Off to my Home and Native Land

Catching an early morning plane to Seattle, then it's a drive up highway 5 to visit a most wise and enlightened and silly friend in northern Washington before crossing the border to spend time with my dad in Vancouver, actually White Rock.

I will also be visiting a solid and unafraid friend from high school and his family.

Both friends are one of a kind. I am lucky to know them both.

While on the northwest coast, I feel it's my duty as a Canadian to make certain that the family gets to explore the Museum of Anthropology and Stanley Park.

But mostly it is to spend time with my old man. His two grandsons are coming along. It is not easy for either my dad or me to travel much these days. My busy schedule belies the planning and effort that goes into making my trips safe, even possible for someone whose platelets are under attack. It is not easy to pull the three generations together for family trips. So it will be good to just spend time with him.

Got a surprise on my GI biopsy report: Intestinal metaplasia. It means a recheck upper scope in 2-3 years instead of 10, as it carries a slightly higher risk of malignant transformation. More watching and waiting. Actually it rarely progresses and is a pretty trivial issue in the big picture. I got bigger zucchinis to chop.

No worries mate.

Maybe I will go off my diet in Canada and have some Granville Island Smoked Salmon. Or a Tim Horton donut.

Not a chance. Not a chance.