ARCHIE & THE YEAR END WRAP UP FOR 2021

 POST # 484

                                                                            ARCHIE

Say hello to the latest furball that I have the pleasure to care for.  Archie is one of the most gentle and affectionate furballs that I have ever come to know.  And he is competing with a very long list at this point.

Last week at this time, he was still at the vet having his splint replaced for this new one with the Christmas looking logos on it.  I made the long drive out to Burnaby to the vet's office. Once there, I spent a while with a lady named Christine, as she went over all of the details that I needed to know, especially regarding all of the medications that I would have to administer to him each day. I loaded him into the car to make the journey back home.

He seemed to be very happy to be back on familiar ground, and the house sitter was happy to have him back.  That was on December 24th.

Archie is on four different medications.  He has to take all four once per day, and one of the medications twice per day.  To administer these, I had one of two options.  The preferred option was to tuck the pills into a bit of food in the hope that he would happily gobble them down.  That unfortunately proved unsuccessful after a few attempts.  The other option was to load each pill into a device that shoots the pill down his throat.  I would have to force open his mouth with my left hand, and with the pill shooter in my right, I would insert it part way down his throat, then push the handle which would cause the pill to release, and hopefully go down his throat.  It sounds pretty easy, but it sure isn't.  And even gentle Archie became shall we say, less gentle during this procedure.  That's putting it mildly.  In spite of all of this, somehow I managed to give him his medications right up to and including this morning.  However, last night and this morning's pill popping session were the worst of all.  I think that Archie had finally worked out what was coming, and he was none too happy about it.  In addition, yesterday he ate almost nothing, and it was the same this morning.  I was concerned, so even though I was meant to take him to the vet on December 30th for his next splint change, I decided to drive out there this morning and explain what was happening.  The result is that he will now be staying there until December 31st, at which time I will return one more time and bring him home.

It was stressful for the both of us, and I feel that I have made the correct decision.  If he is not eating because he is ill, the vet will have the best resources to nurse him back to health.  I look forward to seeing him again this coming Friday.  He can be back home and  start relaxing like before.

2021 IS ALMOST A WRAP

And what a year it has been.  I've certainly had better years, but I suppose that there are plenty of people around the world that could make the exact same statement.  I really miss spending time with Mary and Dora-dog, and I miss the fact that my house sit calendar is mostly empty these days, and as far as I can tell, it quite possibly will remain that way.  

In my opinion, this whole Covid business could have been handled very differently, and not have caused the amount of disruption that it has caused.  I get reminded of this each and every day when I am mandated to use a face mask.  I've come to loath that word, mandate.  We seem to have become a society of us versus them, and my guess is that if you took a survey, I imagine that there are plenty of people out there who feel the same way.  I'd like to think that one day in the not too distant future, we could go back to the way things were pre-Covid.  But that is probably being way too hopeful.  

To quote Sir Roger Scruton when asked, "Are you hopeful."  His reply was as follows:

"I've never in my life been hopeful.  I take the view that pessimism is the wise position to adopt, because you're always agreeably surprised." 

Well I don't know if Sir Roger is correct, or whether I am correct, but this is where my head is at, late in the year 2021.  But hey, at least I've made it this far, so that's got to be something to celebrate.  And as I've mentioned before on this blog, there are plenty of people around the world that are doing it a lot tougher than The Thoughtful Wanderer.  As always, I do try to count my blessings.

Here is a meme I saw the other day.

Finally, if you are a scrabble player, here's a good mix of letters for you to play with:

A L M C N O D E T O R I.  

Two words that these letters can spell are DELTA and OMICRON.

Rearrange them another way and they can spell MEDIA CONTROL.  

What a very strange coincidence.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

PONDERING A LIFE

 POST # 483

Vincent's rock courtesy of my sisters**

The year was probably 1971, but I could be off by a little bit.  In any event, it was a very long time ago. 

I was at dinner with a friend from my elementary school.  We hadn't seen each other for a quite a few years, and so the conversation ranged far and wide.  At some point we got to talking about our respective families. Both families have five children, and interestingly enough, there are four girls and one boy in each.  In addition to that, the order of boy/girl was exactly the same, with the four girls arriving on the earthly scene prior to the single boy.

