POST # 10
It certainly hasn't been lonely living here in Bear Creek because most of the time I have five pairs of eyes staring at me wondering, "What's the human going to do now?" Roxie, Breaker, and Skidder the dogs, are always hoping for either a treat or a walk or both, but mostly they just want to be close, and as a consequence I am never short of their company.
Dusty and Trouble the cats on the other hand, are usually just in the market for a lap to lounge upon and purr away until the end of time. And in addition to that, Dusty has taken it upon himself to come in to the bedroom at night and curl up under the covers tucked up against my arm while I read before it's lights out.
And when I awake the next morning he hasn't moved an inch. Purring is the first sound I hear upon awakening each morning which by the way is a very nice way to start the day. (Apologies to all the dog lovers out there)
Each day seems to just fly on by and the animals and I have settled into a comfortable routine. I get out each day to walk the dogs as much as possible, however our planned route out back of the house has been interrupted with the generally mild winter so far. Usually by now the ice out back is solid, and we can roam wherever we like, however this year, what with the mild (for the Yukon) temperatures, and the heavy snow cover, there are holes in the ice, and the thought of breaking through keeps us from venturing very far. Two years ago when I was here I was walking on the ice and all was well and then one step later, I was in up to my waist with the dogs looking at me as if to say, "Hey human, couldn't you smell that the ice was thin in that spot?" As I recall the temperature was probably hovering around minus 30 at the time and fortunately it wasn't too far to walk to get back to the warmth of the wood stove, but by the time I got there my pants were as stiff as a board. It was a lesson learnt that only caused some minor discomfort, but it has helped me to be more aware this time around.
The lucky part was the depth of the water at the spot I fell through. In many other places it would be over my head, and I can't imagine what the struggle would have been like to get out if that would have been the case.
So instead we have walked down the road which the dogs don't like as much, because of the fact that I have them tethered to three leashes that come into one and join around my waist. When one of them stops for a pee, it inevitably causes the leads to tangle up, but it's all part of the fun. It takes a few moments to get everyone sorted out and then we are on our merry way. I find our evening walks the most enjoyable, especially if the stars are out which so far this winter has been a rare treat, what with all the snow we've had. When we return from our walk we head down to the frozen part of the pond behind the house where I have a chair sitting in the snow. This is the time that we all just stop and spend a few minutes to take in our surroundings. Especially on the clear nights it is a magical place to be, with the stars shining down upon us, and the Yukon silence to add the flavour of the moment. I think it is this silence which sets the place apart and one of the things that makes the Yukon such a magical place to be especially in the winter time. PURE SILENCE.
Once we have finished our daily commune with nature it's time to return to the warmth of the wood stove, and give the dogs a treat and settle in for the evening which is spent partly upstairs on the computer. Mr. Grey Cat (Dusty) and Mr. Black Cat (Trouble) now join our group of four, and what with the dogs licking me and cats competing for my lap, it's difficult at times to do any typing. (I guess I can use that as my excuse for not getting out as many emails as I could).
Soon enough it's time to shut up shop for the day and we all head downstairs and settle in for the night.
And speaking of the Yukon night. At this time of year the sun comes up around 11am and sets around 3:30pm, so there is no shortage of night. Of course now that we are past winter solstice the days are now beginning to get longer, and soon enough the valley will be filling up with sunlight.
By the end of this week I will be moving yet again but this time only just down the road into Dawson for my next housesit.
This will be my final blog entry for the year of 2011 and it has been quite a year indeed. I continue to be convinced more each day that this energy intensive life that we have all been born into and become so accustomed to is now beginning to change in ways that will have a profound effect on all of us in the years ahead. We're all going to have to get use to a more simple lifestyle whether we like it or not. However on the bright side, I think that somewhere down the track, that simpler future will bring back some of the things that we seem to have lost over the last century or so, like a sense of community, knowing one's neighbours, and locally grown food. Finding a community that works together to sustain itself quite possibly will be the most important decision many of us make and I think that smaller communities will be more resiliant to the changes ahead than the larger concentrations of people in the various cities around the world.
So with those final thoughts, I will wind this up. Today, I have one more dog to care for named Duece, a sibling of the other three, so it will be a crowded house here the last fews days. Otto the dog will be my next four legged friend starting this coming weekend in Dawson. I may not have regular use of the internet for January, however I will make every effort to get my blog completed on the scheduled days.
So let's bring on 2012 as it is shaping up one way or the other to be a year with plenty of change in the wind, and any way you look at it, I'm sure it will be interesting to say the least.
More thoughts to follow in 2012
Happy New Year
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
THOUGHTFUL: showing consideration for others; occupied with or given to thought; contemplative; meditative. WANDERER: moving from place to place without a fixed plan; or having no permanent residence; nomadic.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
SOLSTICES NEW AND OLD
POST #9
A jumble of disjointed and muddled thoughts were floating around in my brain until eventually one of those thoughts formed itself into a human voice that was attached to a hand which was gently nudging my shoulder. The voice said "Eh Canadian, wake up we're in Sydney."
I awoke from my stupor to find myself lying on a bench and staring into the face of one of the band members of the night before. My head was extremely fuzzy and soon things began to come back to me. Last night was our final one aboard the P&O ocean liner Oriana, because today we would arrive in the Australian city of Sydney after an eventful and fun filled 18 day voyage from Vancouver, with port calls in Hawaii, Fiji, and New Zealand along the way. The day was December 21st, 1977. My groggy condition was the result of the heavy duty partying the night before which no one wanted to miss out on, and it continued on late into the night and had plenty of duty free drinks to go along with it.
I stumbled out onto the aft deck and into the morning heat and humidity and I was staring at the Sydney Opera house, a sight that until this moment had only been one I had seen in glossy travel brochures. It took me a few moments to grasp that I really was finally in Australia, and once I was convinced that I wasn't just continuing the dream I was having a few minutes before, I headed down to "F" deck to pack up my things and get ready to disembark the ship. This process took some time as the ship had transported about 1200 souls, most of which had stayed onboard for the entire journey. Eventually though, it was my turn to clear customs, which back then was a short and pleasant exchange with the customs officer. My how times have changed. I asked him directions to the closest pub and he directed me to one in the Rocks area of Sydney, not far from where we had docked, and with that, I and two female friends Rhonda and Karen whom I had become aquainted with over the previous 18 days wandered over to the pub to find something that would both welcome us to this new land and also help cure our hangovers. The night before I had planned to stay up and be awake as the Oriana steamed through the heads and into Sydney harbour, but it was not to be. But once we were settled in at the pub, and having our first taste of Aussie beer, I was soon over that disappointment.
And so it was on December 21st, my Australian journey began, on a summer solstice and now all these years later I am still roaming around but this time I find myself far far away from any heat and humidity in the friendly little community of Bear Creek in the Yukon Territory on this December 21st, a winter solstice.
Winter solstice is usually a great excuse here in the Yukon to have a party. From now on, the days begin to get longer, which is certainly a cause for celebration. My first taste of this party atmosphere was on this date in the year 2000 which was my first Yukon winter. What sets the Yukon apart from other places, is that most of the partying that goes on, is oddly enough done outside, even with temperatures in the minus 30's or below. A raging bonfire becomes the centre piece of the celebration, and all the participants are like human moons, in other words, they have one side facing the sun (bonfire) and the other side facing the blackness of outer space (the surrounding bush). Occasionally it's wise to do a rotation or two, just to make sure that one is evenly roasted and to ensure that your beer doesn't either freeze or get too warm. It's a unique setting for a party but it is just one of the many memorable activities which makes the Yukon such a fun place to be.
