Christmas letter 2014

 Greetings Dear Friends,                                  

We like the Christmas letter ritual, l it gives us a starting place to reflect the passing year and count all our numerous blessings. Many friends are scattered throughout the world and so we enjoy the benefits of modern media communications. No matter how it is sent, we want you to know that we are thinking about you at this special time and wish you and your families happiness and health.

I am going to have a sign carved to be placed on the front door. It reads “NO ORGAN RECITALS” and so it shall be with this note other than to say, we are well in heart and spirit.

In January, Pat and I were looking for some purposeful projects in our local communities. We found CADA (Citizens Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse) www.cadacanhelp.org. We both took the 100 hours specialized training to become volunteer advocates. It was an eye opening and powerful experience; we had absolutely no idea about the high numbers of abuse case cases here on this idyllic island of ours,

In Jan I was recruited to stand for election as the President of the Beach Watchers Advisory Council that is now taking all my disposable time. It is a Washington State University Island County environmental organization www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/island. focusing on the health of the near shore ecosystem.

It has been a year of re-connection with Outward Bound. In April We were invited to Vancouver and participated in celebrating the presentation of the ”Kurt Hahn Award” to Bart MacDougal at the International Outward Bound annual meeting, There were multiple “blasts from the past” as leaders from at least 15 countries were present. It was great. We renewed our connections, fought old battles and regaled each other with the stories of daring –do

After we had been home a short while we had a delightful visit from Ben Ho, a former staff member in Hong Kong, who now runs a successful outdoor education consulting business in Hongkong and China, in addition is a very successful marathon runner.

In August we travelled to Ely Minnesota with Tacey and Allison for the Minnesota Outward Bound 50th anniversary. Five decades of staff were there, with a large contingent from the 70’s in all about 200 hundred former and current staff. I ask you to imagine the scene, walking down the path in the woods to meet up with???? OMG it is you. You haven’t changed a bit!!! (really). In our character we were mostly unchanged, physically just slower, bent & greyer. We were offered the usual challenges. A little white water canoeing ( Pat fell out) The new “scary hi tech ropes course. It was with much trepidation that I went to the site and was cogitating whether it was better to risk life and limb or loss of face. I I was about to go for it (think) and Allison ( 12) set off and simply blitzed the whole thing with such elegance and grace that I knew it was OK to pass the baton. There was also a lovely little ceremony to scatter Bob Pieh’s ashes into the river Kawishawi, which ran past the cabin, were he lived as the founding Director. In some ways nothing had changed and in others everything. It was the original Hobart dishwasher with the same food racks and much of the same hippie era housing. The staff were the same, dedicated, idealistic, enthusiastic and rambunctious. The spirit was the same. The changes were from modern pressures. High tech ropes course, complex risk management protocols and the threat of being squeezed out of the area by burgeoning wilderness travel restrictions, and threats of mining development.

Then we had a landmark visit from Roger and Mu Putnam; long time friend and former principal of Outward Bound Eskdale. As our careers were parallel for more than 30 years you can imagine the interaction when we were primed with a little scotch. Finally our chapter of the year on Outward Bound was closed two days ago when we were at a Christmas party and a very tall guy came up to us and said “you won’t remember me so don’t try. I’m Baz Stevens, I worked for you at MOBS in the 70s and again in Hong Kong in the 80’s and now I live on the island!”

To remake all these connections and to seemingly pick up where we left of so many years ago is an extraordinary tribute to the bonds formed by this special organization.

Whilst in Minnesota we stayed with Kerry and family in their lakeside home. It was delightful just like a holiday resort with sauna and boats, fishing and forest walks and so we did not want to do much else. Chloe continues to do well at Achieve (http://www.achieveservices.org/.) Her wicked laugh, sense of humour and overall happiness provides us both with wonderful example. Logan has gone out to oil field country in North Dakota where he works for a security systems company. Jared is in college, playing rugby and getting good grades and will do a semester in Edinburgh next year and top it of with a European tour.

Tacey, Peter, Both girls have musical ability and serious artistic talent. Caroline (15) is part of a terrific choir and plays the clarinet In school. Her ambition is to be an engineer, so to set off on the journey she joined a HS robotics group that design and build robots with the potential for competition up to International level. Allsion (13) is the Caitness of the family, outdoor survival, bows and arrows, leather work, skinning animals and competing in gymnastics on horseback. And the French horn . Both of them have serious artistic talent. One day long in the past we said to Tacey “ We looked after you for the first 21 years so will you look after us for our last twenty”. As quick as a flash she replied. “Let me know when to start” I think we are now benefitting from that pledge as all the family give us great support on the heavy jobs in the garden & chores with the boats that used to be so easy.

On May 22 We departed in Nokomis for a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island which is in excess of 700 miles. Pat decided to pass on the first half which is the inside passage and join Nokomis after we had rounded the northern cape. Nokomis set of with a sterling crew of three; Two octogenarians and one over 70, alll Brits OMG it was reminisceville like a Tommy Handley radio show. “Do you remember? “ Of course, when we didn’t there was a collective think. As three thirds make a brain, we usual came up with the answer. Bangers and beans were standard fare. Pat made a sound choice although clear skies and good weather we had vicisious head winds for most of the time go North. Turning the Cape was the worst inshore water I have ever experienced and it made a ride in a washing machine very straightforward. Pat and Echo joined us for the downhill stretch and winds averaging 20 was the menu for most days. This coastline is without doubt one of the most beautiful and untouched coastlines I know. Rich in history and every anchorage had a different wild life story. There were errors of judgment and more war stories to be told and so if you want to see some pictures and the log go to our blog. With Every Good wish for Peace and Happiness

Pat & Derek