Patric J. Dufficy: Dealers in Hope

Hi folks.

This is probably an extremely widely spread subject, but everyone have different dreams and we take different ways to build and reach them. That’s why I’d like to tell you a little about mine.
You know, just the process of writing this is a dream building method.

My Dream

My ultimate dream is to live on the ocean coast. Preferably directly on the beach where I can get out of the house, walk a hundred feet before getting my feet in the sand. Of course this option have some downside, one of them is hurricanes. Option two is to have our house up a little cliff offering a striking view on the ocean and almost no flooding risk.

What’s funny, is that millions of people already live like I want and for them it never will be a dream, it is only normal for them.

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”
– James Dean

How living on the beach became my dream?
First, I lived the first half of my life in Montreal. From the age of 4, my parents took me every year on summer vacation at the beach in Maine. It developed in me an attraction for the ocean. I don’t know if the love of water was already encoded in me since my birth, or simply that it developed after time.

Many people will denigrate idea like mine saying that I live in the best place on earth and they wouldn’t go live anywhere else… Often those guys never traveled too far from where they always lived. When you see, smell and taste other places in the world, it enlarge your vision.
When I was a teenager, I became more and more attracted toward the river not far from where I lived, but remember, it was in Montreal, there is no beach or swimming there… the water is too polluted.
I didn’t had the chance to have friends with lake houses or anything near the water. I was stuck in a city of concrete, asphalt and pools full of chlorine. No sand, no beaches, only a polluted river.
But I had my short two weeks in Maine to fuel my dream.

I even met the woman I love on vacation in Maine. She was from Quebec City, 160 miles closer to the Atlantic Ocean, but still more than 600 miles to go…

At 20 years old I decided to leave my parents house in Montreal to go live with my girlfriend in Quebec City. We then started the “rat race”. Working to built us a nice lifestyle and making more and more roots in the city.

Now, twenty years after I moved from my birth city, more than ten years have past since we put our feet in the sand of the ocean, but I haven’t forget the feeling, at the contrary, since one year, I took the resolution to live in a coastal town somewhere in the world, and not at 75 years old, but the sooner possible.

‎”A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
– Harvey Mackay

What attracts me to a coastal living?

The difference of living pace. Of course I’m not searching for a highly populated or tourist place, my vision is a small coastal town, with a little church, a market with fresh food, just no stress.
Even if I don’t have a great deal of experience in coastal living, I can see a difference in the mindset of people. Those living near the water seems to be more easygoing with less stress and a better attitude.

“All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for the many act out their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.”
-T. E. Lawrence

An example of dream building.
Last month my wife and I went to her brother new house on a lake for the weekend. We had so much fun boating, eating with a beautiful view on the lake, (not a view on the street or the neighbour) reading a good book with the lapping sound of the water, kayaking, etc.
After Saturday diner, I noticed an interesting distinction between city and lake people.
Back home, after the evening diner we usually go for a walk with our dog Maggie on the streets and sometimes in the woods nearby. On occasions we encounter neighbors who are doing the same, but the large majority are in their living room like couch potatoes in front of their TV.
In contrast, at the lake, the great majority was outside chatting, reading, just having a good time or out for a last evening boat ride.
People living near water seems to have MORE LIFE IN THEIR LIVES. In comparison,  city people life appear so empty most of the times.

Last weekend reinforced my belief that I want and I will live near the water someday.
We spoke several times my wife and I that if it wasn’t for our jobs been in the city, we would start searching for a house at the lake her brother’s live. It would be a great first step toward our ultimate dream.
I know we could change jobs, but it would be near impossible to find something in our field in a small town. In addition lake houses are more expensive, so we can’t really downgrade out jobs.
… It’s only postponed… 🙂

“Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears”
– Richard Wilkins

A vision of the dream well defined.
One thing I must specify; my dream place should be where there is no icy cold winter. Since I began my adult life, my interest for the cold season had degraded to the point that it is now a nightmare just to think about winter. I won’t elaborate on this, first because I’ve already released my frustrations in a previous post, and this post is about good dreams, not nightmares… 😉
Let just say that a frozen lake with a cover of snow is not very different from a snowy field. I like water in it’s liquid state!
I like seadoo, not skidoo, I like water skiing and wakeboard, kayak and stand-up paddleboard, and maybe a nice ride of AquaGlide Takeoff.®
One thing about the ocean is that it doesn’t freeze, but it won’t make me like winter more, I still hate to dress like an astronaut only to go take a walk outside.

How a typical dream day would be for me.
I’m getting up in the morning, dress myself with swimming shorts, pouring me a fruit juice, I get out on the back porch and contemplate the sea as I drink my juice.

I put my glass on the table and race down our backyard to the beach with my dog Maggie following me into the ocean for a short swim.

After a quick outdoor shower, I dress up and go by foot or with my bicycle to the local market to buy some fresh fruits and bagels or croissants.
Back home, I prepare a nice breakfast and bring it to my love in bed.
Once our breakfast finished, we leave for a long walk on the beach with Maggie, throwing her a ball as we walk.
When we return home, I grab my book and read for an hour or so, following by a little business work under the gazebo. My wife is watering the flowers and hanging some freshly cleaned cloths.
Later, we discuss about some business ideas and plans under the umbrella on the beach.

Line, Maggie and I are now going to the market place to buy some good fish for lunch, and while there we are picking up a couple of good thick steaks for dinner with some potatoes, and vegetables.

Back home, I start the BBQ to heat the cooking stone. Line already started chopping onions and fresh herbs, I crush some ice to make us fruits smoothies. After seasoning the tuna steaks, I place them on the stone and while they cook, I prepare a risotto.
Maggie always waits patiently for me to drop food on the floor. 🙂

Line prepare the table under the gazebo near the beach.
Once the fish and risotto are ready, I serve the dishes and join Line at the gazebo.
During our meal we discuss about what we will do this afternoon. The day is so nice and sunny, we decide to go on the water. Line wants to take the kayak, I’ll take the stand-up paddle-board with Maggie, she loves to surf with me.
We go to a little island less than two miles away and we take a well-deserve break in the shade of a palm tree on the beach of the island. Line had taken care to bring water bottles and a small dish for Maggie’s water.

After this beautiful three hours paddle trip, falling overboard from lost of balance or deliberately to refresh myself, we go back home and take a shower.
I pour myself a cup of wine and a juice or icy water for Line, she never really liked anything with alcohol and this is OK.

Then I start one of the things I really love in life, cooking outside to the sound of waves with an eternal breeze from the sea
I dig in my outside spice cabinet to get my special blend for seasoning the steaks, I also get my herbs and spices for the vegetables Line is cutting.
I put the vegetables in a perforated pan on the charcoal grill over indirect heat. After 30 minutes I send Line’s steak on the 700°F grill.
The aroma emanating from the meat hitting the red grill is simply amazing.
After two minutes I turn the steak and grill it on the other side for an additional two minutes, then I turn and rotate 45 degrees and grill for again two minutes and finally, turn again for a last two minutes. This is the technique to get a nice diamond pattern of grill marks.
Do I look like I am passionate about BBQ? 🙂
Then, I place Line’s steak on indirect heat to continue the cooking while I do mine. For me, I like my steak very rare. I am a true carnivore, I like my meat almost alive … almost!
As usual, I do not have to worry about the table when I bring the plates, Line prepared everything while I was cooking. What a team!
We eat this time on the terrace near the house because the gulls are very annoying at this time of the day close to the beach.
After dinner, while we chat about everything and anything, I go to the small fridge in the outside kitchen and bring two beautiful fruit cups that I had prepared in secret while Line was dressing the table.

We often have to go out after dinner for business meetings and stuff, but tonight, nothing on the agenda. We grab this occasion to go to the marina and take our yacht for a tour at sunset. Our boat rides are always shorter than expected because of all the chitchats with the people at the marina.
We love to watch the sunset on our yacht.

Once returned home, I start a pit fire and we sit comfortably for a little reading before going to bed.
On warmer evenings, I like to take a final dive into the sea, rinse off under the outdoor shower and go to bed immediately, all freshened up. Tonight the temperature is more comfortable, so we go right to bed after our reading.
It’s really not difficult to fall asleep after a full day outside with a gentle breeze coming in through the bedroom windows and with the sound of the sea.

At this exact moment, just before falling asleep, I often think of the years when we used to sleep with the sound of the sea in speakers to develop our dream. Now I no longer need to think about pressing PLAY before going to bed… The music plays continuously, the CD never stops.

So here are the key points of my dream future:
1. Water: Preferably the ocean.
2. Green: No winter, no dead season, I want green vegetation all year long.
3. Small town: Less stress and different mindset.
4. Pure air and better climate: Less allergies, arthritis, etc…

It’s sad to think that a great deal of people loses their dreams as they grow up.
They got caught in the rat race of life and don’t really have time to dream anymore. Often they reanimate their dreams while fantasising on winning the lottery, or, each year or so they create a small sample of living the life they always wanted when going on vacation for a week or two.

The last thing I want is to find myself on my deathbed regretting I never had enough courage to pursue my dreams.

“Most people are dreaming while sleeping.
Our dreams are keeping us awake at night!
We are the daydreamers.”
– Patric J. Dufficy

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