POST # 43
It started off as a pleasant autumn day, and I was up rather early to do some last minute tidying up on board the "Phillip Law" the sailboat that I had owned and lived on for the past seven years in Vancouver. I wanted to make sure that everything was ship shape today, because I had two potential buyers coming to the marina to have a look and I wanted the boat to be looking her very best.
The first couple arrived around 1pm as I recall, an older couple whom I had talked to previously on the phone that week. Everything was going swimmingly, and they liked what they saw. After about an hour or so, as we sat out in the cockpit on this sunny afternoon, they made me an offer. Now I had had other "offers" in the past, which for one reason or another had fizzled away, but what set this offer apart was that the people were prepared to go with me right then and there, to their bank, so that they could take out the cash and hand it over to me. This was as good an offer as I had ever had and for that matter was ever likely to get.
So there we sat, buyer and seller on the cusp of a deal. They get what they want, and I get what I want. Simple right? Well sometimes things aren't as simple as they first appear.
Now a bit of background. The Phillip Law had been for sale for quite some time and as the months wore on, and the season as well, the price kept dropping in the hopes of finding that magic number that would be agreeable to both parties. Selling a boat at the best of times is challenging as there will always be more boats for sale than buyers, but in late 2011 with the state of world affairs, owning a boat was one of those "nice to haves" as opposed to "must have" items. As a result it was most definately a buyer's market.
OK, so with that in mind let's revisit the scene described above. I HAVE A BUYER and not only that, they are prepared to go and get the cash right now and do the deal. Easy right? Make the deal,right? RIGHT? Well there was one tiny complication. The previous evening, a young guy had phoned to ask if the boat was still for sale, and I had told him yes, but that I had a couple coming over the next afternoon who sounded very interested. He asked me to do him one favour. He said, "Paul, could you at least wait until I come over late in the afternoon with my brother to have a look before you make a decision." I gave him my word that I would, because at that point in time, I figured two potential buyers was better than one.
Back again to the cockpit scene. Being a man of my word, I explained to the couple, that even though they had made me an offer, I promised these two young men that I wouldn't sell the boat until they had had an opportunity to look at it.
"Just call them right now and explain that the boat is sold" the man said to me.
So there I sat, with that old saying "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" rattling through my brain. Do the deal Paul, but wait, you promised those young guys a look. What to do???
At that point, I walked down the companionway into the main cabin, picked up the phone and dialled Stephan, to explain to him, "sorry Stephan the boat is sold." That didn't go over very well, let me tell you. And he was quick to remind me that I had promised him a look. He went on to explain that both he and his brother had arranged to finish work early this day, in order to get down to the marina. Then he asked me what the couple was offering and I told him, and over the phone he offered me more. Now what? So I decided to stick to my word, which was what I had wanted to do all along, which calmed Stephan down, but had the exact opposite effect on the couple in the cockpit, who had listened to the entire conversation.
When I returned topsides, it was like I was facing two totally different people. A few minutes before, everyone was happy and smiling, but that had now past. I had two very annoyed potential buyers facing me. I felt like I was trying to please everyone but of course in a situation such as this, it wasn't going to happen. They barely looked me in the eye after that, and the walk to the marina gate seemed to take forever. I told them that I would call them once I knew what the result of the other offer was, but as they walked up the ramp, and I returned to the Phillip Law, I had this sinking feeling that I had kissed goodbye to a sure thing. Would Stephan and his brother even show up? There had been plenty of no shows in the past, and even if they did show up, would they like the boat and make me an offer? And if not, had I sufficiently pissed off the previous couple to the point that they wouldn't want to do business with me ever again? All these questions were going through my head as I walked back along the dock.
My neighbour Tommy, and another neighbour Bill, two old salts in their '70's came up to ask how things went, and I explained the whole thing. They both reiterated the "bird in the hand" line, which was all I needed to hear at that point. They had been around for all the previous potential buyers, and I know at that point they thought that I had made a very big error in judgement.
Be that as it may I now sat back onboard waiting, hoping, that the phone would ring, and sure enough, right at the appointed time, Stephan and his brother arrived. Two young French Canadian lads, keen on having a boat of their own. After introductions, they got right to it, checking various things, like the sails, the through hull connections, rigging, and of course the engine, which I fired up so that they could see how it ran. Everything went to perfection, and after about an hour, they said the words I was hoping to hear, "We'd like to buy your boat, Paul". And with that, a contract was signed and they pulled a bundle of cash out and the deal was completed. To top it off, I ended up with more than I would have if I had sold it to the previous couple. Prior to their departure, we arranged a date for the handover, which gave me a few more days to finalize things. They would take over the boat on October 1st, the day I would depart for Orcas island to go housesitting.
All of this happened exactly one year ago today, September 28th 2011, and so I guess that would be the date that I considered myself officially homeless, even though I wouldn't be leaving the boat for a few more days. I certainly had mixed feelings about selling her. After all, the reason for my purchase back in 2004 was not just to live aboard, but my plan, goal, dream, was to set sail to the west and do one lap of mother earth. Certainly not an impossible dream by any stretch of the imagination. I wanted to do the trip solo, primarily for the personal challenges that I would be faced with along the way. It would have been new ground for this adventurous spirit, ground which I wasn't sure that I could cover. However, one never knows, until you try, and even though the thought of this adventure, dredged up some fears, I still felt that I was willing to give it a shot.
Whether it was those unknown fears, or whether it was the fact that in recent years, I have been more focused on other issues that I feel are much more important, who knows, but the bottom line is at least for now, that dream has been filed away. I haven't given up on the idea, but we still have to see what the future holds in store as to whether I give it a second shot. Only time will tell.
Now as a footnote to this story, well it wouldn't be complete without mentioning my departed friend, Dr. Phillip Law, who died back in 2010 at the age of 98, and of course the person I named my boat after. I have mentioned Phil once before back in an April blog, as this past April 21st he would have celebrated his 100th birthday.
