Steelie Mediocrity

First of 3 night shifts tonight then it's road trip time!  Managed to sneak down to China Bar today for some fishing between shifts.  I met my friend and his 2 kidlets from Terrace there for most of the day.  We got a few bites but the only fish we brought in was a steelhead on my rod but we had to let it go.  It had the hook lodged right down deep in its throat, such a shame you can't keep them when they're just going to die anyways.

I've decided to postpone going to RHIOT school for now.  It didn't really work out with work and getting time off.  I know I could've made it work somehow but there's so much pre-work, studying and boating exercises that should be done first that I just don't have time to get done before leaving on my other trip on Saturday.  The whole thing was just way too rushed and I don't want to be worrying about it while on my other trip.  I'll go later this year and hopefully be able to make a trip out of it...maybe stay in Tofino for some winter surfing, head up to Mt Washington for some skiing or visit friends down in Victoria. 

I am way, way, way off my blissful track right now - that's why this blog is called backroads to bliss.  Bliss is the destination but this little chiquita seems to like to take the bumpy, much longer, adventure-filled backroads instead to bee-lining for the finish line. 

My yoga practice has been abandoned for over a week and a half, I haven't gone for a run in about the same amount of time and my eating habits have totally gone downhill...right now I'm on a huge bacon kick.  Every vegetarian eats bacon right?  Right?  Haha, oh well - I'll try to enjoy this yucky stage for now instead of beating myself up for the decisions I'm making, I just don't want to get stuck in a slump.  I just had surgery on my nose so I should be taking it a bit easier than normal anyways - doesn't give me an excuse for my poor diet choices, but it does make me wonder... why is that always so hard for me?  It's like I make it a crime to just be mediocre. 

Gonna be a RHIOT

I'm so excited! Got some awesome news today!!! I've been accepted for RHIOT school - rigid hull inflatable operators training.  The course is super intense,  it's 80hrs in 1 week learning to run super fast boats in the harshest weather conditions.  The school is located in Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island and I got accepted into the September course which starts on the 14th!  Ahhhh, super scary and exciting at the same time.  I have to confirm with work tomorrow that I can have the time off and pass a seafarers medical and I'll be good to go!  Fingers crossed!

Check out this video from Daily Planet on YouTube to get an idea what I'm talking about:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA8hlhhuj5c

Saskatoon berry jam

I made it back to Rupert late last night, I was going to stay all weekend but there were some complications with my friends boat and it didn't sound like we were going to be able to get out on the river after all.  Still managed to have a great time, despite being in Terrace for surgery.

Thursday was a lazy recovery day after the surgery, they ended up putting me right under when they were only supposed to do it with topical freezing which meant I couldn't drive myself out to the cabin as planned.  I ended up getting a friend to drive me out there and a friend of his drove my truck out for me.  Life savers!  These two are a couple of hilarious, old farts and I took them out for dinner the next night to thank them, turns out that it was the friend's birthday and he wasn't going to celebrate at all!  Thank goodness for divine intervention.

I spent Thursday reading, eating and sleeping down by the river.  My friend showed up late when I was watching a movie and stayed and snuggled with me overnight.  He offered me the cabin to stay in all weekend and showed me how to drive his quad.  Yes!

On Friday I passed 3 black bears on the road into town, took the dogs for a walk at Ferry Island then went back out to the cabin and took the quad for a rip down Whitebottom Road, an active logging road out in Old Remo.  Got up to 63km an hour - wooooo!  I passed lots of people fishing, one guy said I scared away a huge wolf when I came roaring up that had been watching him for about 20mins.  Lots of pink salmon in the Lakelse River right now.

Yesterday was the farmer's market and I loaded up!  Beets, zucchini, cucumber, squash, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, bok choy....yummy!  I'm going to be eating good this week.  Fishing for coho on the river didn't pan out like I mentioned so I spent the afternoon trout fishing on Kalum Lake with another friend - we got skunked but caught some rays and had fun canoeing around the lake.  After fishing and dinner went  for another rip on the quad before packing her up and heading home.

A teeny tiny day

I've been trying to fall asleep for a couple of hours now but it's not easy. I've got a big day tomorrow but it's always hard to bounce back after night shifts. I crammed alot into my 11hr day though - worked for 3.5hrs, got fuel and groceries, went for a trail run with the dogs, and had dinner with a friend. I've got to get up again in 5hrs, pack up my truck with my recovery day stuff, fishing/camping gear and the dogs and make the 1 1/2hr drive to Terrace for my surgery at 8:30...yikes! Hope I get sleepy soon...

Tomorrow after my surgery I'm going to spend the day and night at my friends rustic little cabin on the river. I love that place, I'm so grateful he's offered it up again. He let me crash there over the winter when I went up to ski and I almost looked forward to spending my evenings there as much as the skiing. There's no running water or electricity, just oil lamps and a wood stove. Simplicity. Such a nice place to spend the day snoozing, journalling, and reading while recovering.

I'm hoping to do most of my healing up tomorrow so I can spend the rest of the weekend slaying coho and camping in the rain. My alarm clock is set for soon so it's time for me to get back to counting sheep.

Lots of love - B

Gopi Salad & Philosopher's Brew

This afternoon my dogs and I ran up to the viewpoint on Mt Hays, I wanted to do some yoga on the platform overlooking the harbour again but a young couple came in shortly after I got there - I thought I'd let them enjoy the place to themselves since school starts up in just a couple weeks.   Last days of summer are bittersweet for young lovers.

It's now 3:30am and I'm at work enjoying what is now a cold cup of Philosopher's Brew (that's a yummy, herbal tea kinda brew- not a yummy beer kinda brew) waiting for my turn on the couch.  I'm wearing my Snuggie like a pair of fisherman pants because my legs are cold in shorts.  When I was first stepping into the arms I was laughing so hard - it sent me into a full on giggle fit!  So funny!  Ahh, the things you can get away with on night shifts.

Earlier in the evening I made a yummy salad that was my favorite dish at the Ashram I was at in May - Gopi Salad.  I make it everytime I miss the ashram and need a little reminder...baked tomatoes and sweet potatoes on spinach with coated, deep fried tofu.  Bliss. 
ps welcome to my first ever blog :)
 
OM Shanti - B