“Do you need a push?” “Yes!” And four young people, total strangers, went to the front of our car. “Ok, now!” Scott put it in reverse. It didn’t help. Now here came a blonde middle-aged woman with a bag of road salt on her shoulder. She’d gone and got it from the trucker who was … Continue reading A Canadian Winter Adventure
The sound and the smell of the ocean, mere metres away, blow over me as I lie under the thatched roof. My tears run down. It’s Carson’s birthday, the second since he’s been gone. He would have been 29. The Balinese woman massaging me says nothing. Perhaps it’s professional discretion, perhaps it’s because she has … Continue reading Moving on from Grieving
I spent six weeks in Europe this last summer, but you wouldn’t know it from my blog posts. I have drafts and ideas: getting around England, hiking in Cornwall, travel on the Eurostar, amazing Copenhagen, taking Scott to Finland for the first time. When I go to write it seems— empty. It was hard to … Continue reading No More answered texts
“How long has it been?” It was intermission at the outdoor performance of “A Comedy of Errors.” I spotted Christine by the horse paddock when I was at the concession, and it was time for us to catch up. It had been at least 6 years, since I’d left the Valley. Maybe more, as the … Continue reading How Long has it Been?
As soon as I put it in my mouth I knew, even though I hadn’t eaten red meat for over 30 years. “I’m so sorry,” said the server as she took the plate away. “The chef likes to add little surprises!” I was definitely surprised. I’d told the main waiter in this high-end Helsinki restaurant … Continue reading I don’t eat meat: Traveling with a special diet
“Me llamo Kathryn. Mi esposo se llama Scott.” This prompted a stream of high speed Spanish from the neighbour who had let us into the building. Her name was Maria, but I had no idea what else she was saying. I wish I’d started with “No hablo Español,” instead of practicing my rudimentary language skills! … Continue reading Home Away from Home: an Exchange in Spain
I go back to bed again, so tired, trying to sleep, hoping to dream of my son, or at least make the day pass faster. Firsts are never easy. First birthdays, his and mine, first Christmas, now first Mother’s Day. They tell you that, and you think you understand, but you don’t, until you live … Continue reading Mother’s Days
It was a lovely graduation— not the official university event, but the student organized party where they received their silver forestry rings. It was a beautiful group of young people. (My son, at 27, had been considered a mature student.) They shone with the enthusiasm of having accomplished this, knowing they were moving on to … Continue reading Graduation and Moving On
It seems so innocuous, the chapstick sitting on my nightstand, between the water glass and the book I’m reading. It’s not. I found it in the pocket of his work pants, when I was laundering the clothes that someone had shoved into his suitcase, cleaning out his room after he died. Every day, when I … Continue reading Living with the Memories
“Maybe it will clear up by the time we finish coffee,” I suggested to Scott. It wasn’t looking good— from the lodge we could barely see the outline of the nearest lift. We’d skied in the fog for an hour and a half, but it had gotten to the point where we were really only … Continue reading A Ski trip without the Skiing!
Brave Travels 