“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