Paula awoke yesterday morning around 2AM and could not fall back to sleep until about 6. Shortly after eight, she opened her e-mail and received a message that a dear friend of hers and her family, had succumbed to leukemia. Elisa Lanes was in her early forties and left behind three young children and a husband. We found out later, after Paula had called her mom on the East Coast, that Elisa had died around 2AM, around the same time that Paula woke up in the middle of the night.
None of us are spared from the death of a young family member, friend and even spouse. It hurts and we all ask why? But when the dust finally settles and the grief subsides we are left with memories, and in the case of Elisa, I am sure there will be lots of warm memories left for all of those whom she touched. It's not always what you accumulate in your life that matters but what you leave behind.
Fitting that yesterday we headed off to West Vancouver and Lighthouse Park. The park sits at the end of a peninsula and is an old growth forest that is largely the same as it was when George Vancouver explored the Puget Sound in the mid-eighteenth century. Some of the trees are over 500 years old! What a peaceful place! Paula renamed it "The Cathedral of the Trees". Being here was quite soothing for her. It was hard to believe, we were barely 10 miles from the heart of downtown Vancouver.
I could easily move to this part of the world. The locals here appear to care little about the rain, it's what makes this place so green and beautiful. And with nature at your doorstep, it's hard to find a place like this if you like the outdoors. As one local said to me this week. 'We all work to play in Vancouver!" I can't wait to see the Vancouver Olympics this winter. I am sure the city and the people will be sparkling as they welcome the world for two weeks!! BUT...I will still pull for TEAM USA...
Stop two yesterday was just down the coast from Lighthouse Park. Horseshoe Bay Village. The town is tucked away between the sound and the mountains and the spot where cars and people board the BC Ferries for places North and West. Many of the ferries head up the "Sunshine Coast", but there is still no sunshine with me today. Had a picnic lunch in the park overlooking the happenings around two ferry departures. Park was filled with kids and dogs..seems like they are everywhere!
About the dogs here. It must be a provincial law they are not allowed to misbehave or bark and must be friendly. Really, maybe it's something about the air up here but the dogs are amazing. If I do move to BC, the first thing I will get will be a dog, make that two dogs.
Matt came up from Seattle yesterday afternoon. We did a little walking around the neighborhood and then pigged-out last night at Hon's ...Peking Duck.. the real deal. We are becoming addicted to Hon's ..been there three times already. Today it's off to North Vancouver and Lynn Canyon. Matt wants to visit some crazy-mountain climbing store to find a special harness. He learned rock climbing during his NOLS days and has gotten back into it. He tells me he and a group of experienced climbers are planning an ascent of Mt. Rainer next summer. Hope his medical and life policies have been paid! LOL.
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