Remembrance Day

I wanted to be sure to write something on this day as I usually spend a portion of it with my mother and I am missing our tradition of watching the services in Ottawa and sneaking glances at each other to see who has started to cry first. My phone call to her was the next best thing...

Let's raise a glass to my father; I am proud to be the daughter of a veteran for without his (and many other's) courage we would be in a very different world today. He was an amazing role model for me and gave me the encouragement that I needed to be an independant, adventurous woman able to take on this sea-farin' journey. Thanks Dad.

This past weekend Blake and I went over to an area of Grays Harbour called Ocean Shores. We attended a Jazz Festival which included eight bands all of whom played everything from "Won't you come Bill Baily" to "When the Saints come marching in". The music was very good and the bands came from Chicago, St Louis, Seattle and Aberdeen. People were dressed up in the styles of the 20's and 30's and there was plenty of dancing. We attended a gospel-style performance (without the preacher) Sunday morning. The name of the group was Black Swan and the female vocalist could hit all the notes!! We enjoyed ourselves very much.

Blake headed out this morning to Bellingham to pick up his son Josh. Josh has offered to help us get the boat further south, hopefully as far as San Franscisco. With the confused seas, the steering is tiring and we do not have wind vane steering and our auto pilot can't handle the sea state. According to the weather forecasts we have been looking at, the conditions won't be as unsettled off the California coast and so the watches should be less challenging and Blake and I will go it alone. Anyhow, for the next couple of daysthere is a break in the systems, and we may leave here tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. Depending on how it is going and what the forecast says, we will go as far as we can without coming to land to make up for some of the days holed up for weather. We'll keep you posted!!