BACK TO CANADA
15 May 2009 | WHITE ROCK, BC
Al and Gail
This site is under re-construction, so please bear with us for the next while. We are switching over from our former website, to Sailblogs, so we will be adding pictures and text from June, 2007 until the present. Basically our sailing over the last two years has taken us from the US east coast - to the Bahamas - to the Turks/Caicos Islands - to the Dominican, for hurricane season - and now to Puerto Rico. We will, in the next little, be filling in the missing parts with pictures and text. Thanks for your patience.
Well, It's just past Christmas, 2008. We planned to be home - to the kids and grandkids for Xmas this year for about three weeks. As opposed to last year when we hosted two of our families for the festive season at Vero Beach, Florida.
But, after a trip to the medical clinic in Vernon, Al was diagnosed with colon cancer. What a bummer!!! LIterally and figuratively....
It is now May, 2009, we are still up north, and Al has just completed five weeks of radiation along with a similar period of chemo. Now is rest up time prior to surgery on June 5th. This is to take place at Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster. We have been lucky enough to have been offered a housesitting oportunity, right in New Westminster, by a sister of Gail's brother in law, Ralph. So, it will be close to the hospital, and many other useful amenities. We are quite confident that after maybe a month of recuperation, we will be set to get back to Puerto Rico, and continue down the crusing path, towards Grenada. And catch up to a few of the many friends we have met over the last couple years of cruising.
We have been back to 'Our Li'l Chickadee' a few times over the last few months - to check up on her, as she patiently waits to get going again. We are heading down there again this Monday, May 19th for ten days. She is at the Isleta Marina docks, just off the Fajardo, Puerto Rico mainland. Boris, our good friend there is looking after her, and making sure she stays in tip top shape while we are away.
Along with this setback, Al's Mom broke her hip while we were home, and subsequently passed away in February. At 95 years, it was, in a way, a blessing, but still hard to take, as she was a loving Mom to 'her four' for many many years.
On the other hand, we have had, and are still enjoying the benefit of being close to our kids and seven grandkids. This will hopefully hold us for many future months of sailing, while being thousands of miles away from them.
Our own house, on Mayne Island - in the Canadian Gulf Islands - has been re-rented to a neat retired couple, so we were able to spend time over there lately, and realize, after being away from it for so long, what a gorgeous spot we have waiting for us someday.
What more could we ask for - the opportunity of great sailing in the Caribbean and meeting great people, and after all that, going back to our great waterfront home. Not too shabby, I think!!