awanderingcanadian

[awanderingcanadian]

2024: Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out!

Looking back at my social media memories over the years, on this day, has confirmed that this year has been hard. In 2023, I lost my best friend, after her battling an insidious disease for over 2 decades. I was devastated, but also relieved that her fight was over. 2022 was a good year for me: retirement, travel came back, we were able to hang out with friends and family again. Of course we all know what 3/4 of 2020 and most of 2021 was like.

What made this year so hard: too many losses. They just seemed to keep coming. In January, the first boy I cried over passed away so suddenly, (although for decades now we'd merely been acquaintances), and another older friend opted for MAID. Another friend was killed instantly in a vehicle accident while driving home from working away, (doing his last big project before retiring). Another friend just suddenly dropped...and was found lying under sunny skies. These, and others, have hit me so hard. On top of that were losses of older relatives.

Coupled with a recent election result, and the skirmishes around the world, (that I feel are merely a warm up for a main event), I've struggled.

Today, reflecting on the year and looking to next year I frankly wasn't feeling very positive, let alone festive. Fortunately, I have some good friends. One reminded me of how fortunate I am to live in a beautiful small island on the west coast of Canada. I went for a solitary walk, (also running some errands), and really thought about what she said, and about life.

This year I feel like I've found a good group of people in my fitness class: we exercise then often go for coffee later.

I have a beautiful home, relative financial security, a great husband, and a family who have loved me, and I them, for my entire life. I am blessed beyond belief to still have both of my parents with me, and while one is struggling with age and health, the other is off with us in two weeks' time on a holiday.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that maybe I can't change the world. Maybe I have to try and live with it in as positive a way as I can, realizing that, for many, my life would be a dream life. Maybe it's time to stop stressing about it all, (not saying I'm giving up on my values), but I'm going to try my best to look at the positives.

In the worst case scenario, the next few years will curtail travel, leaving me 'stuck' on my beautiful little island, with my plethora of e-books, my library, coffee shops, friends, and family. Maybe staying home will give me the time to once again have a pet??

Who knows? What I do know is that I will try to walk into 2025 with a more positive mindset than I've been able to muster for the past few months. All the best for a safe, healthy, stable, and happy 2025!

[awanderingcanadian]

What’s So Special About Christmas Anyway?

Christmas is my favourite holiday, yet ironically, I’m not at all religious. However, I love getting the tree, baking, decorating the house and tree, and even putting our star on the top of the tree. Yes, I’m aware of the symbolism of the star, but for a pretty much non-believer, it’s just pretty. So, knowing the historical stories around the ‘meaning’ of Christmas, why does someone like me still love it?

For me, Christmas is about family and traditions. It’s that simple. It’s the gathering of friends, the celebration of family times, (the time of year when we all make time to be together). I love watching people unwrap the gifts I’ve chosen for them, sitting eating far too much food and sweets, drinking too much tea, and other libations. I love all of it. I love that Christmas turns literally the darkest of days, into twinkling celebratory light.

This year was a tough year for me. I’ve lost too many people, for no apparent reasons, and I’m struggling with the direction much of the world is turning. I worry a lot about whether we are heading into a global conflict, and what that will make my retirement look like, depending as we do on investments rather than company/union pensions. Christmas does its best to pull me out of that funk. It lets me attempt to see the good in this world. This year, for the first time ever, I volunteered for the Salvation Army’s Kettle fund. Yes me, the non-believer, manned a kettle for a religious organization. Now don’t get any ideas that I’m moving in that direction, because although I support the work they do with the Kettle money, I also know…personally, that bad things go down in this church, just like all the other ones. However I needed to do something to restore my faith in humanity, and manning a kettle for a 2 hour shift, twice over the season, in a part of town that is…well ‘eclectic’ would be a kind word, and seeing people with far less than I, finding change to donate, young people emptying their wallets of several dollars in change, folks taking shelter indoors for an hour from the wind and rain outside, checking to be sure I was okay, well let’s just say, the intended outcome was met.

I’m not promoting Christmas as a ‘fix all’ for everyone, but find some kind of celebration in your culture, see the good in it, embrace it and make it your own. You’ll be surprised at the happiness it brings.

[awanderingcanadian]

My Nasty Neighbour

For a long time my people have lived in our home. We’ve always had a good relationship with our neighbours, who also have lived there for ages. In fact, our relationship has been so good that we’ve never built a fence, or even planted a hedge. Not that everything is always perfect. About eight years ago they had some guy move in who was frankly, a bit of a dick. After four years, the family got together and in a close decision they decided he had to move out of their house. Unfortunately a few years later, the family has decided that he isn’t so bad after all, and he’s moving back in. While the family has said he can only stay for a set amount of time, he’s already making noise about extending his stay, and he hasn’t even moved in yet.

