Not irreparable, but not confidence inspiring either.

The biggest omission was that the boat had been in a racing collision and had no pullpit – a stainless steel frame bolted at the bow of the boat that supports the lifelines – two wire lines that surround the perimeter of the deck and are primarliy for safety. In addition there were a few bits of equipment listed as being on the boat that were either never there, or had been removed. The total value of this gear was something like $8-10k, and dramatically changed the value of our offer. Actually the damage to the bow is totally repairable, but Kel and I both felt very uneasy about the lack of clarity coming from the seller/broker, and in the end felt it was wiser to withdraw our offer and consider other options. Our boat will be our home, and we really want to be able to step onto it with nothing but excitement and joy.

So it’s been back to a week of hunting for boats and looking for options. I was really depressed by the whole experience so I took a day off from thinking about it today and am sitting in the window seat in the Bean enjoying some funky tea and listening to a Genius playlist on my ipod. And before I go further, can I commend this piece of binary engineering… on the way across town in the car this morning the old pod spat out this concoction, and I must say it was just what I needed:

1. Maps – So Low So High
2. National – Show Show
3. Editors – The Weight of the World
4. Andrew Bird – Fiery Crash
5. Bell X1 – Rocky Took a Lover
6. Phosphorescent – Wolves
7. Miracle Fortress – Hold Your Secrets To Your Heart
8. Broken Social Scene – Swimmers
9. Spiritualized – Soul On Fire
10. Interpol – Rest My Chemistry
11. Bloc Party – Kreuzberg
12. The Secret Machines – Alone, Jealous and Stoned
13. Maps – To The Sky
14. Sigur Ros – Hljomalind
15. Bat For Lashes – What’s a Girl To Do?
16. National – Mistaken For Strangers
17. Beirut – Guyamas Sonora
18. Andrew Bird – Scythian Empires
19. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Weapon Of Choice
20. Miracle Fortress – Beach Baby
21. The Stills – Lola Stars and Stripes
22. Editors – Spiders
23. Broken Social Scene – 7/4(Shoreline) *My favourite of the mix by far!
24. Klaxons – Two Receivers
25. Maps – Back and Forth

DELUXE.

Anyhow…I’m enjoying my day of recovery. Keli and Pat have been in the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island for a three day spa and some serious mother-daughter time. Yes I am an amazing husband, and yes I intend to get this one back in a three-day motorcycle holiday somewhere fast and warm! Needless to say Dennis and I starved for the three days, but enjoyed some Granville Island Beers and watched the hockey on TV – I’m turning in to quite the Canucks fan!

The weather has been amazing here, loads of stunning tree colours, and lots of cool crisp air coupled with non-stop sunshine. Three days a week Dennis, Keli and I get up for a 6am fitness class – which of course I have bragged about before! Dennis and I run along the sea wall in West Van watching the moon set and the sun rise, it’s honestly the best way I’ve ever known to start the day. I’ve been running on the weekend in the Capilano Canyon which has also been fabulous. If it means anything it’s where Rambo First Blood was filmed, of course I didn’t know that either…but it might come up in a pub quiz? Here’s the clip…

Despite the last week’s challenges, these few months in Vancouver have been a really enjoyable mix of tourism, catching up with old friends, and making lots of new ones, and I’m really grateful for the experience.. Last week we joined the fitness group to celebrate Rika’s 60th birthday, it’s was such a blast to hang out with the group socially, and Dennis and Pat have really allowed us to borrow their friends! It’s also a little depressing to work out with people twice your age who look better than you do!

Actually that was one of my early West Vancouver discoveries…a nice bottom, one that looks say 25, or even 22, is actually more likely to be attached to a face that is 54, or even 65. So take care to connect the bottom to the top before you make a move. Which of course I wouldn’t be anyhow, I was just making an anthropological observation.

Finally, today I did some great online retail therapy, and thought I’d mention a funky little clothing company that are having a blow-out sale. ILK Industries is the clothing arm of an Edinburgh Design House, and they’re current knocking out some high quality cotton Tees, Hoodies and Bags, all organically sourced and not made by poor people – lovely! Check them out at ilkindustries.com, and more importantly sneak your way to their BIG sale here: http://sale.ilkindustries.com/products - don’t say I never give you anything!

The ILK Industries Sale site - get there.