Saturday, August 6, 2016

Hello from the Other Side....


I thought would be a better blog title than "Misadventures" for the next 2 years, because really, there are no adventures until then. 

But... that could be selling this short. After all, there's unknowns, and things that are unexpected and go wrong. All hallmarks of a good adventure. And it isn't as though I haven't done anything cool, it's just that "cool" has been packaged very tightly into very small bits of time.

I'm currently sitting in the Vancouver Airport, and realize how important it is to remember that there are sane and fun people in the world. So I decided that I should create an occasional update on crazy Massachusetts. There's something funny about most things, and maybe by writing about it I'll see the funny. Or maybe not, and then in a few years I'll have a non-funny account of my sojourn into the USA.

So, what have I done in the last 2 years that was fun... I will try to come up with 10 truly fun things. I will not mention the not-so-fun, so in case you think I'm pulling a facebook-my-life-is-so-amazing-I-could-just-spit thing, I'm hereby warning you in advance the list is heavily edited for fun only.

1. I walked my dogs in the woods in Massachusetts, which involves some rocks, trees and a lake. Pippa and Matilda are AWESOME! And fun. Pippa thinks killing chipmunks is fun. I don't think so, but I've never tried. Matilda thinks rolling onto her back on the lawn performing for hordes of screaming children is fun. I would rather kill a chipmunk.

2. Marc coming to visit is fun. We climbed in the Gunks last fall for a day and again this spring for a few days. It was scary, and very fun. We used to climb here when we lived in Ontario, and this was the rock we pretty much learned to climb on. The gunks has many roofs, and they stick out and get in your way, so you have to lean waaaaaaaaaaay out to get around them. They have very large centipedes and buzzards that circle above you.

3. This spring Marc and I climbed the Whitney Gilman Ridge of Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch. This loose and falling down piece of cliff used to have the old man on the mountain hanging precariously off the top corner until he got tired and left. The Ridge was attempted by the Power-Licht duo back in the early days, and we were easily denied due to inexperience, wtf-are-we-doing-here-feelings and a massive rainstorm. This time it was quite fun, with some obscure route finding. If in doubt - step out over an abyss. Find an abyss, then try looking for a tiny hold that would keep you from disappearing into it. That's the right way. It was a lot of  Type A fun this time.

4. This week! I might need to stretch this out over a few numbers, or I'm not going to get to 10....

5. Saturday - dinner in Squamish with Luisa, Jason, Meghan, Chris, Geraldine, Felix and new friends Rosa and Red. Red is furrier than Rosa. Felix and Geraldine will also have another new friend for me to meet during next year's annual visit.

6. Climbing Squamish is always fun. Especially when I get the guided tour courtesy à la Marc. Squamish Butt-lite via the Rambles and some simul-climbing on Banana Peel, Calculus, Memorial Crack,  Snake, St Vitus direct and Jungle Warfare - not bad for a week when mixed with everything else including some sleeping. We also hung out with Luisa and Jason quite a bit, and ate wonderful food out of their amazing garden.

7. Seeing my cats. Myrah and Kelvin quickly acted as though they had OF COURSE noticed I had been gone.

8. Friday night dinner with Yvonne, Kenta and their friends. Yvonne is also working on providing more friends. Did I mention Matilda likes rolling over on her back in screaming hordes of children? I swear she smiles as she does it. There may be a few children for her to entertain in the future.

9. Today (Saturday) was great fun. Jungle Warfare, then snoozing on Britannia Beach in the sun with the smell of the Pacific Ocean as the tide crept in. And then there was dinner tonight - with a massive gang of friends including Kala, Chris, Angie, Paul, Suzanne, Yvonne, Kenta and friends, Jacek and Marc. It is wonderful to know the world still has sane and fun people that go out and have adventures and get together and have a good time.

10....   hmmm. I guess I'll have to include reading "Neverwhere" in airports. I will follow it with "Good Omens". I should be thoroughly messed up by tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who did their part to return me to some sanity. Next update in September, which is not far away. I will try to include pictures.






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