Because it is an exceptionally long story, even for someone that likes telling stories, I am not going to be telling you all the story that resulted in the number 117. I will give it to you briefly, though.

Some years ago, Colin and I attended a course, and as part of it, we had to complete a questionnaire. The questions and answers were weighed against a value, and in the end our results of the questionnaire (completed independently, not even in the same space) came back, and both of us had obtained 117 points. How’s that? And so it is, that 117 has become our lucky number, favourite raffle ticket number, lotto number (should we ever get round to playing). It is our you-name-it-number! But surely, this number must have some significance, I wondered. So, you guessed it. I Googled: Meaning of the number 117. As always, Aunty Google had far too much to say. But, before I give you her words, just a reminder of our journey so far.

Do you remember me telling you about the person who, when I told him that we were about to start building a house, said to me: Take a photo of yourself, so you can remember what you looked like. Oh, I should have done that. My word! Building a house is so exhilarating, yet nerve wrecking. So exciting, yet soul crushing. Such an investment, yet so expensive. At times, the excitement keeps me awake at night. At times, the worry keeps me awake at night. And then, just when I am desperate for a good night’s sleep, the neighbour’s rooster keeps me awake at night. Seems I just cannot win. Yet, here we are, and our patch of mountain, which came with quite a few surprises along the way (read some of my earlier chapters for those details!) is finally starting to resemble something that may well one day look like a house. But it came at a price. I am not the person I was two years ago.

Two years ago, I had stars in my eyes. Now I have burst veins from lack of sleep. Two years ago, I admired the very neat, meticulous work of our building team, today I wish they could just hurry up and get finished. Two years ago, I marveled at the size of the rocks that came out the ground, today I wish they could just explode and send themselves into orbit, joining the happy stone crew flying around Saturn, or Jupiter, or Uranus. (Never ask Colin to remind you of the planet with flying rocks…) Two years ago I was finding ways to preserve the top soil that was scraped from the site before building, today (and a few storms later) I have to pay a sweeper to clear it from the road and gully, before the Bye-the-Byes can spot it and write us another letter, reminding us, that bye the bye, it is written in the by laws of 1775 that your topsoil may not become bottom soil, or something like that.

On the bright side, I am a different person. I go to bed at night, and I can hear the sea. I have been told, that come Whale Season, I will hear whales blow at night when it is silent. I am now the girl who is missing her sheep from last year. I have not seen my “ladies” – that herd of dairy cows, for too long. Sadly, the road that would take me past them is still closed to traffic since the storm of last year, as they are yet to repair the bridge that needs to be crossed to get there.

Back to the number 117. What did Aunty Google have to say about 117?

117 is associated with guidance and purpose, new beginnings, leadership, independence, and being self-sufficient. The number indicates that you are on the right path towards spiritual awakening. Trust in yourself and have faith in your abilities. Wow, thank you for that, I guess I needed reminding.

But why, you must wonder, all this talk about the number 117? Because, you see, this is my 117^th Cape Crawl that I have written.

It is also the number I count to (I have given up on counting to 10), every time life throws yet another challenge our way.