I’ve never really liked this guy. He associates with some unsavoury people, and he makes my skin crawl with his open comments about women’s bodies, but because most of his family are okay with him, I figured I would just shut my mouth, stay out of his house and yard, and wait it out. I’m fine inviting his family members over to my house, or meeting them at someone else’s house, but there’s no way I’m going over to their house, or playing in their yard, while he’s living there. I think we will actually be having more of his family members at our house, because he bullies them and they will want to escape, or come over when they need help. I’m okay wth that.

A few days ago he mentioned that he wants to acquire my house and yard, and that I’m NOT okay with. Our house isn’t up for sale, and even if it was, he wouldn’t be who we would sell to. I think he likes our water features, and landscaping, and he sees it as an attractive acquisition. For many years though we’ve belonged to a sort of Home Owners Association. Currently it’s lead by a man named Charles, and while I’m not a fan of Charles, I do like the people in the HOA. I’m hopeful that the members of the HOA will step up to support us in stopping our neighbour from a hostile takeover of our home. The other day I heard someone in my house use the term “appeasement”, and my blood ran cold. Many years ago, a guy named Neville Chamberlain used that term with an unpleasant neighbour. His neighbour wasn’t right next door, but rather across some water. Unfortunately, the unpleasant neighbour teamed up with two other characters and created chaos throughout the neighbourhood. We supported Neville’s house, (although by then a guy named Winston had taken over as head of household, by sending people to help out). I think this might be our time to ask for a return favour.

While I’m obviously disappointed that my neighbour has invited this unsavoury character back into their house, I will respect their decision making. However, their relative must stay in their house and yard. It is not okay to come uninvited into my family’s space.

[awanderingcanadian]

Travel Plans versus Reality

We travel a lot, and if I’m being honest, I enjoy planning the trip almost as much as the trip itself. While planning often hits snags, (for example, prices change…in the wrong direction between a quote and payment, or flights change prior to departure, often messing up the onward journey), you still have time to move things around. However, once the trip is underway, snags and changes can send you spiralling. Yet as I often tell my friends and family: smooth travel doesn’t make for good stories.

I’m writing this in the United Club Lounge in the Denver airport, and before you say, “well, isn’t she roughing it?”, I will be the first to agree, however in the spirit of full disclosure, our credit card gives us two Club passes every year, and frankly we save them for the long layover. This layover was over 4 hours, so pass worthy. Thus far our travel for this week long trip has been seamless, (although by writing this I’ve probably jinxed it). When we left we had a 6:10 am taxi, (on a small island with a grand total of 2 taxis, things can easily go wrong), for a 6:20 ferry, followed by a taxi ride to the second ferry, after which we boarded a city bus, then took rapid transit, and tah dah, we were at the airport for the first of two flights. All went well.

Today, my brother in law drove us to the airport in plenty of time for flight 1, and we currently wait for our 2nd flight, after which we will overnight in Vancouver, then ferry home the next day. As I said, it’s all been smooth travel…except ironically for entering the vaunted Club Lounge. We use our passes almost every year we get them, and usually it’s no problem, but both times we’ve tried in Denver, it’s been problematic. Because they’re down to one lounge in our area, it’s always busy, and often they won’t allow us lowly one time pass people access. Then their reader says our United flight isn’t an eligible airline, (???), and when someone comes to help us, it then says the pass has already been used. Fortunately, the lovely people realize it’s not us trying to scam them, and let us in.

However, we have found ourselves unexpectedly in Mexico City for 14 hours instead of 4 hours, (when the Max9’s were pulled out of service for safety checks…that’s fair), and stuck in Hanoi, Vietnam in March of 2020 as flight after flight cancelled during COVID, and we were trying to get home. As I say…when in the mirror, these are great stories.

I’m always in the midst of finishing one trip and finalizing two more…truth. Yesterday we paid our final payment on a January stay, and we’re booking for a Greece trip in May. Lots of balls in the air. However, I enjoy the chase of good prices, and the planning regardless of the time it takes. After all, what else to do with my retirement time?

