LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN

POST # 328





(From top to bottom- Sophie (now Ziggy), Felix and Oscar on Orcas Island)

In just three more days, on October 1st, I will have been intentionally homeless for a total of seven years.  On that date, back in the year 2011, I walked away from the marina in the West End of Vancouver for the final time, having sold my beloved sailboat to a couple of young French Canadian brothers, who were keen to get their sailing career underway.

I was bound for Orcas Island in Washington state, for the first of what would end up being a regular house sit at my friend, Cathy's place.  Back then, she only had two furballs, Oscar and Felix, but eventually a third one named Sophie (changed to Ziggy later on) would show up on the scene.  Orcas Island would certainly rate as one of my favourite house sit locations during all of these years.

Wow! Seven years of intentional homelessness.  I don't know if that is a record, and I don't really care if it is, but I most certainly am grateful for having had the ability to live this lifestyle for so long.  Intentionally homeless and intentionally unemployed makes it even more unique.  I don't personally know anyone else doing the same thing, although I imagine they're out there somewhere.  It certainly has been a wonderful experience, to wake up each day, and be able to plan out how I would like to spend my precious time, especially nowadays.

The list of critters that I have had the opportunity to care for is very long, and includes multiple boneheads, plenty of furballs, a variety of birds, some goats, a few horses and even one toad named Mr. Bumples.  Quite a few of them have died over the ensuing years, but the memories remain.  They have all been special in one way or another.

So now what?

It's late in the year, and I most certainly feel that it is late in the human experience and so where does The Thoughtful Wanderer go from here?  It's a good question, but for me the answer is an easy one.  I expect to be doing exactly what I am doing now until I take my final breath.  The jury is still out on what day that will happen, but in the meantime, I continue to enjoy each and every one of those breaths, as well as enjoying the company of my current four-legged friends.

TOVA

SAKI

living in acceptance,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

ICE-NO ICE

POST # 327

Here we are on the cusp of the Autumnal Equinox, and I really thought that I would be writing about our first ever BOE.  BOE stands for blue ocean event.  All of the signs earlier in the year were pointing to the fact that by this time in 2018, the Arctic would be ice-free for the first time in the human experience on the planet.

But it didn't happen.

One of the theories put forth is  that because of the tremendous amount of smoke in the atmosphere as a direct result of all of the fires this year, it caused some additional masking of the incoming rays of the sun, which helped to preserve whatever is left of the Arctic ice. This blocking of the sun's rays is called global dimming.

But it won't be long.

If I am still able to write a blog by this time next year, I suspect that I will be confirming that a BOE has already taken place.  Of course, when that finally happens, whenever it may be, the methane that is currently increasing due to the melting permafrost etc. will probably really take off.  If we think it's bad now, just wait.  How does the old saying go, "today is better than tomorrow."

In the meanwhile there are plenty of other shall we say "interesting" things happening on many different fronts, and it looks to me that the wheels could well and truly come off of the wagon long before next September.  Time will tell.

Thankfully for the Thoughtful Wanderer, I continue to work on being in the present moment, and as a result of this state of mind, I can appreciate even more than before, just how precious my life is. It helps me to enjoy even more than before, the beauty of a sunset over the ocean.

living in acceptance,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

A JOY, TO WATCH HER JOY

POST # 326

DORA, LIVING IN THE MOMENT, FOCUSED ON A SQUIRREL

She was in doggy heaven for a couple of days, and I wonder if she'll ever be the same after her little vacation?

As far as I know, Dora-dog had her first encounter with squirrels on this vacation, and she had a ball.  A large cedar tree is to the right of the photo, and it was one of the preferred locations for the resident squirrels to hang out.  There was no requirement to take Dora for a walk.  All we had to do was just stand back and watch her, while she raced around and around and around this tree, stopping occasionally to look up and see where the squirrels were.  She would  rest for a moment, and then begin her journey once more.  It was a joy, to watch her joy*.

*My dear friend, Mary, can take full credit for the transformation Dora-dog has gone through since rescuing her from the animal shelter back in February of this year.  Dora has gone from being a timid, frightened bonehead, to what you see now. Thank you, Mary.  If I could read Dora's mind, I'm very sure she would be thinking the exact same thing.


living in acceptance,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

SIT WITHIN A SIT

POST # 325

ANTIQUE TENDER

No, I won't be using this tender to get from one housesit to the other, but if I had a dependable craft, I could get there via the sea.  But due to time constraints, and the fact that I am boat-less at this time, I'll be using a combination of motor vehicles , ferries, and buses to accomplish the journey.

A slight misunderstanding regarding the start date for my current housesit caused me to have to be in two places at the same time.  After all of the years that I've been alive, I still haven't found a way to do that.  Fortunately for me, the neighbour has offered to pinch hit  for four days, which will allow me to get to my other location.
I had offered to take care of my friend Mary 's bonehead, Dora, so that is where I'll be.  That is, as long as I get across the border.  On my most recent visit, the border guard gave me such a hassle, that I wasn't sure if I was going to be allowed entry.  I think that it is a sign of the times, or the fact that because I have no fixed address, people such as border guards find that somewhat suspicious.  So it goes. 

 So that is my "sit within a sit" however my other sit has two lovable four -legged critters, one furball called Saki, and one bonehead called Tova.  Here they are.

Saki is 20 years old, but when she's being chased by Tova, she's as fast as a kitten.  Tova is 9.  She's one smart  poodle, and I am enjoying getting to know the both of them.

Getting back to my choice of transport, I came across this vessel earlier today.  Perhaps it might be slightly more sea worthy than the other one, but I'm not taking any chances.  It sort of looks like the wreck of the  SS Minnow from the '60's show, "Gilligan's Island.

living in acceptance,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer