Breathtaking Costa Rica, the Arenal Volcano I haven't posted anything in a while, not because we haven't done anything, but because we've been busy living life. So, a brief recap of the year thus far ...
In February, Mike & I went to Costa Rica, both the beach (Tamarindo), and the interior. Mike learned to surf, and we went zip-lining for the first time (they're not big on allowing cameras that high, but rest assured, we had a blast). Trekked around mountains and volcanoes, through jungle and forest. Amazing time, truly! We're hoping to get back soon, maybe November.
The marina where we stored our boat closed in May as the city of Hamilton really wants to re-purpose the land, so we had to get our boat to its new home. While we had it all painted and ready to go in good order, it took the marina owner quite some time before he managed to get the boat in the water. The city had deemed his forklift and crane unsafe, leaving many boats high and dry while the city kept issuing eviction notices. Luckily, our boat got in just before that nonsense, so at least we weren't stuck on land. We did have to wait to get our motor fixed and running, but at least the boat sat in the water by then. Anyway, we eventually had everything together, and sailed off to our new marina, about an hour and a half sailing away (only about an extra 15 minutes drive time, but then, that's the nature of sailing). That comprised our biggest sailing adventure this year, given some nasty summer colds that lasted a couple of weeks, rainy days, and other medical emergencies.
In May, Mike's mom had a bad fall, broke her leg and wrist, and spent the next couple of months in hospital recovering. That saw many trips to and from Peterborough as Mike (and sometime me) helped his brother and sister look after their parents, and keep his dad sane in the upheaval. After much debate and searching (soul searching as well as physically looking), the parents have found a temporary home in a lovely retirement home that offers exceptional physiotherapy for mom, and three spectacular meals a day for both (and any visitors), and they moved in almost two months ago. We'll revisit things in the spring, so that they don't have to worry about trying to drive the back roads that would get them to their house in the middle of winter.
In February, Mike & I went to Costa Rica, both the beach (Tamarindo), and the interior. Mike learned to surf, and we went zip-lining for the first time (they're not big on allowing cameras that high, but rest assured, we had a blast). Trekked around mountains and volcanoes, through jungle and forest. Amazing time, truly! We're hoping to get back soon, maybe November.
The marina where we stored our boat closed in May as the city of Hamilton really wants to re-purpose the land, so we had to get our boat to its new home. While we had it all painted and ready to go in good order, it took the marina owner quite some time before he managed to get the boat in the water. The city had deemed his forklift and crane unsafe, leaving many boats high and dry while the city kept issuing eviction notices. Luckily, our boat got in just before that nonsense, so at least we weren't stuck on land. We did have to wait to get our motor fixed and running, but at least the boat sat in the water by then. Anyway, we eventually had everything together, and sailed off to our new marina, about an hour and a half sailing away (only about an extra 15 minutes drive time, but then, that's the nature of sailing). That comprised our biggest sailing adventure this year, given some nasty summer colds that lasted a couple of weeks, rainy days, and other medical emergencies.
In May, Mike's mom had a bad fall, broke her leg and wrist, and spent the next couple of months in hospital recovering. That saw many trips to and from Peterborough as Mike (and sometime me) helped his brother and sister look after their parents, and keep his dad sane in the upheaval. After much debate and searching (soul searching as well as physically looking), the parents have found a temporary home in a lovely retirement home that offers exceptional physiotherapy for mom, and three spectacular meals a day for both (and any visitors), and they moved in almost two months ago. We'll revisit things in the spring, so that they don't have to worry about trying to drive the back roads that would get them to their house in the middle of winter.
In the midst of that bit of excitement through the summer (coupled with various band concerts, get-togethers, work-issues, the Ride for Refuge fundraiser we participated in at the end of September for SHOW--Supportive Housing of Waterloo--and general living), I finished my latest novel, The Forgotten King. At about the 3/4 mark, I decided this story could expand into two books, so for the first time, I intentionally created a book intended to have a sequel. I resolve the main conflict, but I also leave questions and loose ends meant to have a resolution in book two (The Forgotten Magic, hopefully available by the end of 2019). So far, book two sits at about 25 000 words, so about 1/4 of the way finished. I started it before publishing The Forgotten King to determine if I could truly stretch the story into two parts. I don't yet know everything that happens, or how I want it to end (which amuses my chiropractor no end), but I'm pretty sure it's doable. I hope so, at any rate, as I just published The Forgotten King yesterday :D Hopefully, the copies I ordered will arrive in time for my very first Book Launch, scheduled for Saturday October 27. Wish me luck!
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