I think about him quite often, but today more than usual because of the content of this story. The last time I had the opportunity to see Phil alive was on a trip back to Australia in 2009. There he was, the first day I visited him, at the age of almost 97, working away editing the final book that he would produce. Even at that age, there was still work to be done, and Phil being the practical scientist that he was, wanted to make sure all the work was done, before he checked out. What an inspiration he was, and still is in my life, and as I think about him now, my eyes well up with tears. How fortunate I was to have had a friend like Phil. His adventurous spirit stills lives within me, and for that I am forever grateful. And maybe, just maybe, it will be Phil's spirit which guides me across the oceans of the world on board another sailing boat, which would have to be named the "Phillip Law II".
Maybe, maybe not. The future is not yet written.
I think that is more than enough words for today. I had no idea that I would go on for so long, but the words just flowed from my mind to my fingertips to the computer keys, so I thought it best to just get them down, while I had the time and inspiration to do so. I hope my readers enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Now, I am way overdue for my daily bike ride, so I must be off.
Happy trails,
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.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
LEAVING WASHINGTON (AGAIN)
POST # 42
It's just after 5am as I begin to write these words. I hadn't planned on getting up this early, but there must be something in this blogger's mind that causes him to want to try and get the words written before the day is out, so here I sit for the final time in front of the computer screen, with the letters flopping onto the page faster than my mind can come up with the next word, especially at this early hour.
My human brain would like to think that this morning, Tika dog would be having a tear in her eye, because of my imminent departure later this morning, but in fact she's sound asleep at the moment in dog dream land, probably dreaming about her owner, Mary who will be arriving back home later today. I am very sure that they will both be happy to see each other soon and it would be nice to be around to see the reunion, however that won't be the case this morning. In a few hours from now I will be boarding the Amtrak Cascades train for my return journey to Vancouver to begin my next housesit assignment.
As I sit here and reflect back on my time in Everett, I am happy with my thoughts of what has been my life since arriving here on September third. There have been plenty of good things that have happened over this time period, some of which I couldn't even have anticipated at the beginning. I've made some new friends along the journey, and that has to be a good thing.
During my time here I did have a car at my disposal, however I also had a bike to ride. For those who know me well, they can already guess at what my preferred mode of transport has been during my stay. But one day this past week I actually did take the opportunity to use the car and went for a drive to the historic little town of Snohomish which is a short distance east of my current location. Snohomish is an example of what I think small town USA would have been like a hundred years ago, with a wonderful main street, with all sorts of shops to look through. Naturally I took Tika along for the ride so she could have a bit of a new adventure, at least a new adventure for us anyhow. I tried to make sure to walk on the shady side of the street, in order to keep Tika as cool as possible, which I hope she appreciated. With a good looking dog like her, virtually everyone that we walked past would smile and make a comment about her, and the most frequent comment was "What a beautiful looking dog." Each time we would stop, and say hello, and it was great to meet a few of the Snohomish locals. One of the men who stopped to say hello, had two canes to support himself. He would have been much younger than me, and like me, he was wearing shorts. The reason he needed the canes to walk, was that from just below his hips, he had two artificial legs. Even though I was curious to find out just how he managed to end up that way, I didn't ask, as one never knows what sort of emotions might be stirred up by such an innocent inquiry. But as we said our goodbyes, I walked away thinking for the umpteenth time just how fortunate I am to still have both of my legs.
The afternoon in Snohomish was a very sunny one, like they have all been since I arrived here in Washington, and soon enough Tika was looking like she had had her fill of walking for the day so we headed back home for our late afternoon naps. That is one of the bonuses of being a petsitter, you get to have an afternoon nap if you feel like it.
It's still dark out, and Tika is snoozing peacefully on the back porch. She'll be that way for some time yet. I on the other hand must get this rather short blog entry finished, and then continue my packing up in anticipation of my departure to the train station. One more "walk around" to see that everything is in order here, and to make sure that I haven't left anything behind. But when one travels as light as I do, it doesn't take very long to pack or look around.
My hope is that when Mary arrives home that she will (a) find the house in order and (b) find a happy dog. Maybe that order should be reversed. In any event from my point of view, it has been another successful house/pet sit, and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to take part in it.
Friends of Mary's have offered to pick me up this morning which is very kind and generous of them, and it certainly makes my life easier. So I had best gulp down the last few sips of coffee, and get ready to go.
I'll leave Everett, but I'll take away some very warm memories, and what is life, if not a collection of memories?
The thinking and wandering will continue next week on the other side of the 49th parallel.
Happy trails.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Vancouver PS: An uneventful and very relaxing train journey back to Canada. And now I have my bike back so it's time to get off of this library computer and gets some riding in before the sun goes down. Sweet memories of Everett lingering in my mind.
It's just after 5am as I begin to write these words. I hadn't planned on getting up this early, but there must be something in this blogger's mind that causes him to want to try and get the words written before the day is out, so here I sit for the final time in front of the computer screen, with the letters flopping onto the page faster than my mind can come up with the next word, especially at this early hour.
My human brain would like to think that this morning, Tika dog would be having a tear in her eye, because of my imminent departure later this morning, but in fact she's sound asleep at the moment in dog dream land, probably dreaming about her owner, Mary who will be arriving back home later today. I am very sure that they will both be happy to see each other soon and it would be nice to be around to see the reunion, however that won't be the case this morning. In a few hours from now I will be boarding the Amtrak Cascades train for my return journey to Vancouver to begin my next housesit assignment.
As I sit here and reflect back on my time in Everett, I am happy with my thoughts of what has been my life since arriving here on September third. There have been plenty of good things that have happened over this time period, some of which I couldn't even have anticipated at the beginning. I've made some new friends along the journey, and that has to be a good thing.
During my time here I did have a car at my disposal, however I also had a bike to ride. For those who know me well, they can already guess at what my preferred mode of transport has been during my stay. But one day this past week I actually did take the opportunity to use the car and went for a drive to the historic little town of Snohomish which is a short distance east of my current location. Snohomish is an example of what I think small town USA would have been like a hundred years ago, with a wonderful main street, with all sorts of shops to look through. Naturally I took Tika along for the ride so she could have a bit of a new adventure, at least a new adventure for us anyhow. I tried to make sure to walk on the shady side of the street, in order to keep Tika as cool as possible, which I hope she appreciated. With a good looking dog like her, virtually everyone that we walked past would smile and make a comment about her, and the most frequent comment was "What a beautiful looking dog." Each time we would stop, and say hello, and it was great to meet a few of the Snohomish locals. One of the men who stopped to say hello, had two canes to support himself. He would have been much younger than me, and like me, he was wearing shorts. The reason he needed the canes to walk, was that from just below his hips, he had two artificial legs. Even though I was curious to find out just how he managed to end up that way, I didn't ask, as one never knows what sort of emotions might be stirred up by such an innocent inquiry. But as we said our goodbyes, I walked away thinking for the umpteenth time just how fortunate I am to still have both of my legs.
The afternoon in Snohomish was a very sunny one, like they have all been since I arrived here in Washington, and soon enough Tika was looking like she had had her fill of walking for the day so we headed back home for our late afternoon naps. That is one of the bonuses of being a petsitter, you get to have an afternoon nap if you feel like it.
It's still dark out, and Tika is snoozing peacefully on the back porch. She'll be that way for some time yet. I on the other hand must get this rather short blog entry finished, and then continue my packing up in anticipation of my departure to the train station. One more "walk around" to see that everything is in order here, and to make sure that I haven't left anything behind. But when one travels as light as I do, it doesn't take very long to pack or look around.
My hope is that when Mary arrives home that she will (a) find the house in order and (b) find a happy dog. Maybe that order should be reversed. In any event from my point of view, it has been another successful house/pet sit, and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to take part in it.
Friends of Mary's have offered to pick me up this morning which is very kind and generous of them, and it certainly makes my life easier. So I had best gulp down the last few sips of coffee, and get ready to go.
I'll leave Everett, but I'll take away some very warm memories, and what is life, if not a collection of memories?
The thinking and wandering will continue next week on the other side of the 49th parallel.
Happy trails.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Vancouver PS: An uneventful and very relaxing train journey back to Canada. And now I have my bike back so it's time to get off of this library computer and gets some riding in before the sun goes down. Sweet memories of Everett lingering in my mind.
Friday, September 14, 2012
THE MOAI AND THE BIKE RIDE
POST # 41
In the morning, after I'm out of bed, and after I have done my morning exercises, I stand in the kitchen waiting for the water to boil. As I do this I gaze out the window which overlooks my neighbours' yard here in Everett, and in the yard, there is a reasonable facsimilie of a Moai looking back at me. The Moai are the stone statues left behind on Easter island many centuries ago. But I'll come back to them in due course.
A quick check out the back door confirms that Tika the dog is sleeping peacefully on the back porch, as it is still quite early. She looks totally content lying there, and instead of opening the door, I decide to let her sleep for a little while longer while I do some reading and enjoy a cup of hot coffee. Once the coffee is finished it's time to say "Good morning Tika" and ask her if she had a good sleep. Like as if I'm going to get an answer. But I suppose that talking to animals comes with the job, and she doesn't seem to mind because soon she knows that the word "breakfast" will be spoken to her, and even though I would like to think that she is really happy to see me every morning, the real reason for her excitement is in knowing that soon she will be chowing down on her favourite food.
Yesterday, I decided to go on an extended bike ride heading down, down, down, towards the Snohomish river to see what I could see, and hopefully find a quiet spot in the shade by the river bank where I could do some reading. At the moment I am reading a work of fiction, which is quite out of the ordinary for me, but it just so happens that it's the type of story which the reader, well at least this reader, can't wait to get back to.
As I coasted down the hills towards the river I came to a footbridge which crosses over railway tracks and at the end of this footbridge there is a water run off from interstate 5 which I had to ride underneath to get to this point. A sign there explains to the reader that this was purpose built to capture the water which comes off of a 3 mile stretch of the interstate. The sign says that 3 million gallons a year ends up here, but instead of having the water, which contains all sorts of nasty heavy metals, oil, etc. go directly into the Snohomish river, it is "filtered" through a wetland prior to its final journey to the river. Now I guess on the face of it, this seems to be a good idea, attempting to clean up the water prior to its arrival at the river, but I couldn't help but wonder about all the other tainted water that runs off of the rest of interstate 5 which according to wikipedia has a total length of 1381.29 miles (2222.97km) and where it all ends up. And all the other interstates as well. The other thing that I noticed was that there was actually water falling down from the bridge to the wetland below, and I was curious to know why. Since I have been here in Everett, arriving on Sept 3rd, with the exception of a few spits of drizzle about a week ago, it has been dry, dry, dry. So where is this water really coming from?
Well enough about that. With the bike balanced with my left arm and my right arm holding firmly onto the railing provided, I slowly descended the stairway down to the ground where I continued on my journey eventually popping out through the trees to a pathway that paralleled the river heading in a northerly direction. I felt happy now, slowly wending my way along the path, and stopping every now and again to gaze out at the river. Eventually the path made a rather sharp turn to the west through the trees and then came to an abrupt end. Here I was faced with a curious sight. In front of me was a brand new roadway, which could have been built just yesterday, and was complete will all the appropriate road markings and signs, but the curious part about it was that it went nowhere and was not being used. It just dead ended at where I was now standing. This short stretch of roadway included a roundabout and a bridge which went over top of the same railway tracks I had recently crossed, heading in a westerly direction back towards Everett. As there was no traffic, I continued my journey as far as I could go onto the bridge before coming to a spot that was blocked off by a fence and concrete blocks. THE END OF THE LINE as far as I was concerned.
From this vantage point on the bridge, I had a view of the surrounding area. Directly in front of me and below where I was now standing was an auto wreckers yard which appeared to me that it has been there for a very long time. I say this only because of some of the rusted out shells of cars that looked to be as old as the 1940's vintage. Hundreds and hundreds of automobiles squeezed into this yard, like so many sardines in a can. All I could imagine was they will all be there until the end of time, with maybe a few more added from the interstate every now and again. The metal, glass and plastic detritus of our current civilization.
