December 2013

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Especially here in Tillsonburg with the snow falling gently to the ground, only to be whipped around by the winds expected to build later today. Why are we still in Tillsonburg you ask? Well…..

On November 17th, we were working in the motorhome. I wanted to make the bed and make things look “cute” as Steve, Kath & James were coming for a visit. Murray was helping me make the bed but continuing to be cautious because of recent surgery on his hand. He had his feet planted and reached across the bed. All at once he heard and felt a “pop” in his left leg and then extreme pain in the calf. We got him into the house, the leg elevated and iced but, of course, he didn’t want to go to the hospital. Research online gave us the diagnosis of a pulled calf muscle that could take 3 to six weeks to heal.

The next day, we visited his surgeon to have the stitches removed from his hand. When she saw the limp, she was quite concerned. If our family doctor wanted him on a cane or crutches, he couldn’t use them as the injured leg was the left and the cane would be in the right hand. The one that was just operated on. Her suggestion was to go straight to a wheelchair. Of course, Murray’s solution was not to visit the family doctor. But we kept the calf wrapped, iced and elevated as much as possible.

The surgeon also changed our plans once more as she wanted to see him again in five weeks. That was just before Christmas! Our marina in Florida would be closed from noon on the 24th until Jan 3rd. There was no sense going down and being unable to make any progress on the boat.

So we embraced the Christmas season here in Tillsonburg. The tree glistens in the living room and we hosted a super party the other evening with about 20 persons in our little home. Great fun. Tonight is the community Christmas dinner and dance. Jeremy, Cynthia, Mathew and Samantha will all arrive late on Christmas afternoon from Ottawa and Steve, Kath and James will drive over from St Thomas. We convinced Steve and family to spend the night as well. It will be a Christmas pajama party with people sleeping all over the house! Great fun!

They will all head off on the 26th and we will finish packing up the motorhome for our journey to Florida and the boat. When the weather allows, we will head south. It is a new type of travel for us but one that we are looking forward to experiencing. The boat will be moved into the workyard on Jan 3rd and then the jobs will start. But, we will live in the motorhome instead of in the middle of the mess aboard or in a motel as we have the last few years. The list of work to do is quite extensive and includes some tasks that Murray has put off for the last few years in order to get into the water faster. But, it is time to address all of those issues.

Thus it may take us a month or so to get the boat all fixed up. By then, it may be too late to launch and head out. We will see. The book signing at Atlantis has been postponed until March and I could fly over to Nassau for that event if necessary.

It could be that we spend the balance of the winter travelling in the motorhome. Who knows what these crazy people might do? We will keep you informed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from

Murray & Heather
frozen aground!