A MESSAGE FROM THE “ADMIRAL”, SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR.
Hello my Sailing Friends!
I want to share following message from my dear wife, “Admiral” Mila, who is in Corona exile.
As some of you know, I am literally stuck in Lima, Peru.
I had planned to spend most of the month of March in my beloved birth country to be with my parents for their 80th (Dad) and 70th (Mom) birthdays. Even though my return trip is scheduled for March 31st, the uncertainty of what will happen next is a bit scary.
People say, “everything happens for a reason”, I have also heard “be careful what you wish for”, and many of us believe “God works in mysterious ways” ….
Jean and I had put together this amazing tour package here in Peru with 5-star hotels, amazing adventure trips and visiting historic sites and museums, scheduled for March 12 through 22. Luckily (now we know) we had no takers… We do have people lined up for 2021 but no one this year. What would we have done with some of you here in Peru when the borders were closed? There are over a thousand Americans waiting for our Government to get them back home. Some lucky ones have already been repatriated.
A couple of years ago, I realized that I have lived more years than what I have left to live. Time becomes shorter, and the remaining times is a treasure that you must use and enjoy wisely!
So, it has been my desire, my wish, to spend as much time as possible with Mom and Dad. Little did I know that the universe would find a way of fulfilling this wish in the most comical manner. Peru’s borders are closed until March 31st, but that is not really the main issue. The curfew (toque de queda) is what makes the stay here a bit challenging. It starts at 8 pm and lasts until 5 am during which time we are not allowed to leave home. In the event of an emergency you can wave a white flag and drive less than 20 miles per hour with the inside lights on. Well, I hope we don’t have an emergency because I haven’t driven a stick shift car since 1992!! Between 5 am and 8 pm, only one member of the household can leave home and then only to get medicine or purchase food. Not everyone follows these strict rules, but I do. Mom is 70 and has diabetes and Dad, although in good health, is already 80 years old. Which brings me to “God works in mysterious ways”. He made sure that I was here for them.
If I had not made that trip, my parents would have had no one to take care of them. My Mom is very much involved in the community and every time there is an event, whether it is an accident, death or crime, people literally knock on the door to talk to her. Well, I am now the “door keeper”, I refuse to open the door, no one can talk to her, they have to call ?. Call me crazy, but if that is what I need to do to minimize the risk of contamination of my parents, I will!
I am also the “personal shopper”. We are not allowed to drive, so we must walk to the local market. Since I am minimizing the times that I leave home, I must buy as much as possible, but I can only buy as much as I can carry. I am grateful that I am here to do this for Mom and Dad!
I want you all to know that even though I am far away from Jean, my boys and my sister and her family, I know I am in the right place right now. I am not suffering; I am happy and trying to make the best out of it! Will keep you posted and please STAY HOME. As I told the kids “this is not about being the strongest, this is about caring for the weakest”
Stay safe and healthy!
We will keep you posted with more news!
Fair winds!
Capt. Jean De Keyser
