The call came around three o’clock, they said they had good news. Martin Marine had our part for the boat. Serendipity was getting fixed. If everything went right we would have it back by ten the next morning. I excitedly began to mentally prepare for the return of Luxury Lake Tour’s fibretoon boat. Logistics floated in my head. I would need to get the rental pontoon off the slip. I would need to be able to go to Kelowna, pick Read more…
The dog days of summer are upon us – the days are getting shorter and time rushes by. Time is fleeting and precious. I have spent the last week taking each day as it came, yet the time I value, time to write has escaped my grasp. It is like trying to grab the smoke from a campfire. I know it is there, I know its effect but I can’t grab hold of it. I can’t capture time and put Read more…
I opened the bedroom door and looked in on my beautiful child. She stared back at me with a woeful look on her face. I smiled and asked her how she was. “I’m sick daddy, I couldn’t move all day! My head hurts, my stomach hurts and my throat hurts.” The last words came with a sob and she broke down. Silent cries wracked the trembling body of my daughter, Marijke. She was definitely sick. Being sick in the days Read more…
Red sky filled my view as I sat tied to the dock. I felt helpless and frustrated by my circumstances, yet the amazing sunset calmed my restless soul. Frustrated and anxious I awaited rescue. My boat was down, again. It has been a rough week for mechanical problems. I watched the deep red sky hover over the Okanagan Lake as I waited for the owner of the rental boat to come see what the problem is with his craft. Serendipity Read more…
Alberta is a different world in the coronaverse these days. Masks are more prevalent and people are wearing them more than they are in BC. I find it strange that Calgary has passed a bylaw that has mandated masks indoors in public places. But BC and Vancouver have not issued the same edicts. When we first rolled into Alberta we stopped at Lake Louise for fuel and breakfast. Many people were wearing masks and there were signs everywhere requesting masks. Read more…
Climbing upward toward the clouds we were connected to the plane in front that was doing all the work. Our plane, unpowered soaring in the draft, was soon to be free. The tow plane was flown by my cousin, behind me sat his wife. She was in control and told me to feel the levers, to hold the stick. It was an exhilarating experience sitting in the cockpit of a glider. The evening before my cousin was at the controls Read more…
Our morning started like many others on the day of a road trip. We had hopes of an early departure but with a realistic attitude that we probably would run two hours late. With dread and anticipation, I started to pack the camper. Procrastination and being busy is a toxic mix when trying to go away for a few days. By noon the end was in sight but it was still 2:30 pm when we finally rolled down the highway. Read more…
Family is one of the most important things we have as people and as a society. Family connects us with our past and with ourselves. I am fortunate to have many wonderful people in my family. One month ago my family lost a wonderful member of our clan. My Auntie Dicky passed away on July 12, 2020, in Red Deer, Alberta. She was a mother of two, a daughter, and a sister of my Mom. Born in The Netherlands just Read more…
Tangled lines and tangled minds have been my theme for the last two days. Yesterday was a crazy day with four boat tours, today was a mentally challenging day at home. I would definitely take the crazy day on the water every time. I awoke early. Dreams were plaguing my sleep, again. It’s strange how vivid my dreams can be. I remember a warehouse and a leaky roof. Sometimes I wonder what the psychologist would think if I had my Read more…
Passion. We all have our passions. One of mine is riding my motorcycle. There’s something in the feeling of the air, the movement and connection with my surroundings that make me feel alive when I ride. I feel a freedom like no other when I journey down a windy road. It is exhilarating to be able to become one with the machine and the asphalt beneath me. Riding is an experience akin to skiing, where you are living on the Read more…