Oh. Canada.
Ok so I must admit the trip has been amazing. I forgot how beautiful the prairies can be. Big skies…I mean mind bogglingly massive. Sweeping clouds. Feathered and adorable. And sun! Lots of sun. Then the blue grey of sage bush, pronghorn antelope, mule deer with striped fawns. Glorious. I had to stop and just stand and take in the vistas. I hope I captured these scenes so I can paint them someday.
This year marks 50 years since I graduated from High School. 5 decades. I lived in the best of times! The best music, the coolest cars. It was awesome! So now I was going to a cabin in the Cypress Hills to hang out with two of my besties from the 70’s. What a great reunion. It was like we had never been apart, even though we had not seen each other for about a dozen years. That cabin is modern, gorgeous, and had a very comfy bed. Stories of crazy days made us laugh till we were breathless. My favorite moment was one of my friends yelling “You made me pee my pants”! Lol Mission accomplished. 🤣
I stopped in for a quick visit to a former hairdresser and buddy who now has 8 grandkids! Again tears, hugs and laughter. It was weird going through the town I’d left 23 yrs ago when I left to live with Mac. Partially looking for some familiar haunts, partially hoping I wouldn’t drag up old ghosts. Time has healed over a few wounds, changed the way things appeared, and spurred old memories. Weird. Not nostalgic, just weird feeling.
Then north to meet up with my family: and a stay in the Bessborough Hotel, a grand old castle. Thanks sis! An evening with my family is frenetic, to say the least. It was wonderful seeing them, hugs, lots of love, and a lot of noise. Seems we all have to talk at the same time, louder and louder…lol I wasn’t use to that anymore. But overall it was wonderful.
Seems Saskatchewan has a lot of old friends, so tonight I am watching the sky at my pal Georgettes acreage. Its been a few years since I saw her and Tom. Mac and I hung out with them a lot when we lived near High River. How great was it to chill out with them now in their new place in the country. Then lunch in the Borden Hotel. I am blessed with so many good friends.
I feel lonely for my beloved. At the same time touched by the concern and love I received on this trip. I do need to stop the bad language that seems to slip out! Why does that happen? Chalk it up to stress I guess.
These experiences all show me that yes, I can survive alone. I don’t like that word Alone. It sounds cold and sad. Each morning I wake up to widowhood. Never in my plans. I still can laugh, but my silliness level is low. The pain of heartache is a new companion I need to come to terms with.
It will be okay. Tonight as I sit quietly with my friends, I contemplate the trip home. The dread of returning to my empty flat sits like a rock in my gut. Reality says I must go back, fantasy says Just keep on driving. But my travels will be filled with more reunions with my buddies. And some laughs and reminiscing and so it goes.
I’ll choose my route, see more sights old and new, and reunite with my cat! But not for at least another week.
It will be okay. In the words of Scarlett O’Hara “fiddley dee, tomorrows another day”.
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