The conversation proceeded somewhere along these lines:

Me: "Well, there was actually another boy born before the rest of us, but he was stillborn."

Her: "Lucky you.  If your brother would have survived, you probably would never have been born."

Me:  "Why on earth would you think that?"

Her: "Your mom and dad would already have their boy, so there would be no urgency to have another one, and the family name could continue on to the next generation."

Me: "Oh I really don't think that that is the case, it's just the way things happened."

We chose to disagree on this topic, and soon the conversation had shifted to other things, as there were plenty of stories to tell in the short period of time that we had together.

In spite of the fact that I rejected her take on the family arrangement, after we parted ways, I couldn't help but ponder what she had said to me.  The more that I thought about it, the more I started to come around to her point of view.  One of the main reasons for shifting my position was recalling the numerous times over the years that my dad would tell me that it was my responsibility to carry on the family name*.  I heard that on many occasions, and never gave it much thought at the time.  But now, the idea that mom and dad kept having one more baby in the hopes that they would finally get another boy started to make sense in light of what my friend had mentioned.  

We'll never know.  For whatever reason, I never brought the subject up with either of my parents while they were still alive, so the mystery will remain.  So of all the things to talk about, why would I talk about  something that happened about fifty years ago when I was still a teenager?

The answer to that question is in the photo at the top of the post.  You see, at my current house sit, I am for the moment, pet-less, so I have plenty of time to go for walks each day.  Yesterday was a brilliantly sunny day here, and seeing as sunny days have been few and far between lately, I wanted to make sure to get out and enjoy soaking up some vitamin D, and get some exercise as well.

Not far from this place is the appropriately named, Mountain View Cemetery, the one and only cemetery in the entire city of Vancouver.  It was opened in 1886.  It certainly lives up to its name.

There is a small section of the cemetery that contains the remains of many children that were either stillborn, or lived very short lives.  I had been here once before, so I knew where to go.  After a bit of skulking around, I located the rock that has Vincent's name on it.  I spent a few moments, pondering a life that, had he survived, I probably wouldn't be sitting here typing these words.  

Mission complete, I began my return journey home.  I find that walking around a cemetery can be a very enjoyable way to spend some time.  If for no other reason, it makes me appreciate which side of the air/ground barrier I am still on.  It won't always be this way, so I had best make the most of whatever time I have on this side of the barrier.

Next week, for the final blog of the year, I'll be able to introduce "Archie" who is the resident furball.  He's not here at the moment,  but I will be picking him up from the vet later this week.  It will be good to have him around the house for the remainder of my time at this location.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

*So much for carrying on the family name.  I ended up being the only one who chose not to have children.  

**My sister Gerry sent along this link and it's worth a listen.

https://elac.ca/projects/mountain-view-cemetery-infant-graves-area/

  

THE MAGIC WALL

 POST # 482

For the second time in less than a week, I encountered what I would like to call a magic wall.  This magic wall can be found on any BC ferry.  Yesterday, on my return journey to the mainland, I boarded the ferry in Nanaimo, en route to West Vancouver.  I had just completed a very short sit with two of my four legged furry friends, Eunice and Apollo.

I think that they both look a little sad knowing that I will be leaving soon, but perhaps I'll be back again sometime in the future.  Or maybe they look this way because I haven't fed them their breakfast yet.

OK, now back to the magic wall onboard the ferry.  A picture is worth a thousand words, so they say, so here is what the magic wall looks like.

Now, what is so magical about this ordinary looking wall?  Let me show you.

On this side of the magic wall, the air is fresh and clean, and the people above can go about their normal business of eating and drinking, and socialising with one another.  But beware, on the other side of the magic wall as seen below, no telling what might be floating around in the air. Everyone on that side must be sure to wear a mask.

It's truly amazing to me that whatever is floating around in the air is powerless to cross over this magic wall.  I was content to spend the entire crossing on the unmasked side of the magic wall, and during that time I enjoyed a conversation with a fellow traveller.  That was pleasant, and very rare these days, as most of us have our heads in front of some kind of electronic device much of the time. Having had the opportunity to engage with a fellow human being, took me back to the days when on a long haul flight, you got to know the person sitting next to you.  Those days are long gone.

As we pulled in to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, I finally had to leave the safety of the magic wall, and like all of my fellow passengers, I was forced to put a mask over my face in order to depart and leave the ferry terminal.  Even in the brisk fresh air of a December morning, the mask had to be in place until I was completely away from the terminal.

If you've read this far, you'll probably have worked out that I am not a very big fan of the masked world that we currently live in.  Perhaps if they were effective at doing whatever it is that they are suppose to be doing, I may be more accepting of them.  Here is a link from an expert who gives his view on the efficacy of masks. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u23TloydoM

 They appear to me to be more about social control than anything else.

Still, this is the world that we all live in at the moment, and I suppose I could spend the entire remainder of my life complaining about one thing or another, but then all I have to do is think about what my friend Guy pointed out to me years ago, and it puts all of this in perspective.  And what was that, you say?  He pointed out the obvious.  That being, that there was never any guarantee at all that I would have ever been born.  That goes the same for every human on the planet.  It seems rather obvious, but until he pointed it out to me, I never gave it a thought.  The advantage to now knowing that fact, is that it allows me to "roll with the punches" as it were.  Good or bad, at least I get to be here, and take it all in.  For that, I am grateful beyond words.

So whether it's magic walls, or masks,  I'll continue to live each day as it presents itself, and try to get the most out of each and every one of them.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

OUR PRISON-LIKE WORLD

 POST # 481

~

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” ― Carl Sagan

In spite of the bars on the window, I am not currently in prison, although I would have to say that as time continues to pass, the world appears to become more prison-like, at least from my point of view.

And speaking of prisons, I recently received an email from my sister Rosie, letting me know that my niece Kathryn, currently a resident of Melbourne, Australia, a place I called home for ten years, is planning to leave the country and return to Canada.  She has already changed her flight to an earlier date than first planned,  in the hope that she will be allowed to leave the country and/or not get stranded in Singapore on her journey back here.

I responded to Rosie's email by commenting on the fact that Australia, and Melbourne in particular has become an open air prison these past couple of years.  We choose to differ in opinion on why that may be the case.  Let's just say that after reading her response, it's pretty clear to me that we are certainly not in agreement.

As each day passes, more and more information is coming out that strongly suggests that all of the measures that have been put in place in one country after the next, including lock downs, travel restrictions, mandatory masks and vaccines etc.  probably should have never taken place, or at the very least they should now be over and done with.  Yet, restrictions and mandates appear to be ramping up, not easing off.  If I want to continue to eat (live), I have to wear a mask at the grocery store.

As to just how we got here, well there could be plenty of reasons.  I will include a link to a recent review of Robert F. Kennedy Jr's recent book.  

https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/covid-19/2021/12/04/fauci-gates-and-the-biosecurity-state-as-told-by-rfk-jr

If one takes the time to read through that review, it may answer a few questions as to why we are where we are in late 2021.  And if you haven't been following this side of the story up to now, after reading that review, you may find yourself becoming quite angry at what we've all been subjected too over the past almost two years.  

I recently thought of a book that I read more than a decade ago.  The book was written in 1841 by Charles Mackay, and is titled, "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds".  In some respects it seems like that is exactly what we are experiencing now.  And even if you disagree with what I've written about on today's post, I can highly recommend this book, that is, if you can find a copy.  

When I wrote my post back on  October 28th covering this topic, http://wherespaulnow.blogspot.com/2021/10/finding-common-ground.html, I thought that it would be my last time doing so.  I guess I was wrong.  My sister's email encouraged me to write this today, so thanks Rosie, for the inspiration.

Of course, it seems to be only us human animals that are mostly affected by the current state of affairs around the world, so it's nice to know that there are other creatures on the planet that are just going about their normal days, and having fun, like playing in the mud.

I came across this lovely female during my recent house sit on Vancouver Island.  She lives at an appropriately named farm.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

LOGAN #2

 POST # 480

                                                                     LOGAN

 So it's now official. I now know two Logans.  The Logan featured here has fur all over, four legs and a tail.  The other Logan, only has fur on his face, two legs and no tail.  He was one of the people that I trained to operate an Aquabus many years ago.  I'm not sure what the other Logan is up to today, but this Logan is enjoying his life here on Vancouver Island, at my latest house sit.

This is just a short one week sit, as my friends have gone away to visit people they know, and they needed someone to care for Logan.  Mind you, he's a very independent soul, so my job is easy.  I just make sure that his food dish is topped up each day, and he just does his own thing.  

With all of the rain that we've been having, it was a welcome break to have a day with sunshine recently.  I decided to take a couple of photos in order to capture this rare phenomenon.

 

And it certainly was rare.  The next day we were back into the rain, which has seemed non-stop for so very long.   I for one have seen enough of it to last me for quite a while.

At least I have a good wood stove to keep me warm and dry, so I am thankful for that.  I also have the company of Logan who was a bit shy at first, but he has now come under the spell of the cat whisperer.  That didn't take very long.

I'll only be here until next Friday, and then it will be time to head off to a new location and a new furball which I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet.  In the meanwhile, I'll take every opportunity this week to spend time with Logan, so that if I do come back for another visit at some point in the future, he'll remember me, and we can pick up right where we left off this week.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

And a PS.  I always think of my dad today as it would have been his birthday, if he was still alive.

A HAIR RAISING WEEK

POST # 479

It was a hair raising week, and I've got the photo to prove it.  Thankfully, I didn't look like this when I stood in front of the judge this past Friday, but I'll tell that tale at the end of the post.

A sudden break in the non-stop rain earlier this week, was followed by some spectacularly windy conditions.  The last time that I can recall such a fierce wind was way back in 2006, if memory serves.  Back then, something like ten thousand trees got knocked down in Stanley Park.  That was a wild and windy night, and I spent most of it wide awake, as did all of the other liveaboards in the marina next to the park.  Surveying the carnage on my bicycle the next morning was a very memorable experience.

The wind this week wasn't as severe, but it certainly packed a punch, with gusts up to 100 kmph. It seemed like a good opportunity to head out for a walk and see what I could see.  The photo at the start of the post was taken as I walked across Granville Street bridge, on my way to the West End of Vancouver.   Being a sailor, it was sad to see this boat being smashed against the shoreline.  

Continuing on my walk,  I encountered this barge bashing up against the rocks.  The water in the foreground is actually the bike path.  I rode on this path each and every day when I lived and worked in Vancouver, and this is the first time that I have ever seen it under water.  And it's also the very first time that I have ever seen a barge washed ashore.  Both vessels are still in their respective locations, after the better part of a week.  I suspect that they'll be there for the foreseeable future.

But it wasn't just windy here in Vancouver.  The coastline got hammered on both sides of the border.  I took a couple of screen shots of this truck dangling precariously on its side on the Deception Pass bridge in Washington State.  I've crossed over this bridge on many occasions, but I'm thankful that I wasn't doing it when this truck was crossing.  I imagine that the driver didn't waste any time in exiting from his vehicle.  If the railing hadn't held, it would have been a long drop to the ocean below.

OK, so enough about the windy weather.  Let's go to court, shall we?   I was ordered to be in court as a result of me arriving at the border back in July without a negative Covid test in hand.  This first appearance was in order to establish whether or not I wanted to plead guilty, and if not, then a trial date would be set for some future date.  At least that is what I thought I was there for.  Apparently not.  I arrived ahead of schedule and I certainly wasn't alone.  Courtroom 102's name board was full of names of others who were there for the same reason that I was.  Thankfully I was able to stand in front of the judge early on.  I couldn't have tolerated being in that building any longer than I had to be.  I wore my best shorts in order to impress the judge, but I'm not sure whether or not she noticed.  A  date in December was suggested by the judge, for me to return to court to decide what I wanted to do, either plead guilty or go to trial.  I thought that was why I was there on Friday morning.  Anyhow, because I won't be in Vancouver in December, the new date set was February 15th, 2022.  At that time I get to go over this issue one more time.  In my humble opinion, this has been a gong show right from the start, and it's not over yet.   

After a very early start to my day, I arrived home to find Shadow, getting into the wine while I was away.  The poor furball.  I guess my early morning start drove him to drink.  But you can't blame him, as his name is on the bottle.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

SOME OVERDUE SHADOW TIME

 POST # 478

                                                                      YOU AGAIN?