Tonight though, I don't plan on going anywhere other than to walk out into the tailings piles with my three dog friends. With any luck it will be a clear night and we will take the opportunity to look skyward and admire the night sky. The big dipper is very prominent and I can marvel at the fact that one of the stars in that constellation is about 737 trillion kilometers distant. And while I ponder that, my dog buddies will be busy chewing the ice balls off the pads of their feet waiting for the moment that the human decides that he is ready to get up, so that we can all trundle back to the warmth of the wood stove.
It will be a quiet night this solstice, an opportunity for reflection and also an opportunity to spend some quality time with my four legged friends and think about the fact that starting tomorrow, the sun begins it's journey back north.
In any event, I am sure it will be a solstice to remember.
all the best
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
A jumble of disjointed and muddled thoughts were floating around in my brain until eventually one of those thoughts formed itself into a human voice that was attached to a hand which was gently nudging my shoulder. The voice said "Eh Canadian, wake up we're in Sydney."
I awoke from my stupor to find myself lying on a bench and staring into the face of one of the band members of the night before. My head was extremely fuzzy and soon things began to come back to me. Last night was our final one aboard the P&O ocean liner Oriana, because today we would arrive in the Australian city of Sydney after an eventful and fun filled 18 day voyage from Vancouver, with port calls in Hawaii, Fiji, and New Zealand along the way. The day was December 21st, 1977. My groggy condition was the result of the heavy duty partying the night before which no one wanted to miss out on, and it continued on late into the night and had plenty of duty free drinks to go along with it.
I stumbled out onto the aft deck and into the morning heat and humidity and I was staring at the Sydney Opera house, a sight that until this moment had only been one I had seen in glossy travel brochures. It took me a few moments to grasp that I really was finally in Australia, and once I was convinced that I wasn't just continuing the dream I was having a few minutes before, I headed down to "F" deck to pack up my things and get ready to disembark the ship. This process took some time as the ship had transported about 1200 souls, most of which had stayed onboard for the entire journey. Eventually though, it was my turn to clear customs, which back then was a short and pleasant exchange with the customs officer. My how times have changed. I asked him directions to the closest pub and he directed me to one in the Rocks area of Sydney, not far from where we had docked, and with that, I and two female friends Rhonda and Karen whom I had become aquainted with over the previous 18 days wandered over to the pub to find something that would both welcome us to this new land and also help cure our hangovers. The night before I had planned to stay up and be awake as the Oriana steamed through the heads and into Sydney harbour, but it was not to be. But once we were settled in at the pub, and having our first taste of Aussie beer, I was soon over that disappointment.
And so it was on December 21st, my Australian journey began, on a summer solstice and now all these years later I am still roaming around but this time I find myself far far away from any heat and humidity in the friendly little community of Bear Creek in the Yukon Territory on this December 21st, a winter solstice.
Winter solstice is usually a great excuse here in the Yukon to have a party. From now on, the days begin to get longer, which is certainly a cause for celebration. My first taste of this party atmosphere was on this date in the year 2000 which was my first Yukon winter. What sets the Yukon apart from other places, is that most of the partying that goes on, is oddly enough done outside, even with temperatures in the minus 30's or below. A raging bonfire becomes the centre piece of the celebration, and all the participants are like human moons, in other words, they have one side facing the sun (bonfire) and the other side facing the blackness of outer space (the surrounding bush). Occasionally it's wise to do a rotation or two, just to make sure that one is evenly roasted and to ensure that your beer doesn't either freeze or get too warm. It's a unique setting for a party but it is just one of the many memorable activities which makes the Yukon such a fun place to be.
Tonight though, I don't plan on going anywhere other than to walk out into the tailings piles with my three dog friends. With any luck it will be a clear night and we will take the opportunity to look skyward and admire the night sky. The big dipper is very prominent and I can marvel at the fact that one of the stars in that constellation is about 737 trillion kilometers distant. And while I ponder that, my dog buddies will be busy chewing the ice balls off the pads of their feet waiting for the moment that the human decides that he is ready to get up, so that we can all trundle back to the warmth of the wood stove.
It will be a quiet night this solstice, an opportunity for reflection and also an opportunity to spend some quality time with my four legged friends and think about the fact that starting tomorrow, the sun begins it's journey back north.
In any event, I am sure it will be a solstice to remember.
all the best
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
GOODBYES AND HELLOS
POST #8
It's about 6:30pm on December 14th and I am only now just getting an opportunity to write my blog. My mind is tired as it has been a long two days and I am quite sure I will have a good sleep tonight.
Yesterday, after 3 weeks in Nanaimo with Myrtle dog, I had to say goodbye as it was time to move on to my next home. I was up early getting the house tidied up and trying to maximize my last few hours with Myrtle. Bill arrived at 11:30am to collect us and take me to the ferry terminal. As Bill and Myrtle drove away my thoughts were on the day ahead. I had plenty of running around to do during the few hours I had in Vancouver, and before long I was on the skytrain for the journey to the airport in preparation for my flight to Whitehorse.
The Air North flight departed right on schedule at 9pm with arrival anticipated for 11:30pm in Whitehorse.
I used the time on board to do some reading and jot down some notes of things to do once I get to Dawson.
Still wearing my shorts when we arrived, I got a few strange looks even though it was only about minus 9 degrees when we landed. A quick shuttle bus to the Yukon Inn, time to brush my teeth, read a few paragraphs and then drift rapidly into la la land.
I was up this morning at 5am and had a brief visit with my Dawson friends over breakfast at the airport, and soon I was on the twin prop plane on our way over the frozen north land to Dawson airport. A Dawson friend was sitting next to me on the journey so it was an opportunity to catch up on what's been happening in town since my last visit in the summer of 2010. We made our final bank over the village of Bear Creek, which will be my home until the end of the month and landed smoothly a few moments later. With a temperature of minus 24, the shorts got a few more comments than they did the night before in Whitehorse.
My friend Myrna was there to meet me and drive me to my new home, where I was greeted warmly by Skidder, Breaker, and Roxie, the border collies, and Dusty and Trouble, the two resident furballs.
Today just flew right on by, and was filled with visits with friends and walks with the dogs.
I find it hard to believe that a year and a half have passed since I was last here, and at that time it was midsummer, so it's a whole different ball game now, as we approach the winter solstice.
It will take me a day or two to get into a routine,and I'm looking forward to yet again, getting re-aquainted with my Dawson friends. The days now, are short indeed so the dogs and I will have to make the best of them with plenty of walks around the town and in the bush around Bear Creek.
It is a rather short blog today, but it has been a long day and so my brain isn't really as clear as it could be, so it's probably best to just say "that's a wrap" and see what I can come up with again next week.
Bye for now from the frozen Yukon.
Paul
The Thoughtful (but tired)Wanderer
It's about 6:30pm on December 14th and I am only now just getting an opportunity to write my blog. My mind is tired as it has been a long two days and I am quite sure I will have a good sleep tonight.
Yesterday, after 3 weeks in Nanaimo with Myrtle dog, I had to say goodbye as it was time to move on to my next home. I was up early getting the house tidied up and trying to maximize my last few hours with Myrtle. Bill arrived at 11:30am to collect us and take me to the ferry terminal. As Bill and Myrtle drove away my thoughts were on the day ahead. I had plenty of running around to do during the few hours I had in Vancouver, and before long I was on the skytrain for the journey to the airport in preparation for my flight to Whitehorse.
