Happy Sunday!
We walked along the crowd divider all the way down to the edge of the pier.
The divider stops short, and two lines merge into one throng of 15 people. The boat off the island holds nine.
The first boat sputters in, but not to our spot on the dock. Twelve feet away, they rope off. Two people hop off. The boat peels away, and the throng looks on.
The second boat pulls up a minute later. The boatman steps off wearing Blundstone boots and a navy blue fleece vest. I think his name tag said “Jayden”.
Like a train conductor, Jayden starts calling out for tickets and destinations.
I ask him, “Yaletown?” He nods. We hurry on the boat and sit side by side near the front. Seven more step aboard before Jayden’s Blundstone pushes us out into False Creek.
We did it. We left Granville Island on time.
After visiting majestic Coquitlam, BC, for the weekend, Sarah and I had time to kill before our evening flight home.
We sky-trained into downtown Vancouver for a stroll by the ocean and seaside brunch brought to us by a spirited man named Sam.
We rode the aqua bus over to Granville Island for a beer and the most delicious crackling pork from a random market stand.
With the sun setting behind us, we returned to the pier. We had some time to spare scooting across the channel before walking to the train and riding it to the airport. But with more people waiting than one Aqua bus can float, I wondered if it was enough time.
It was the only wee bit of tension in what was otherwise a delightful and routine travel day. Just enough to squeeze out a memory.
I hope you squeezed out a few stories yourself in the random ups and downs this December.
Here’s to many more in 2025.
Happy New Year!
December in 3 snapshots
✈️ Weekend in Coquitlam — Sarah and I flew Flair Airline for the first time to visit friends in NoCo. We dipped our hands in the Pacific before seeing it from the top of Burnaby Mountain. We mini golfed outdoors, hot tubbed indoors, and even unlocked hidden doors in another escape room. Thank you, J&A!
🍻 Xmas pub crawl — To ring in the holiday break, we joined some friends on a casual, self-guided, uncoordinated Christmas pub crawl. Found some themed bars and beverages. I soaked in the holiday cheer. And we were home by 11pm.
🎄Last Christmas at home? — I turned west on hwy 14 out of the Tofield turn off. I popped into town before going home for the holidays. It had been a while since I made it past RR195. The town itself doesn’t do much for me, but the 10 min drive home from town brings me right back to growing up.
Christmas Eve was full of trains, games, good fun, and great food. My 3-year-old nephew brought back some of the magic I remember from all my Christmases as a kid.
If it was indeed the last Christmas Eve out by Tofield, I’ll remember a good one.
3 lessons learned in December
I. A rest day is better than too many days trying to force progress – in work, life, whatever. We can push and pull in many things, but something usually snaps. Let yourself relax, unwind, and try again later.
II. Every conversation nudges you in a new direction. The harder the conversation, the harder the nudge. A good nudge can change your world.
III. Feelings are physical. We feel emotions throughout the body. To process what we’re feeling, we have to move our bodies.
3 interesting things
- The Telepathy Tapes – podcast mini-series (Spotify / Apple)
- Building a Snow Shelter in Alaska – Outdoor Boys (YouTube)
- JRE #2247 w/ Duncan Trussell (YouTube)
I’ll leave you with a quote 🤔
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”
—John Steinbeck
Until next time,
remember to live and let go,
Scotty
PS winter tires paying for themselves
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