Perhaps this shocked look on Shadow's face is because the house sitter is now back, after a two year absence.  For many years now, each November, I have had the pleasure of hanging out with Shadow for two weeks, however last year, his owners cancelled their annual vacation to Mexico.  There are no prizes for guessing why they cancelled.

I'm happy to be back, although this is probably the rainiest November that I have ever experienced.  As I type these words, the rain is pouring down, as it has been doing ever since I arrived here.  So it's possible that the look on Shadow's face has nothing at all to do with the house sitter, but has much more to do with the wet weather.

But neither Shadow or myself have much to complain about, because we have the luxury of being inside a warm apartment, unlike other poor souls who have no place to find shelter out of this cold, wet, weather. It's always wise to count one's blessings.

For instance, we have a pretty good view from our location, and not only do we have a view, but we are being viewed as well.  Check out these two characters.  Everyday they sit in this tree and keep an eye on things, including us.  Shadow "talks" to them each day.  I hold him up to the window in order to accomplish this, and it has become a part of our daily routine.  I think that the crows have come to expect us each and every day.

However, we can't spend the entire day staring out the window at these two.   Shadow likes to spend at least a portion of his busy day, stretched out on the carpet.  Legend has it that when he is fully stretched out, he measures 39 inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail.  He's a big furball. 

So with the continued rainy weather, and the lack of motivation to go outside, I'll just hang out here for now, and follow the instructions on the coffee cup that I use each day.  I'm ready for some overdue Shadow time.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

 POST #477

                                                           MY CURRENT VIEW

Perhaps it's just a natural part of the human condition, the idea of the good old days.  Ah, the good old days.

Like when I could visit Mary and Dora-dog.

Like when I could travel without any restrictions or mandates.

Like when I could cross a border.

Like when I didn't have to wear a mask in order to shop for food, so that I can continue to live.

Like when I had a full house sit calendar booked months in advance.

Like when ...

I could go on, but you get my drift.

This is the state of the world in late 2021. I don't like it one bit, but unfortunately this is how things are at the present time.

What to do?

Do what I try to do each and every day.  That is, live with gratitude and acceptance, which has become much more of a challenge lately.

Yes, the good old days.  

 I feel that at some point in the not too distant future, we are going to look back at what is currently happening in our world, and say to ourselves, "Yes, in late 2021, those certainly were the good old days."  

I would love to be wrong.

                                      FOR THIS HERON, IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY  

    

 

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

FINDING COMMON GROUND

 POST #476

I debated back and forth on what to talk about for my final post for October.  There is no shortage of topics to cover, however nowadays we can't get through a day without the word Covid raising its ugly head.

This blog is primarily focused on house and pet sitting, so one might ask why I would want to talk about Covid today?

Here's the main reason for me.  In recent times, it appears that society is now becoming divided on the lines of the jabbed versus the un-jabbed.  As if there weren't enough issues already to divide us, we now have this elephant in the room. Finding  common ground seems to be more and more difficult to do these days.

On a more personal note, I have had communications with friends and family regarding this issue, as I fall into the unjabbed class, unlike all of them.  Or is it now the unwashed class?  I'm not so sure.  

Not only in my personal life, I am also seeing it in the house sitting business.  Recent ads posted on the website I use to find my next sit, are now adding the caveat that the applicant must have proof of vaccination.  Obviously, for those particular ads, I may as well not waste my time in applying.  In addition to that, I have had a few recent cancellations once the owner finds out my status.  I do find this rather curious though.  Logic would suggest, that if the vaccines were so safe and effective, then the vaccinated individual shouldn't have any concern about the unvaccinated.  If you're protected, then what's the problem?

In one respect, I find this totally understandable.  After all, for the better part of two years, we have been bombarded with only one side of this story.  And it doesn't seem to matter which media you choose.   There certainly is another side to the story, and the magazine featured above did a very good job recently of covering that side.  There are plenty of very qualified people around the world that are speaking out about their concerns regarding these shots, and I and many others are more than convinced that not getting the jab is the sensible choice.  But we are now the outcasts in this society, and even though I can see the tide shifting ever so slightly, it appears that this Covid vaccine steam roller is just going to continue rolling over any narrative that doesn't fit.  With mask mandates back in place, and vaccine passports just two days away, it appears that the agenda continues, full steam ahead.   And now they're talking about 5 to 11 year olds as the next in line for the jab.  This truly seems like madness to me.

