A new chapter is just beginning.  It is with mixed emotions that we have just sold QuickStar in Australia.  We have been blessed spending the past seven seasons sailing across the wild blue yonder.  Although we could have continued to do this for the rest of our lives, we have been called back to terra firma thanks to our growing stable of amazing grandchildren.

When we started out our goal was two years.  I figure we got pretty lucky squeezing another five years of sailing.

Who knows what exactly we'll do now.  We live 5 months of the year at Silver Star Mountain in Vernon, B.C. Canada.  For the other 7 months of the year - we'll have to see where the wind blows us and the fancy strikes us.  We do have a little "castle" (fondly named by our granddaughter) - in reality a little trailer that we have on 25 acres of our son's 80 acre hobby ranch.  Makes it easy to see two of the grandkids whenever we drop anchor here.

We run a very busy reservation business for Silver Star properties which you can check out at www.silverstarstays.com.   I continue to sell and promote my book www.financialfitnessbooks.com and am still overwhelmed that it became a #1 Amazon best-seller.  Just so we don't slack off too much we also continue to manage our real estate portfolio and are also launching a new online retail store to sell Back on Track products.  That website will be www.wonderwear.com.  The beauty of all of this is that we can do it anytime, anywhere - so we are as free as the wind to travel at the drop of a hat.

My name could be "no fixed address", so to this end we will continue to travel at whim and create new dreams and memories.  We've done a last minute 2 week Alaskan cruise this summer and will be heading to Ontario for six weeks this coming weekend.

Thanks to all of you who have faithfully followed us across the ocean.  May you also discover your dream and do whatever it takes to make it happen.  There will be obstacles and set backs and naysayers each step of the way.   Keep walking.  You may well be your biggest enemy.....move aside.
Whatever you do - set a date - you won't be ready - but cast off your lines anyway.  Wishing you all the best as you live your dream.  If you need some motivation - email me at svquickstar@shaw.ca.  My personal saying is "money is a renewable resource - time isn't".  Live life today!

Saying farewell for the time being......Diana Young & Peter Bruckmann

Our final QuickStar post of the sailing season!

Leaving QuickStar in Pittwater, Australia

It’s hard to believe we have been back in Canada for almost a month now.  I have been meaning to do my final QuickStar blog of the season, but we have been in a whirlwind since we’ve arrived back home, and I have been procrastinating on what might be my final blog posting.

We have left QuickStar in Pittwater Bay on a mooring ball.  It is being looked after by David Bray Yachts in our absence.  We are also thinking about importing our boat to Australia and selling it, so this could be our last season on QuickStar.  We started out in 2007 and had intended on spending two years cruising.  Instead we have had 7 wonderful seasons, sailing further across the South Pacific.  We have made it to our goal destination of Australia – thanks to my awesome Captain.

Taking the bus to the airport to fly home 

 

Because we are not sure if we are going to sell QuickStar, the last week aboard was bittersweet.  I was driving Peter crazy by saying things like “this may be the last time I use the power winch”, “this might be our last dinghy ride”,

“this might be Peter’s last sandwich”  (and you all know how he loves his sandwiches)

 “this might be our last game of bridge with a gin and tonic”

   “This may be our last dinner”

This might be the last time I'm ever on QuickStar

 

We arrived home in time to spend Thanksgiving weekend with Danny, Ashley, Addison and Ty, Kylie & Taylor and about 20 other great friends and family.  It was a very special weekend.  During the weekend everyone helped out to put in an underground water line at the ranch.

You can see why we want to be land-based and closer to the family.

 

We also spent this past weekend at Danny and Ashley’s again, and loved seeing the kids in their Halloween costumes and romping in the first snow of the season.  Addy turned three on November 3rd and we were thrilled to share it with her.  Lots of fun with the first snow of the season.

 Kylie and Taylor are expecting our next grandchild on Feb. 15th, 

so we are all very excited and making it even harder to want to set sail again.

These last two weeks Peter and Taylor have spent renovating our rental house in Kamloops.  That’s now complete and fully rented, so Peter has finally come home to Silver Star to join me for the season.  He is thrilled to be cheering on the Vancouver Canucks for another season.

So without getting too maudlin – this could be my last QuickStar Blog.  Thanks for coming along for the ride and sharing in our highs and lows over the past seven seasons.  I will report in that either we have sold QuickStar or that we will be returning to spend a season in Australia next Fall.  So, I guess this won’t be my final farewell! (I hate goodbyes)

Have a great winter season.  We will be at Silver Star for the ski season, with Peter snowplowing and me running my rental accommodation business.  If you want to come to our winter wonderland, check out our website www.silverstarstays.com

Until next time…..Celebrate life!

P.S.  If you are looking for a Christmas gift idea for someone special on your list, check out my  #1 Amazon bet-selling book at www.financialfitnessbooks.com

Aussie Road Trip - Part Two

After leaving Rob and Kirstey’s sheep farm we spent two days on the road exploring little towns along the way.  There was a very funky German town called Hahndorf that was great to poke around in.  The highlight for me was going to Cleland Wildlife Park.  Here you can wander through the park, along with kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots and lots of birds.  It was wonderful to be able to see them up close and personal. 

Some species such as the Tasmanian Devil and the Wombat were not 
left to wander at will, for obvious reasons.

Wombat....couldn't get a shot of the Tasmanian Devil

 

The Koala’s were also kept in an enclosure, where we could 

watch them climb and play.  

  

Of course, I had to do the tourist thing and get my photo taken holding a Koala.  I also did this because our daughter Kylie was here almost 10 years ago and she had her picture taken here, so I thought it was a cute idea.  What’s nice is that you can also have pictures taken with your own camera, so that’s what these shots are.

