Such gracious hosts!

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For the benefit of  those who have followed Sylvia’s Site for the past 9 or 10 years, my husband and I recently  spent several wonderful days in Duncan B.C. with two particularly dear and special friends to us all, Perry and Helen Dunlop.

Such gracious hosts!

They are both doing well.  Helen works as the Aboriginal Health Liason Nurse for Cowichan and surrounding area.  Perry has built up and runs a successful home renovations business.  All three girls have graduated from university.  Lovely girls.  A credit to their parents.

The days whipped by all too fast.  We toured the market.  We took a run over to Port Renfrew to dip our toes in the Pacific.  We toured Duncan and surrounding area.  Without doubt the highlight of the trip for my husband  was the run  out with Perry to pull in the crab traps.  We had fresh crab for supper.  Never in my life have I tasted crab meat so sweet and tender.  Delicious!

Those who know her know that Helen is one  great cook!!  Breakfasts.  Lunches.  Suppers.  Delicious.  And, not only was there fresh crab to feast upon, there were shrimp.   Lots of shrimp.  Fat, juicy. tender shrimp!  Yummy!  And, yes, ‘caught’ by Perry!)     And then of course there were nibblers with crab dip.

You would love their home (it truly is a home, not just a house).  What a job Perry has done in renovations.  It is beautiful.  Perry has been picking away at rooms and additions over the past 15 years, and what a job he has done.  Really and truly beautiful.  Everything is done to perfection.  Beautiful.  Perry is a man of many talents.  When he sets out to do something he’s going to do it properly.

Then there is the view.  If you could just see the magnificent view from Perry and Helen’s home in Duncan you’d know what I mean.  It truly is a view to die for.      We idled away many an hour chatting – morning and evening – on the large covered  deck with the breathtaking view of the lake and mountains.

So serene.   So peaceful.  Sheer tranquillity.

And, yes. There would be no visit with Perry without some guitar strumming.  A concert.  We had our own little concert.  A lot of fun.

Is “Cornwall” behind them?  No.    The pain is still there. It’s unspoken, but it’s there.    It will never be truly behind them.  Never.  It is a part and parcel of their lives, of who they are now, and, of course, of where they are.  Had it not been for Cornwall Perry and Helen and the girls would never have wound up in Duncan BC.  And, equally true is the fact that had it not been for Cornwall Perry would never be running a home renovations business.  Perry’s career was law enforcement.  He loved it.  He truly loved being a police officer.  Thanks to the molesters of Cornwall and their their lawyers and enablers who relentlessly villified Perry in his battle to expose the truth and protect children,  that came to grinding halt.

But, they were thrown lemonades, and they made lemonade.  Perry and Helen moved on with their lives and did what had to be done to try to raise their girls in a ‘normal’ environment.   It wasn’t always possible, but they did their best to shield the girls from the hatred and filth.  And, as I said before, those girls are a credit to them them.  Lovely girls, Marlee and Monica are away, one in China  teaching and the other in the North nursing.  We had time with Heather.  Such a sweetheart.  So proud of her Dad.   She’s just back from helping out at a hospital in Uganada – has a degree in kinesiology – plans to go back to university in a year to pursue a degree in nursing.  A smart girl (they all are).  A thinker.  Outgoing.  Kind.  We so thoroughly enjoyed her company.  The girls are, as we often say “well raised.”

There really wasn’t much talk about “Cornwall.”    It’s not the sort of memory lane one opts to go down by choice.  No weeping and wailing.  It’s all about making that lemonade!

I still believe that the day will come when Perry is very publicly vindicated.  I’m not so sure that I will be around to see it happen, but I firmly believe that it will happen.  The day will come when guilt torments a few of the minds and souls  of those who lied and/or  covered up.  The day will come when the many victims who have remained silent will speak.  The day will come when some of those who have been blissfully ignorant  of the Cornwall sex abuse scandal and cover-up start to talk abut what they saw, and heard and know.

On that note, will sign off.  I just wanted to let you all know what a wonderful visit we had with Perry and Helen and bring you up to date a little on their lives.

Thank you Perry and Helen.  For everything.  Love you both.  Such a privilege and honour to know you both.

Enough for now,

Sylvia

 

 

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2 Responses to Such gracious hosts!

  1. Mike Fitzgerald says:

    Sylvia, Perry and Helen – way to go! Rise above it all, and show by example. What a wonderful time you must have had.
    Interesting that you describe rising above the “filth”, Sylvia. It’s no easy task when the power-mongers and hypocrites seem to rule the day.
    Their day is coming, and the filth, hypocrisy, and “justice” will be seen as exactly what it is – a great thundering sham.
    Anyone who visits your site should take an example from you, Perry and Helen. Whatdya think, Bishop? Mike.

  2. Sylvia says:

    Thank you Mike, truly appreciate your kind words, but, equally truely, the kudos belong to Perry & Helen. What they have been through is unbelievable. They are an amazing couple. You’d love them. And they’d love you 🙂

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