16 Nov 2009, Vancouver
Greetings from a very rainy Vancouver where we are for a few days before starting our trip south back to Mexico for another cruising season.
This last month has been a blur of completing projects, getting the house ready for renters and satisfying the many items on our “to do and get” list that we are constantly updating from the day we arrive until we leave again. This has included the refinishing of all the deck sole panels that we brought home, rebuilding the galley counter, getting solar panels, paint for the upper deck area and too many upgrades and items to mention. The van is loaded down even more than last year but we have added another set of leaf springs to get the rear end up higher. Just hope the rest of the chassis survives the abuse.
Fran’s summer was very busy with a constant stream of chairs to be repaired. They were lined when we arrived and calls were still coming in a few days before we left. J-G was mostly busy around the house finishing off his workshop in the basement, refinishing the items we brought up with us and getting Antares (our 34 ft Peterson)ready for sale. She was sold in early July, the surveyor noting it to be a very good boat. J-G felt good about that, testimony to the work he put into her over the years we owned her but it was a sad day to see her being sailed out of the harbour by her new owners.
We are a bit later departing than we had hoped. In early October we learned that our daughter-in-law, Robyn has been stricken by cancer and for the past weeks the prognosis has been uncertain. We are here to help her get a few things in order so that she will be able to live the next few months of treatments without undue worry. Her mother has just arrived to be with her and the grand-kids during the ordeal.
Also, over the past few months we have learned from our very good friends Doug and Trish, on Ka-Em-Te that Doug’s cancer has returned and he is facing another six-month course of treatments. A number of their cruising friends have grouped together to raise funds to help them through this difficult period and we are looking forward to contributing to the effort. Fran has even volunteered to have her hair all cut off by the highest donor. It is a difficult time.....
18 Nov 09, Albany Oregon
We are finally on our way. The drive from Vancouver has been very good. The driving rain we had experienced in Vancouver let up just long enough for us to get this far south. There is promise of a large storm system moving into the Pacific Northwest tomorrow so we must get moving south to avoid it, particularly during our transit through the Oregon and California high country. By tomorrow night we should be close to Sacramento and basking in the Palm Springs sun by the weekend.
We received some great news on our arrival at the motel. Robyn’s oncologist reported that her cancer wasn’t as widespread as they has first assessed (mass on liver) and so the prognosis is much more positive. Obviously she is much relieved but she will still have to go through a painful and tedious treatment regime.
We are now expecting to make it back to Guaymas/San Carlos by the American Thanksgiving. Maybe someone will invite us for dinner....
Next blog will be after we get back to Guaymas.
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