring?

A.  That is a nice thought but, no. My company, Epiphyte LLC has purchased an office in Holland. A picture is attached. You might notice its resemblance to a sailboat. This is a mobile office and we will continue to work from it wherever it may take us.

Q.  Are you renouncing your US citizenship?

A.  No, we are just looking for some new scenery.

Q.  Aren’t you afraid of pirates? (Read on …)