But this is the crazy world we live in, here in late October of 2021.  Aside from writing this blog today, in order to get this off of my chest, there is really nothing else that I can do to shift the debate, or to change people's minds.  Besides, that's not for me to do anyway.  People have to make up their own minds on a variety of matters on a daily basis, and this is just one more of those issues to make a decision on.

So fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, I will have to continue down this path.  It has caused friction and separation with some, but at the same time there has been a upside with others.  

The bottom line?  In spite of it all, I am still here, able to spend another day on planet earth.  Each day seems even more precious than the last one.  And in this current world, that  says a lot.  If one takes the time to notice, there is always something marvelous to appreciate.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

 

 

 

THE THOUGHTFUL WANDERER TURNS 10 TODAY

 POST # 475

                                                         Say what???

  That's right, Eunice.  It was ten years ago today, that this thing called "The Thoughtful Wanderer" began.  At that time, you would have just been a young pup,  and a fellow wanderer, navigating the streets of Mexico City, possibly wondering where your next meal would be coming from. Now, you live on easy street, here in Nanaimo, BC.

I, on the other hand, had just arrived in Lake Oswego, Oregon to begin another house sit, my second one since I had sold my sailboat.  The place in Lake Oswego had been a referral from my previous location on Orcas Island, so it had been a very smooth transition from one location to the next.

I'm not exactly sure why I chose October 21, 2011 to begin this blog, but I am sure glad that I did start.  It has been a wonderful way to recall all of the many amazing places, and even more amazing animals (which includes some human ones) that I have had the great good fortune to get to know over the past decade. 

As I sit here now, that starting date feels like it was much longer ago.  Time can be a bit funny in that regard. 

Today, I find myself back at a place that I did a sit back in late 2011.  Back then, I only had Myrtle the bonehead, but now, in addition to Eunice, there is also a furball named Apollo.

This is only a short engagement, so I will barely have any time to get to know these two, prior to moving on to my next sit.  But a short time is better than no time at all, so the three of us will try and make the most of it.

 

Finishing off where it all began, here is a link to my original post.

 

http://wherespaulnow.blogspot.com/2011/10/thoughtful-wanderer-begins.html

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

WAS OCTOBER 12th MY FINAL FLIGHT ?

 POST # 474*

I debated whether or not I should attach a "?" at the end of today's blog post title.  After all, none of us really know what our future holds.  So for that reason, there is a question mark.  However, the more I think about it, the more that I feel that October 12th really was my last flight.  From my point of view, it seems pretty straight forward.  As of October 30th in Canada, no jab, "no flight for you."  I don't have any plans to fly anywhere prior to that date, and I also have no plans of ever getting the jab, so unless the legislation changes, I guess I won't be flying anywhere after that date.  

The owners arrived home on the 11th, and seeing as I had a ride to the airport that day (with the owner's father), I chose to take advantage of a free lift.  Of course, that meant that I would be at the airport for more than 24 hours, but hey, it wouldn't be the first time.  I found a good bench outside, and a semi-comfortable floor inside to nap upon, and the time went by faster than expected.

Outdoor sleeping spot

                                                        Dramatic sunset on October 11th

                                                           Final photo of Charlie just prior to leaving

                                                    And the final photo of Goo and Twain

Of course, I'll miss these three furballs, as I do with all of the others that I have cared for over the years, but it is the nature of the work that I do.  I feel fortunate to have met them at all.  And by now, I'm sure that they have totally forgotten me.

It was a very enjoyable location to spend some time, but one flight later, I am now back in British Columbia.  The flight was only about four and a half hours long, but it seemed to take forever.  Being stuck in a middle seat didn't help.  

Over the decades, I have been on too many flights to recall, some very long and some short.  I loved flying so much that I even got my pilot's license back in 1991.  But nowadays,  it just isn't the same as it used to be.  So perhaps, if October 12th does end up being my final flight, maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

* Many flights over the years were upon a 747, so I find it an odd thing that this post is 474.

