We have projects but don’t plan life

What a long week… Last Saturday we were starting the sandblasting and painting under the deck of the main compartment, nine days later I am typing this from Brittany, I am in Nantes airport boarding room on my way back to Canada. Meanwhile so much has happened, I feel like a month has gone by…I am exhausted…physically, mentally and emotionally.


The lack of good weather this summer forces us to work longer days now

Saturday, Sunday, Monday were three normal days around the Ovenden Boat building yard, some tough long sandblasting and painting days. Things are going fairly well on the boat, the weather is finally cooperating and we are maintaining a good rhythm in our progress. Unfortunately life is such that it sometimes catches you off guard. Tuesday, between two gallons of paint, a message from my dad announced me that my grand father had past away, the funeral was planned for Friday. My grand father was 97 years old and life is what it is…


A year ago, almost by the day I was visiting my grand-father for the last time. I am here showing him picture of the boat as he laughs at the amount of work it represents. At 96 he knows what work means and knows I still have a lot to learn.

I left on Wednesday evening to come back Monday. All my family, other than siblings and parents are in France. Four days make it for a short trip when there are so many people I’d like to spend time with, so many places I’d want to go by. Limited time feels even shorter when the reason to be there is that one of those people I’d like to be with is gone.


Most people like to visit, shop, lay on the beach…I like fishing and strolling on the rocks, with friend or cousins it’s even better.

Each time I go back home it hits me harder, over there is where I want to be, here is where I still am. Now, the only thing that is keeping me in Canada is this boat I am building and I would lie if I said that, when thinking of Brittany, it never crosses my mind to give up…


How could I not want to be there rather than here?

When we dream the dream, plan the project, the most organized of us get into all the little details to be foreseen along the way. We think of every technical detail, we budget with precision our expenses, we plan a schedule but I don’t think any of us ever includes the ups and downs of life, the effect of time that goes by and how little bit by little bit the person we were when we started can evolve and change.

The most dreamer of us wear our pink lens, the most technical of us just forget that we are people.

…I am not giving up…I will sail back to Brittany, just like dreamed the little girl that I was when my family moved to Canada.


I can’t forget the dream

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