It seems I can either live life or write, not both. The days are full and bizarre... there is nothing like dealing with serious family illness to make one sit back and contemplate one's own mortality, count blessings and all of that. Despite plenty of challenges these days, there are also plenty of blessings. This past week, my brother visited from Tokyo (he has lived there for the last 16 years or so). While here he decided it was high time that we went whale watching.  

First, we all had to put on the orange, hooded survival suits.
Then, the tour guide showed us where the whales were likely to be feeding.... south end of Saturna Island, though we were told they might have moved 30 miles from there by the time our open aluminum boat arrived....
After quite a bashing on choppy seas, we settled into position to wait and were rewarded with a glimpse of distant fins...
 

 



This was pretty cool, but then the whales headed right for our boat and we were treated to an incredible display far better than any marine world show... 
 




 
Needless to say, this was quite the amazing outing. Reminds me why I love this place where I live. It also makes me wonder why on earth we wait for out of town visitors before we indulge ourselves in the pleasures of our surroundings.... This was my first ever whale watching trip and I've spent many, many years on the coast.
This same, wonderful brother decided that Christmas was a long way off and presented me and my daughter Dani (now 17!!) with an early Christmas gift - an Alaska cruise! We leave on August 7th. We are so excited we can hardly stand it!! If the scenic delights were many on my three hour whale watching expedition, what will a week in some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world be like? Stay tuned...