Thanksgiving Long Weekend, Boston Bar, Clinton

Laura arrived at 9 am. I’d already packed the truck and left home with the water off and heat turned low. I prayed the plants survived. She had had a week of ill health with worry. Her brother in law John had had a heart attack and had been medivacked from his work on Queen Charlottes.  A whole lot of stress. She’d been declared okay by the doctor and well enough to travel with me. 

I’ve just been overwhelmed a bit at work.  The lack of support,  the constant government lies, and outrageous rise in cost of living, and so many patients suffering the corruption and incompetence in administration.  The highest office in the land doesn’t even care when Hammas and Hezbollah Terrorists and illegal migrants burn the Canadian flag in Vancouver shouting Death to Canada.  I have difficulty getting out of bed and reassuring people.

Yet I carry on and was really looking forward to this break.  Yet I am physically less capable of the labour involved in hunting. I’d also done damage on the spring hunt towing the quad and paid $15,000 in camper repairs.  I love my camper but I’m just not sure about hunting.  

I find myself thinking that the greatest joy I’ve had in the last couple of years has been visiting churches, museums and art galleries. I like siting in coffee shops and writing. I really want to work on the books I have in progress. I have thoroughly loved listening to the most amazing audio books walking the dog. I love that I’ve been able to buy a Vespa.

I bought the new Vespa GT Super tech 300 at Vespa Metro and left my Harley Nightster Special there for winter storage.  I’m only allowed one vehicle at my site.  The Vespa is ideal for the city and winter. It’s also a hundred pounds lighter so will be that much better when I drive south this year.

I’m planning on heading south for a couple of months again to avoid flu and Covid season anxious for my lungs having acquired TB working as a fly in doctor in the north. I had a year of treatment in the US and no doubt that contributed to my deafness. I spent $8000 on hearing aids.

  

I never expected to live this long. I have no pension, no health care but  I’m here and I am hunting older than my father and hunting friends.

The BC Election is happening this week.  I’ve liked the NDP but normally am voting conservative yet I don’t know Rustad so I’m just confused.  Federally it’s no contest.  Trudeau is the devil incarnate and Pierre Poirve is a good guy.  Locally Eby seems okay and I’d tend to vote NDP but I’m not happy with elections and the communist chinese influence. I’m not happy with Vancouver and BC politics just the cost of living and chaos and corruption.  

I keep thinking I’m past retirement age but couldn’t retire and maintain this year with the costs without working. I enjoy working. I’ve no reason not to. Nothing better to do really. Yet the government just punishes the working class good citizens.  Maybe if I wasn’t such a good boy I could turn my attention to avoiding taxes.  I feel paying taxes is going to the devil.  Trudeau is so evil.  We’re paying so much to debt he’s created by corruption and incompetence.  I am confused.  On bad days I feel like all the patients who tell me they wake up and can’t get out of bed .  I wake up and pray.

Without prayer I couldn’t go on. I’m not happy joyous and free some days..  The cloudy weather doesn’t help. I’m happy in the sun and really do have moments of joy reading, writing, riding the Vespa, walking Madigan. I like my men’s meeting and my on line meetings. Still I feel outside and alien at times.

My friend Willie Gutowski and Anita are having their 60th year anniversary.   Was invited by Sandy but Thanksgiving is a hunting weekend.  I’ve often been successful and then enjoy barbecues.  Recently I’ve shot grouse and have to be thankful.  It’s been since before Covid that I shot a deer.  It was the slip on Author’s seat Edinburgh that did my back in. Chronic pain is debilitating but its all mostly ‘mental’.  I’m so prone on self pity so am constantly blocking that with ‘all shall be well’.  I’m really grateful that I m able to walk

Laura is half blind and doesn’t see well in the dark.  She gets anxious . We’d planned to go from John’s where I picked up the Camper and quad to Cache Creek.  Kevin and his older kids are hunting there.  It was 4 when we checked in at Boston Bar.  I was tired with the drive.  I like the Canyon Alpine RV park. The host is a dog lover and gives out treats that Madigan loves.  I’d set up the camper and walked Madigan.  Laura and I had noodle soup and sandwiches then ice cream cones that Madigan had a bit of.  He loves ice cream.  

I like sleeping at Canyon alpine RV. It’ s a cathedral of trees and so calming. I’m having great dreams.  Big meeting in the sky dreams and friends in the Greek island White Houses scenario.  I feel loved and a part of .  