The Air North flight departed right on schedule at 9pm with arrival anticipated for 11:30pm in Whitehorse.
I used the time on board to do some reading and jot down some notes of things to do once I get to Dawson.
Still wearing my shorts when we arrived, I got a few strange looks even though it was only about minus 9 degrees when we landed. A quick shuttle bus to the Yukon Inn, time to brush my teeth, read a few paragraphs and then drift rapidly into la la land.
I was up this morning at 5am and had a brief visit with my Dawson friends over breakfast at the airport, and soon I was on the twin prop plane on our way over the frozen north land to Dawson airport. A Dawson friend was sitting next to me on the journey so it was an opportunity to catch up on what's been happening in town since my last visit in the summer of 2010. We made our final bank over the village of Bear Creek, which will be my home until the end of the month and landed smoothly a few moments later. With a temperature of minus 24, the shorts got a few more comments than they did the night before in Whitehorse.
My friend Myrna was there to meet me and drive me to my new home, where I was greeted warmly by Skidder, Breaker, and Roxie, the border collies, and Dusty and Trouble, the two resident furballs.
Today just flew right on by, and was filled with visits with friends and walks with the dogs.
I find it hard to believe that a year and a half have passed since I was last here, and at that time it was midsummer, so it's a whole different ball game now, as we approach the winter solstice.
It will take me a day or two to get into a routine,and I'm looking forward to yet again, getting re-aquainted with my Dawson friends. The days now, are short indeed so the dogs and I will have to make the best of them with plenty of walks around the town and in the bush around Bear Creek.
It is a rather short blog today, but it has been a long day and so my brain isn't really as clear as it could be, so it's probably best to just say "that's a wrap" and see what I can come up with again next week.
Bye for now from the frozen Yukon.
Paul
The Thoughtful (but tired)Wanderer
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
MY MORNING WALK AND A LOOK AHEAD
POST #7
I had a restless night last night and I can't really work out why. The only things on my "to do" list for today was to write this blog and put the garbage out. Nothing in other words, that would disturb my sleep in the feather bed, but by 4am, sleep was no more. So as I write these words, waiting for the coffee to brew, my head is a bit fuzzy. I'll have to add one more item to my "to do" list which is to make sure I have an afternoon nap.
So Queen Myrtle and I were out for our regular morning stroll this morning and while she was finding the perfect pooping location, I was thinking about what to write today. As we rounded the corner past a local business, a worker was out in the yard driving a forklift, which automatically made me think of a time long since past, when for a while I myself was a forklift driver. The year was 1978 and I had a job working at a trucking depot in Adelaide Australia. I had been there at this point for a few months, and so I already had the opportunity to use the forklift on many occasions, and by now considered myself somewhat of an expert. I'm not sure how expert anyone can be at the age of 22, but that's another story. Anyhow, with all the dexterity of an expert I picked up a crate about one foot square and about twenty or so feet long which contained the main rotor blade for a helicopter. It needed to be moved out to the main street which entailed going through the opening of a chained link fence which surrounded the depot. One of the traits of being an expert forklift driver is the ability to continue driving while at the same time lifting the load. As I approached the opening in the fence while lifting the load, I was at the same time calculating in my head whether I would have the crate high enough in time to clear the top of the fence. It was all looking so good and I was feeling so confident. And then just as the crate arrived at the fence line, the left end of it grazed the top of the fence and the crate slid sideways. Oh shit!!! I stopped the forklift right away, but the crate continued to tilt precariously down and to the left. What made matters even worse was that my boss's Mercedes Benz was parked just off to the left and the crate was now perfectly lined up like a long arrow ready to shoot right through the car's back window. If it goes, then I may as well go collect my final pay and start looking for another job. As I sat there sweating bullets, luck was on my side in the form of a fellow employee who happened to see my dilemma and come with another forklift to help save the day. Lesson learned? Confidence is great but overconfidence can have some very unintended consequences. This time though, I was lucky.
Myrtle and I continued on our stroll as the morning sun broke the horizon which was a pleasant change from the previous overcast days. We walked past the site of "The Number 1 Esplanade Coal Mine" which in the late 1800's according to the sign had "over 1000 men and 150 horses and mules employed there". On May 3rd 1887, an explosion in the mine killed 150 of those miners. It would have been a very sad day for the local community I'm sure. Yet today, except for the signage, there is no indication that a coal mine once existed there.
Shortly after we passed this spot Myrtle found the perfect spot to have her morning poop and then have her human servant scoop it up in a bag and then we were on our merry way.
Too soon though, these Myrtle walks will be coming to an end as my time here in Nanaimo winds down. By this time next week I will be in Dawson City and Myrtle will be a pleasant memory. Maybe sometime in the future I will have the opportunity to take care of her once more.
We arrived back home and once inside, Myrtle received her after walk liver treats, and I put the coffee on so that I could try and rid myself of the fog in my head from my restless night's sleep.
As I write these words, the coffee has performed it's magic, and even though Myrtle is now snoozing in her favourite place next to the bay window, I am already planning our lunchtime walk, which is the long walk of three we do each day. And with the sun shining brightly, I think today will be an especially long one as I want to take advantage of the mild weather, because next week in the Yukon, it will be anything but mild.
And so the journey continues.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
I had a restless night last night and I can't really work out why. The only things on my "to do" list for today was to write this blog and put the garbage out. Nothing in other words, that would disturb my sleep in the feather bed, but by 4am, sleep was no more. So as I write these words, waiting for the coffee to brew, my head is a bit fuzzy. I'll have to add one more item to my "to do" list which is to make sure I have an afternoon nap.
So Queen Myrtle and I were out for our regular morning stroll this morning and while she was finding the perfect pooping location, I was thinking about what to write today. As we rounded the corner past a local business, a worker was out in the yard driving a forklift, which automatically made me think of a time long since past, when for a while I myself was a forklift driver. The year was 1978 and I had a job working at a trucking depot in Adelaide Australia. I had been there at this point for a few months, and so I already had the opportunity to use the forklift on many occasions, and by now considered myself somewhat of an expert. I'm not sure how expert anyone can be at the age of 22, but that's another story. Anyhow, with all the dexterity of an expert I picked up a crate about one foot square and about twenty or so feet long which contained the main rotor blade for a helicopter. It needed to be moved out to the main street which entailed going through the opening of a chained link fence which surrounded the depot. One of the traits of being an expert forklift driver is the ability to continue driving while at the same time lifting the load. As I approached the opening in the fence while lifting the load, I was at the same time calculating in my head whether I would have the crate high enough in time to clear the top of the fence. It was all looking so good and I was feeling so confident. And then just as the crate arrived at the fence line, the left end of it grazed the top of the fence and the crate slid sideways. Oh shit!!! I stopped the forklift right away, but the crate continued to tilt precariously down and to the left. What made matters even worse was that my boss's Mercedes Benz was parked just off to the left and the crate was now perfectly lined up like a long arrow ready to shoot right through the car's back window. If it goes, then I may as well go collect my final pay and start looking for another job. As I sat there sweating bullets, luck was on my side in the form of a fellow employee who happened to see my dilemma and come with another forklift to help save the day. Lesson learned? Confidence is great but overconfidence can have some very unintended consequences. This time though, I was lucky.