Until next time…

[awanderingcanadian]

Winter Life on a Small Island on the West Coast of Canada

I live on a small island on the west coast of Canada. A Mecca for boaters, a summer retreat for many, (when our population soars to 12,000-13,000 from the usual 4500 permanent dwellers), it’s a different story in the winter months. Last week the vaunted “bomb cyclone” blew through, leaving around 150,000 people ‘powerless’ on Vancouver Island, and the many small Gulf Islands.

Vancouver Island is the size of England, but the population is a mere approximate 864,000. This means that, with the exception of a few larger communities, we are scattered and remote. Some communities require people to drive on dirt logging roads, like the one below, while others are one ferry, (or more) away from the main island. To reach one of our nearby islands, crews had to be barged over, (as it’s not serviced by a ferry).

Because there was a warning, our publicly owned utility company was able to bring trucks and crews from other parts of BC in advance of the storm. This was necessary because at one point all ferries were cancelled due to the 160km winds, (105mph for American readers). Some crews drove 4-5 hours, then took a 2 hour ferry to get to Vancouver Island, then were deployed to smaller communities, up to 5 hours away from their ferry landing, or to small islands. I’m sure it was an experience for all!

These crews worked tirelessly. Major centres were up first, but our little island sustained so much damage that at one point we had 15 trucks over here. You would see the Hydro, (electric company), trucks zigzagging with the tree removal people. The volunteer fire department was out and about, manning the station, (as we lost cell service as well for a day), helping to remove trees, and putting up caution tape around downed wires. These are some views from my little neighbourhood:

For 5 days the sound of chainsaws filled the air. Crews were working 16 hour days, then they sent over 3 more crews to work through the night. November is the wettest month of the year here on the coast, as well as being dark and cold, so residents were out in force offering warm drinks and warm food to the hard working crews.

Being on a small island, we are somewhat prepared for these events. Many people have wood stoves to keep heat on, many have natural gas stoves, (although it’s run on propane here), so they can cook on the stovetop. Everyone has lanterns and candles. Some have generators. We have a trailer, that has a generator, so after a few days without power, we decamped there for a few hours one morning, enjoying filtered coffee and heat. It felt quite luxurious.

Another thing about living in a small, close knit community is the generosity of neighbours, and the communication. We have a few Facebook groups, but the one I belong to was being constantly updated, by our elected RDN official, (kudos to Vanessa Craig), by the volunteer fire department, and by residents who would post when their power was restored, so we could follow the progress. People with power were offering showers, heat, and hot food to others did not yet have power. One couple who were stuck in Vancouver, asked people to stop by their place to see if it was okay, (no trees on the building). They put their address in the social media group, and many of us went by to check, (it was fine), and reported back. No one looted the house. Now, I’m not sure I personally would post my address in a public forum, but this entire experience showed in the best of humanity.

Despite gas rationing at the island’s only gas station, as of today, (Monday), they had run out of regular and premium gas. With one “dangerous cargo” sailing per week, that means no gas on the island until Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately, there are many gas stations in Nanaimo…and the ferries are running!

[awanderingcanadian]

All the Feelings

I didn’t know if this post woul ever see the light of day. It’s a dark one, written in a dark time, by someone who feels like they’re drowning in the darkness of it all. To say the past few days have been horrible would be an understatement. Here’s my truth, the way I see it, and the way I am feeling:

Four days ago, America voted for money and greed over people, human beings, and the vulnerable of this world. Eight years ago, when this man who quoted Hilter, and who I then called a fascist, (years before it was popular), was elected. When I expressed my concerns then over what I had heard come from his mouth, I was reassured that it was all “just talk”, that “things will settle down”, that he would never “overturn Roe versus Wade”, basically that I was an alarmist. We all know what happened.

Eight years later, there are no excuses for not knowing exactly who and what you were voting for. America decided that since they don’t trust women enough to make their own health choices, they certainly couldn’t trust one to run the country. There’s a lot of finger pointing going on, but here’s the bottom line: this isn’t any one person’s fault…not Biden, not Harris, not anyone. It’s a cultural problem:  there are just not enough Americans who truly believe that women are truly equal, and deserve equal rights in everything. They just don’t, and until they do, America will NEVER see a woman in charge of the country, let alone one who isn’t white. I know, I’m being harsh, but America it’s time to wake up and deal with your HUGE culture of discrimination. If I’m feeling it, as a heterosexual, white woman, (second in the power ladder), then imagine what it’s like today in America to be: of colour, gay, non-binary, a child, a victim of rape, or to have physical or cognitive challenges. What I've learned is that, in the US, "freedom" is given, and can be take away, at any time, by men.

America likes to pass laws and “titles”/statutes to deal with these things, but the problem doesn’t really go away, until there is a shift to where people actually believe in doing it because it’s the RIGHT thing to do, not because some law or statute says you have to do it, or lose funding. As for me, my heart is breaking, as I realize the people who I love and I thought cared for me, have chosen money and greed instead of choosing me. I used to pretend that all Trump voters were poor, uneducated people who didn’t know any

better and could be scammed, and yes, there are many of those people out there. Yet over the past several years, I’ve met many educated, interesting people, who vote for Trump. Most of these people are middle to upper middle class, although one or two could buy their own jets and have their own pilots. The point being that NONE of them are uneducated or poor. Whenever you ask what they like about Trump, it’s unanimous: they “like his policies”, and when you ask what policies, they’re all about making more money. So, with all of that in mind, here’s where I come down on all of this:

Poor people: this man is not going to make your lives any better. Not being able to afford groceries isn’t going to get any easier when those pesky immigrants who picked your lettuce are gone, and you can’t afford lettuce anymore because either: a) the new pickers are making twice as much money, or b) America is having to import lettuce because no one will pick it for the money being offered. (Farmers, take note of that one.) Having Walmart at your state’s largest employer is one of your basic problems. Having a crappy public education system is another.

I don’t fault the poor and uneducated for trying anything to make their lives better. I can understand that better than the second group of Trump voters: those who “like his policies.” Those who have chosen money, greed, weekly manicures, and frequent $5.00 coffee drinks, over me. Over women, minorities, and the vulnerable, everywhere in America. Over their wives, daughters, sisters, aunties, grandmothers, and the countless others who aren’t even born yet, but will have to be born because women don’t have choice over that either. Women who allowed their husbands, fathers, or whoever, to tell them how to vote, and even allowed those men to fill in their ballot for them. Yes, I actually KNOW someone who allowed her husband to fill in her ballot. For all of those people, I’ve run out of time, love, and patience.

I grew up with a mother who chose alcohol and prescription drugs over her children. Yes, she is an addict, but those choices still leave scars about feeling less valued than drugs and alcohol. Other events in my personal life have left me feeling like I’m not important, and, without getting into details, have re-opened those childhood emotional wounds.  Now a country has chosen money and greed over me, and I think I’ve finally reached my tolerance for abuse. Maybe that’s why this election has upset me so much: because I feel like a sucker…again. I thought these people in my life cared for me. I have to ask, who is the flawed person: the person who choose money and greed over you, or the person who thought they were worthy of being chosen?

Some people will say that immigration was the issue, but the people I know who voted for Trump have never listed immigration as their issue. Frankly, unless you’re Native American, you’re an immigrant, and those people who proudly trace their lineage back to the Mayflower…you were the first illegals in this country, and you encouraged your whole family to follow you, do escape persecution and for a better life. Does that sound familiar?

I feel like the ‘participation ribbon’ generation have started to vote. The people who always got a ribbon and were never let down. Guess what? That’s not real life. Real life is having to sacrifice sometimes, lots of times in fact, to get what you want.

So yes, I have some tough decisions to make and some tough conversations to have. I’ve given myself a week to see if things simmer down inside of me, but today if anything, I’m more angry, more disappointed, more devastated, than I was yesterday. Can I really sit across a table and make conversation with someone who thinks I’m less of deserving of the same rights that he has? Can I continue to have a relationship/friendship with someone who values money over me? Can I keep my mouth shut, as my sisterhood, and those more vulnerable than a heterosexual white woman fear for their safety? I guess in three days, time will tell.

BTW, is anyone else getting these ads now on their social media feeds?

[awanderingcanadian]

Heading to Crested Butte, Colorado

Our journey from Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, to Crested Butte, in southern Colorado, was a two day driving affair. Both days our Google Maps lady took us on gravel roads, (which can be quite challenging when towing a travel trailer), the final one being over a mountain pass, topping out at 9900 feet in altitude. I was doing the driving on day two and let’s just say there was some colourful language over those gravel roads miles. In places, the road had washboard conditions, one lane traffic, no shoulder, and lots and lots of vehicles, a few of which swerved across the road right in front of me for a viewpoint. It had lots of excitement for sure.

However, the scenery was spectacular. We have arrived to full blown autumnal glory, with colours we don’t get to see on the west coast of Canada. While challenging, we managed to snap some photos along our journey. Thanks to Bonnie for the photo of our trailer traversing the road!