We woke and had coffee and headed on.  At Spence’s Bridge I stopped in the great little cafe there for a coffee to go and peanut and coconut cookies. I’ve a lidded mug for me and one for Laura.  Madigan can’t spill them with all his fussing and jumping about. He wants to hump Laura.  I’m shouting at him to stop. It’s that kind of drive. Laura’s worried about something next week but she’s unwinding.  The scenery is beautiful

We stopped in Cache Creek for groceries.  I love that the refrigerator is working and we have propane and water and gas. If we had to without any discomfort we could live off the grid for a week. I like wifi and electricity and all the luxuries of RV resort experience.  I’m just not into roughing it any more. I even think of buying another house (down payment) and settling down. I think of going to the country or Alberta. So many friends have left Vancouver and the housing costs just seem to be getting higher with all the speculation corruption and elite immigration. The middle class is being pushed out.  I’m middle classs and without a pension don’t know what I’d do. I don’t think about it much knowing that God has a plan and I’ve been reasonable and responsible but the repairs wiped out the gain of selling my boat though at least I no longer have any ongoing costs.

I’m pretty blessed

Despite inputting the Cache Creek RV Park into the Truck GPS map system we couldn’t see it. We’ passed it and the message was to proceed and turn back.  We we’re 20 km from Clinton which we knew and I was tired .  So we drove to Willow Spring. I’d hoped to drive the quad to hunting but though there’s a trail it turns out that this year ATV hunting is not allowed in this section,  More rules and regs.  

I have an essay I’m completing on prehistory art and shamanism. I’ve read countless books and listened to as many audiobooks.  It’s due in a couple of weeks. I’ve a trial I have to attend to. We really like it here. I drove the quad down the road looking for a road on the other side which would allow me to hunt with the quad.  Madigan loved the adventure. It turned  out there were signs up over there as well.  No hunting with ATV.  This place is closed on Tuesday which is typical of a number of RV places as the freezing starts then.  I didn’t want to unload the Camper for a couple of days, We move out on Tuesday morning.  We’ve still got a week more.  

Last night we had hot dogs and potato salad

This morning I was up before dawn and hiked up the mountain with Madigan. I’m out of shape.  It was hard going and at the top of the hill I lay down and waited for a deer to pass. No luck Walking back down around 9 am my legs were shaking. Don’t know if it was my back or knees but it was the weirdest weakest walk I’ve known.  I was glad to get down. Now my legs are tired but I’m going to walk out to sit for a bit watching the mountain to see if a deer comes down to the water.  I really like the exercise.  I used to walk all over the mountains before covid and now I’m too fat and all iv’e been doing to riding machine and walking the dog. This is good for me if it does’t kill me.  

Time to go.  Life in the fast lane.  God is good all of the time. I really enjoyed studying Cave paintings and shamanism and then reading a Christian legal novel. I’ll walk over to do my due diligence but will be glad to be back home barbecuing the steak I put out for tonight.

Laura is good company and having a relaxing time reading.

I had a great shower this afternoon. Luxury.  I love camping.  

Thank you Jesus.  

 

  

3 am, character defects, nightmares, Vespa, WW3

I awoke last night at 3 am also. This time it was a dream of an ex wife refusing to get medical help. I remember my first death. He’d refused to take the medicine doctors prescribed.  He lied.  He died.  She refused to get medical help and I had to live with her knowing i could treat her.  But it had nothing to do with the illness.  Just more passive aggressive stuff. 

“I can treat a hundred people at the office or I can treat you. I can’t do both.”  

Virginia Satir called it ‘crazy making’.

I specialized in addiction medicine because it was the worst of the insanities. Ultimate non compliance and non adherence to medical regimen.  There are always a thousand excuses and it’s always aggression with a smile. I really want to get better they say but I want you to do it not me. I want a teleportation machine. I want a magic pill.  Are your fucking legs broken I say.

The ‘helper’ tried to pressure me today to give drugs to the addict. I’m the bad guy.  The proxy war. The pharmacist got in on it He make money if I give in.  I have been back stabbed repaeatedly by the authorities who say do the right thing then cave themselves and scapegoat you.  Two faced sociopaths.  

I’m caught truggling with character defects.  

Anger - I’m furious to be in the same relationship crisis as divorces ago and realize I don’t have control.  It’s her and not me.  She doesn’t care. She’s the addict. She’s self centred.  She’s hostile and angry and afraid.  But I can’t go to work all day and come home to the I can’t see a doctor. You’re a doctor.  I never asked you to help.  No you just bled in the bed and shit in the bed and pissed in the bed.  

I was so thankful about heard.  They’re so pretty.  They can’t be bad.  Men are bad. Women are good. Men are victimizers.  Women are victim.  Don’t you love your mother.  You don’t even know if that’s your father. But the courts deny you DNA tests. There’s a law for the rich and the powerful and a law for you.

I’m powerless

I listened to a friend talk about not being in control and how that usd to cause hr to drink.  

I was future zooming to.  Fear.  Living out scenario’s in my mind. 3 am.  A nightmare of an old marriage.  I can’t be your doctor. She had addiction,  Cocaine addiction.  I liked that about her when I met her.  

She was a princess and I liked being a shiny knight,

The children didn’t come and she took to wearing diapers in the house and talking with the baby voice.  She didn’t want children just for me to be her sugar daddy.