Myrtle and I continued on our stroll as the morning sun broke the horizon which was a pleasant change from the previous overcast days. We walked past the site of "The Number 1 Esplanade Coal Mine" which in the late 1800's according to the sign had "over 1000 men and 150 horses and mules employed there". On May 3rd 1887, an explosion in the mine killed 150 of those miners. It would have been a very sad day for the local community I'm sure. Yet today, except for the signage, there is no indication that a coal mine once existed there.
Shortly after we passed this spot Myrtle found the perfect spot to have her morning poop and then have her human servant scoop it up in a bag and then we were on our merry way.
Too soon though, these Myrtle walks will be coming to an end as my time here in Nanaimo winds down. By this time next week I will be in Dawson City and Myrtle will be a pleasant memory. Maybe sometime in the future I will have the opportunity to take care of her once more.
We arrived back home and once inside, Myrtle received her after walk liver treats, and I put the coffee on so that I could try and rid myself of the fog in my head from my restless night's sleep.
As I write these words, the coffee has performed it's magic, and even though Myrtle is now snoozing in her favourite place next to the bay window, I am already planning our lunchtime walk, which is the long walk of three we do each day. And with the sun shining brightly, I think today will be an especially long one as I want to take advantage of the mild weather, because next week in the Yukon, it will be anything but mild.
And so the journey continues.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Monday, November 28, 2011
A ROOM WITH A VIEW AND A DAY TO REMEMBER
POST #6
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
As the sun rises over the harbour, I sit here on the second floor of a house that was built in 1905 and take in the view that surrounds me. How lucky am I to be given the opportunity to housesit here. Back in 1905 this would have been a very different place than now, and I wonder what the thoughts were of the people who lived here then?
On a late November morning in 1905 I imagine that one of the thoughts at the forefront of anyone living here was how to keep the house warm. I am living in an area that was one of the big coal mining locations in BC back then, and no doubt at this time of the day someone would have put a few lumps of coal in the stove to heat the place. All I do in 2011, is turn a dial and the heat is produced as if by magic. How soft our lives have become since 1905.
I peek out the window over the top of my computer screen and I have a commanding view of Gabriola island, which is just a short ferry ride away. In 1905 there might have been a few small boats crossing the channel to what would have been a very sparsly populated island. Maybe even the owner of this house was thinking how someday it would be nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy Nanaimo and settle on Gabriola. Or maybe, as already stated, they were just thinking about keeping warm.
If I wander over to the north end of the house going through the kitchen and dining room I come to the main living area. A bay window provides an extensive view from south to north, and two other islands, Protection, and Newcastle island come in to view. The bay window area is also where the queen of the house spends a big part of her day. Her name is Myrtle, and on a morning like this one, with the sun streaming through the window, and having just come back from her morning walk she has assumed the position, lying stretched out on her feather pillows keeping an eye on all the goings on in the neighbourhood, that is, at least when she isn't snoozing away. She wouldn't want to hear this but she seems to act more catlike than doglike. Once she is up on her perch, she's happy to just sleep a big portion of the day away, no doubt storing up energy for the next walk her new dogsitter will take her on. Ah, what a life she has. Tomorrow will mark a week since my arrival and Myrtle has already managed to work her way into my heart. We have a couple more weeks together and the bond will only get stronger as the time passes. Of course the fact that I take her for plenty of walks and then give her treats when she gets home also helps her to think that I am worth her time.
Myrtle and I could easily spend hours right here at the window, just watching the world go by, and on the rainy days that is exactly what we have done. But todays sunshine will beckon us to spend as much time outdoors as possible and we'll both be happy as a result. Over the next two weeks I expect Myrtle will be teaching me a thing or two, and I will be a wiser human as a result.
The view takes in the surrounding neighbourhood and the majority of the houses are of an older vintage, mostly single storey and very modest in size. Again I am struck by how little space people really thought they needed back then, as I mentioned in an earlier blog. The bigger the house, the more it cost to heat in the winter, and even though the area here was abundant in coal, it would have been an expense that quite probably constituted a large portion of the daily budget.
I wonder if in the not too distant future, people will be having to pay more attention to the cost of their heating bills? When that time comes, smaller will equal better.
As my time passes here, I look forward to exploring more of the community with my four legged mate, Myrtle.
A DAY TO REMEMBER
I think of him only from time to time now, however on November 28th each year, I think of him the most. The man I am talking about was my dad, and today if he were still alive he would have been celebrating his 95th birthday. Sadly he only made it to the age of 67, and so much has gone on since his passing, I wonder how he would have viewed the world in 2011? How does anyone at 95 view the world? By that age, I imagine that life boils down to just a few simple things, to keep the wheels turning just one more day at a time.
Time has allowed me to forget most of the moments that dad and I disagreed on things, however as I write these words I am reminded of a dinner table conversation between us that had us defending each others "rightness" so much that it made my dear mother start crying and through her tears telling us to "just stop". It was the first of only two times in my entire life that I saw my mom cry. The other time was the day my dad died. And writing these words now, is bringing a tear to my eyes all these years later. And when I try to think about what we were arguing about, I can't. And yet at the time, it just seemed so important.
But all in all, as far as father and son relationships go, ours was pretty damn good when I take in the big picture. Sure we had our disagreements, as most father/sons do, but in the greater scheme of things I count myself very fortunate to have had him as a father, and of course I didn't appreciate him as much as I did until after he was gone. My tears flowed just as my mother's did, the day he died.
He loved me and taught me a good set of values and for that I will be thankful for the rest of my life. He's long gone, but certainly not forgotten, and so as I wind this blog up and get ready to take Queen Myrtle out for her second walk of the day, I'll use that time to think about dad, and talk to Myrtle about him. Maybe she can give me some advice on how to deal with my feelings today. Dogs are pretty smart you know.
Back again on December 7th.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
As the sun rises over the harbour, I sit here on the second floor of a house that was built in 1905 and take in the view that surrounds me. How lucky am I to be given the opportunity to housesit here. Back in 1905 this would have been a very different place than now, and I wonder what the thoughts were of the people who lived here then?
On a late November morning in 1905 I imagine that one of the thoughts at the forefront of anyone living here was how to keep the house warm. I am living in an area that was one of the big coal mining locations in BC back then, and no doubt at this time of the day someone would have put a few lumps of coal in the stove to heat the place. All I do in 2011, is turn a dial and the heat is produced as if by magic. How soft our lives have become since 1905.
I peek out the window over the top of my computer screen and I have a commanding view of Gabriola island, which is just a short ferry ride away. In 1905 there might have been a few small boats crossing the channel to what would have been a very sparsly populated island. Maybe even the owner of this house was thinking how someday it would be nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy Nanaimo and settle on Gabriola. Or maybe, as already stated, they were just thinking about keeping warm.
If I wander over to the north end of the house going through the kitchen and dining room I come to the main living area. A bay window provides an extensive view from south to north, and two other islands, Protection, and Newcastle island come in to view. The bay window area is also where the queen of the house spends a big part of her day. Her name is Myrtle, and on a morning like this one, with the sun streaming through the window, and having just come back from her morning walk she has assumed the position, lying stretched out on her feather pillows keeping an eye on all the goings on in the neighbourhood, that is, at least when she isn't snoozing away. She wouldn't want to hear this but she seems to act more catlike than doglike. Once she is up on her perch, she's happy to just sleep a big portion of the day away, no doubt storing up energy for the next walk her new dogsitter will take her on. Ah, what a life she has. Tomorrow will mark a week since my arrival and Myrtle has already managed to work her way into my heart. We have a couple more weeks together and the bond will only get stronger as the time passes. Of course the fact that I take her for plenty of walks and then give her treats when she gets home also helps her to think that I am worth her time.