Why Crested Butte, you may ask? Well, it’s the home of my former housemate, and exchange teacher from Scotland, Jackie…and her husband Brian. Our travel partners are the other half of that teacher exchange, and her husband who she met on said exchange, and who hails from the same wee town in Scotland as Jackie, (they’ve known each other for years!) So, it was a reunion of sorts. Craig and I hadn’t seen Jackie and Brian since the spring of 2018 when we were living in Scotland, and they came back for a visit. Bonnie and Ewan hadn’t seen Jackie since perhaps their wedding, and had yet to meet Brian. The talk the first night was a lot of catching up, with the four of them knowing the same people, at different times, so it was very entertaining.

Crested Butte is at about 8500 feet above sea level, and yesterday we did a lovely hike to a ridge that was at around 10,500! The views were amazing, but the company was better. I love data, so let me arrange our grouping in a few different ways: there are 6 of us…3 born in Scotland, 2 born in the USA, and one born in Canada. Or…4 live in Canada, (and are citizens of Canada), while 2 live, and are citizens of the USA. Four met their respective spouses while two were on a teacher exchange, while the other two met while on vacation in Mexico.

In the end, us three women have known each other for 34 years. It’s crazy, but what a wonderful world.!

[awanderingcanadian]

Keeping Travel Fun in a Political Environment

If you travel at all, even within your own country, you’re eventually going to find yourself in places where the politics of the majority of the people there don’t match your own. This can make for an uncomfortable, and sometimes even an unpleasant, trip. I am currently in the United States, which as the world knows, is in the grips of a tightly contested election between two people with very different ideas of how America should be.

Now, I am quite a political person, so being here now could perhaps not end well, however, we have had lovely interactions with everyone we have met, from many different states. I think the reason for this, is that our conversations have only once been about politics. The rest have been about how the trail is, what animals we have seen, how the showers are, where each of us is from, etc? Through these conversations, you discover that we have far more that we all enjoy, and that politics doesn’t need to be part of every conversation. That doesn’t mean there aren’t important things at stake in elections: there are, but it means that we don’t always have to hit each other over the head with our differing views. Election boxes are how you actually do something that has an affect, not shouting at people in social settings.

Sometimes we all need to remember that beautiful places and spaces can bring about really lovely conversations…no politics in sight.

[awanderingcanadian]

Meandering in Grand Teton National Park

It’s been a lovely few days in Grand Teton National Park. With much warmer overnight temperatures then Yellowstone, and warm days, 24-25C, we’ve been enjoying our time here. I’m amazed at how different the scenery is from Yellowstone, yet there are less than an hour’s drive apart.

A few days ago, the four of us set off for the hike around Jenny Lake, (7.2 miles…11.6kms). It was a beautiful day. Due to my, (improving), hip situation, I purposefully only did half of the hike, getting to one switchback below Inspiration Point, before taking the ferry back across the lake. The other 3 continued on for was ended up being an over 4 hour hike.

Yesterday, we headed in Jackson, Wyoming, human population 10,600…winter elk population 7000! While very touristy, it hasn’t yet been ruined. We enjoyed a pizza lunch, as well as taking care of the necessities of banking, grocery shopping, and fuelling up, as we pull out early tomorrow morning. The ‘boys’ rode their bikes there, (60kms), while Bonnie and I took the truck, meeting them at the Visitors Centre and Elk Refuge. En route, Bonnie and I saw a mama moose and her calf, while on the way back we saw a bull moose who was posing for photos!

There is a big fire burning east of the park and yesterday the skies at times were completely smoky, obliterating the mountains completely, while at other times it was merely hazy. We took a side road on the way back to see the old Mormon houses and to get a good look at the roiling smoke cloud.

The park is in the process of closing. Today the restaurants closed after breakfast and the main bathrooms and showers here at Coulter Bay are on restricted hours, (two 2 hour openings: 8-10am and 4-6pm). As of today, the Coulter Bay RV park is the only campground remaining open. However, the scenery here is amazing, and we’ve made some good memories.

[awanderingcanadian]

Wandering In ‘Merica

I’m writing this from Grand Teton National Park, a quick 1.5 hours from our campground in Yellowstone. We spent 4 nights in Yellowstone. Having visited there 10 years ago during the very busy summer season, it was nice to come back when it was a bit quieter. Of course, it was significantly colder as well, with overnight temperatures getting down to 0C.

We walked the boardwalks of some of their amazing geysers, I rode my electric bike twice to Lake Lodge to get wifi…and one evening I had an amazing cocktall there as well…strictly while waiting for the slow evening wifi.

