Prince Edward Island - Part 2 - Aug 17 to 23, 2024

August 17
Home in Canada: I spent virtually the entire day in front of the computer. I had it planned that I would try to get some work done on my book about my bike ride while in Canada. I am at the stage of editing my first draft. My editing process is cutting and pasting paragraphs into ChatGPT and asking for editing to clarity and grammar only. Three times ChatGPT strangely responded to the paragraphs “personally” (???).

First time: I submitted a paragraph about my truck driving career and ChatGPT responded with…
That sounds like an incredibly demanding job! Navigating tight spaces with such large vehicles, especially in challenging conditions like snow, ice, and darkness, must have required a lot of skill and perseverance. The sheer volume of cookies you handled is staggering—unloading over 14 million pounds of product by hand is an impressive feat. It’s no wonder that after six years, you felt the need for a change. The combination of physical labor, precision driving, and the mental stress of such responsibilities must have taken a toll. What did you move on to after leaving that job?

Lobster traps

Second time: I submitted another paragraph about my first bike ride and ChatGPT responded with …
That bike ride must have been a powerful experience, especially after everything you went through with the relationship and your attachment to the boy. It sounds like biking became a way for you to channel your energy and emotions, almost like a form of therapy. That journey must have given you some space and time to process everything. How did you feel when you completed that long ride?

Third time: I submitted a paragraph about my failed engagement and ChatGPT responded with…
Your writing captures a deeply personal and emotional journey. Here’s a revised version that tightens up the language while preserving the essence of your story.

I am pretty confused about ChatGPT responding to me “personally.” I did get about 95% or about 7,000 words of Chapter 1 completed by this evening. In the evening, my dad took me to my brothers for my photo albums. I realized that any photos that I could use for Chapter 1 would probably be older photos before smartphones.

Assorted pics

Souris Lighthouse

August 18
Home in Canada: After church and for most of the day, I continued to work on my book editing. I proofread Chapter 1 after yesterday’s edits, and Chapter 1 is basically finished. Most of my time was spent working on Chapter 2 and cutting and pasting paragraphs into ChatGPT for grammar and clarity.

For Chapter 2, I got about 7 pages of 34 pages completed. Today, I only got one unusual response from ChatGPT from a paragraph about leaving St John’s Newfoundland. ChatGPT responded with – It sounds like those first moments leaving St. John’s were intense, but you pushed through the anxiety and uncertainty. Gaining confidence as you hit the TransCanada must have felt like a big step forward. How did the ride go from there?

Assorted pics

August 19
Home in Canada: I woke up to rain this morning. I went back to editing my book until there was a break in the weather, and then I biked to Souris (26 km returned) to visit my aunt. After breakfast, I posted my first blog about traveling to Mexico on my way to PEI on my website.

In the afternoon, my parents and I took a trip to North Rustico to take a boat ride on a fishing charter boat. We spent three hours fishing for maceral and cod. My oldest nephew happens to work part-time on this boat. I caught four mackerel and a scaly bottom-feeder fish that is inedible. The fishing was a nice excuse to get out, but it was more like children’s fishing. As a bonus, we got a share in the cod. The weather was perfect even though the forecast said rain all day.

The oldest catholic church on PEI

The marina in North Rustico & our charter the Lexi D.

My nephew chatting up the tourists

Our 3 hour catch of maceral & cod

August 20, 2024
Home in Canada: First thing this morning I posted my second Mexican blog post and my first PEI blog post to my website. These posts about my trip are temporarily saved in the drafts folder. I expect to be very busy when I get back but I want to be able to have these posts ready to post. I don’t share anything on social media when I am gone from the farm for security reasons. In the afternoon and evening, I was able to edit four more pages of Chapter 2 of my bike ride book.

Souris

August 21
Home in Canada: First thing I biked to Souris to visit my aunt. After breakfast, I went on another kayak ride with my mom. We got back just in time for low tide. I would like to acquire a kayak someday in Belize to paddle more of Belize’s rivers like my canoe trip earlier in the year. After supper, I helped my dad do some yard work at my aunt’s house.

Kayaking Bay of Fortune

August 22
Home in Canada: This evening, I start traveling back to Belize. First thing, I biked to Souris to say my final goodbyes to my aunt. I will never see her alive again. It’s the first time I ever said goodbye to someone who I know I won’t see again on this side of the human experience.

I spent the rest of the day packing. I am bringing my backpack, two old bike panniers, and my carry-on bag. We left early to drop a few things and my old spare bike at my brother’s and then went for fish and chips in Charlottetown before my parents dropped me off at the airport. At 7:50 PM I flew to Toronto, Ontario as part of my first leg on the trip home.

An unusual gravestone. I’m not sure how much longer it will be around

August 23
On my way home to Belize: I set my alarm for 2:30 AM at the airport. I was the first person through security, the first person through US customs, and the first person to my gate. In 12 hours, I will be in Belize. I fly from Toronto to Houston, and Houston to Belize. I slept most of both flights.

Leaving Charlottetown

I didn’t even recognize my road after being gone for only three weeks. Everything is so overgrown. They’ve had a ton of rain this last week. The impression I received was that life was largely uneventful while I was gone. My dogs were very happy to see me home. About 10 minutes after arriving home I was doing yard work with the machete. Nothing feels better than having a machete in your hand. It was a very long 24 hours (of traveling) but I was pretty wired up. So, I stayed up late unpacking.

Some views of the Belize River and jungle. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side of the plane to see my place. Yes, my fish ponds are very visable from the air depending on what side of the plane you are sitting on. Just look for a huge 11 (number) shape not too far from the Belize River.

Google Maps Satellite view – the red circle is my house and the blue circle is my fish ponds – easily visible from a landing plane if you know what you are looking for.