In a flash…everything changed.

How fragile is our existence.  Oh we make plans, we laugh, celebrate, comfort each other and take care of each other.  The man I loved, who loved me, and thanked me daily for loving and caring for him is gone.   

John MacArthur who I often refer to as Mac was my hilarious, brilliant, wonderfully stubborn Scot of a husband of 23 years.  From a penthouse in Vancouver, to a row house in Fort Simpson NWT, back to the wide open spaces of southern Alberta and now to a wee townhouse on Vancouver Island its time I have never regretted a moment of it. Thankfully we chose Dawson Creek over the Falkland Islands … more on that another time.

He always said his Gran would scold him, saying “only the good die young, John you’ll live forever.”  Sadly, Gran was wrong.   Legend has it he was a headstrong young man, bearded at  15, up and down the west coast on his motorcycles, breaking rules and hearts.  I’m guessing he had a big grin the whole time! In the late 60’s he hung on Haight Ashbury in Frisco, partied with the Grateful Dead, saw ALL the cool bands.  In the words of Eric Burdon “Jeans of blue harley davidson too, on a warm San Fransico night”.  Oh the stories, I can only imagine the ones he didn’t tell me.

John said me his life was enviable - “I did everything I dreamed of when I was just a boy.”  A logger, a sailor, a policeman, air traffic controller, a Freemason and Widows Son, a Coastal Guardian (lol the Russians Are Coming)…oh and the U.S. Department of State and Australian Government.  Yup…busy man.  He described himself as a Cold Warrior.  Read into that as you may.

But mostly he was a big hearted charmer.  Whether feeding runaways and street kids at Kool Aid in Vancouver, or counselling a health worker as a Human Resources professional,  to working with local miners in Columbia, he really loved to help people.  

He died too early.  Death caught me off guard, we were going to live forever.  He was more in tune with mortality than I, and in retrospect he was helping prepare me to be on my own.  A new computer is waiting, still in a box.  New cookware to make sure I would eat healthy. Fixed the oven so it actually was 400 not 325 .  A good man.  An amazing partner.  

We had many adventures.  Rode our motorcycles all over north America.  Made lots of friends and he knew someone no matter where we went.  On a river cruise through Europe we ended up sharing a dinner table with a couple from the USA.  Turned out both guys were coast guard, and had worked together!  

Today as I read the many condolences received, from all over the world I wept at comments of his generosity, kindness, wisdom and how respected John was.  I am so proud of him.  

My journey will forever be changed.  He left so suddenly, so finally.  I know my adventures  will be written “in a different font” from now on.  As I struggle to stay strong I know his love will remain, and I’m not alone.  My faith is my foundation.  

The motorcycles will be sold, it wouldn’t be the same.  I have no plans to relocate, and Casey the cat and I will adapt to our changed lives.  I am so thankful for all the love and support our friends and family continue to give. 

P.S. speaking of adventure, I’m planning a trip to Alberta and Montana in July.  Girls gotta represent eh.

Miss ya Johnny. Until our next adventure.

April Fool? Whale why Knot! I have a job interview!

 In Feb you’ll recall I suffered with lack o focus, malaise, ennui.  Then March came trotting in.  Oh mad as a March hare?  More like mad as a March herring! Our wee port was over run, biggest herring run in memory…So Big that there was enuff “milt” (look it up) in the sea to change about 100 feet of water off shore to turquoise colour.  Seriously.  These herring are Food for many birds, so one morning dozens of eagles, along with gulls, and many many other seabirds had a feeding frenzy!  It was stunning to see!  Queue Act II:  enter the Sea Lions   Dozens of big, sleek, relaxed Stellar as well as some California sea lions.  Weighing up to 2,200 lbs, they are impressive! The first warning of their invasion was me being awakened by the Ork ork ork and various growls and howls at 2 a.m.  it was wondrous to watch groups of a dozen rolling in a big raft eating herring, like teenagers at a KFC buffet.  Lol 😆 having a birdseye view from our bedroom window was a gift.

While all this was taking place, the bears came out.  How do I know?  Well the night before the sea lions serenaded me, I heard Big Growls from what I can only assume was an angry or impatient mama bear and then the high pitched bleat of a cub, as well as a lot of thrashing in the bushes.  We’ve had bears nearby before, but this was loud, so of course up I jump, shining me handy dandy headlamp out the window.  Of course by this time the family of bruins had moved along.  

Back to ocean life, guess who showed up to the party now?  Yup, a pod of Transient Killer Whales.  These bad boys are ravenous for sea mammals, who feature top of their menu. I didn’t get a glance at the murderous gang of Orca, tho the local whale watcher said they had a feeding frenzy on well fed sea lions.  Yikes!  

A week or so later, the sea lions moved on, as did the herring after laying zillions of eggs on the kelp…we live in a wild kingdom episode! 

During all of this milt, whale and sea lion madness, I applied for an executive director job.  It sounds fascinating…and not related to Muni Gov by any stretch of the imagination.  More like where I worked in Dawson Creek, or at the school in Lomond.  My interview is this week, so now I’m obsessed with finding something to wear.  Lol  yes I know, I was retired.  Lol But the job needs me…and I think it would be a good fit.  Lets see..if I get it..awesome.  If a better candidate gets hired, well I’m already in retirement mode eh?  Play it one day at a time and what’s meant to be…will be!