                                                          

FROM PART TIME TO FULL TIME

 POST # 473

Onboard the Phillip Law

 

Having completed the sale of my sailboat a couple of days earlier, I met up with the new owners at the gate of the marina, to hand over the keys, and go over any other details that we hadn't covered earlier.  In spite of the fact that I only received 20% of what I had purchased the boat for, six years earlier, I was happy that the transaction was now complete.  The new owners were a couple of young brothers from Quebec, and they were keen to get onboard their new boat.  It was now time for me to leave the marina and the sailboat that had been my home, and be on my way.

Why mention this history now?  Well the date that I left the marina was October 1st, 2011.  As of six days ago, I have been house/pet sitting full time now for an entire decade.  That was the day that I shifted from being a part time sitter to a full time sitter.

I absolutely loved living on my sailboat, however during my final year at the marina, I worked out that I had probably spent only about two months out of the twelve, onboard.  The remainder of the year was at a variety of locations around Vancouver doing exactly what I do now, that is, house/pet sitting.  I could keep the boat, and continue to pay the monthly moorage fees, but it seemed like a waste of money, as I was hardly ever there.  I had no idea at the time what it was going to be like to be intentionally homeless, but there was only one way to find out.

I was headed to Orcas Island in Washington State.  This would be the very first house sit acquired through the house sitting service called Housecarers.  If memory serves, I believe that it was for three weeks duration, and I had the pleasure of not only being in a wonderful location, but I had the company of Oscar and Felix the cats (you can view them on the right side of the page if you scroll down).  It would be the start of a regular sit on Orcas over many subsequent years.

My house sit history goes all the way back to 1986.  At the time, I was living in Los Angeles of all places, and working as a handy man at a college that my sister Rosie was attending.  The President of the college, lived in a mansion of a house on Arbor street, just off of Orange Grove boulevard in Pasadena, very near the Wrigley mansion. Kathryn owned a Russian wolf hound named Shauna.  I house sat for Kathryn on a couple of occasions, the last of which found me chasing Shauna down Orange Grove boulevard heading towards the Pasadena freeway.  I spent a very stressed day and night driving around Pasadena, prior to having Shauna return home about 5am then next morning.  Who knows what adventures she had been on during her time away, but I was very grateful to have her back home. Kathryn was arriving home later that same day.  Perhaps I learned an early lesson in dog sitting all those years ago.

Fast forward to Dawson City in the Yukon.  This is where my house/pet sitting really began to take off.  As one can imagine, there are plenty of Dawsonites that love to head south during the winter months, and so the opportunities for me were numerous.  Prior to moving from Dawson in 2004, I put together a folder of referrals from many of my clients, and this would prove to be a wise decision for my future house sit career.

I moved to Vancouver in late 2004.  One day while on lunch break at Granville Island where I worked operating an Aquabus ferry, I came across an ad on the bulletin board, advertising for a cat sitter.  Long story short, that became the first of many regular clients that I helped out during my time in Vancouver.  At some point I stumbled across Housecarers which matched people like me, with people who were looking for a sitter.  I actually disregarded the website at first, and forgot all about it.  Somehow, months later, there it was again.  I decided to join back in 2011, and I've been a member since that time.  Occasionally I make a wise decision, and joining Housecarers certainly fits the bill.

This past year and a half or so, has been slim pickings to say the least, however, slowly but surely the house sit gigs are starting to appear again on the Housecarers website. 

I do love this lifestyle, and I really can't imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life.  The rewards are too numerous to mention.  Not only do I have the opportunity to visit a variety of wonderful locations, but more important than the location, are the wonderful critters, that I have come to know and love along this journey.  Plus, there are some very special people (they know who they are) that I have met along this journey. 

