HOTEL BLANQUITA

 POST # 679

It was a sad looking Dora-dog last Friday at the train station, knowing that soon I would be boarding the Amtrak train and heading back to Canada.  But hop on the train I did, and moments after this photo was taken, I was travelling to my next house sit.

Thankfully, it was a spectacular day weather wise, and I am always very grateful when that happens.  The sky was blue, and the sun shone brightly all along the way.

Arriving at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver was only the first part of the journey, which was followed by a couple of Skytrain rides, and finally a long bus ride to get me to the ferry at Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

The ferry arrived just as the sun was setting, and before long, we were on our way to Vancouver Island.  Destination, Hotel Blanquita.

Well, not really Hotel Blanquita, but a home in Cadboro Bay, where I have been on numerous occasions.  The owners sometimes call their four legged friend Blanquita, even though she goes by the shorter name of Blanca.  I happened to be watching a movie the other night online, and lo and behold, the hotel sign featured above came into view.  What a coincidence that this would happen at my current house sit.

But here is Blanca giving me the look just after my arrival.  You might not be able to tell from the photograph, but she is always happy to see me, and the feeling is mutual.

The weather has been spectacular since I arrived on January 16th, and it's looking good for the foreseeable future.  Considering just how much rain we have had on the West coast lately, it is a real pleasure to see that orb shining brightly on a daily basis.

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And as is my habit, I always have to mention my dear mom in today's post.  One hundred and ten years ago today, in the little village of Empress Alberta, she arrived on the scene, and even though she hasn't been with us since 2007, I think about her on a very regular basis.  We had a wonderful relationship, and I consider myself to be very lucky to have had her as my mom.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

STOP WHINING

 POST # 678

I don't like to think of myself as a whiner, however if in the future I find myself whining about something, then I will just remember this sign, and that should put me straight.  Every now and again, they have some memorable words on the sign as you enter Shelter Bay.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times, as there certainly seems to me that there are plenty of people out there whining about something or another.  They haven't had the good fortune of coming across this sign.

Dora-dog and I were on a walk into town when we saw the sign.  Our journey continued as we walked  over the bridge, on yet another grey, but at least not rainy day.

As I think I have mentioned before, this walk takes us about one hour and twenty minutes give or take, depending on just how many stops Dora-dog has to make in order to check her "pee mail" as it were.  Today's walk was somewhat longer, as she had more places than usual to sniff, and in addition to that, there were some new four legged friends to say hello to along the way.

Along the journey, Dora-dog looks up at me with that smile on her face, hoping that she may get the occasional treat.  And how can I look at that face and say no?  I like to convince myself that the energy that she is burning up on our walk is more than enough to compensate for the extra calories that the treats provide, but perhaps that's just me trying to justify my action.  

We will have an opportunity to enjoy this same walk over the next couple of days, and then on Friday, I return to Canada to begin my next house sit.  It's always a sad day when I have to say goodbye, but as the sign reminds me, don't whine about the road I am on.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

2026 HAS ARRIVED

 POST # 677

2026 has arrived, and so far it has been windy, wet, grey, and gloomy, almost the entire time.  At least that has been the situation here in Washington.  As can be seen from the first photo, the wind was strong enough to blow over this tree, and many others like it.  I thought it was rather interesting how the tree managed to fall exactly between the double trunk of the tree next to it.  

Of course trees weren't the only casualty from the recent weather.  The neighbour's fence has certainly seen better days for sure.

 Sometimes the rain is a blessing, as it produces a lovely effect on this tree.  It's like a bunch of little diamonds hanging in suspended animation.  

And in spite of all the wind and rain, somehow, I have managed to get Dora-dog out for a couple of walks each day.  By the time she arrives home, she's ready for a well deserved rest.  And she has many places where that can take place.

So it has been a grey and gloomy start to 2026 in more ways than one.  Mind you, if you're Dora-dog, each and every day is an exciting new adventure, and perhaps that is some dog wisdom that could be very helpful for the humans of this world.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

LOOKING BACK AT 2025

 POST # 676

So 2025 is almost ready for the history books, so I thought I would take a look back at the critters that I have had the opportunity to spend time with this year.

Caper

                                                                                Logan

Blanca was very easy to care for, and as you can see, she very much enjoyed a good laugh, when I told her my favourite dog joke.

Below is a photo of Mr. Leon, aka the brushaholic, a name he deserves.

And of course there  was Toby.

And Teddy and Sam.

And who could forget Mitten the kitten and Tank, the tank.

Moving right along, here are two very energetic boneheads, Carlos and Dulce.

And my reliable old furball friend, Silken.

And then there was Doug.

And Ollie.

Well I guess that covers them all, and they were all a pleasure to spend time with throughout 2025.  But wait a minute, am I forgetting anyone?  No, that must be all of them.  But something in the back of my brain keeps telling me that I am missing one.  Now, who could that be?  Wait a minute, an image is coming into my mind of one other critter.  Let me see. Oh right, here she is.

Dora-dog.  How could I have forgotten her?  Of course, I didn't really.  In fact, I've likely spent the better part of half of 2025 with Dora-dog, and my dear friend Mary.  And for that, I am very grateful indeed.

But I am also grateful to have had the opportunity to spend the rest of the year with all of those other four legged friends, well almost all four legged with the exception of Silken, my three legged friend.

In 2025,  my journey took me to Duncan, Cadboro Bay, Nanaimo, Lake Country, Ladysmith, Britannia Beach, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver, and Shelter Bay.

The year seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye as the old saying goes, and in three short days, we will begin 2026.  What's in store for The Thoughtful Wanderer is anyone's guess at this point in time. I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten this far.  Let's see what 2026 has to offer.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

WINTER SOLSTICE HAS ARRIVED

 POST # 675

Winter Solstice has once again arrived on the scene, here in the Northern hemisphere, and this is the very first time in my memory of the event, that I have had the chance, brief though it was, to experience a rainbow on this day.  If I had blinked, I would have missed it.  It's the shortest day of the year, and the good news is that from now on, the days begin to get longer, and hopefully less wet. I'm confident of the first item happening, but not so sure about the latter.

Ollie certainly wasn't blinking about it, and in fact, he appears to have a somewhat evil look in his eyes.  Could this be because of the fact that the housesitter has once again arrived on the scene, and that he isn't too happy about his owners leaving?  Perhaps.  Or maybe he's just trying to let me know who really is the boss around here. Or is he attempting to put a spell on me, that will convince me to give him more treats?  It's anyone's guess at this point.

  

I arrived here yesterday, and when I got here, the rain was pouring down.  Something tells me that it's going to be a wet week ahead, but at least I don't have to take Ollie out for a daily walk around the neighbourhood.  He is more than happy to spend the vast majority of his time under some sort of blanket or another, and sleep most of the day away.  Occasionally, he comes up for air, and I then have the opportunity for another photo, like the one below, in which he looks much less sinister that the first photo.

I told him the good news about the days getting longer, and that seems to have had a positive effect on his mood.

So Ollie, let's keep an eye on the sky, and try and notice the lengthening of the days going forward, and who knows, with any luck, we may even get to see another rainbow, before I leave.

At least the weather isn't very cold, with an expected high today of 7 degrees, and a low tonight of 4 degrees.  Compared to my old home of Dawson City, it feels like summer.  Today in Dawson, the expected high is going to be minus 44 degrees, with a low tonight of minus 50.  Thank your lucky stars Ollie, that you aren't roaming around the streets of Dawson City.

  

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

MINI SIT

 POST # 674

The opportunity for a mini sit presented itself this week, and of course, with Dora-dog as my companion, I was more than happy to accept.

Mary was off to Oregon for five days, so it has been just me and Dora-dog here to spend time together.  There has been plenty of rain, but somehow, we have managed to get out and about in between showers, and get some exercise.  As well as our regular walks, we have been down to the beach to check out the extremely high tide.  The high tide, along with the rain, has made for some dicey conditions for various places around the area, but thankfully, here in Shelter Bay, we have been lucky to have escaped any flooding, at least for now.

We did another walk along the channel yesterday, which is one of Dora-dog's favourite places to stroll along, and I took this photo of Mount Baker, and the soggy fields in the foreground. It was the first time that I had seen blue sky in quite a few days, so we certainly wanted to take advantage of that fact.

Of course, all of this running around tires out Dora-dog, and before long we return back home, where she can stretch out and relax, and have a snooze, while dreaming about squirrels and kitty cats.

Mary returns home this evening, and that's when my mini sit will come to a close.  But before that happens, it's time to take another trip to the beach with my faithful four legged companion,

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

FROM THANKSGIVING TO CHRISTMAS

 POST # 673

It sure doesn't take long.  In the USA, once their Thanksgiving is finished, it's already time for Christmas, or so it seems anyway.

Dora-dog is even participating by wearing her festive coat. The photo above is taken from this year's calendar, and the photo below is the one that will be on the 2026 edition.  I guess that she is happy to participate, but you might not know it from the look upon her face.  In any event, soon her festive coat will once again be removed for another year, and she can go about her business in an unrestricted manner.  Now, that's something that will put a smile back upon her face.

And something else that will put a smile upon her face is the new homemade dog biscuits that Mary found a recipe for the other day.  As of this writing, they have been taste tested by Dora-dog, and she gives them a definite paws up.

There has been plenty of rain, and some strong winds this past week, but somehow, I manage to get in a couple of walks each day with Dora-dog, and that's something else that puts a smile upon her face.  Then, the other day, we had a lovely sunset to watch, and one can always be thankful for that little treat, courtesy of Mother Nature.

We still have a couple more weeks of the days getting shorter, and with any luck, we will have a few more sunsets like this one to enjoy.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer