Don't anyone panic, I'm still here, honest! It's been a busy, busy few weeks. Among other things, I'm completing several writing assignments, working on a new series of boating videos, fixing the boat (yes, again!), and getting some sailing in when I can.
Just before arriving here in Collingwood, I anchored out at Hope Island, and the next day sailed past (yes, actually sailed!) Christian Island, going past Faith Point...well, you get the picture. Took some great video on the way by and will eventually put it up here along with the music, but for now, you'll have to settle for this version of Gord Lightfoot's classic sailing song...
From Christian Island, I sailed on to Collingwood, to be almost greeted by a dear friend to go out for coffee - and 'almost greeted', because I had been expected to arrive the day previously. Ah well, it was a great try and I was very flattered!
After that, there was the Port Credit Boat Show, which went very successfully. I was asked to give two seminars each day, my ICW talk and the Cuba talk. I was quite pleased to discover that there was real interest in the Cuba seminar even here in Canada, since we can travel freely there.
So essentially, all is good. Almost.
However, there is a dark side to my life at the moment. I discovered, through friends, that the guy a good friend of mine has been dating has a serious criminal record for violence against his partners. There are peace bonds against him from several women, including one whom I have met as the friend of a friend.
The charges include possession of drugs (a suitcase full of them in fact), and other charges dating back to 1996. He has been to jail at least once, if not twice, in the past year over the most recent charges, and once for violation of the peace bond against the last girlfriend.
She is entirely unaware of any of this. That's because people like this do everything they can to hide their past.
I've contacted the court in the city where this all happened and they are sending me records of the charges and convictions - because what usually happens in these situations, the woman refuses to believe that her new love could be that sort of an animal.
That's how women are hurt, injured, sometimes murdered by the men they love - who are adept and smooth talking sociopathic liars, able to convince women that they are not what everyone else knows them to be. So why I'm sitting awake at 3 am, writing this blog?
I can't sleep for fear for my friend. The violence of this man has escalated as he moves from one woman to the next. It's going to be a long night, trying not to think about my friend and the danger she is in.