I'm pretty darn sure that I won't get another decade under my belt, but if that were to happen, then I would be very happy indeed spending it doing just what I have been doing since October 1st, 2011.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

DAILY OBSERVATIONS AND A NOTE ABOUT COVID

 POST # 472

On any given day around here, there are plenty of things to observe, if one just takes the time to do so.  In our busy, covid-distracted world, it's easy to miss out on some of the joys in life.  No matter what the weather is,  I make certain to go outside multiple times each and every day to enjoy being surrounded by nature.  Like most people these days, I spend part of my waking hours in front of a computer screen.  I don't own a smart phone, and have no plans on ever owning one, so at least that keeps my screen time low in comparison to most individuals.  Aside from having a magnificent location here in the country, I have the three wonderful furballs to spend time with as well.  

 A couple of days ago, I came across this little miracle growing on the forest floor.  The day before, it didn't exist , and as of today it is now history.  A short life indeed.

 Only meters from the start of my ride yesterday, this creature was relaxing on the roadside. I initially rode ride past it, and then decided that I should turn around and capture it in a photo. 

One never knows what I will see on my daily bike ride, and this turkey was no exception.  He seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

In all of my travels, I have never come across a sign such as this.  But here in this part of Ontario, they are everywhere.  Plenty of signs, but no turtles.

And then out of the blue the other day, here was a lone turtle crossing a gravel road that I frequent on my daily journey.

Since the day I saw this one, I have seen at least a half dozen more.  Perhaps it has to do with the changing season.  That would be my guess, but I am certainly no expert when it comes to turtles.

Turtle crossing.

 

I mentioned the word Covid in my opening paragraph.  In recent communications with friends here in Canada, and also in Melbourne, Australia, I have stated my decision to not get the jab.  Needless to say, my decision confuses some, but not all.  I totally understand why I am in the  minority on this, and I think that a big part of that reason is because I don't follow the mainstream media version of what has been going on since about March, 2020.  From where I stand, there appears to be a plethora of information now out there, that makes me feel even more comfortable with my non-jab decision.  But I am certainly not going to change anyone's mind, and besides, that's none of my business.  Everyone has to follow their own path in life.  It's unfortunate though, that this one topic has caused so much division amongst people.  I think that that  is enough time spent on this topic for today.

 

I'll just keep on following my path, and try to be kind and helpful along the way if I can.  I'm just happy to be here.

 

grateful for every breath,

 

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

CONTINUING TO ENJOY MY TIME HERE IN THE ONTARIO COUNTRYSIDE

 POST # 471

WHERE ARE OUR TREATS?

I am occasionally asked whether or not I get lonely doing what I do these days.  It's not something that I suffer from, and I think it's primarily because I have an active mind.  My childhood curiosity has followed me all the way along, and that's a good thing.  I also have the three furballs at this sit, to keep me company, so the days just continue to roll on by at a rapid rate of knots.  All the more reason to appreciate the moments as much as is possible.

During one of those moments the other night, while out on my evening stroll, I came across this warty looking critter.  It seemed to be perfectly comfortable with me stooping down to take its photo.  One never knows quite what to expect as I roam around in the darkness.

Something that has been in my possession since I did a house sit at my friends Guy and Pauline's in Pleasantville New York, is this lacrosse ball.  I happened to be out on my daily walk, and there it was, just lying in the gutter.  For some crazy reason, it has been a companion of mine since that time.  The other day I managed to catch a photo of it in mid-air.  The crazy things we do to pass the time, but I get some enjoyment out of it. 

Last night at precisely 7:55pm EDT, the moon was full.  Night after night this past week, the sky has been cloudless, but last night it was not the case.  A blurry photo of the moon rise was captured just prior to it going into hiding behind a cloud. 

So it was full moon last night, and tomorrow at 3:20pm EDT the autumnal equinox arrives.  I've been keeping an eye on the various maple trees that are quite prevalent in this part of the country, and sure enough, they are beginning to let us all know that summer is now over, the days are getting shorter, and the maple trees will start to display some wonderful colours.  Not having spent any time at all in eastern Canada in the autumn, I am very much looking forward to this maple tree show.

I was going to end today's post with that photo of the maple tree, but I couldn't resist making a comment about politicians, because yesterday in Canada, there was another federal election.  I've stated my opinion on this blog on more than one occasion with regards to elections and politicians in particular.  However, I think that the quote below by Mark Twain aligns perfectly with my thinking.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

 

PS: And for all of the Earth Wind and Fire fans: SEPTEMBER