Myrtle and I could easily spend hours right here at the window, just watching the world go by, and on the rainy days that is exactly what we have done. But todays sunshine will beckon us to spend as much time outdoors as possible and we'll both be happy as a result. Over the next two weeks I expect Myrtle will be teaching me a thing or two, and I will be a wiser human as a result.
The view takes in the surrounding neighbourhood and the majority of the houses are of an older vintage, mostly single storey and very modest in size. Again I am struck by how little space people really thought they needed back then, as I mentioned in an earlier blog. The bigger the house, the more it cost to heat in the winter, and even though the area here was abundant in coal, it would have been an expense that quite probably constituted a large portion of the daily budget.
I wonder if in the not too distant future, people will be having to pay more attention to the cost of their heating bills? When that time comes, smaller will equal better.
As my time passes here, I look forward to exploring more of the community with my four legged mate, Myrtle.
A DAY TO REMEMBER
I think of him only from time to time now, however on November 28th each year, I think of him the most. The man I am talking about was my dad, and today if he were still alive he would have been celebrating his 95th birthday. Sadly he only made it to the age of 67, and so much has gone on since his passing, I wonder how he would have viewed the world in 2011? How does anyone at 95 view the world? By that age, I imagine that life boils down to just a few simple things, to keep the wheels turning just one more day at a time.
Time has allowed me to forget most of the moments that dad and I disagreed on things, however as I write these words I am reminded of a dinner table conversation between us that had us defending each others "rightness" so much that it made my dear mother start crying and through her tears telling us to "just stop". It was the first of only two times in my entire life that I saw my mom cry. The other time was the day my dad died. And writing these words now, is bringing a tear to my eyes all these years later. And when I try to think about what we were arguing about, I can't. And yet at the time, it just seemed so important.
But all in all, as far as father and son relationships go, ours was pretty damn good when I take in the big picture. Sure we had our disagreements, as most father/sons do, but in the greater scheme of things I count myself very fortunate to have had him as a father, and of course I didn't appreciate him as much as I did until after he was gone. My tears flowed just as my mother's did, the day he died.
He loved me and taught me a good set of values and for that I will be thankful for the rest of my life. He's long gone, but certainly not forgotten, and so as I wind this blog up and get ready to take Queen Myrtle out for her second walk of the day, I'll use that time to think about dad, and talk to Myrtle about him. Maybe she can give me some advice on how to deal with my feelings today. Dogs are pretty smart you know.
Back again on December 7th.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Monday, November 21, 2011
LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD
POST #5
The Air New Zealand DC-10,Flight TE901 rolled down the runway at Auckland airport and moments later it was airborne and setting a course for Antarctica.
The date was November 21st, 1978. I had spent the previous day in the Auckland suburb of Devonport with some fellow travellers playing frisbee and then testing out our tolerance to Kiwi beer until the pub closed, after which we contemplated driving a ferry across the Auckland harbour (but that's another story.) The bottom line was that the Devonport experience had made for a fitful night of sleep at the youth hostel, as I didn't want to miss out on this adventure.
So even though my head was a bit fuzzy on the take off roll, after some inflight coffee I was as right as rain, as they say down south, and looking out the window, Mt. Egmont passed under the wing. This was going to be a fantastic day.
Air New Zealand had only started these sightseeing flights the year before, so it was still a unique experience. The highlights of the trip were too numerous to mention however a couple that come to mind all these years later was being in the cockpit while a fellow passenger talked to her daughter while we flew overhead the Antarctic base her daughter was working at. And of course flying over the smoking volcano of Mt Erebus was memorable as well. (Sadly, exactly one year and one week later on Nov. 28th 1979 the same flight would crash into Mt Erebus and leave no survivors.) Our journey came off without a hitch, and as we turned back north towards Christchurch the party atmosphere continued, as we all shared a few drinks and talked about our adventure. The stopover in Christchurch was required for refuelling and I took advantage of the layover to get in touch with a girl I had met earlier in the year in Australia. Jenny came out to visit me at the airport, and the time seemed to get away from us. Soon I was being gently tapped on the shoulder by a flight attendant asking me to come along as the flight was awaiting my arrival. I walked across the tarmac thinking that every eye on board was looking down at me and saying to themselves, "There's the idiot who is delaying our departure back to Auckland." Most likely though, they were just continuing on with their chatter about the day we had just experienced.
In all honesty, I really don't remember much about the arrival back in Auckland but 33 years later I still remember the date.
November 21st, 2011 in comparison is very tame indeed. It will be memorable only for the fact that I say goodbye to my dog buddies of the last 3 weeks, Jackson and Peach, as their owners arrive home tonight from Hawaii. It will be a bit of a shock for them after weeks of sun and surf to come back to the cold and snow, but I'm sure Jackson and Peachs' welcome home will warm their hearts and help them to not think about the weather.
Looking forward from here, I spend tonight at my friends house here in Vancouver (one of whom was present 33 years ago in Devonport helping with our scientific testing of Lion Red beer on North Americans) and then tomorrow I head across Georgia Strait to Nanaimo to begin the next housesit. So it's goodbye to Jackson and Peach until next summer, and hello to Myrtle the dog in Nanaimo, and an opportunity to make a new four legged friend. It should be fun, and it will be great to get out of the big city again.
I'm looking forward to the week ahead and hopefully I will have something worthwhile to talk about next week.
Until then.
all the best,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
The Air New Zealand DC-10,Flight TE901 rolled down the runway at Auckland airport and moments later it was airborne and setting a course for Antarctica.
The date was November 21st, 1978. I had spent the previous day in the Auckland suburb of Devonport with some fellow travellers playing frisbee and then testing out our tolerance to Kiwi beer until the pub closed, after which we contemplated driving a ferry across the Auckland harbour (but that's another story.) The bottom line was that the Devonport experience had made for a fitful night of sleep at the youth hostel, as I didn't want to miss out on this adventure.
So even though my head was a bit fuzzy on the take off roll, after some inflight coffee I was as right as rain, as they say down south, and looking out the window, Mt. Egmont passed under the wing. This was going to be a fantastic day.
Air New Zealand had only started these sightseeing flights the year before, so it was still a unique experience. The highlights of the trip were too numerous to mention however a couple that come to mind all these years later was being in the cockpit while a fellow passenger talked to her daughter while we flew overhead the Antarctic base her daughter was working at. And of course flying over the smoking volcano of Mt Erebus was memorable as well. (Sadly, exactly one year and one week later on Nov. 28th 1979 the same flight would crash into Mt Erebus and leave no survivors.) Our journey came off without a hitch, and as we turned back north towards Christchurch the party atmosphere continued, as we all shared a few drinks and talked about our adventure. The stopover in Christchurch was required for refuelling and I took advantage of the layover to get in touch with a girl I had met earlier in the year in Australia. Jenny came out to visit me at the airport, and the time seemed to get away from us. Soon I was being gently tapped on the shoulder by a flight attendant asking me to come along as the flight was awaiting my arrival. I walked across the tarmac thinking that every eye on board was looking down at me and saying to themselves, "There's the idiot who is delaying our departure back to Auckland." Most likely though, they were just continuing on with their chatter about the day we had just experienced.