I woke at 3 am and felt trapped. The panic. The inability to breath. The feeling like I’m going to have a heart attack and letting it go because it’s not now. It’s then. The past is triggered and I’m just insane. I crawled out of the abyss.  I paid a lot for these late days of peace.  

Character defects.  

Envy - the affectations on face book. I am happy for them. I see them doing things I did before the age of selfies.  I remember the trips and journeys and rewards.  But that was then and this is now.   I had my time in the sun and now I’m really having a good time except for my mind which compares my insides wit their outsides.  I’m really thankful for my life. It’s a good life. I’m blessed beyond my wildest dreams.  I’ have so much.  I look though at the one thing I don’t have and forget about all I do. It’s the cognitive distortion of the one drop of ink in the glass of wart. It’s 3 am and I’m woken by a nightmare of a time in a marriage when she wanted me to rescue her from herself and said she really didn’t want my help but lay there bleeding.  I sent her off to a treatment centre but she didn’t arrive.  Denial.  I did the whole thing but they couldn’t help me help her and they thought they were so good.  I’m not the problem.  I’m not in control. I can’t control. 

I walk away.  At 3 am I wanted to leave. I wanted to take any one of my escape pods and flee. Cappadocia. Meteora.  The wilderness. The sea. I’ve studied them all.  I must let go and let God.

There are no children.  There’s a dog.  I have freedom and no real obligation.

Iran has attacked Israel.  Israel is prepared to attack.  Russia has moved forward in Ukraine.  Iran is the ally of China.  Nuclear war.  War and rumors of war.

The American election is weeks off.  There’s so much corruption and lies and communism and sharia.  Hundreds of Christian churches have been burned to the ground but no mosques or temples or synagogues.  

Character defects

Self pity - poor me 

I struggle to maintain an ‘attitude of gratidude’ but there’s this curse in my mind which takes me down.  I spiral.  Looking at the negative. Adding them and piling them and soon a litany of horror, the weight of the world

I’m powerless.  I’m not in control. 

Live and let live.  

She wanted her cocaine.  She wanted her addiction.  She wanted her mausoleum.

I wanted freedom. I always vote freedom.  Scots war have where Wallace lead.  Down with tyranny.  I’ll not be a slave.  My mother and father had my brother. My mother wanted a daughter.  She had me.  My dad had his son. I was the sensitive one.  

Today I want to write. I want to drink coffee in cafes and face the mysteries. I’ve been the manly man. I’ve done the heavy lifting. I’ve faced the tyranny and saved countess lives. But there’s no appreciation in home. Even Jesus wasn’t blessed at home. Taken for granted. Poor me.  My father My father why hasn’t thou forsaken me

And we all go to heaven when the curtain closes

I’ m reading obituaries.  Friends are disappearing.

Character defects

Lust

I was a celibate monk when I was young.  I was a nun in marriage months at a time when they would be depressed arguing with their mothers and I’d be left out in the dark. No children. Just a lone.  I needed four wives or a new religion.  She wan’t there for sex and yet if I had sex outside the sexless marriage I would lose all.  We become sexually immune. The Eunuch’s of Canada. All the married men who are ‘rationed’.  The Feminist love the Moslems and hate the Christians. Maybe if there were children it would make sense.  Sacrifice for family and children. But she’s taken jobs and competing and demanding to be treated like a princess but won’t be a queen. I don’t want to return to celibacy in old age but she’s had it with intimacy and sex.  She never really cared for it.  Wanted a bad boy. They go with the bad boys and destroy .  They hate us good boys.  They say otherwise but at the end of the day Jesus died on the crosss. The women weep. The men die.  Now there’s war in the Middle East. What ‘s new.  

Character defects 

Sloth

I’m so tired at times. I never knew such fatigue.  The chronic pain wears me down. The chronic uncertainty of knife stabbing pain. A sneeze , a sudden move, sitting too long.  A fear of death. A focus on dying A denia.  Sloth.  All is not. I’m comfortable on the couch. . I understand those who don’t get out of bed. More and more they cone to me.  Depression.  I walk the dog The dog is my saviour.  My bladder gets me up.  I’m uplifted by a need to pee.

I love late night peanut butter sandwich’s.  The nights between delivering babies or surgery.  The days and nights without sleep.  Nodding off standing.  

I suffer sloth

Character  defects

Gluttony. - the sins are the character defects. The rocks we hold onto.  I’m avoid metabolic failure. The inflammation is a product of the sloth and gluttony. Fat. Diabetes II.  Pre diabetes. Inflammation.  

Depression

I’m alone. I’m powrrless. I could not levitate. I could not fly. I dreamed that when I flew crowds would run after me and pull me down.  I couldn’t get away.

There’s nowhere but death to escape too.  But Christians must live and serve.  I live and serve. My dog needs me.  I am of service. I have purpose. But I’m overwhelmed

Attitude of gratitude.

