Day 72, Year 7: Cape Cold–Not the Tropics
Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012
Weather: Alternating Sunshine with Overcast Skies and Snow Showers
Location: Brewer Fiddler’s Cove Marina, N Falmouth, MA
The weather forecast for the next few days is definitely reminding us that
we are on Cape Cod and not in the tropics. The forecast for tonight is for
snow, for tomorrow the forecast is for snow, and for Saturday, more snow-not
much snow, but maybe enough to remind us that this is winter. Just reading
the forecast made Mark cold and then I caught him looking at the photos in
my little 2012 calendar hanging on the wall. I bought it in late summer so
I could write down future appointments and chose it because it was the right
size and had photos of tropical beaches. I didn’t realize at the time that
there is no mention of where these beautiful beaches are located. Mark was
looking at the pictures with lust in his eyes. I interrupted his moment of
lust and we then had fun attaching our version of where these various photos
were taken . . . Chagos, Madagascar, Chagos, the Loyalty Islands in New
Caledonia, St. Lucia in the Caribbean, Kroko Atoll in Indonoesia, Fiji,
Vieques in Puerto Rico, Chagos again. I must make a mental note to produce
my own calendar for next year using our photos. It would make a great gift
and make me feel warm on a cold winter’s day.
Last night before shutting down my computer, I checked email one last time.
There was an email from our good friends Gerry and Donna Beauregard on Scot
Free II. They are in Cochin in India and we last communicated with them in
early December before we knew that Mark had colon cancer. Their two adult
children were flying to Cochin from Canada to do inland travel with them
over the holidays, so I knew we wouldn’t hear from them for a few weeks. I
was so excited to see an email from them, but when I opened it I was no
longer so excited. While traveling, Gerry had a stroke. Thankfully they
were in a place where people spoke English and they could get good medical
care. There was a stay in ICU, but Gerry is now doing great. They are back
in Cochin and instead of leaving their boat there and returning home for a
few months, they are going to take the boat back to Thailand with the help
of their son Klinton who is still with them. I wrote back and told them
about Mark’s cancer diagnosis. We are used to emailing each other about
sail plans, not health issues. I guess it is a sign of our ages, but a sign
I could do without. We are so happy that Gerry is doing so well. Gerry is
too good natured to let a little stroke get in the way of fully enjoying
life. We’re with you on that one, Gerry. But, this was the second email
from good friends this week with news of serious health issues. A very good
friend of mine from New Hampshire wrote and brought me up-to-date on her
husband’s bout with cancer during the past year. So we are sending our most
positive thoughts out to these good friends who are fighting the fight. We
know they will win.