In all honesty, I really don't remember much about the arrival back in Auckland but 33 years later I still remember the date.
November 21st, 2011 in comparison is very tame indeed. It will be memorable only for the fact that I say goodbye to my dog buddies of the last 3 weeks, Jackson and Peach, as their owners arrive home tonight from Hawaii. It will be a bit of a shock for them after weeks of sun and surf to come back to the cold and snow, but I'm sure Jackson and Peachs' welcome home will warm their hearts and help them to not think about the weather.
Looking forward from here, I spend tonight at my friends house here in Vancouver (one of whom was present 33 years ago in Devonport helping with our scientific testing of Lion Red beer on North Americans) and then tomorrow I head across Georgia Strait to Nanaimo to begin the next housesit. So it's goodbye to Jackson and Peach until next summer, and hello to Myrtle the dog in Nanaimo, and an opportunity to make a new four legged friend. It should be fun, and it will be great to get out of the big city again.
I'm looking forward to the week ahead and hopefully I will have something worthwhile to talk about next week.
Until then.
all the best,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Monday, November 14, 2011
HUNKERED DOWN IN VANCOUVER
POST #4 NOVEMBER 14 2011 THE LEAVES ARE FALLING FAST
So here it is November 14th already, which means it's time for the weekly blog once again. Considering that my days aren't very busy, it always amazes me just how fast a week can go by. Already I am two thirds of the way through this current housesit, and by the time next week rolls around it will be done and on to the next venue.
So it's been another week of being hunkered down in Vancouver, and with a mixed bag on the weather front, there have been moments when I have been very grateful to be inside, dry and warm. There are some who are not so fortunate, and I count my blessings daily. My dog companions Jackson and Peach even had times this week when they debated with each other whether or not it would be wise to go outside, or once outside they were soon staring at me through the window with a "LET ME IN NOW PAUL" look in their eyes.
When there has been a break in the cloud cover and rainshowers, I made sure to get out of the house for some exercise, not ever knowing for sure when the next cloudburst would take place.
Of course, none of this weather is unusual for this time of year in Vancouver and as long as one doesn't have to work outside in it, things aren't too bad really. I spared a thought this week for my former work mates at Aquabus Ferries who would have to brave the weather while they shuttled customers back and forth across False Creek.
So as autumn progresses, the landscape begins to change accordingly. One day I was relaxing on the couch while J and P were having a snooze, and I happened to be staring out the window, lost in thought, but with my eyes focused on a large tree. It had already lost a large amount of its leaves throughout the week as we had experienced some pretty good winds during that period. At this moment there was only a breeze blowing and the effect it had on the remaining leaves was to make them wave back and forth, back and forth. The thought I had while observing this was that the tree was like the world, and the leaves were the countries, and even though they were all still attached, there was a precarious feel about the whole situation. It seemed to be a metaphor for what is going on around the world at the moment. We are on the cusp of change, and going forward it's going to be very interesting to say the least as to what kind of world we end up with, and just how many leaves are going to be still attached as time marches on.
While I contmeplated the future, Jackson and Peach continued to snooze away, oblivious to the changes coming their way. There are times when I think it would better to have a dogs view of the world, that is, to have a more immediate view of what's going on, but humans have the ability to think into the future, and while that can bring about good things, it also has the effect of being able to paint a picture of a possible future by looking at what is going on in the present, and coming up with a potential outcome. And the leaves continued to wobble back and forth precariously on the edge of a fall.
But this morning the clouds have been blown away with a brisk wind, and the sun rises in the east as it always has and always will, and we face the day and try to make the best of it, all the time counting our blessings for what we have.
Jackson, Peach and I got our lazy butts off the couch, and decided to go out and cruise the neighbourhood and see what has changed or stayed the same since our last walk. For a while at least we can all think like dogs.
So here it is November 14th already, which means it's time for the weekly blog once again. Considering that my days aren't very busy, it always amazes me just how fast a week can go by. Already I am two thirds of the way through this current housesit, and by the time next week rolls around it will be done and on to the next venue.
So it's been another week of being hunkered down in Vancouver, and with a mixed bag on the weather front, there have been moments when I have been very grateful to be inside, dry and warm. There are some who are not so fortunate, and I count my blessings daily. My dog companions Jackson and Peach even had times this week when they debated with each other whether or not it would be wise to go outside, or once outside they were soon staring at me through the window with a "LET ME IN NOW PAUL" look in their eyes.
When there has been a break in the cloud cover and rainshowers, I made sure to get out of the house for some exercise, not ever knowing for sure when the next cloudburst would take place.
Of course, none of this weather is unusual for this time of year in Vancouver and as long as one doesn't have to work outside in it, things aren't too bad really. I spared a thought this week for my former work mates at Aquabus Ferries who would have to brave the weather while they shuttled customers back and forth across False Creek.
So as autumn progresses, the landscape begins to change accordingly. One day I was relaxing on the couch while J and P were having a snooze, and I happened to be staring out the window, lost in thought, but with my eyes focused on a large tree. It had already lost a large amount of its leaves throughout the week as we had experienced some pretty good winds during that period. At this moment there was only a breeze blowing and the effect it had on the remaining leaves was to make them wave back and forth, back and forth. The thought I had while observing this was that the tree was like the world, and the leaves were the countries, and even though they were all still attached, there was a precarious feel about the whole situation. It seemed to be a metaphor for what is going on around the world at the moment. We are on the cusp of change, and going forward it's going to be very interesting to say the least as to what kind of world we end up with, and just how many leaves are going to be still attached as time marches on.
While I contmeplated the future, Jackson and Peach continued to snooze away, oblivious to the changes coming their way. There are times when I think it would better to have a dogs view of the world, that is, to have a more immediate view of what's going on, but humans have the ability to think into the future, and while that can bring about good things, it also has the effect of being able to paint a picture of a possible future by looking at what is going on in the present, and coming up with a potential outcome. And the leaves continued to wobble back and forth precariously on the edge of a fall.
But this morning the clouds have been blown away with a brisk wind, and the sun rises in the east as it always has and always will, and we face the day and try to make the best of it, all the time counting our blessings for what we have.
Jackson, Peach and I got our lazy butts off the couch, and decided to go out and cruise the neighbourhood and see what has changed or stayed the same since our last walk. For a while at least we can all think like dogs.
Monday, November 7, 2011
SIMPLICITY- AND WHAT IS SAWAFAATRIAB?
POST #3 NOVEMBER 7 2011 YORKIES IN VANCOUVER
While out on my evening walk with my two Yorkshire Terrier friends last night in Vancouver, we strolled past a new house under construction. My doggie buddies wanted to stop of course to sniff out the construction site and leave their liquid calling cards, and as that was happening I had the opportunity to take a closer look. The first thing that struck me was the size of the garage. It was easily 4 times larger than my little cabin back in the Yukon and the thought going through my mind at that moment was about how much space is enough space for an individual to feel at home in. Naturally with a garage this size, the house was large as well. The neighbourhood I am currently living in was probably established in the late 1920's or so, and what becomes very obvious is the rather modest footprint of the established houses in the area. My guess would be that back then, there were probably more people per house than now, and yet this new house under construction would be at least two or maybe even three times the square footage of the older houses. I wonder how many people will occupy it when it is complete? When I was growing up in the '60's I lived in a house which would have been considered to most people who viewed it, a very modest 3 bedroom bungalow, with a semi developed basement. For a while we had 10 people living there, our family of seven, and my aunt and uncle and their daughter living downstairs. I can't say that I ever felt hard done by, due to the lack of room and in fact, plenty of our neighbours had similar size houses that were filled with all of us young baby boomers. Fast forward a generation, and we have smaller family sizes but much bigger houses. Something doesn't seem to add up here, at least not to this ageing baby boomer.
