Thing Happen FOR Me

Things Happen FOR Me

Fog and mist at Fogmoor Farm

In the past I have always believed that things happen TO me.  That belief took me down the road of being a victim.  I would ask myself, “Why is this happening to me?  What is the message?”  Often I would answer in the most negative way. 

I have recently shifted my perspective to ‘things happen FOR me”.  Here is a recent example. 

As you know, I set out on my Cross Canada adventure.  I had planned to stay at Fogmoor for a night or two.  Are you familiar with  the old saying, fish and visitors smell after three days?  I didn’t want to be the fish at Fogmoor.  

As you also know, I damaged the awning arm which caused me to stay at least three nights (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday).  I may have left on Wednesday but Thursday seemed like a better day so on Wednesday I was researching ferries and how long it would take me to drive to another friend’s place in Sicamous.  

For Thursday morning, believe it or not, there were no ferry reservations available.  At the time I was researching, I felt a resistance rising in my body.  I could not put my finger on why the resistance so I kept planning.  

I came to the conclusion that I would just leave at 0500 and head to Swartz Bay ferry terminal and take what ferry was available to me.  Even at that I felt a resistance to my plan.  I pushed my leave time to 0530 thinking that would make a difference.  It did not.  I mentioned to my friend, Leanne, that I did not understand the feeling.  Was it trepidation, was it procrastination, was it fear of success?  The answer was not clear.

Wednesday afternoon I received the text about the exposure to COVID.  That settled it for me.  I would not be going anywhere for at least five days.  I felt it was my moral duty to protect others in the event I was a carrier and to take care of myself.  If I were to get COVID, I would rather be at Fogmoor, in my Minnie Home, than in a strange location.  I could not anticipate how COVID would affect me.  

With COVID on our minds, Leanne and I tested ourselves.  We were negative.  Woot, woot, woot.  The celebration did not last long.  Leanne got itchy throat and tender glands and was generally feeling cruddy.  I had a slight scratch to my throat.  I felt fine,  I had energy, I had an appetite, I was OK.  

The next day, Leanne tested positive.  I still felt good.  To help out I donned gloves and sanitized the house while her husband, Bill (who tested negative that day) went grocery shopping, and Leanne isolated.  

The gist of this story is that I was meant to be here, to isolate, to help out.  I have not been agitated that I cannot be on the road.  Everyone is taking isolation is stride.  This, this is why I was feeling the resistance to leave.  

I am here with friends.  Morgan has a great place to hang and a playmate.  

A friend kindly suggested that I do the gargle test but unfortunately it is not available to me.  Since I am travelling, I feel that I need to test negative before heading to the ferry and resuming my adventure.

Negative COVID test 

Today is day 5 since exposure.  As I type I am doing another test.  Let’s see what it says.  Fifteen minutes to wait seems like FOREVER! 

Positive news!  My test is NEGATIVE.  I feel free to make plans.  

 

 “One Wave At A Time.”  

Parked at Fogmoor Farm, Cobble Hill, BC

I believe this saying to be an old Norwegian proverb but the truth is, I don’t know.  Regardless, it is a saying that Ron and I started using during our first sailing days about 21 years ago.  

Packing up to leave my home for five months was no small feat.  First I needed to find a reliable house sitter, and I did.  Thank you, Teresa!

Then I had  to decide what to bring on my journey keeping in mind the unpredictable

A perfect dandelion clock.

  weather I  may, or may not encounter, what I needed for Morgan, and what I believe were ‘must haves’ for creature comforts.  

Next, came the house cleaning and moving personal items aside to make way for my tenant.  Windows, power washing the decks, tidying the craft room, laundry for clean bed linen and the list goes on.  

Some chores could not be done until the week before or the day before, kinda like a wedding, some things had to wait until the last minute like vacuuming and washing floors as I made my way out the door.  

Damaged awning arm on Minnie Home

One of the last jobs was to load the pickup with items I was delivering to Ontario plus items for the trip. I managed to do this on Saturday, the day before leaving.  It was like solving a jigsaw puzzle but everything fit with a little room to spare.  

On my last evening, I took the kids and the grands out to dinner, then we went for gelato.  It was a fun evening that ended at Comox Marina Park exercising Morgan before going home. 

Finally, departure day arrived.  April 24, 2022.  I had planned it so that I could sleep until I wake up.  Take my time doing the last minute things like make coffee, hook up the trailer, and piddle Morgan.  The plan was to leave before noon and I did.  Eleven thirty to be exact.  It was good to get on the road.  I decided to take

Playmates at Fogmoor

 Highway 19A (the by-way) so that I could travel leisurely and get use to pulling the trailer again.  

I decided to pull over at the rest stop at Nanoose Bay.  It’s a good one to pull into with a trailer.  I was surprised at how busy it was.  There was a spot for me up front so with confidence I pulled in but felt I needed to back up a bit to give vehicles more room to exit the rest stop.  Did I mention that I 

had to pee really bad?  I mean really bad.  So, in my haste to get parked I decided I didn’t need my back up camera.  Big mistake.  I tagged the trash can that was cemented to the earth.  Sadly I damaged the arm of my awning.  

Luckily a little, well-worn, elderly Quebec fella helped me secure it with rope so it would not fly apart heading down the highway.  My ego was bruised.  My pride was damaged.  BUT, for me it is one wave at a time.  I just carried on my way.  There was nothing I could do on a Sunday and I knew there was a Grand Design dealer at Mill Bay.  Fortunately my destination was Cobble Hill at Leanne and Bill’s Fogmoor Farm.  It was here I had planned to say a couple nights to unwind from a busy couple of months.  

It was great to arrive and yes, we had a bit of a laugh at my faux pas and the awning

arm.  

Morgan resisting the wake up call.

Monday morning Leanne drove me to Arbutus RV (five klicks down the road) so I could talk to the service department and show them pictures.  I had honestly mention that I am on a five-month vacation to Newfoundland and they managed to find a spot for me on Tuesday morning. 

Remember I said Leanne drove me to Arbutus RV.  Well, Tuesday I drove the trailer and believe it or not, I got lost and arrived 15 minutes late.  Hahaha. While my Minnie Home was  getting repaired my mind did wonder to speculating the cost. After all, it is a travel trailer repair facility.  I am used to the cost of marina repairs so I was bracing myself.  I convinced myself that I did not have a choice so again, I was prepared for this wave.  

The repair shop called about noon for me to pick up the trailer.  I didn’t have the balls

Red spruce cone bud

 to ask the cost.  I just hopped in my truck to head down to pick it up.  Standing at the Service Counter, I further braced myself knowing that it didn’t matter the cost, it was more important to have it repaired.  Much to my relief, the temporary fix was $88.05.  Whew!  What a relief.  

Now, bounce back to Monday afternoon.  Leanne and I were having tea in the trailer when a dear friend (who shall remain nameless for this story) dropped in to say hello and drop off a little item I was purchasing from  her.  We had a great visit catching up on our latest events and sharing how the next few weeks and months were expected to go. 

The next afternoon, Tuesday,   I got a text from my friend to say her Momma (who lives with her) tested positive for COVID but she tested negative.  

The view from my window.

On Wednesday we were in touch again and this time our friend tested positive.  Leanne and I tested and both came out negative.  Whew, that was a relief but we knew we were not out of the woods. I decided to be safe and keep others safe by staying at Fogmoor a few more nights.  

Since hanging at the farm, Morgan has been playing with Jake, taking many walks, I have been planting potatoes, weeding, helping in the willow patch, and enjoying the company of friends.  

Sadly, Leanne was not feeling well on Thursday decided to test again on this (Friday) morning.  This time she was positive.  Oh dear.  Leanne has been sequestered to their bedroom suite.  Bill (who tested negative) went shopping for supplies and I (double masked and gloved) sanitized the house.  Now it is a wait and see for me.  I will test again tomorrow (day 5) and see how things are.  I am feeling fine.  I am doubling down on my Vitamins.  

This down time has given me the opportunity to catch up on my blog, sort out what I may be missing in the trailer, and re-arrange the back of the pick-up truck.  The weather has been cool, sunny, cloudy and rainy.  

One wave at a time.

Fogmoor sunset, Cobble Hill, BC

How This Trip Came About

I stared at my screen for quite awhile wondering where to begin.  Then it dawned on me to start at the beginning - 2009.

Ron (my late husband) was at a conference in Halifax.  I joined him and for a few days prior we travelled to Prince Edward Island.  While waiting for the ferry to PEI we got the inspiration to go to Newfoundland, one day.

Fast forward to February 2011, mesothelioma (asbestos cancer) took Ron from us.  Since then I have been wandering.  

Morgan the Double Doodle

I stayed aboard our 42' sailboat, Ta Daa, in Victoria for a few years, travelled overseas a number to times, purchased a house in beautiful Kye Bay (Comox, BC)  and adopted my little double doodle, Morgan in 2020.  Then COVID hit.

In early 2020 I got the itch to travel Canada and perhaps the US of A.  The best set up for me, I determined, was a travel trailer.  Of course, that led to a pickup truck.

Our home on wheels

   The plan came together in 2021.  I found the perfect truck         and the perfect trailer - a 2017 Ford F150 and a Grand Design Imagine XLS 21BHE trailer.  

COVID dashed my first plan and that was to cross Canada in 2021.  Instead, I settled for Vancouver Island, some of BC and the Yukon to the Arctic Circle.  Oh my , it was a great adventure and a great way to get to know my truck and trailer.  Morgan is a great co-pilot.  She sleeps.  

Adventure Pup

It's now 2022 and I am now about to embark on the dream of 2009 - Newfoundland.  

This blog is about the adventures of Morgan (my pup) and me crossing Canada for my first time EVER.  I cannot tell you how excited I am. 

Stay tuned for frequent updates.  I will tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly.