Truth is we’re really looking forward to a fresh start in 2015. Can’t say 2014 will go down as one of our favourites… Nope; good bye and good riddance. Now I’m not sayin’ there weren’t some good things that happened. Heck, there was lots of goodness. We found and acquired the SV Shannon’s Spirit, we met new friends, we sucked it up and made the move from our home on a hill, we enjoyed the addition of TT Lucy to our fleet, we discovered some beautiful State Parks in Arizona and other states. And, while it’s true the attack on Sophie was horrible and tragic… as my mom would say, there’s always something good… you just have to look for it. So ‘look’ I have, and what I’ve found is that this horrible, despicable, gut-wrenching attack on our little dog has drawn us closer. It’s forced us to look at what is really important to us… our families, our friends, our love, and our continuing sense of adventure. And it’s caused us to realize how important our roots are… those’d be the roots holding us safely each time we return ‘home’.
I used to say (not that long ago) home is where you lay your head at night. Having been ‘on the road’ and ‘couch surfing’ for seven months now I’m thinking that ‘home’ is more than that. It’s more the place you feel safest and the place where your memories and dreams are securely held. And, it’s a place that doesn’t move or morph into something different. It is what it is, and it’s usually exactly as you left it when you return. We will find ourselves our new ‘home’ over the next few months and we’re very much looking forward to it. Having said that, please know we are very lucky to have so many good friends willing to care for us and we have indeed been well looked after. We’re presently house-sitting for friends in Maple Bay and really enjoying their cozy house and the views over Maple Bay…. spoiled we are for sure.
Now then… what’s next? Well I’m writing to let you know that for the next month… Kathy and Sophie will hold down the fort here in Maple Bay and work on Sophie’s recovery. She really is doing better, gaining strength and confidence every day. I, on the other hand, will flee this BC winter and return to San Carlos and SSpirit (as we call her for short). My goal is to complete some of those jobs we had hoped to do last October but were forced to abandon. They include working on the heads system to make sure all parts are functioning as they should be and secure. I’ll also replace the hoses if I can purchase more down there. I’m going to replace the air vents for the main water tank and the holding tank and I may install a deck fill for the forward water tank. I have some very precise measuring to do as well…. for a full size salon table, possibly a larger holding tank, and some pull out shelves in one of the two port-side hanging lockers. I’m hoping to improve the metal housing of the windlass motor and set up some kind of protection for it and, if I have time, I’ll empty out the anchor locker, clean it up and mark the anchor chain. I have a little work to do in the galley as well. There’s a small crack in the Adler/Barbour freezer bottom and some damage to one of the bulkheads caused by the old water tank air vent leaking back. There are several smaller jobs as well… if I have time. I think I’ll be keeping pretty busy for the month I’m there.
It should be quite exciting.. this trip to San Carlos on my own. I’ve been travelling with Kathy for almost16 years now and I’ve grown very comfortable with her planning skills and guidance as we’ve moved through different countries. Now it will be up to me (and my poor Spanish) to find my way from Vancouver, to Phoenix, to a hotel, then to Hermasillo, to the bus, to Guaymas, to a taxi and finally to San Carlos. Phew! I know I’ll be fine, and I’m way too old to be nervous about travelling… so bear with me while I whine just a bit :-) I’ll write when I can (and as long as my little net book allows me to).
Please accept best wishes from myself, Kathy and Princess Sophie… for you and your loved ones… and the year to come. May it be everything you have dreamed of… and more.
Adios (for now). CJ
