So Where is Madcap and Where are Beth and Jim?
28 October 2016 | Madcap in Ft Pierce, Florida and crew in Halifax, Nova Scotia
rainy, windy and 6 degrees C
Finally! The missing in action blog writer is back at her computer!
When I last wrote, we were returning home from Florida after getting Madcap all wrapped up for a stay at Riverside Marina in Ft Pierce. The plan was to spend the spring and summer in Nova Scotia enjoying our home and cottage, with frequent visits to Newfoundland where Mary Beth and Graham were expecting our first grandchild. We would go back to Florida to move Madcap farther north in the fall.
Well, we did the first part. We are delighted to tell you that Duncan Lorne Cook was born on April 26, 2016. Jim and I were both there for the occasion and what a thrill it was to welcome this new little baby into the world. Mary Beth and Graham brought their wee babe from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia when he was 2 months old to spend a month at the cottage on the Northumberland Strait - a favourite spot for the whole family. He had his first "walk" on the sandbars in my arms, his first nap in the hammock on his Grampy's chest, and got introduced to many family members and friends. Graham's parents came from Calgary for a visit, Uncle Alex came from Ottawa, and the local aunts and cousins and his great-grandfather cherished every bit of the time they had with him. Now, Mary Beth is back at work as a radiology resident at Eastern Health in St John's, and Graham is embracing his new job as full time caregiver to Duncan.
And so the summer passed. And then fall approached. And we were nowhere near ready to think about heading back to Madcap!
We took a road trip to Ontario to visit our son, Alex, and sailing friends. We drove down to Annapolis, Maryland to the sailboat show - meeting up with more sailing friends. Jim flew to Florida to spend a week near Madcap - checking on her and doing some odd jobs. I will write another post about these delightful trips, and just finish this one by updating our plans for the winter. (But you will be pleased to know that Madcap survived Hurricane Matthew's wind and rain in fine shape.)
Our son, Liam, who went to New Zealand for a year - in 2013 - has fallen in love with not only the country but with one of its daughters! He proposed to Alice McCubbin-Howell this summer; she said yes; and they have so thoughtfully decided to get married this December when we are there for our planned visit. We will fly down there via Vancouver (and a packed 3 days of visiting) at the end of November, spend Christmas with Alice's family, and celebrate the wedding on Dec 29th. During the rest of the time until our return at the end of January, we will be touring around in a camper van. I will be keeping a blog about our land travels as well - stay tuned for the link to that.
We will spend February back at home and head to Florida in March to pay attention to the preparation and launch of Madcap. Really truly - that has nothing to do with the fact that it will be very definitely winter in Nova Scotia!! Although the timing or our cruise north changes regularly, our intention is still firm: Madcap will return to the waters of Atlantic Canada where we will have fun exploring the coastlines of our native land for the next few years. And then? Who knows??
Sorry about the sideways pic - I will change it when I can figure out how.