As I gazed out further to the north, through the haze I could barely make out what appeared to be the image of Mount Baker. If I would have been born a hundred years ago and stood on this very spot, I imagine Mount Baker would have been quite easy to see. But not today, and of course there is a connection between my hazy view and the dead cars below, and all the other cars that are whizzing past on the interstate, but it is where we find ourselves in North America in 2012. Decisions were made a long long time ago which helped to turn our culture into one which is so very dependent on the automobile. And now, at least for a while longer, we are stuck with it.
I'd seen enough at this point and so I happily hopped back onto my bike and coasted down the hill and back onto the bike path which took me back to the river, where I could find a place on the grass to rest for a while and think about things. Even here, surrounded by green, and water, the constant hum of interstate 5 droned on in the background.
Eventually I decided that it was time to head back to see how Tika dog was doing, and began my climb up the hill towards home. Normally this wouldn't have been too challenging, and I don't mind hill climbing on a bike, but the current bike was one of the old styles with only 3 gears and so from time to time I had to get off and walk. But it was all good exercise for my leg(s).
I arrived home to a dog which was happy to see me, and I guess that is one of the best things about dogs. Even in the short time I've known her, Tika greets me like a long lost friend.
Once back in the house, I could again see the Moai in the neighbours yard and it made me think of a couple of books I've read in recent years that talk about the collapse of civilizations. Joseph Tainter's book, "The Collapse of Complex Societies", and Jared Diamond's book "Collapse" both go into detail about how societies end, and Easter island is a classic example. The islanders exhausted their resource base, and once that was complete, it was only a matter of time before their society collapsed. When I began to reflect on the days events, I couldn't help but think of how fast we are using up our resource base, and wonder just how much longer we can continue on this path before mother nature puts a halt to all this nonsense. Commenting about this to a friend of the owner of the house I am currently staying at, my exact words were, "The earth is now Easter island" and he seemed to agree with that.
But here we all are and none of us had the choice of being born at this particular moment in history, so I guess we are all going to find out one way or the other how things progress from here. What was the old Chinese saying, "May you live in interesting times." Well, it appears that we certainly are in 2012.
I open the window, and look down at Tika, who is now hanging out in her favourite shady spot. She looks up at me, and as I mull over the thoughts in my head, she gives me that look which seems to say with her eyes, "Isn't it just about time for a dog biscuit, Paul?" Thanks Tika girl, for bringing me back to the present moment.
The thoughtful wandering continues...
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
And a ps. Next week on Sept. 21st I will be saying goodbye to my current home and heading back to Vancouver. Depending on how the day goes, I will try and make the time to get my blog completed, but I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
In the morning, after I'm out of bed, and after I have done my morning exercises, I stand in the kitchen waiting for the water to boil. As I do this I gaze out the window which overlooks my neighbours' yard here in Everett, and in the yard, there is a reasonable facsimilie of a Moai looking back at me. The Moai are the stone statues left behind on Easter island many centuries ago. But I'll come back to them in due course.
A quick check out the back door confirms that Tika the dog is sleeping peacefully on the back porch, as it is still quite early. She looks totally content lying there, and instead of opening the door, I decide to let her sleep for a little while longer while I do some reading and enjoy a cup of hot coffee. Once the coffee is finished it's time to say "Good morning Tika" and ask her if she had a good sleep. Like as if I'm going to get an answer. But I suppose that talking to animals comes with the job, and she doesn't seem to mind because soon she knows that the word "breakfast" will be spoken to her, and even though I would like to think that she is really happy to see me every morning, the real reason for her excitement is in knowing that soon she will be chowing down on her favourite food.
Yesterday, I decided to go on an extended bike ride heading down, down, down, towards the Snohomish river to see what I could see, and hopefully find a quiet spot in the shade by the river bank where I could do some reading. At the moment I am reading a work of fiction, which is quite out of the ordinary for me, but it just so happens that it's the type of story which the reader, well at least this reader, can't wait to get back to.
As I coasted down the hills towards the river I came to a footbridge which crosses over railway tracks and at the end of this footbridge there is a water run off from interstate 5 which I had to ride underneath to get to this point. A sign there explains to the reader that this was purpose built to capture the water which comes off of a 3 mile stretch of the interstate. The sign says that 3 million gallons a year ends up here, but instead of having the water, which contains all sorts of nasty heavy metals, oil, etc. go directly into the Snohomish river, it is "filtered" through a wetland prior to its final journey to the river. Now I guess on the face of it, this seems to be a good idea, attempting to clean up the water prior to its arrival at the river, but I couldn't help but wonder about all the other tainted water that runs off of the rest of interstate 5 which according to wikipedia has a total length of 1381.29 miles (2222.97km) and where it all ends up. And all the other interstates as well. The other thing that I noticed was that there was actually water falling down from the bridge to the wetland below, and I was curious to know why. Since I have been here in Everett, arriving on Sept 3rd, with the exception of a few spits of drizzle about a week ago, it has been dry, dry, dry. So where is this water really coming from?
Well enough about that. With the bike balanced with my left arm and my right arm holding firmly onto the railing provided, I slowly descended the stairway down to the ground where I continued on my journey eventually popping out through the trees to a pathway that paralleled the river heading in a northerly direction. I felt happy now, slowly wending my way along the path, and stopping every now and again to gaze out at the river. Eventually the path made a rather sharp turn to the west through the trees and then came to an abrupt end. Here I was faced with a curious sight. In front of me was a brand new roadway, which could have been built just yesterday, and was complete will all the appropriate road markings and signs, but the curious part about it was that it went nowhere and was not being used. It just dead ended at where I was now standing. This short stretch of roadway included a roundabout and a bridge which went over top of the same railway tracks I had recently crossed, heading in a westerly direction back towards Everett. As there was no traffic, I continued my journey as far as I could go onto the bridge before coming to a spot that was blocked off by a fence and concrete blocks. THE END OF THE LINE as far as I was concerned.
From this vantage point on the bridge, I had a view of the surrounding area. Directly in front of me and below where I was now standing was an auto wreckers yard which appeared to me that it has been there for a very long time. I say this only because of some of the rusted out shells of cars that looked to be as old as the 1940's vintage. Hundreds and hundreds of automobiles squeezed into this yard, like so many sardines in a can. All I could imagine was they will all be there until the end of time, with maybe a few more added from the interstate every now and again. The metal, glass and plastic detritus of our current civilization.
As I gazed out further to the north, through the haze I could barely make out what appeared to be the image of Mount Baker. If I would have been born a hundred years ago and stood on this very spot, I imagine Mount Baker would have been quite easy to see. But not today, and of course there is a connection between my hazy view and the dead cars below, and all the other cars that are whizzing past on the interstate, but it is where we find ourselves in North America in 2012. Decisions were made a long long time ago which helped to turn our culture into one which is so very dependent on the automobile. And now, at least for a while longer, we are stuck with it.
I'd seen enough at this point and so I happily hopped back onto my bike and coasted down the hill and back onto the bike path which took me back to the river, where I could find a place on the grass to rest for a while and think about things. Even here, surrounded by green, and water, the constant hum of interstate 5 droned on in the background.
Eventually I decided that it was time to head back to see how Tika dog was doing, and began my climb up the hill towards home. Normally this wouldn't have been too challenging, and I don't mind hill climbing on a bike, but the current bike was one of the old styles with only 3 gears and so from time to time I had to get off and walk. But it was all good exercise for my leg(s).
I arrived home to a dog which was happy to see me, and I guess that is one of the best things about dogs. Even in the short time I've known her, Tika greets me like a long lost friend.
Once back in the house, I could again see the Moai in the neighbours yard and it made me think of a couple of books I've read in recent years that talk about the collapse of civilizations. Joseph Tainter's book, "The Collapse of Complex Societies", and Jared Diamond's book "Collapse" both go into detail about how societies end, and Easter island is a classic example. The islanders exhausted their resource base, and once that was complete, it was only a matter of time before their society collapsed. When I began to reflect on the days events, I couldn't help but think of how fast we are using up our resource base, and wonder just how much longer we can continue on this path before mother nature puts a halt to all this nonsense. Commenting about this to a friend of the owner of the house I am currently staying at, my exact words were, "The earth is now Easter island" and he seemed to agree with that.
But here we all are and none of us had the choice of being born at this particular moment in history, so I guess we are all going to find out one way or the other how things progress from here. What was the old Chinese saying, "May you live in interesting times." Well, it appears that we certainly are in 2012.
I open the window, and look down at Tika, who is now hanging out in her favourite shady spot. She looks up at me, and as I mull over the thoughts in my head, she gives me that look which seems to say with her eyes, "Isn't it just about time for a dog biscuit, Paul?" Thanks Tika girl, for bringing me back to the present moment.
The thoughtful wandering continues...
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
And a ps. Next week on Sept. 21st I will be saying goodbye to my current home and heading back to Vancouver. Depending on how the day goes, I will try and make the time to get my blog completed, but I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
Friday, September 7, 2012
DAWSON CITY WASHINGTON
POST # 40
For folks who have been reading The Thoughtful Wanderer for a while, you'll probably think that he has finally lost touch with reality this time. Being a world traveller and having lived in Dawson City, one would suspect that I should know that Dawson City is not in Washington state. But there is a dog here named Tika who I've been telling stories to about the Yukon weather and how she would find the temperature there just right for her. She would be as happy as a clam in minus 50 degrees or more, and she would fit right in, in Dawson.
You see, Tika is a Malamute, and a very large one at that with a big bushy coat of hair which would more than compensate for colder temperatures, certainly much colder than the weather here in Everett Washington where I currently find myself. If I just focus on her, and not my surroundings, I can imagine that I am right back in the Yukon surrounded by her and other Husky dogs. But then I notice the pear and the apple tree in the back yard, both full of fruit at the moment, and I know that I am not there.
I had no idea whatsoever when I wrote my last blog that I would be here, but I am certainly happy that I am and I would like to think that Tika is as well. I was fortunate enough to find a housesit here on very short notice, and after a couple of emails back and forth and a phone call to Mary, we knew we had a match. My scheduled housesit had to cancel due to a sick cat named Jake, and Mary's housesitter had to cancel at the last moment, and so here I am.
So on September 3rd I boarded the Amtrak train from Vancouver and about three and a half relaxing hours later the Amtrak Cascades train pulled into the station at Everett, where Mary was there to greet me. Arriving in a strange place especially at night is always interesting especially if the person you arranged to meet doesn't show up. An added complication is when you have never met. But Mary did not disappoint, and we seemed to know each other right away.
One of the drawbacks, if one could call it that to this housesitting life, is that I rarely get to spend any time with the person I am housesitting for. The standard situation is that I arrive, and they leave relatively soon after. But this time Mary and I had two nights and one whole day to spend and we hit it off right away as if we have know each other all our lives. This made for a very comfortable start to the housesit and I feel like I've made a friend for life in Mary.
Mary left very early in the morning the day before yesterday and so now it's just Tika and me. Unfortunately for Tika but fortunately for me, she has a bit of arthritis which slows her down, but makes our walking pace just about right for me with my not yet back to normal leg. We make the perfect couple as we stroll along through the suburbs here in Everett. She gets to sniff at all the wonderful smells along the way and I get the opportunity to survey my new landscape.
And speaking of the landscape, it is very brown right now. Mary had mentioned to me how many days they have had without any rain and I can't remember the exact number but it seemed like a lot for the Pacific Northwest. But with the pace of climate change accelerating even faster than the climate scientists originally thought even just a few short years ago, this weather is probably going to be more common and no doubt Tika isn't going to be very happy about that. I could go on at this point about the climate, but as this blog is primarily related to my housesitting adventures, I won't. Suffice to say that like the old Bachman Turner Overdrive song from the '70's said, "BBBbaby you just ain't seen nnnothin' yet." It's all very sad, really.
Back here at the ranch, Tika is relaxing in the shade by the side of the house after her morning walk, catching whatever cool breeze that she can in order to keep as comfortable as possible. Maybe she's dreaming about cats, but she could also be dreaming about winter and snow, a time when I am pretty sure that she is most happy with the temperature. Or maybe, just maybe, she is dreaming of a place called Dawson City way up there in the Yukon, where I've told her that the temperature can get well below the minus 50 mark, and she's thinking that maybe one day she might have the chance to experience how wonderful that temperature would feel to her. But in the meantime, she's got a pretty good life right here in Everett, and I have the good fortune to be her care giver until Sept 21st, and for that I am grateful indeed.
Until next time,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
For folks who have been reading The Thoughtful Wanderer for a while, you'll probably think that he has finally lost touch with reality this time. Being a world traveller and having lived in Dawson City, one would suspect that I should know that Dawson City is not in Washington state. But there is a dog here named Tika who I've been telling stories to about the Yukon weather and how she would find the temperature there just right for her. She would be as happy as a clam in minus 50 degrees or more, and she would fit right in, in Dawson.
You see, Tika is a Malamute, and a very large one at that with a big bushy coat of hair which would more than compensate for colder temperatures, certainly much colder than the weather here in Everett Washington where I currently find myself. If I just focus on her, and not my surroundings, I can imagine that I am right back in the Yukon surrounded by her and other Husky dogs. But then I notice the pear and the apple tree in the back yard, both full of fruit at the moment, and I know that I am not there.
I had no idea whatsoever when I wrote my last blog that I would be here, but I am certainly happy that I am and I would like to think that Tika is as well. I was fortunate enough to find a housesit here on very short notice, and after a couple of emails back and forth and a phone call to Mary, we knew we had a match. My scheduled housesit had to cancel due to a sick cat named Jake, and Mary's housesitter had to cancel at the last moment, and so here I am.
So on September 3rd I boarded the Amtrak train from Vancouver and about three and a half relaxing hours later the Amtrak Cascades train pulled into the station at Everett, where Mary was there to greet me. Arriving in a strange place especially at night is always interesting especially if the person you arranged to meet doesn't show up. An added complication is when you have never met. But Mary did not disappoint, and we seemed to know each other right away.
One of the drawbacks, if one could call it that to this housesitting life, is that I rarely get to spend any time with the person I am housesitting for. The standard situation is that I arrive, and they leave relatively soon after. But this time Mary and I had two nights and one whole day to spend and we hit it off right away as if we have know each other all our lives. This made for a very comfortable start to the housesit and I feel like I've made a friend for life in Mary.
Mary left very early in the morning the day before yesterday and so now it's just Tika and me. Unfortunately for Tika but fortunately for me, she has a bit of arthritis which slows her down, but makes our walking pace just about right for me with my not yet back to normal leg. We make the perfect couple as we stroll along through the suburbs here in Everett. She gets to sniff at all the wonderful smells along the way and I get the opportunity to survey my new landscape.
And speaking of the landscape, it is very brown right now. Mary had mentioned to me how many days they have had without any rain and I can't remember the exact number but it seemed like a lot for the Pacific Northwest. But with the pace of climate change accelerating even faster than the climate scientists originally thought even just a few short years ago, this weather is probably going to be more common and no doubt Tika isn't going to be very happy about that. I could go on at this point about the climate, but as this blog is primarily related to my housesitting adventures, I won't. Suffice to say that like the old Bachman Turner Overdrive song from the '70's said, "BBBbaby you just ain't seen nnnothin' yet." It's all very sad, really.
Back here at the ranch, Tika is relaxing in the shade by the side of the house after her morning walk, catching whatever cool breeze that she can in order to keep as comfortable as possible. Maybe she's dreaming about cats, but she could also be dreaming about winter and snow, a time when I am pretty sure that she is most happy with the temperature. Or maybe, just maybe, she is dreaming of a place called Dawson City way up there in the Yukon, where I've told her that the temperature can get well below the minus 50 mark, and she's thinking that maybe one day she might have the chance to experience how wonderful that temperature would feel to her. But in the meantime, she's got a pretty good life right here in Everett, and I have the good fortune to be her care giver until Sept 21st, and for that I am grateful indeed.
Until next time,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
THOREAU TIME
POST # 39
It's late in the afternoon on blog day and finally the Thoughtful Wanderer has a moment to sit in front of the computer and scratch out a few brief thoughts, and I will be brief because I am on the clock right now on this terminal.
So, due to unforeseen circumstances, I am housesit free at the moment and may just be this way until October 1st. But hey, that's OK because I look upon this time now as "vacation" time for Mr. Petsitter. Almost 5 whole weeks to fill up with who knows what?
A look at the globe makes me think that I should find a warm beach somewhere and just hang out for a while, and that still is a possibility, however in the meantime I continue to check out any new housesit opportunities which may come my way.
I am exploring all points of the compass from Vancouver, to Dawson City, to Pacific Pallisades in California, and even as far away as Normandy in France, where my ancestors set out from, all those years ago to begin populating North America.
To fill in my time in between though, I continue to do the things that I enjoy which includes reading, writing, thinking, walking (or learning to again) and riding my bike. It's all part of the adventure, and so let's get too it. It's a life that Thoreau would approve of I'm sure.
Hopefully there will be more thoughts to write down in September.
Until then,
Stay happy.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
And a PS. This afternoon I bid bon voyage to some dear friends who as I write these words are jetting their way to Crete, via Scotland where they plan to settle for quite some time it sounds like. I wish them all the very best and I hope to cross paths with them again sometime in the future.
It's late in the afternoon on blog day and finally the Thoughtful Wanderer has a moment to sit in front of the computer and scratch out a few brief thoughts, and I will be brief because I am on the clock right now on this terminal.
So, due to unforeseen circumstances, I am housesit free at the moment and may just be this way until October 1st. But hey, that's OK because I look upon this time now as "vacation" time for Mr. Petsitter. Almost 5 whole weeks to fill up with who knows what?
A look at the globe makes me think that I should find a warm beach somewhere and just hang out for a while, and that still is a possibility, however in the meantime I continue to check out any new housesit opportunities which may come my way.
I am exploring all points of the compass from Vancouver, to Dawson City, to Pacific Pallisades in California, and even as far away as Normandy in France, where my ancestors set out from, all those years ago to begin populating North America.
To fill in my time in between though, I continue to do the things that I enjoy which includes reading, writing, thinking, walking (or learning to again) and riding my bike. It's all part of the adventure, and so let's get too it. It's a life that Thoreau would approve of I'm sure.
Hopefully there will be more thoughts to write down in September.
Until then,
Stay happy.
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
And a PS. This afternoon I bid bon voyage to some dear friends who as I write these words are jetting their way to Crete, via Scotland where they plan to settle for quite some time it sounds like. I wish them all the very best and I hope to cross paths with them again sometime in the future.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
MARLEY AND ME (AND PILLOW AND THE GIRLS)
POST # 38
"Molly, ah Maggie, ah Myrtle, I mean MARLEY." Poor Marley the dog must be wondering just how stupid a petsitter he has, as I struggle to have his name come to my lips. I guess that is one of the hazards of having done so many housesits and gotten to know so many dogs with names that start with the letter "m". Marley just gives me this blank expression and delays his tail wagging until the right name spills out. Maybe by writing this blog and seeing his name in print I will remember his name in the future.
Marley is only one of the animals that I now have in my care. There is also, Pillow the cat and then the 6 ladies who live in the chicken house at night and out in the yard during the daytime. In addition to all of these pets, there are numerous bunny rabbits bounding around the property so it all adds up to a very happy place to be at the moment.
Nestled in the hills south of Nanoose Bay on 5 acres, the setting is extremely peacefull and it's a wonderful break from being in the city. I really had no plans originally for this time period, but then out of the blue a one week housesit came up on the housecarers website, so I applied and here I am. It's a great match and I am very happy to be here and very greatful for the opportunity.
Pillow the cat is unique as far as I can tell, as she is the first cat that I have ever met who doesn't purr. Or maybe she does, but just not around me. The first day I was here she went walkabout as cats sometimes do, but since then she's been hanging around with all the other pets so we are all just one big family.
The 6 chickens or chooks as they call them in Australia are fun to be around. They like to be where you are at any given moment and it's easy to see if anyone is missing as there are three different colours, two rust, two grey and two a grey/black speckled colour. Each day they leave a few little gifts for me in their chicken coup in the form of eggs.
Everyday Marley and me spend time near the edge of the property and pick blackberries until we've had our fill. Marley picks a few of the low hanging fruit, but it's much more fun to have me pick them and throw them his way. He's a great catch, so very few berries hit the ground after leaving my hand. There are way more blackberries here than we could possibly get through, and it is wonderful to be able to have some fresh fruit right off the vine each day.
I also have the good fortune of having a trampoline on the property which I have been using on a daily basis to exercise my leg and that, along with a hot tub to soak in seems to be helping my leg during this recovery period. I have been taking longer walks each day without the use of the cane so I know I am getting better, but there is still a long way to go before I get back to normal, that is if I ever do.
This housesit only goes until the end of the week and then I will be back to Vancouver for about 5 weeks at one of my regular sits. In the meantime I will try to soak up as much of the peace and quiet here as I can before I return to the big city.
Marley is looking at me with those "blackberry eyes" so it's time to get outside and start picking. I can't think of a better way to continue this lovely summer morning here in the country.
Bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
"Molly, ah Maggie, ah Myrtle, I mean MARLEY." Poor Marley the dog must be wondering just how stupid a petsitter he has, as I struggle to have his name come to my lips. I guess that is one of the hazards of having done so many housesits and gotten to know so many dogs with names that start with the letter "m". Marley just gives me this blank expression and delays his tail wagging until the right name spills out. Maybe by writing this blog and seeing his name in print I will remember his name in the future.
Marley is only one of the animals that I now have in my care. There is also, Pillow the cat and then the 6 ladies who live in the chicken house at night and out in the yard during the daytime. In addition to all of these pets, there are numerous bunny rabbits bounding around the property so it all adds up to a very happy place to be at the moment.
Nestled in the hills south of Nanoose Bay on 5 acres, the setting is extremely peacefull and it's a wonderful break from being in the city. I really had no plans originally for this time period, but then out of the blue a one week housesit came up on the housecarers website, so I applied and here I am. It's a great match and I am very happy to be here and very greatful for the opportunity.
Pillow the cat is unique as far as I can tell, as she is the first cat that I have ever met who doesn't purr. Or maybe she does, but just not around me. The first day I was here she went walkabout as cats sometimes do, but since then she's been hanging around with all the other pets so we are all just one big family.
The 6 chickens or chooks as they call them in Australia are fun to be around. They like to be where you are at any given moment and it's easy to see if anyone is missing as there are three different colours, two rust, two grey and two a grey/black speckled colour. Each day they leave a few little gifts for me in their chicken coup in the form of eggs.
Everyday Marley and me spend time near the edge of the property and pick blackberries until we've had our fill. Marley picks a few of the low hanging fruit, but it's much more fun to have me pick them and throw them his way. He's a great catch, so very few berries hit the ground after leaving my hand. There are way more blackberries here than we could possibly get through, and it is wonderful to be able to have some fresh fruit right off the vine each day.
I also have the good fortune of having a trampoline on the property which I have been using on a daily basis to exercise my leg and that, along with a hot tub to soak in seems to be helping my leg during this recovery period. I have been taking longer walks each day without the use of the cane so I know I am getting better, but there is still a long way to go before I get back to normal, that is if I ever do.
This housesit only goes until the end of the week and then I will be back to Vancouver for about 5 weeks at one of my regular sits. In the meantime I will try to soak up as much of the peace and quiet here as I can before I return to the big city.
Marley is looking at me with those "blackberry eyes" so it's time to get outside and start picking. I can't think of a better way to continue this lovely summer morning here in the country.
Bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
FALLING BLACK DOTS AND OTHER THINGS
POST #37
As I looked up into the air, the tiny image of the Piper Navajo aircraft came into view from the east. It was at a height of 12,500 feet. Only about a half hour before, I had been having a chat with the pilot of the aircraft and now he was passing right overhead here at Pitt Meadows airport. From that height, the Navajo looks pretty tiny, but it was nothing in comparison to what was to come. With eyes straining, the first black dot exited the aircraft, followed by 5 more dots in fairly rapid succession. Each one of these specks were falling rapidly towards the ground at a rate of 176 feet per second. And one of those black dots falling in the morning sky was my niece Laura. She and a group of friends had come to Vancouver for the long weekend from Calgary and one of the things, on their list of things to do was to go skydiving.