One of the benefits of being a housesitter is I get the opportunity to wander from place to place and compare the living arrangements of various communities. As a general rule, I would have to say that as time has marched on, house sizes have continued to expand and with that expansion of size also comes the corresponding expansion in the size of the mortgage, the taxes, the heating bill etc. etc. My guess is that in late 2011, there would be more than just a few people around the world wondering if they have taken on a bit more than they can chew. Perhaps as more time passes, a simpler lifestyle may become more attractive to more people. Only time will tell.
And on this note of simplicity, we finally come to the title of this weeks blog, and the answer to the question from the many emails I received asking me just what the heck does SAWAFAATRIAB mean, Paul???
Well for that we have to circle back to my little Yorkie buddies, and all of their four legged friends, which I have come to know and love over the many years I've been petsitting. You see, when you spend as much time as I do these days with animals you get to know what they need to get through their day, and it really is pretty simple. They need fresh air to breath, some clean water to drink and some food to eat. Whether I'm observing my pet friends, or watching a seagull go about its business, they all manage to get through their days as long as these things are taken care of. Of course, humans are no different, when it comes to needs. It's the wants that cause many of us to play the keeping up with the Jones' game. So a few weeks back, when I was on Orcas island I put together this string of letters which I thought captured the needs of life.
So SAWAFAATRIAB simply means; SOME AIR, WATER, AND FOOD AND ALL THE REST IS A BONUS.
The Yorkies and I left the construction zone and continued on our night time prowl through the neighbourhood, and as I pondered the complex issue of why it is that some people want so much, and others don't, all the dogs were probably thinking about was the drink of water and food treat that they were going to get once we arrived home. We would all go to bed content and happy tonight.
Until November 14th then,
all the best,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Want Not, Lack Not
While out on my evening walk with my two Yorkshire Terrier friends last night in Vancouver, we strolled past a new house under construction. My doggie buddies wanted to stop of course to sniff out the construction site and leave their liquid calling cards, and as that was happening I had the opportunity to take a closer look. The first thing that struck me was the size of the garage. It was easily 4 times larger than my little cabin back in the Yukon and the thought going through my mind at that moment was about how much space is enough space for an individual to feel at home in. Naturally with a garage this size, the house was large as well. The neighbourhood I am currently living in was probably established in the late 1920's or so, and what becomes very obvious is the rather modest footprint of the established houses in the area. My guess would be that back then, there were probably more people per house than now, and yet this new house under construction would be at least two or maybe even three times the square footage of the older houses. I wonder how many people will occupy it when it is complete? When I was growing up in the '60's I lived in a house which would have been considered to most people who viewed it, a very modest 3 bedroom bungalow, with a semi developed basement. For a while we had 10 people living there, our family of seven, and my aunt and uncle and their daughter living downstairs. I can't say that I ever felt hard done by, due to the lack of room and in fact, plenty of our neighbours had similar size houses that were filled with all of us young baby boomers. Fast forward a generation, and we have smaller family sizes but much bigger houses. Something doesn't seem to add up here, at least not to this ageing baby boomer.
One of the benefits of being a housesitter is I get the opportunity to wander from place to place and compare the living arrangements of various communities. As a general rule, I would have to say that as time has marched on, house sizes have continued to expand and with that expansion of size also comes the corresponding expansion in the size of the mortgage, the taxes, the heating bill etc. etc. My guess is that in late 2011, there would be more than just a few people around the world wondering if they have taken on a bit more than they can chew. Perhaps as more time passes, a simpler lifestyle may become more attractive to more people. Only time will tell.
And on this note of simplicity, we finally come to the title of this weeks blog, and the answer to the question from the many emails I received asking me just what the heck does SAWAFAATRIAB mean, Paul???
Well for that we have to circle back to my little Yorkie buddies, and all of their four legged friends, which I have come to know and love over the many years I've been petsitting. You see, when you spend as much time as I do these days with animals you get to know what they need to get through their day, and it really is pretty simple. They need fresh air to breath, some clean water to drink and some food to eat. Whether I'm observing my pet friends, or watching a seagull go about its business, they all manage to get through their days as long as these things are taken care of. Of course, humans are no different, when it comes to needs. It's the wants that cause many of us to play the keeping up with the Jones' game. So a few weeks back, when I was on Orcas island I put together this string of letters which I thought captured the needs of life.
So SAWAFAATRIAB simply means; SOME AIR, WATER, AND FOOD AND ALL THE REST IS A BONUS.
The Yorkies and I left the construction zone and continued on our night time prowl through the neighbourhood, and as I pondered the complex issue of why it is that some people want so much, and others don't, all the dogs were probably thinking about was the drink of water and food treat that they were going to get once we arrived home. We would all go to bed content and happy tonight.
Until November 14th then,
all the best,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Want Not, Lack Not
Friday, October 28, 2011
BICYCLING IN OREGON
POST #2 OCTOBER 28 2011 WEEKLY WANDERINGS
As I sit in the warmth and comfort of the Vancouver Central library, I have time to reflect on the week that has just passed.
I arrived back in Vancouver yesterday afternoon, after spending a week in Oregon, just south of Portland taking care of a cat named Jill. The time just flew by and much of it was taken up exploring the area by my favourite form of transport, the bicycle.
An initial ride took me around Lake Oswego which wasn't too long, and gave me a good look at my neighbourhood. A trip to Tryon Creek state park one day and a journey into Portland along the Willamette river on another expanded my horizons. For all you book lovers out there, get this. If you are ever in Portland make sure you take the time to visit Powell's Books. This is without a doubt the largest book store I have ever seen. Apparently it has been in business since the late '60's and was originally a car dealership. Wouldn't it be nice if we could convert all the car dealerships in the world, into book stores. But I digress. Anyhow, it has over 1 million books, 70% of which are used. My friends in Portland had recommended Powell's too me and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
My longest bike ride while staying in Lake Oswego, took me south through rural farmland to the town of Canby, about 1.5 hours south by bike. Part of the journey involved a ferry ride across the river, which added to the charm of the trip.
All in all, I think I managed to get a pretty good look around, and I enjoyed the time spent in the area.
When I arrived in Lake Oswego, I was offered the use of a car to get around in, which I declined. Having not owned a car since 1993, it has become something that seems ever more foreign to me as each year passes. This offer of the car, actually made me begin to ponder my relationship with biking, and I began to think of all the places I've been and miles I've ridden in the past 25 years or so.
Oddly enough, I rediscovered this humble form of transport back in 1986 when I lived in Los Angeles of all places. Cycling there for the year, then led to a winter being a bicycle courier back in my home town of Calgary, followed by a journey from Vancouver to Los Angeles the following year. That ride, probably did more than anything else to help cement the relationship I currently enjoy with my bike. Since then I have cycled in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and the thrill and fun I receive never seems to wear off. And thankfully because of bike helmets, I'm still around to talk about it.
So now I am back in Vancouver, and I have a few days until my next housesit begins on Nov 1st with one of my regular clients here. It's dog time coming up now, which will be a change from recent weeks, but I know both the dogs and I will look forward to our reunion.
