A retired guy wrote. He and his wife are off the grid. Kamloops area. Ten years. Sounded pretty happy. Seemed like a nice guy. We have a lot in common including mutual friends. It was good of him to get in touch. I really like that sort of thing.
Another guy and his wife are dropping by in a few days. In their sailboat. From New Zealand, no less. Our connection: other mutual friends from forty years ago. I really like that sort of thing, too.
A big sea-going ship (85-footer) dropped by the other day. Friends. We met while I was looking for an old genset 15 years ago. He had one. I bought it. We’ve been friends since. And I really like that sort of thing, too.
Got some ling cod recently, too. Friend nearby.
And this sort of listing of friends could go on and on. We are very fortunate to be able to say that. “We have friends.” In fact, I even have several bff’s from this blog, some of whom I have never met but I feel a closeness to nevertheless. And old Non-con is actually MISSED if he doesn’t show up now and then. JA, too. And Barb, Joy, Judy and Margy. And Sue. And Anonymous. Gerry. Sid. Lots of Johns. I would estimate that there are maybe a dozen I ‘connect’ with on this blog and no other way. Yet, I still feel we are ‘friends’.
I mention this (partly to avoid writing about politics which is currently gnawing at me BIG time) because one of my best friends reviewed our second book the other day. It is NOT a posted review. Not yet, anyway. He was here visiting. “I really liked it because it was just like being here and having one of our normal conversations, ya know? Like four friends talking….with you doing most of it. And Sally interrupting all the time. It was really conversational. An easy read.”
At which point, of course, Sally shouted, “Hey! Look! A squirrel!” and the three of them jumped up and ran out of the room.
That is how they end all of my monologues now. Getting harder and harder to finish a good rant nowadays. Hell, it is getting harder and harder to finish a good story! (OK, maybe they HAVE heard some of those stories before. Several times, perhaps. Still….. I am supplying free booze and cheese. There is an obligation that comes with appetizers, ya know?)
Oh well, I never said friendships were easy. But they are memorable. I sorta feel it is my friendship-duty to at least be memorable. Maybe NOT always easy but always hard-to-forget.
Try as you might.
Our Off the Grid Home 
“We have known knowns, unknown knowns and unknown unknowns.” Rumsfeld. Present company excused Dave, a friend not a blogger or a blog reader is fond of what is called ‘genesis’ story telling. All stories told start with ‘In the beginning the world was void and without form…” The job of the listener is to sit in rapt attention and never to interrupt. In contrast the story telling by you, is for me the most enjoyable aspect.
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Thank you. And should a squirrel catch your attention during a story, run to it. Go with your inner rodent. I understand.
Well, I do NOT understand really, but I am DEFINITELY used to it.
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HA! I have friends too! Perhaps not as many as you, but ten years off the grid, Kamloops area, ‘pretty happy’, ‘NICE GUY’. Fits me to a tee. Not retired, but sans income. You’re never retired when you’re OTG. Mention THAT to the newbies you’re trying to encourage. Anyway, I was visiting a friend and happened to mention your (first) book. Said I’d lend it to him. So I opened it up, just to refresh my memory and there went 24 hours productivity. Oh well, it chose to rain that day so it wasn’t a day completely lost. A good read, again. Maybe I’ve got onset Alzheimer’s?
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Since you forgot to add the word ‘early’ to ‘onset Alzheimer’s’, I would think that maybe you do. And that bodes well for the friend inventory too. Maybe you have lots of them but just forgot….?
What did you have for breakfast? Where are your glasses? Your keys? One out of three is a passing grade.
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Thanks for putting me in the yet-to-meet friend category. We came close this week. We got our boat in the ocean and took it to Heriot Bay on a shake-down cruise. A bit pricey, but we love eating at the Heriot Bay Inn. Then we head on over to Rebecca Spit to anchor for the night. What we save on one we spend on the other, and don’t count the cost of the gas. Not free, but fun. It took a downward turn when we got a leg oil low warning beep. Now, after one short trip the boat has to come out of the water to find the source of the problem. It may turn out to be the most expensive dinner on record (unless you count our $500 airplane hamburger runs). – Margy
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I always see the loom-and-doom ‘leg’ when it is usually just the ‘light’. Meaning: it is just as likely something small as something big. Unless, of course, you are asking for the opinion of Guido and Big Al, the ‘made’ marine mechanics.
Too bad, Margy. You were so close and yet so far away. How often has that phrase crossed my mind when thinking of women friends…….?
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Got the hard copy of “Choosing Off The Grid.” I’ve just had a quick look through and I love it more than ever.
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There you are! Anonymous #?…… Thanks. Save your money, tho. Get Choosing from the library or a dumpster. It is a book needing to be written but not necessarily needing to be read.
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One the back of the hard copy are five reviews praising your previous book and each review rates the book as five stars.
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Well, yes and no. The five star reviews were for the first book. They were true and honest. Altho we had a few two-star reviews and chose NOT to use those ones. It is a typical marketing ‘spin’ to use reviews from an earlier release to make people think the second one will be as good as the first. Machiavellian marketing. When the cover was designed, the second book wasn’t even on the market yet. In fact, there have been only four reviews so far. Trust me, I am not the humble, modest type. I give book number one 6/10. I give book two, 3.5/10. It was just something I had to write to get ‘out of my system’. It is, in fact, a debunking of a some OTG myths, a few suggestions and lot of Dave-think on what’s what. Should you read it? I think so. Some of it is new and interesting – I hope. We tried. Should you PAY for it? Absolutely NOT. As Jerry Rubin suggested about his own book, “Steal this book!” Or, maybe better put:….borrow it from the library.
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You might be too myopic. A friend from time to time burns his paintings. He is a well known Canadian artist. Emily Dickinson left instructions in her will that all her poetry remain unpublished and be burned upon her death. Why? Not a clue!
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Yeah…that’s it. Myopia. Not humility. Not modesty. Simply cannot see what is in front of me. Having said that, it’s not ALL bad….just oriented toward those mulling their options. It’s a book for some guy/gal wondering if they should ‘get out’ and maybe ‘get out now!’ I think that if that question is going through your head, the answer is clear: YES.
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I dont seem to get here as much as I like these past few weeks.
Unusually busy at work. Lots of orders coming in and no staff to do the jobs…..
People dont seem to like to do physical labour and get their hands dirty no matter how well it pays.
Seems everyone has dreams of being an IT billionare at the age of 21…..and if that doesnt happen…… they just wait……
I’ll have to meet you the next time your in “the big smoke” for a brewski and a book signing and we can commiserate over the sorry state of election voting choices these days…… :).
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Sounds like a great idea! Mind you, you might die of thirst in the meantime. Next trip to Vancouver is planned for December. Still, ya never know…..I am looking for another boat and that may take me into the urban maelstrom. I hope not. My criteria are almost impossible to meet but we’ll see.
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