The first part of the skydive was in freefall which was the reason for the rapid descent. Watching this from the ground, it is rather amazing at just how fast this appears to happen. After about a 5000 foot freefall, the chute pops out and the jumpers all gradually descend to the target field below. Being first time jumpers, they were all strapped to a skydiving instructor which allows people who have never jumped before, to experience a freefall on their very first jump.
When they returned to the airport hanger they were all "pumped up" which was to be expected after what they had just experienced. While we waited on the ground for their various photos and videos to be produced I had an opportunity to ask them all what they thought was the best part. Most agreed that the moment they exited the door of the aircraft was the most memorable part of the whole event. Once you jump out that door, there is no going back, and then you are left to depend on the skill of the instructor as well as the skill of the person who packed your parachute. I'm guessing that for those first 5000 feet of freefall, there might on occasion be just a hint of doubt as to whether or not the chute is going to deploy properly, and I imagine that all the virgin jumpers as they had called themselves prior to heading up into the air, experienced a sigh of releif once the chute finally did open. Or maybe the experience was so intense that their minds were just focused on the present moment as the ground rushed towards them. Whatever the case, they all were very pleased that they had traded a small amount of cash for what was probably a once in a lifetime experience for some of them. I was happy to have had the opportunity to experience this with them, even though it was only from the ground looking up.
Back here on the housesitting front I am now in week number four with Jackson and Peach, a bonus week, as the owners normally only go away for three weeks at this time of year. So lucky me, I get some extra time with these two little baby boneheads as I like to call them. The more I get to know them, the cuter they become. Peach injured her leg a while back but it seems to be getting better although from time to time she does limp. Maybe she is showing some empathy towards the housesitter's limp. The vet didn't seem to think it was anything too serious, but to keep an eye on it, and aside from that she is as energetic as can be.
Come this Saturday, my housesit here will be finished and prior to about a week ago, it was looking like I would have two weeks to fill without any housesit commitment. But then out of the blue, I found a week in Nanoose Bay and about a half of a week here in Vancouver, so most of the holes in my calendar are now filled up. What to do with the few days I have free, I haven't decided on yet, however I am contemplating a visit to one of the Gulf islands with my bike and tent in order to get out of the city, but we'll see what happens in the next few days.
And the one other thing to note is that depending on how the first part of next week goes, I may or may not be near a computer on the 14th so there is the potential for a missed blog on that day. If I am in the city I will be able to get to the library, but if I'm out camping I won't. In any event, by the 21st I will be housesitting again and with internet access, so the writing will continue then for sure.
The journey continues.
Bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
As I looked up into the air, the tiny image of the Piper Navajo aircraft came into view from the east. It was at a height of 12,500 feet. Only about a half hour before, I had been having a chat with the pilot of the aircraft and now he was passing right overhead here at Pitt Meadows airport. From that height, the Navajo looks pretty tiny, but it was nothing in comparison to what was to come. With eyes straining, the first black dot exited the aircraft, followed by 5 more dots in fairly rapid succession. Each one of these specks were falling rapidly towards the ground at a rate of 176 feet per second. And one of those black dots falling in the morning sky was my niece Laura. She and a group of friends had come to Vancouver for the long weekend from Calgary and one of the things, on their list of things to do was to go skydiving.
The first part of the skydive was in freefall which was the reason for the rapid descent. Watching this from the ground, it is rather amazing at just how fast this appears to happen. After about a 5000 foot freefall, the chute pops out and the jumpers all gradually descend to the target field below. Being first time jumpers, they were all strapped to a skydiving instructor which allows people who have never jumped before, to experience a freefall on their very first jump.
When they returned to the airport hanger they were all "pumped up" which was to be expected after what they had just experienced. While we waited on the ground for their various photos and videos to be produced I had an opportunity to ask them all what they thought was the best part. Most agreed that the moment they exited the door of the aircraft was the most memorable part of the whole event. Once you jump out that door, there is no going back, and then you are left to depend on the skill of the instructor as well as the skill of the person who packed your parachute. I'm guessing that for those first 5000 feet of freefall, there might on occasion be just a hint of doubt as to whether or not the chute is going to deploy properly, and I imagine that all the virgin jumpers as they had called themselves prior to heading up into the air, experienced a sigh of releif once the chute finally did open. Or maybe the experience was so intense that their minds were just focused on the present moment as the ground rushed towards them. Whatever the case, they all were very pleased that they had traded a small amount of cash for what was probably a once in a lifetime experience for some of them. I was happy to have had the opportunity to experience this with them, even though it was only from the ground looking up.
Back here on the housesitting front I am now in week number four with Jackson and Peach, a bonus week, as the owners normally only go away for three weeks at this time of year. So lucky me, I get some extra time with these two little baby boneheads as I like to call them. The more I get to know them, the cuter they become. Peach injured her leg a while back but it seems to be getting better although from time to time she does limp. Maybe she is showing some empathy towards the housesitter's limp. The vet didn't seem to think it was anything too serious, but to keep an eye on it, and aside from that she is as energetic as can be.
Come this Saturday, my housesit here will be finished and prior to about a week ago, it was looking like I would have two weeks to fill without any housesit commitment. But then out of the blue, I found a week in Nanoose Bay and about a half of a week here in Vancouver, so most of the holes in my calendar are now filled up. What to do with the few days I have free, I haven't decided on yet, however I am contemplating a visit to one of the Gulf islands with my bike and tent in order to get out of the city, but we'll see what happens in the next few days.
And the one other thing to note is that depending on how the first part of next week goes, I may or may not be near a computer on the 14th so there is the potential for a missed blog on that day. If I am in the city I will be able to get to the library, but if I'm out camping I won't. In any event, by the 21st I will be housesitting again and with internet access, so the writing will continue then for sure.
The journey continues.
Bye for now,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
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