So there was all the stowing that went into it and the selection of what I’d need for 2 1/2 months. I had everything I needed in the camper and only had to buy an expresso machine., I was so well outfitted.
Now I’m here and just so thankful for Merry Maids and Alena and Ilena ,who were cleaning the fifth wheel for 4 hours yesterday and are coming back today. All the important and necessary items have to be transferred from this unit to the big unit. I’ve also filled a large laundry bag and will pick up another one or two from the fifth wheel. It’s overly apparent I had too much stuff over there, mostly clothes. I’ve clothing in storage and don’t think I’ll be needing more work dress shirts or jeans with little waists I may never know again.
It fills me with such a good feeling. Yesterday as everything fell into place, getting the water and propane working on the fifth wheel, renewing my passport, having the glass fixed on my iPhone and Apple Care taking care of the broken mini ipad and the lady maids arriving and late Kelvin from Travco. Then the men’s meetings, seeing all the guys , being asked to share and also passing on the rosary I’d brought back from Mexico for Mario who’d asked if I would. All along Madigan was at the camper and going for walks in between errands. I rode the motorcycle despite the rain and the truck.
It’s a whole lot of moving parts.
I loved that I was able to work with the help of Apple Computers and IPads and Starlink, Oscar program and the staff at the two clinics and cellphones. I was in Arizona visiting Territorial prisons, vacationing with Laura , going to Mexico with her to get her dental work done and my teeth cleaning and Christmas leathergood gift buying. I ridding my new Harley Nightster special around the dessert, out to the Army proving grounds and armour museum, the wildlife museum and the marine air base. It was a question whether I’d have any problems carrying the machine on the front rack of the F350. It had worked for Logan Lake but this was 5000 km’s plus of driving. I had so little repairs, the wiring cable and the sewage discharge. The truck passed inspection and for all the wear I consider myself blessed at how little went wrong. I really had a great go of it though of course I’d made sure everything was fine before leaving.
So many moving parts. My first time taking an RV to the US and back with customs waving me through both ways. I had a dog with me and he rode on my motorcycle. Everything was amazing and all of it carried a bit of fear. I feel alive facing so many challenges. The hours of driving high speed especially in the LA freeways and the night driving looking for a camp spot were all challengeing. I downloaded audio books onto my IPhone and played through the sync system on the Ford. Driving on the highway was so much better with audio books.
So many pictures.! I saw such different terrains, the great views of the amazing coastal road, the Oregon Beaches, the Redwoods, the desert and cactus, pelicans and sea lions, jets and just a whole alien adventure. I ‘m really thankful for the experience.
I’ve returned having avoided another Canadian winter . I am here in the grey rainy darkness of Vancouver late winter and so thankful I had a heavy dose of sun. I was feeling drained and vulnerable when I left. Now I feel alive again and hopeful. I listen to such sadness tragedy and anxiety. Day in day out I respond to mental illness and physical illness in the worst of political times and here I’ve had lots of sunshine, exercise and relaxation. It’s been a change too. Madigan is a constant companion and keeps me active. I’ve had musculoskeletal pains and been to chiropractors but the main message is exercise which thanks to him I do daily 3 or 4 times , half hour to an hour walks. He’s such a peach too for a rascal who became a grumpy groweller after a bad experience with a groomer.
I was trapped in the same old same old for a bit and now I’ve broken free from that. A regained joy of life. I’m loving cleaning up and organizing and being stationary.
I’d lost my appreciation of Burnaby and my work and this Workation has helped me refind my sense of purpose and a future.
There’s even a fellow wanting to see my sailboat which is up for sale. I’m planning on getting the extended RV towing license just have to first get the ICBC knowledge test completed. I’ve a hearing aid meeting tomorrow. All goes well I’ll take the camper to storage and have my home office set up and be back in the routine but with a renewed mind. I’m blessed.
Thank you God for helping me do all this. It’s a major challenge for me. I know sailing across winter seas through hurricanes is a big deal. Bicycling a cross Europe as a kid. Becoming a doctor and delivering babies, specializing and subspecizlign, managing a major practice for years and surviving the terribly outdated bureaucracies has all been achievements like fishing and big game hunting and all the little trips and the travels overseas. It’s all something. i ‘m getting old and was feeling old like there was nothing much to do. Always being asked about retiring. Well I like my practice. I like what I’m doing. I liked that I worked sufficiently that I could take a month and take Laura to Scotland , London, and Paris, visiting the Hay castles and finally getting to the Louvre. I liked that I was able to work and save and yet there I was with a major cost and no money coming in. This time I did that thing people talk about , not touching the principle or savings but rather with continued work was able to pay the travel costs and dental bills. I also liked having work. I’m not doing the 80 to 120 hour work weeks but enjoying half time work at 30 to 40 hour work. I loved taking 2 hour lunch breaks to lie in the sun or sit by the pool. That way I got the best of the sunshine where as when I’d only taken 1 hour lunch I rose in winter in the dark and finished in the dark. The Spanish approach to mid day improved the winter season. I’m thankful now that days are getting longer and I’ll soon have evenings of light.
I’m back and I’m safe. It’s been a whirlwind at times but despite being older I’ve had a new adventure which was all the more fun because I could pay as I went and didn’t return to bills or loss.
Actually I don’t as yet know what I’d do if I was fully retired . I really enjoyed having the 4 days of work each week. The three day weekends were sufficient for play and I liked that I didn’t have to generate ideas of what I was doing to do this week because work and walking Madigan and activities of daily living structured my time.
I’m home. I ‘m still in Gypsy mode. When my brother became sick I prepared to move east sending my sailboat a head of me, applying for jobs in Ontario , to be close to my brother, and then he died. I’ve never settled since. I have regained my love for BC and Vancouver. I’m looking for ward to enjoying this amazing city and province. Being away as usual made me see what I took for granted and lost the appreciation for . I really am looking forward to being a tourist in my city once again. I have a new set of glasses.
I’ve loved the bi weekly doctors meetings. I was feeling alone and alien and know I’m apart of a great human undertaking. It was good to be back at church.
I’m supposed to be writing novels and theology and memoirs but I’m just happy to be enjoying Walden Pond.
I find myself thanking God for life, for the new day, for the air I breathe, for Madigan’s health. Yesterday , starting with the passsport to ending with the men’s meeting was a whole day of joy ‘in the flow’. Thank you God for bringing me through this safely and now helping me return to a renewed life. Thank you for being with me. Thank you for life in the spirit. Thank you for the opportunity to serve and be of service in my work as a physician, psychiatrist, and addiction specialist and the adventures I’ve undertaken along wit those pursuits. Thank you for the study and learning. Thank you for the mentors and teachers and elders. Thank you for humans.
God is good all of the time.
Thank you Jesus.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment