Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Winding up
I had
always intended finishing this diatribe when we arrived back on Saltspring
Island in the Gulf Islands on the West Coast of Canada where 7 years previously
we had moved full time onto Cop Out to see where the winds would take us.
We had
thought it would be 3-4 years but even 7 years later the incredible lifestyle
and places we have visited made it hard to stop.
Wonderful
memories will remain with us forever and the amazing people we met and became
friends with. Special friendships were made within the sailing community as we are all “adrift”together
and become a close knit interdependent group.
There is
always someone willing to lend a hand or a spare part when you really need one
and many “happy hours” are spent in some of the most idyllic places in the
world.
We are sure
that we will keep in touch with many of them and do hope that we are able to
visit them or have them visit us in the future.
There were
so many special places we visited and I will be forever grateful to Kristen who
suggested to me, a neophyte computer user, 7 years ago that I should keep a
blog—it has become a treasured diary of an
amazing voyage.
One of the
biggest fears most of us sailing full time is what life will bring after we get
home.
For us so
far it has been full and happy and although there are moments of nostalgia I
think the time was right.
We have had
a busy year setting up our new lifestyle.
We decided
to expand our small cottage adding a bedroom and a pottery studio for me.
Ken has
been busy clearing trees from our 5 acres of wooded land expanding our ocean
view and cutting copious amounts of firewood—anyone visiting us may find
themselves on the other end of an axe!!
I started
doing pottery and selling at the Saturday market which I have enjoyed. Kristen
has been working with me to bring me into the 21st century with my
work to appeal to a younger generation which seems to be working.
We had family
visits from Amy, Rob and Isaac and Mike and Angela. Barry, Ken’s brother has
been a frequent visitor as he lives on his boat in Ladysmith not far away. He
has also provided fishing trips for our guests.
Sailing
friends Brunny and Michael from Brunei visited and Barry and Anne from Cats Paw1V
came just in time to help spread gravel on our new driveway—they were lucky
enough to enjoy the new hot tub to compensate. Richard and Betsy from Qayaq who are now back
in Seattle and Phil and Julie Ann with their families from Wellington also
visited during the summer.
We visited
and were visited by Diana and Brian, Carol-Ann and Ken all Calgary friends who
have places nearby.
Ken spent 6
weeks in Calgary in the fall enjoying the long awaited hunting trip and I am
writing this from Hong Kong where I am visiting Dave and family after a month
in New Zealand so life continues to be interesting.
If anyone
is still reading this by now—I have often wondered if anyone was still reading
it and have been amazed at those who have lasted the distance—we have room for any
or all to visit and would love to see you and share our new life on a different
island!!!!!
Finally back in Canada
We finally
arrived back in Calgary to find that spring had not sprung and after 7 years in
the tropics we did not appreciate the snow!!!!
It was
lovely to see our Canadian family after so long---I had not met Grace, Ashley
and Aaron’s 3 year old daughter and neither Ken nor I had met Gabe the newest
addition to our expanding family.
Isaac at 14
is almost 6 feet tall and Papa is becoming the smallest member of his family.
Amy is about to graduate from 4 years of sacrificing to do her nursing degree—Congratulations
Amy we are so proud of you!!!
Mike is
living with his new partner Angela and they seem to be enjoying life.
I took a
trip to Vegreville to spend time with Debra and Dennis for inspiration for my
next pottery ventures. Dennis as usual surpassed all expectations and we dined
like royalty!! I mixed and tested various glazes and will test more once we
arrive in Saltspring Island—our new home.
Next was
Gabe’s 2nd birthday, once again it was nice to share another family
milestone.
We “shopped
till we dropped” taking advantage of the time and no sales tax in Alberta as we
needed new appliances for our Saltspring home which has been rented out for the
last 8 years and will be ready for a facelift. Ken bought a 4 wheel drive pick
up to work on our 5 acres to help clear logs—I suspect mostly for hunting in
September which he and Aaron have been planning for ever since we sold Cop Out.
We will be
flying back for Amy’s graduation in a month so will pick it up and drive it
back then.
We were
driving a U Haul truck from Calgary and were going to pick up our shipment of
the 36 boxes shipped from Malaysia from Cop Out.
The drive
was uneventful and despite our concerns about clearing our goods it was
seamless---we had been unnecessarily worried about the foodstuffs and the
furniture we had bought in Borneo but our paperwork was quickly stamped and we
were on our way.
We finally
arrived at our cottage on Saltspring Island which brings our wonderful 7 year
world journey to a close.
Wellington yet one more time
We returned
to Wellington in time for Grayson’s graduation from Kindergarten—I am still
astonished how many milestones are celebrated in today’s world!! It was nice to
be part of it anyway and children always love the attention which goes with
having extra family members attending.
We had
previously planned a weekend reunion with Mike and Devala who were land traveling and had booked a cottage “in the vines” in Martinborough an hour’s
drive from Wellington. The cottage turned out to be idyllic nestled in the
vineyards surrounded by fruit trees. We had bought food to barbecue and of
course would purchase wine locally to go with it.
We arranged
bicycle rentals and spent the day biking, tasting and eating—wonderful!!!! At
the end of the day we realized that the distance we had covered could have
easily been walked but it was pleasant to bike. Our lunch stop was at Poppies
where we had an amazing platter to share and the desert was to die for—it was
chocolate chili pie which they generously emailed us the recipe and it has
become our “party piece”.
We drove back
to Wellington again for more family time. We had seen that the Blenheim airshow
advertised and for the first time we would be able to go to it. Ken had lusted
after it previously but the timing would never work.
Once again
we caught the ferry and drove to Blenheim. This airshow’s theme was the First
World War and they have many vintage aircraft which have been lovingly
restored. They put on great flying displays and mock battles. On the ground
displays of tanks and trucks are set up and everyone is dressed in theme. They
have great land battles with guns firing and explosives and it is enjoyed by
all.
Our last few days were spent in Wellington where Alora—Amy’s daughter
had arrived to help Kristen with before and after school day care as Kristen
has now got a full time job. Alora has just finished high school and will take
a year off before furthering her studies.
Sadly it was time to leave for Canada where we hope spring is on its way
so we reluctantly said goodbye to family and friends and caught flights to
Calgary to connect with family there.
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