Visiting Yellowstone is like visiting another planet. The moonscape features of the hot spring geysers, as the ground underneath you is in a state of constant eruption, makes it a place like no other. Of course, Old Faithful is famous throughout the world, and it’s nicely laid out for a good walk around the many bubbling pools, but there are so many other amazing geysers to see throughout the park. Then there’s the wildlife: buffalo, wolves, bears, and elk to name a few.

We enjoyed our 4 nights in Yellowstone and are looking forward to our time in Grand Teton.

[awanderingcanadian]

The Start of the Road Trip

Thursday we headed out for a 28 day road trip. When you live on an island, off of another island, getting to the mainland is always the first big step. Thursday was our first night of 4 nights ‘off the grid’, although in the spirit of full disclosure, we spent it in a casino parking lot just north of Seattle. We enjoyed a restaurant meal, stocked up on some fruits and vegetables, and even had a little retail therapy…so much for roughing it!

The next two nights were spent in Hip Camps: the first just outside of Spokane, Washington, the second outside of Bozeman, Montana. Both were great in different ways, and both had small challenges. Unfortunately, I only took a photo at the first one. It was a farm, and our site was deeply rutted, but we made it work. The young man who owned the property gifted us a dozen fresh eggs! The second one was beautiful: cement pads for the trailer, a flush toilet, a solar shower, and two of the spaces even had electrical hook ups. Unfortunately, it was RIGHT off of both I-90 and the long distance rail lines, so if you were a light sleeper, this wouldn’t be the place for you.

Our last day ‘off the grid’ was at Madison campground, just inside of the West gate entrance to Yellowstone National Park. After a big mix up, where somehow they’re reservation system put both our site, and our friend’s site, (who were arriving 2 days later), under our friend’s name, (although I had booked all of them and had a printed confirmation in our name), we were permitted to stay. Our site was super tight: we had to position our trailer between two trees for our slide, but overall, it was a beautiful location.

[awanderingcanadian]

OMG, I'm Aging!

You can't wait to finish school, then suddenly one day you find yourself in university living your best life,

graduating and starting your career,

finding your "person", (that's not our baby...fyi),

owning your first home, watching nieces and nephews be born and go through childhood....even graduating from university themselves,

changing jobs, moving countries,

and traveling extensively,

You even get to experience a global pandemic...

In your mind, all of this has taken place over the course of a few years, and you're still young and fun, right?

Then suddenly something happens, and you finally realize that you're aging. It's funny what triggers that realization. I've lost quite a few friends over the past few years, but somehow I wasn't feeling old myself. The eldest of our nieces and nephews is in her mid 40's with 3 children of her own...nope, I still wasn't feeling old. Maybe my feeling of aging has been delayed because I am fortunate enough to still have both of my parents, (albeit it that my mum has dementia and is declining...this photo is from 2020)

There have been ups and downs over the years, even with my "person" that we have had to work through, but we were still youngish.

Oddly enough, it's been my nephew, (the 3rd youngest of the 10), getting his first "big boy" job, that has triggered the realization that I'm aging. I don't know why this was the catalyst. The reality that there are no more "littles" in our lives, that they are moving into their own careers, and our careers have ended...I don't know. Anyway, I'm still up for living life like a youngster...despite the fact that...OMG, I'm aging!

[awanderingcanadian]

Cheating at the Highest Level

I wrote this almost two weeks ago. While the Olympic Games have come to a close, I still wanted to post this.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be aware of the drone spying scandal that has rocked the Canadian women’s soccer team in Paris. Personally, I’ve been all over the page with this one. My first response was incredulity, and frustration. I felt the team should be disqualified from playing. Then I was furious with Soccer Canada and the coaching staff…and that feeling still remains. However, my feelings about the players themselves are more complex. I so want to believe they didn’t know, but people from outside of Canada say they just don’t think that can be the case. I read Christine Sinclair’s post about never being part of any drone spying, and I want to believe her, because frankly she’s an international icon, and the most decorated soccer player in the world. When I saw Vanessa Gilles emotional post about the team not “being cheaters” it hit me hard: I went to the players corner.

I hate cheaters. That means that I think every coach, manager, person at Soccer Canada, and others, who knew about this should be fired. If the players knew, and continued to play, taking points, and the chance to advance, from other teams, they should be ashamed. And sanctioned. However, if they were shown video, (which I’m sure they were), without context, (“we cheated and took this”), then they epitomize the Canadian team slogan for these Olympics: “Be Brave”, because they were. Watching from a very outside view, this scandal may actually have helped the Canadian women: they closed ranks, shut out the outside noise, (because frankly it was all negative noise), and focussed on the job at hand. Isn’t that what they should be allowed to do, and protected to to, every time?

I’ve discussed this situation with friends who have either played soccer for Canada’s national team, or been high up in Sport Canada in a managerial role, and no matter how we cut it, it’s not pretty. I feel like this was soccer’s Ben Johnson moment. Sure, other teams cheat as well, but we always seem to get caught, and it doesn’t matter how you cut it, cheating isn’t okay. This scandal has tainted not just soccer, but the Canadian athletes across the board, and that’s not okay either.

Here’s to the Canadian women for being brave in the face of adversity. I just wish this was the end to cheating also.

After I wrote this, Canada went on to advance to the round of 16. I watched the game against Germany, and we played like lions. However I think the round robin play was where Canada felt they had to prove themselves, and although I was sad to see them lose in PK’s, I also think that any medal these games would have felt like a tainted medal.

[awanderingcanadian]

Adventures with a New RV

A few months ago we took our ‘new to us’ travel trailer out for our highly anticipated shakeout trip. The purpose for the trip was to find out how everything worked in our new trailer. We were so excited to get out and enjoy it. We deliberately chose a nearby provincial park, without hook ups, (no electricity, water, or sewage), so we could check out our newly installed solar panels. Armed with two brand new batteries, we were eager to see how we fared over the 4 nights. Unfortunately, it turned into the worst trip ever.

This is our second travel trailer, and we had to live in our last one for 5 months during the pandemic when we returned home early and our house was rented out, so we’re not newbies to rv life. The first problem occurred when I turned on the water pump, filled the hot water tank, then turned on the hot water tank…and water stopped running. My husband frantically shouted, “turn off the water, it’s pouring out of the storage compartment.” Turns out the housing on our water pump had cracked, despite the trailer being winterized. Now, we don’t know if it was cracked when we bought it, or if it happened during our week of record breaking cold, (-15C), when we were away, so we figured this one was on us. A trip back to town and $165 later, Craig was back installing the new water pump, (in a small box with not much space for maneuvering).

Then on night one, we forgot to turn down the heater, (normally we do this to stop if from repeatedly coming on during the night as this is a big energy waster). The next morning, our batteries were dead. We were surprised by this quick drain, but we had both a brand new generator, and the new solar panels, so we figured we could make it through. That was not the case. To make a very long story short: two new batteries, a new solar panel, a new converter, and lots of cash later, things were fixed. The culprit: one of our brand new batteries had a dead cell, and it basically shorted out everything else. To add insult to injury, the front end of the truck started making weird noises as we were limping the trailer to the repair shop…the left front bearings had to be replaced.

Our second trip was a few weeks later. We did the 3 hour towing trip to the west coast of the Island. This is my favourite place in the entire world. We had full hookups, and perfect weather. What could go wrong?? Well, the other side of the front end went. At the end of our week, we made the 3 hour trip back, towing, while the truck noise got louder and louder. This time we paid the big bucks and had the entire front end rebuilt.

Another few weeks later, and we returned to the scene of the crime, Rathtrevor Beach, with a group of badminton friends. Again the trailer refused to accept a charge from the generator. We hooked the generator up successfully to another trailer, and we tried a different generator on our trailer. No dice. It turns out there was an open ground?? I don’t know that that means really, but whatever, it’s fixed now.

We’ve now done 2 great trips with the trailer: a 2 week trip to Invermere, via Christina Lake on the way out, and Cultus Lake on the way back, as well as a weekend trip to unite with my sisters and McGuire cousins. As we’re relaxing with the new trailer, we’re finally enjoying it. Here’s to many more adventures!

[awanderingcanadian]

Anniversaries of Sorts

As we move towards August, I have several ‘anniversaries’ coming up that bear recognition. I haven’t written for a while, in fact I’ve been absent really for the better part of a year. That’s not to say I haven’t written a ton in my mind, I just haven’t done anything with a keyboard. I don’t know why that is, but maybe it was to do with working through my losses and getting my head back in the right space? Who knows?

Back to the point of this post: August marks some significant anniversaries for me. Ironically, I seem to defining this as ‘before COVID’ and ‘after COVID’. Can you believe that in just 5 months we will be marking the 5th anniversary of the start of the pandemic? Where did those years go? I feel like we lost 3 years of our lives, but my 19 year old niece tells me differently. For her, she was finishing high school, graduating, and starting university: all significant milestones in a young life, but for me, they were the ‘lost years’. Perspective is everything. Again I digress…

August will mark 7 years since we moved to Scotland, and the start of a strange 3 years. Seven years!! It just seems like a few years ago. The plan, for those of you who don’t know or forgot, was that we live 2 years in Scotland, (with me working and Craig retired), then we would travel for a years. With that in mind, we signed a 3 year lease with the Crown, and on June 30, 2017 left our beautiful home for what was to be 3 years of fun and adventure.

Early August of 2017 we made the move. Having being born in Scotland, and having returned many times to see family, I thought I knew how it worked, but I didn’t. We spent the first 10 days chasing our tails: we couldn’t open a bank account without a UK address, we couldn’t get a phone plan without a bank account, and we couldn’t rent a place to live without both of the above. I had to get a National Insurance number, (the equivalent of a SIN or SS number for my North American friends), which ironically was the easiest part as I had a UK birth certificate. Within the first two weeks however, we had it all sorted, and had bought a car, a tv, and countless other items. Our big score was buying an inexpensive blender and getting a voucher for a case of wine for £25! Gosh, those were stressful, but heady days.

August, 2018 I unexpectedly returned to Canada, as Craig was denied a spousal visa. The short story is that the website was misleading, (that’s now been fixed), so we applied incorrectly, and the Home Office wasn’t lenient at all. Craig had to leave in June or be deported. We were the lead story one night on the news. But enough about that. Having no home to return to, we lived in our trailer off an on for months, and wintered in the home of a friend who went to central and South America for 4 months.

August, 2019 found us leaving for 11 months of travel. We booked flights to Heraklion, Greece and rented an apartment for a month, giving me a chance to rest up after leaving my job, and packing all of our belongings yet again. We bought insurance for a 330 day, multi-country trip, and we were off! What could go wrong?? Some of you might remember this time in our recent history…

August 2020 was a wash, nothing doing. August 2021 saw the border with the U.S. open from the Canadian side, but the same Americans who had been clamouring for the border to be open, decided to keep their side closed, (insert eye roll here). August 2022 we returned to Greece, yippee! August, 2023 we stayed home and had lots of people visit us!

But my favourite August anniversary will always be this one.

[awanderingcanadian]

My Hipster Story

Today I received my long awaited cortisone shot in my hip. After a long period of ruling out what wasn’t the problem, (hip replacement not needed, surgery not needed), as well as trying less invasive ways to fix it, three different types of physiotherapy, massage, core strengthening and stretching classes, (all of which has their own benefits, but didn’t rid me of the original problem and it’s accompanying pain), in April 4th I was scheduled for an April 6th cortisone injection. Hallelujah! Until a few hours later when I received the cancellation call. They needed to order a new probe, it was back east…& on back order. It finally arrived just over a week ago, but then the technician who uploads the software wasn’t available until this past Wednesday. Yesterday morning I finally got the call I was waiting for: could I come in at 9am this morning? I was ecstatic…but honestly a bit nervous as well.

I was the first patient to have the new probe. The specialist physician was to have been off today, but she came in to clear the 5 of us who had been waiting. I think I love her.

She said to take it easy for the remainder of the day, so I came home and relaxed by taking a 90 minute nap! I did do some light raking in the yard, but I’ve postponed finishing painting the outside columns and staining the porch decking until over the weekend.

I’m so excited to already be feeling the benefits, but am having to consciously undo the adaptations that have become habits, to accomplish simple things like exiting the car, walking up even a couple of stairs.

I start targeted physiotherapy at 7am on Tuesday morning, (thanks to our fabulous physiotherapist here on our little island), and I’m back at my core strength and fitness class on Monday morning, (despite it being a holiday weekend). I’m excited to see what I can do again!

Here’s to life resuming after a few years of curtailed activity. 🥂

[awanderingcanadian]

Local Travels!

While I often blog when I’m travelling out of the country, I rarely blog about some local travels. Last weekend I had the opportunity to go visit my niece up in central B.C. While B.C.has had a lot less snow this year, it was still beautiful to fly over our coastal mountains, and to see Vancouver from the air.

It was also good to be back in Prince George, catching up with a good friend as well as my niece and her housemates. The complete lack of snow there was a bit disconcerting though.

This past Easter weekend we hosted family, and on Saturday we went to the very close by DeCourcy Island. I’ve lived to close to it for 2 decades, and while it’s only accessed by private boat, I’ve been to the provincial marine park there several times, but this was the first time I had walked the island. The weather was perfect and the views amazing.

Sometimes when you live in a gorgeous place, you forget how amazing it is. These past two weekends were good reminders.