Next stop was to visit David and Jane.  David is the professor who sailed from New Cal to Coff’s Harbour with Peter & Barbara.  We met them for dinner in a great restaurant in their local Sterling Hotel.  David insisted on shouting (meaning paying for it) as well as keeping my wine glass always half full!

 

We returned to their home in the woods up in the Adelaide Hills.  They are living in a shed, while they are building their David-designed (David is an architect) home on the property.  David has been single for many years prior to Jane, so he lived happily in this minimalist shed for 15 years.  I fell in love with it.  It is basically one room with a kitchen, living room and bed.  He definitely had his priorities right because much of the limited space was taken up by his grand piano and wall to ceiling book shelves. There is an outdoor washroom, open to the elements.  My kind of place.

 

We set up our car tent in the garage.  While Peter was up getting the tent organized, I opened the trunk and managed to slam it shut on my thumb.  Anyway, I had to call to Peter to come and open it.  My thumb is still swollen and bruised, but no serious damage done.  Peter won’t let anyone give me sympathy, because it was such a dumb thing to do.  He says “who slams a door on their own finger?” Remember about the wine at dinner?  

 The house that they are building is amazing and I can’t believe I forgot to take my camera on the grand tour.  It is still under construction, but is nearing completion for October occupancy.  It has been designed to merge with nature with opening floor to ceiling windows throughout that overlook the infinity pool and gorgeous forest views.  It’s like living outside, while being inside.  We can’t wait to see the photos once it is finished.

We left early in morning and were rewarded by a Koala sitting up in the tree right on their property.  What a great treat.  Guess we didn’t need to spend the big bucks at the zoo the day before!

We all went out to a local bakery/coffee shop for breakfast.  The one thing that we “rant” about in Australia is the cost of a cup of coffee.  Generally speaking for a regular size black coffee it costs $4.50.  This is even the price in McDonalds.  The reason being is that they make each cup of coffee, which also means waiting for it.  Personally we didn’t like the coffee at all – very strong – so we figured out to order coffee half strength (which theoretically should’ve been less money, but no such thing here).   To keep things in perspective, you can buy a beer for $3.00 and can also choose from a selection of good wine bottles for less than $5.00.  Mmmmm…..an overpriced, terrible cup of coffee or a bottle of wine?  No wonder there is a bit of a drinking problem in Australia.

We arrived in the picturesque area of Clare Valley, which is renowned for its’ wine.  We could’ve spent a week here, as there are many walking and biking paths throughout the area that have convenient stops along the way at various wineries.  We went to Clare to see James and Alice, as this is where they live.  James took us to the vineyard that he manages and then we went out to their house for dinner.

They bought their property two years ago, and all that was there was a shed.  While they rented a house close-by, James and Alice slowly built this into their dream house, which is the perfect size for them and designed so they can add on to it when they have children.  For those of you who know me well, you’ll understand that this is the way I think many young people can achieve their goals.  Start with something you can afford and then either work up to another home, or fix and reno the one you have.  Bravo James & Alice.  The pictures here speak for themselves.

 

For our final weekend of the road trip we headed to Adelaide, which is where one of the houses that Peter & Phillipa live in, along with their son Sam, who is just about finished university this semester.  Peter & Phillipa’s family home is in the heart of the Barossa Valley (which is where we visited them 25 years ago). 

  

Living very close by is their daughter Alicia, husband Ashley

 and their two adorable kids – Molly and Harry. 

This is a photo of Peter & Alicia and of the kids at the racetrack.

 

 

Peter & Peter rode motorcycles to and from the weekend motorcycle race.  From all accounts, Peter might be getting some speeding tickets in the mail, as the two “boys” registered over 200 kilometres an hour.  Phillipa and I had lots (but not enough) of girl time to catch up – it was as if we had just seen each other.  

We enjoyed a beautiful Sunday at the racetrack, especially since the whole gang was there.  James did really well, getting another personal best.   

  

Phillipa rarely goes, as I know it is really hard as a Mom to watch your son speeding around the track.  Reminds me of watching Danny ride bucking broncos!

In this photo there is Phillipa, Leanne (front left – Sam’s girlfriend), Molly, Alice’s mother (and good friend of Phillipa’s), Alicia, Alice (only the foot showing) and two friends of Alice’s from Clare. (Harry is playing on the bleachers and ended up falling and cutting his lip with his tooth...normal boy stuff)

 The boys – from the left – Peter, Scott (friend of Sam’s), Sam and Peter

 

It was so great to see them all again.  It was also hard to say goodbye to all of them, but like all good friendships, our paths will cross again soon.

 We took two nights to drive home the 1,300 kilometres.  The 1^st night we camped and the final night, Peter said we should treat ourselves and stay in a caravan park. (He’s getting really soft!).

By the time we got back to Sydney, with 4,000 kilometres under our belt, our little car was splattered with bugs, but we got off easy not hitting a kangaroo.  

 

 

 

We have booked our flights and will be leaving October 8^th to get home in time to spend a family Thanksgiving weekend, along with other friends at Danny and Ashley’s ranch.  Next week will be the last QuickStar blog of this fantastic cruising season.
 

Until then…..Okay, so even Peter figured that I wouldn’t manage another sunrise shot, but we had this incredible sunrise on the final day of our trip. 

 

This picture is blurry as I took it out of the speeding car.  Peter said “I stopped once for you – it’s only a sunrise”.  My poor, jaded husband…."don’t spit the dummy”.