Gratitude lists,

Forget the nightmares and remember how much fun she was and all the good times in the past.  I ‘ve been remembering my mother’s grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup and milk for lunch.  I’d walk home and that would be waiting.  I loved feeling safe with Dad , ex RCAF, and rifle in the cabinet and the Cold War.  

I’m supposed to be writing a paper.  I’m almost finished the research and readings. I’ve some pages that need to be editted. I hoped to do that today. I have work calls to make and photocopying to do.  It’s all like moving in molasses.

God is good all of the time, Thank you Jesus. Thank you God for the heat and the roof and the warm and dry. Thank you for the dog and technology. Thank you for my new Vespa. Thank you for good dreams Thank you for adventures. Thank you for this life. Thank you for family and friends. Thank you for all your blessings,  

Thank you

Rainy Wednesday, Peter and Bella

Peter and Larry are back with Bella and Lucca.  Madigan and Bella noticed each other first across the space in the parking lot, Little Bella squirming and bellying up while Madigan tugged on his leash. It was good to see Peter. He’d grazed his head in a fall but said he’d not been concussed.  They’d had their motorhome in Canmore Calgary for the summer and his mother had visitted for a week, loving the pleasant site on the Bow River.  

“So what have you done this sumner?” Peter asked after we’d commented on mutual friends we knew,  Laura doing well. Helena and Dave fine.  Mack and Kim doing well.

“I was hunting with Madigan last weekend,”.I said, “My cockapoo retriever,  I shoot the partridge and he actually fetches it back, the bird as big as his head”. 

I talked more about my hunting dog but couldn’t remember what I’d done in my summer,

“Did you and Laura get up to Whistler?” He asked

“Yes we did.”  Pet4r is so gracious and remember people and their events.  I had to reflect that I was having a simpler life, I work. I went to the British Columbia Royal Museum in Victoria to see the Stonehenge Exhibit. I’d ridden my Harley with Madigan to Squamish meeting Carolyn and Rogina in the late spring,  I told him I’d done damage to my Camprr taking it off road bear hunting north of Pemberton,

“I’ve paid off all the repairs and the camper is ready again for a week vacation and hunt Thanksgiving week.”

“I’ve been wanting to visit museums and art galleries I’m hoping to get to Berlin because I’ve been studying the Airlift and the falling of the Wall.I’m planning on going south for a couple of months this winter but I want to stop in LA to visit art galleries and museums there.’

“That’s where we are wintering this year.  Long Beach”. Said Peter. 

The dogs were walking together all three of them.  Part of what we called the ‘black and white gang’ when there were more of us.  It’s fun to watch them.  They look proud to be with friends and a group like teens on summer vacation,

I’d forgot to mention Baltimore. I’d enjoyed the conference there and going to the Walter’s Art Museum, or selling my sailboat, or taking the course in Religion in Prehistory from Oxford, I’ve been reading and studying a lot,  Genetics, Intelligennce, AI, Berlin.  

It was a good summer,  Almost forgettable bccause of the lack of negative drama and the all around pleasantness of the time.  Long walks with Madigan to Brunette Lakes.  Drives to the off leash dog park,  Nothing exciting but all of it good.  Even a bit wholesome.  Meetings with friends on Wednesday night at the Burnaby Fellowship Centre and on line meetings Saturday and Sunday mornings. Trips to the chiropractor every few weeks.  Watching tv at night. NCIS. Seal Team, movies with Kidman.  

Peter headed home after we talked with Max. I learned a neighbour had beat cancer and had good news.  Peter is social and interested in others in a neighbourly way. His greeting of folk reminds me of th time in the my childhood when we walked about the neighbourhood and stopped to chat with folk. I do that at church I suppose but when I walk the dog I am listening to audio boots while Peter is stopping to chat for a moment here and there mostly with other dog folk.  I realize with him I’m part of this community and it’s comforting. I’m quite driven to learn.  Reading about evolutionary materialism this spring I’d felt out of step and now I’m quite abreast of development. 

I’m glad that Peter is back and so enjoyed seeing Madigan with Bella and the group walk.  Laura is coming on the weekend .Her brother in law had a heart attack and fall up north so it was quite the scare till he was able to be Medivacked from the Queen Charlottes to VGH.  He had three stints and is recovering well. Folks I know with stints are all doing amazing well. We’re relieved. Laura was really frightened but is so happy he is recovering well,  Her sister and nieces were there when she left work to be at the hospital He’ll be home on the weekend,  I was thankful. I pray daily and give thanks and this really was good.  John is young and such a good guy.  I really am thankful.

It’s a good life.  It’s raining. Fall is here,  I must get dressed and walk Madigan a bit before I sit down at my desk and screen and see patients for the day.

Thank you God for all of your blessings. 

Theism, Deism, Agnosticism and Atheism

The religion of atheists is communism.  For years they’ve tried to convince people that tiny groups like the humanist society are the sum total of atheist.  Communists are atheists just as Catholics and Hindu are theists.  The Quakers are Christians and hence theists but notoriously peaceful and admirable. They are famed for being the most courageous stretcher carriers. There are all manner of theists but the largest religion and congregation of aetheism is communist.  

Agnostics are neither atheist or theist but share far more in common with theists than atheists.  Atheists have been co-opting agnostics for political purposes.  Agnostics are more open minded than atheists who are completely closed minded to the point of arrogance.  Theists believe in a higher power.  Atheists don’t. Theists don’t necessarily define God.  The aetheists reject all spirituality.  Aetheism is materialism.  Agnostics by contrast are more like theist.  They are open to more than materialism and commonly embrace spirituality without limit.  

Theists,deists and agnostics are scientific.  Einstein, Newton, and most scientists are theist. 

Aetheists play the science game which says that materialism, determinism and empiricism is the ‘game’ but not life.  Scientists know that when they play the science game they are not loving their family or experiencing joy.  Science is but one way of knowing and studying reality.  Subjective reality cannot be experienced by science.  Intuition is beyond the rational. The theist and agnostic can experience the depths of intuition and the transcendent but the aethisists skepticism leaves them blind to the light the majority of the see.  They’re like the tone deaf who insist the dancers are crazy because they don’t hear the music.  

All the religions of the world believe in a higher power except atheism.  Agnostics are open to the myriad possibilities of the infinite, omnipresent, omniscience, omnipotential the theist embraces.  They are by definition open minded as compared to the atheist who is by definition closed minded.  

Buddha was a Hindu who created the Buddhist sect of the older all embracing inclusive religion.  Likewise Jesus was a Jew believing in Judaism of the da before he brought a new accord. . Buddhism doesn’t deny theism or deism but like Christianity proposed a ‘way’ if not the Way.  Atheism is limited by the rationalism that gave birth to it.  The eightfold path of Buddhism is akin to the 10 Commandments of Judaism and the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus.  Atheism has no code as such but the messianic teachings of Marx and megalomania of Mao are often recited. 

Aetheists are violently attached to their religion and have accounted for hundreds of millions of deaths and murders in the last hundred years.  Today they imprison hundreds of thousands and persecute theists, deists, pagans and especially Christians 

Thriving, Laura and Madigan, Davie Street

I’m grateful. Life is good.  I read that Joseph Campbell saw life as the ‘Hero’s Journey » , an adventure. I live one day at a time.  So each day I wake now with the idea of adventure.  Even though I’m working I remember summer holidays as a kid when the day was a Tabala Rosa.  I’d have breakfast with my mom, corn flakes and milk usually, with toast and jam.  Then I’d get on my blue single gear motorcycle and explore the world,  I drove everywhere everyday.  Sometimes friends would join.  We’d come home for lunch though sometimes Mom would pack a cheese or bologna sandwich and I’d not come back till dinner.  Every day an adventure.  

Now I have a Harley and a Mini Cooper , a Ford F350 and a Honda Tracker 420 4x4 quad. I’ve an electric biker but I’ve not used that much recently.  The car and motorcycle are for the city and the truck and quad for the country recently.

I was in looking at a Vespa. I sold my last one and miss it. I’m only allowed one motorcycle here so am thinking of getting the Vespa when I put the Harley down for the winter. I’m planning on travelling down to LA, Mexico, maybe Yuma and have been told not to take my Harley into Mexico.  

Today I attended an on line meeting and really enjoyed the group as always.  I shared. I listened.  I felt apart of.  After that Dr Ready called and said he could fit me in, So I headed over there for an excellent chiropractic adjustment. After that I called Laura who was just stepping into a bath and asked if she wanted me to visit we could go for a walk

It was an hour drive through Richmond using my new Garmin Drive 55 GPS I bought last night at Best Buy.  The GPS I take in the woods has too small a screen for driving while this one is as large as my iPhone.  Excellent.  I really enjoyed using. Also its hand held so can be taken off the mount with a rechargeable battery good for 12 hours.  I really liked it.

Laura met me at the Rainbow Side walk circle on Davie after I parked.  Madigan was ecstatic. He jumped up and down like a pogo stick puppy.  We walked back to Amoka.  Laura had a 

butter croissant she shared with Madigan I had a bacon egg breakfast sandwich. We both had Chai Latte’s.  Delicious.  Madigan loved all the passing dogs. Laura and I caught up on our Facebook friends and reading. I’m really enjoying Ray Kurwell , The Singularity is Nearer. I’d watched a presentation by Elon Musk of what motivated him as a young man when he developed Pay Pal and Tesla and then Space X.  I’m certainly enjoying his Starlink out in the woods,

Laura bought flowers,  I walked her home.  Madigan and I stopped at Vespa to ask them to watch for a second hand bike I could take to Mexico. I think I’ll get it in November December.  

I learned yesterday that an iPhone 16 won’t arrive for a month or so. It’s like the Cabbage Patch Doll equivalent of tech

I had my tooth fixed yesterday.  A week ago I’d broken off an old filling leaving a ragged hole .  I was so pleased to see Doug Lovely who repaired my smile and made a bridge to to conceal a missing tooth some 27 years ago, I really am vain and Doug was a life savior, He’s sold his practice but still works with New West Dentists. Dr. Tan an excellent dentist solved my dilemna with a new filling, I was simply elated and had to really pay attention riding my motorcycle home.

Now I’m having steak and potatoes.

Life is good

Thank you God for all your blessings, Thank you for Laura, Thank you for Madigan, Thank you for the vehicles and the city of Vancouver and Burnaby, books, TV, RV’s iPhones and Garmin GPS.  

Laura and I are planning our hunt for the October Long Weekend,  I’m haven’t decided wheere to go Clinton, Cache Creek, Princeton and Nakusp.  It’s great hunting but cold and snowy. Oh well, please guide me Lord, Thank you Thank you Thank you. 

Monday, Princeton

Monday morning. I’m still on top of the mountains. The industrial sounds of the mine began in the distance.  I’d thought to spend the week but decided to return. ,I didn’t even know if the camper and quad would be ready for me to go Friday.  As they were I headed out. Madigan and I had a blast riding around the back woods on the quad. I must have seen a dozen or more grouse but shot 5,  

I missed a half dozen rabbits only getting a shot at a couple.  What a circus that was.  I was using the new Siberian 223 semi auto but both times I didn’t get the clip in right.  The rabbits got bored with me fiddling with the rifle. I thought I’d sorted it out at the range but not quite.  When I finally had the magazine seated the first time it still misfired because I didn’t feed a cartridge into the chamber correctly.  The second time I got the clip in correctly and had a shell in the chamber but couldn’t find the target in the new. Scope.. When I finally took the shot, I missed but couldn’t take advantage of the semi automatic because Madigan burst off the quad and gave chase,  With the shotgun and grouse he’d waited till the release command but he could see the rabbit and the Siberian made a different louder noise.  Back on the quad he was leashed in again. More training . But We had fun.  

My RV storage place isn’t open on Sunday so I normally take Monday off to return the Camper and quad and trailer.  Because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get away I was booked at the office. I’m going to work virtual for the morning I have the Starlink working fine and being on top of the mountain have good enough cellular coverage. I had even thought of working the week and going back next weekend but for the Starlink I have to run the generator.  The quad takes a few gallons a day driving around the backwoods.  I don’t have enough fuel. My water supply is low too. I took a shower.  I have a toothache from a broken filling and would like to get into see the dentist.  I already miss civilization.

It’s also 4 points season. I’ve never seen a 4 point in the woods in hunting season.  Of the 30 or so deer I’ve shot almost all have been spike or two points, and one three point.  Izek shot a three point this weekend. 

Kevin had called to tell me they were camping and hunting in the valley. They were where I was bow hunting last weekend.  I’d decided as it was dark and raining I’d come here where I knew I could camp not too far off the paved road.  Alex shot a bear too.  Im happy with the grouse.  I just love watching Madigan retrieve them.  The valley is where the game still are.

I shot two grouse out of three.  Madigaan is a one grouse dog. He heads straight for the movement and then kills the still living Big Bird if it’s wounded.  I worry about him but he’s all in it. A true bird dog.  Then he comes right back waddling with the grouse in his mouth.  

He couldn’t comprehend the idea that I’d shot two and wasn’t willing to leave the one I’d taken and put in a bag on the quad.  With a whole lot of encouragement he went down the hill to where I’d seen the second grouse drop in a wood pile. Sure enough once he was down there he found the grouse and slayed it in an epic battle dodging the wounded grouse’s beak like it was a cobra snake. I wouldn’t want to be a partridge faced with a cockapoo. I realized later that my last cockapoo Gilbert would avoid the head by biting the birds butt. .  I didn’t know why at first. Now seeing Madigan face off with the partridge beak I realize it’s an epic battle. This time he literally bit the head off and grabbed the bird by the belly and brought it back.  

I imagine cats also have these tooth and claw episodes with their prey. I remember my bigger dog Shinto, cross Irish Setter and Springer spaniel would hold the bird down with his paw and bite the throat.

Mostly the bird is dead from the shot. I ran out of number 6 pellet for the 20 guage and shot these with the too light number 8 target load . I actually hit a couple of birds on the fly but the pellets just bounced off and the bird flew to safety.

Gilbert my last cockapoo would only fetch rarely. He’d find the bird and lead me to it. He’d also look to flush more birds and go with me to collect the kills.  Shinto, my really trained hunting dog I put a lot o time in hunting with , would actually flush as many as he could for me to shoot, actually chasing them and getting them to fly for the me to take the perfect shot.  We were a team. He’ also fetch all the birds and one after another bring them to the road where he’d drop them and go back and get another.  He’d even lead me to the tree where a bird had flown away too. I suspect he followed the cooing having watched the flight path when it got away.  I followed him a half mile through the woods on occasion to get a bird in a tree.  I shot a whole lot of grouse with him.  

I shot a lot or grouse with Gilbert too. He was the favourite dog when three of us went hunting and he flushed a whole lot of birds way up north,’

Madigan is learning, He’s at the stage where he dropped the first bird and when I coaxed him to get the seecond he brought it but wouldn’t let go of the bird. I could see his little mind going, “I brought you yours . Now this one is mine.”  

We have 5 grouse.  I’ll dice them at home, fry them in butter with some lemon or orange and honey and serve on rice. He’ll get a share.  Last night we had barbecued pork chops.  Madigan’s a good little dog.  

Time to get ready for work and the trip home.  I’m looking forward to the luxury and comfort of home.  

I enjoyed the old gods of England in Dirk Slattery’s Wholistic Detective Agency, the series Adams had written after the Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy.  I liked that Thor had given up sleeping out and had moved into a nursing home for the clean sheets and meals and starched uniform nurse caretakers.  I’m getting older and even having the quad and camper is a major effort.  

Kevin and Anna, Izek, Kendra, Alex, Billy and Bobby were tenting.  They set up at night in the rain and dark then hiked into a blind at dawn.  I used to always be set in ambush pre dawn. Now I’m afraid to walk off trail through the bush not wanting to slip and fall and break something. If I am to shoot something I have to be able to get it to a road with minimum effort. Gone are the days I carried a deer down the mountain on my shoulders .  

My old friend Bill Mewhort  was the master of ambush. A great hunter.  He used to say novice hunters only saw game when they took a shit because that was the time they weren’t moving and might make the least noise.  My dad was a great one for stalking.  He loved walkin along deer trails in the back woods.  They both stopped hunting younger than I am. They continued fishing years after. I’m wondering when I might go that way.  

I’m a road hunter today.  I think there should be a law against road hunting.  Only us guys over 65 should be allowed to use vehicles but even young I’d road hunt grouse.  With Dad and my brother Ron we’d drive the old truck down the trails to find the prairie chickens.  They’d fly up and we’d get out with the dog and hunt them on foot knowing where the covey was.  It still is a lot of exercise .  Madigan and I still like the guarding and grouse hunting experience. The grouse sure tastes good when I cook it up or barbecue it.

What a weekend!  Time to get back to work and back to the city.  

Camping, Hunting, Ford F350, Adventurer Camper and Honda Tracker ATV

Rifle hunting season opened this week.  I thank Kevin Bustard, a most enthusiast hunter for letting me know he was heading out last night with his amazing older children, Izek, Alex and Kendra.  Anna is in Newfoundland with the little boys, Bobby and Billy visitting.  They are so enthusiastic.  I remember there was a time I drove all night to get an hour of rest before setting up pre dawn to hunt.

I’d had a Happy Jack die on me last weekend bow hunting and camping with Laura.  I’d asked John if he’d be able to fix it short notice.  So I was up at 7 am this morning but after prayer and meditation I was on the couch drinking coffee and waiting to phone John at Chilliwach RV Storage,  

9 am.  ‘Good news! “ he said after greeting, “Your camper is ready to go. My son and I finished up the work just yesterday. 

            “Thank you John!  I’ll be out by this afternoon.”

I loaded the F350.  Hunting license, Rifles, Ammunition Clothes, hand held winch, generator and satellite phone. I’m a little older and in the last few years I’ve taken to carrying the Iridium satellite phone I’d used blue water solo sailing. I get 6 months of limited time. I’ve never used hardly any of it yet.  I phoned Laura with it last week. 

“Hi Laura.”

“Hi Bill”.

‘Madigan and I are up on the mountain. Just checking out the satellite phone”

“It’s working fine. Have a great time.”

“Thanks “.   

Laura like to stay at the camper and read.  She does cross words too. I enjoy knowing she’s there.  It’s comforting to return to company, Madigan loves her,  

I take the Star Link dish as well, That’s why I need the generator in addition to charging cell phone and ipad.

I had to stop at Bosley’s for Madigan’s food.  I forgot how much I had here already but he loved a visit to his favourite store.  He’s been liking chews recently.  He really likes the little squeaky toys too.  Now it’s the little one, once it was big ones.  I try to keep up.

In Langley we stopped at the MacDonalds for the quarter pounder patty for him and a quarter pounder and cheese for me.

It was noon by the time I got to John’s.  His son is taller than him now.  They are both what my mom would call tall strapping men.  Lots of work with hands and shoulders on vehicles.  Remind me of my brother and dad.  Good men.  Skookum work. I love people that are reliable and trustworthy.  I like too that the folk he’s introduced me to like our tow truck driver and Kevin at AdventureRVCentre.  Kelvin from Travco did a great job on the body work. I’d backed up with too short a neck on the trailer.  It had damaged both sides severely.  Kelvin made it all presentable again.

Now John had restored the Happy Jack and reinforced more damage.  

“We had to take our the posts and straighten them, Both rear one were bent.’ John said.

“I thought you were strong but not that strong,” I joked,

“We had the equipment to do it and greased it up so to slides now and won’t burn out the engine,”

I love these guys and the work they do.

After they helped me load the like new Adventurer Camper onto the F350 I drove round and hooked up my trailer.  

Victor had taken my ATV to Kelly at Chilliwack Motorcycle and they phoned just as I was leaving John’s at 3.  I really like having my ATV serviced each year just like my Harley. I don’t want ot break down out in the woods somewhere so I’ m really thankful for the maintenance. I was thankful to Victor for introducing me to these guys some years back.  Just as I was loading the ATV onto the trailer the skies opened and it began to rain buckets.  I drove back to ESSO , filling up the truck , exchanging the propane tank and using the water to fill my tank. Across from the ESSO I saw the Work Wear Store. I’d forgotten rain gear so I stopped in and bought a new fall Helly Hansen jacket

An expensive day,  

In Hope I loaded up on groceries and was pleased to see the refridgerator temperature was falling,  Madigan and I are spoiled and like ice cream camping. 

It was 7 pm when I was leaving Hope. It was still raining, I was listening to the Teacher Great Course Psychology series. I really like learning on the go I spent my life listening to rounds from Psychiatry, Neurology, Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine commuting.  University of Arizona has great podcasts. Each is an hour long and my commuter was usually a half hour each way so each week I’d listen to two or three rounds.  Decades of that in addition to the conventional learning.  I stopped at Macdonalds for  another hamburger paddy for Madigan while I had the chicken sandwich. 

It was dark and rainy and I stopped a few times.  I liked pulling over to let the cars pass while I looked up in the rain at the mountains either side of the road.  Madigan and I liked our road side pee break.  I had a train of cars  behind me a couple of times in Manning Park even though they have excellent passing lanes.  The pull offs are great too. I was tired and going 60 and 80 Km most of the way.  I found my eyes struggling with the dark, rain and on coming lights. It was slippery too and I did a little sliding so was glad to go slow.  It’s quite a load.  

Passing through Princeton I’d thought to rest at the A&W but decided to head on out to here Kevin and his kids are across the valley but I realized that I’d rather go here which is high up, so cell phone coverage, and I know it well, And yes I’ve shot lots of grouse here even if it’s not the best for deer. Also lots of hunters come here now. Not like it was decades back when I was usually the only one I’d encounter.  The last few years there’s been so many hunters you could get a hockey game going with a couple of teams.

There are a couple of RV’s and a couple of big tents by the lake. I’m right in the middle. I had to move the truck to get it level enough and then I used the happy jacks to make it even more level.  I might improve on this in the morning.  But I’m here.  It was 10 pm when I arrived.  As Laura always says , “A day travelling each way,”. 

But we all love the camper especially Madigan.  I’ll be able to unload the quad and get out first thing in the morning. Maybe not the crack of dawn or pre dawn but I’m here and I’ll get in a morning hunt and and evening hunt Saturday and Sunday.  

It’s 11 pm,  Today was Friday the 13th.  Fortunately I’m still working so had the money to do the repairs and maintenance that my bad luck and poor driving cost me from the spring off grid hunt.  I am really delighted that this little home is restored. Last year I drove it down to Arizon and had a terrific time working virtual from my camper and riding my Harley about the incredible cowboy country down there,  Laura and I liked having the camper in Harrison’s .  Thanks to Kelvin’s body work I’ll be able to take this camper into the Good Sam full service resorts which I like to stay at as a break from off grid.  I’d actually thought I’d do more off grid than I do but I like the electricity for the Star Link and indoor hot tubs and pools.  After all those years in tents and roughing it I’m apprciating how dad and mom when they got older loved their bus and also cruises in the Caribbean,  My favourite place now is my couch at home but days like this with all the work and exercise sure make me appreciate home. It’s a joke but it really is true that these expeditions in the wild surely make the comforts of home and luxuries of the city so much more appealing. Laura sent me a picture of her new Roomba checking out her bedroom floor and cleaning it up.  This is Madigan’s world. He got all muddy in the rain and lay on this table so I had to clean of dirt and sand before I had a place to type. At least I don’t have to share a bed with him. He sleeps down here while I sleep on the higher bed which he can’t climb up to. At home he likes to walk accross my face in the bed.  He really is good company Cuddled beside me most of the way.

Well I’m glad to be here.  I’ve arrived safe and no damage to human dog or equipment. Thank you Jesus!!!!Thank you God,  Thank you Holy Spirit.