I'm not sure how much I will be wandering in the next week, however I will continue to be thoughtful about many things with each passing day.
Until next week then,
bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
As I sit in the warmth and comfort of the Vancouver Central library, I have time to reflect on the week that has just passed.
I arrived back in Vancouver yesterday afternoon, after spending a week in Oregon, just south of Portland taking care of a cat named Jill. The time just flew by and much of it was taken up exploring the area by my favourite form of transport, the bicycle.
An initial ride took me around Lake Oswego which wasn't too long, and gave me a good look at my neighbourhood. A trip to Tryon Creek state park one day and a journey into Portland along the Willamette river on another expanded my horizons. For all you book lovers out there, get this. If you are ever in Portland make sure you take the time to visit Powell's Books. This is without a doubt the largest book store I have ever seen. Apparently it has been in business since the late '60's and was originally a car dealership. Wouldn't it be nice if we could convert all the car dealerships in the world, into book stores. But I digress. Anyhow, it has over 1 million books, 70% of which are used. My friends in Portland had recommended Powell's too me and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
My longest bike ride while staying in Lake Oswego, took me south through rural farmland to the town of Canby, about 1.5 hours south by bike. Part of the journey involved a ferry ride across the river, which added to the charm of the trip.
All in all, I think I managed to get a pretty good look around, and I enjoyed the time spent in the area.
When I arrived in Lake Oswego, I was offered the use of a car to get around in, which I declined. Having not owned a car since 1993, it has become something that seems ever more foreign to me as each year passes. This offer of the car, actually made me begin to ponder my relationship with biking, and I began to think of all the places I've been and miles I've ridden in the past 25 years or so.
Oddly enough, I rediscovered this humble form of transport back in 1986 when I lived in Los Angeles of all places. Cycling there for the year, then led to a winter being a bicycle courier back in my home town of Calgary, followed by a journey from Vancouver to Los Angeles the following year. That ride, probably did more than anything else to help cement the relationship I currently enjoy with my bike. Since then I have cycled in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and the thrill and fun I receive never seems to wear off. And thankfully because of bike helmets, I'm still around to talk about it.
So now I am back in Vancouver, and I have a few days until my next housesit begins on Nov 1st with one of my regular clients here. It's dog time coming up now, which will be a change from recent weeks, but I know both the dogs and I will look forward to our reunion.
I'm not sure how much I will be wandering in the next week, however I will continue to be thoughtful about many things with each passing day.
Until next week then,
bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Friday, October 21, 2011
THE THOUGHTFUL WANDERER BEGINS
POST #1 OCTOBER 21, 2011 LAKE OSWEGO OREGON USA
Lately it seems (and by lately I mean at least the past 3 years but probably a lot longer than that), I have become even more thoughtful than I am normally prone to being. And as far as being a wanderer, well, anyone who has known me for any length of time, would have to agree that there is a definate element of that in my personality.
So recently when I came up with the idea of producing a weekly blog, the first order of business was, "What on earth shall I name the thing?"
Eventually, after numerous ideas, I came up with this name, and once I had mulled it over for a day or two, it felt to me as though I really couldn't have made any other choice.
Another event which happened recently in my life was that I sold my sailboat which for the past almost 7 years, has been my primary residence and which was located in Vancouver Canada. So with the signing of a contract and some cash exchanging hands, I all of a sudden became homeless. That action certainly helped in aiding the wanderer in me, because now I have been forced to look elsewhere to find shelter out of the weather. Don't get me wrong though, I am very happy with the current situation as it was something I chose to do, and so already in less than a month, I have lived at two new locations, including my current one right here in Oregon. I have just spent three wonderful weeks on Orcas island in Washington, which was marvelous.
Maybe this is what becomes of an ageing world traveller. It won't last forever, nothing ever does, but for now, it's a simple lifestyle and one that fits me like a glove.
What has made this wandering easy and at the same time rewarding is the fact that I spend my time travelling from one place to the next, in order to take care of peoples' pets. Over the years, at least the past 10, I have had the good fortune to get to know a variety of new people and pets, and recently I decided to expand my horizons by joining an organisation which matches houses with housesitters. Now, in very short order I find myself booked right through until the end of January 2012.
I had hoped to be heading to Australia by the end of this year, at least that was the plan. But as it turns out, before that happens I will be heading north to an old home of mine, Dawson City in the Yukon. I said to a friend the other day, that if I keep heading north I will eventually be south. Dawson in the dead of winter can be brutally cold, and this year it may seem more so, seeing as I was expecting a beach somewhere, however it does have a magic of it's own and I am looking forward to the trip.
As far as the design and content of this blog goes, I expect it to change over time (and being the techno ludite that I am, it may take a while for me to work some things out)however this will be an evolution of sorts, and maybe someday in the future I'll look back at this blog and laugh at how simplistic it was.
OK, so that's about it for blog #1. Where things go from here is anyone's guess, especially mine, but I do look forward to producing a weekly entry, if for no other reason than to lay down a record for myself, as to what I have been up to.
Thanks for reading.
Paul
SAWAFAATRIAB
Lately it seems (and by lately I mean at least the past 3 years but probably a lot longer than that), I have become even more thoughtful than I am normally prone to being. And as far as being a wanderer, well, anyone who has known me for any length of time, would have to agree that there is a definate element of that in my personality.
So recently when I came up with the idea of producing a weekly blog, the first order of business was, "What on earth shall I name the thing?"
Eventually, after numerous ideas, I came up with this name, and once I had mulled it over for a day or two, it felt to me as though I really couldn't have made any other choice.
Another event which happened recently in my life was that I sold my sailboat which for the past almost 7 years, has been my primary residence and which was located in Vancouver Canada. So with the signing of a contract and some cash exchanging hands, I all of a sudden became homeless. That action certainly helped in aiding the wanderer in me, because now I have been forced to look elsewhere to find shelter out of the weather. Don't get me wrong though, I am very happy with the current situation as it was something I chose to do, and so already in less than a month, I have lived at two new locations, including my current one right here in Oregon. I have just spent three wonderful weeks on Orcas island in Washington, which was marvelous.
Maybe this is what becomes of an ageing world traveller. It won't last forever, nothing ever does, but for now, it's a simple lifestyle and one that fits me like a glove.
What has made this wandering easy and at the same time rewarding is the fact that I spend my time travelling from one place to the next, in order to take care of peoples' pets. Over the years, at least the past 10, I have had the good fortune to get to know a variety of new people and pets, and recently I decided to expand my horizons by joining an organisation which matches houses with housesitters. Now, in very short order I find myself booked right through until the end of January 2012.
I had hoped to be heading to Australia by the end of this year, at least that was the plan. But as it turns out, before that happens I will be heading north to an old home of mine, Dawson City in the Yukon. I said to a friend the other day, that if I keep heading north I will eventually be south. Dawson in the dead of winter can be brutally cold, and this year it may seem more so, seeing as I was expecting a beach somewhere, however it does have a magic of it's own and I am looking forward to the trip.
As far as the design and content of this blog goes, I expect it to change over time (and being the techno ludite that I am, it may take a while for me to work some things out)however this will be an evolution of sorts, and maybe someday in the future I'll look back at this blog and laugh at how simplistic it was.
OK, so that's about it for blog #1. Where things go from here is anyone's guess, especially mine, but I do look forward to producing a weekly entry, if for no other reason than to lay down a record for myself, as to what I have been up to.
Thanks for reading.
Paul
SAWAFAATRIAB
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