Marathons of sorts

SUITCASE DIARIES
Day 3 Wawa to Dryden and a bit of Day 4 Dryden to Regina - both days took around 10 hours each (including stops)

Sat Day 4

Rod: "We're finally out of Ontario."
Me: "Yea!"
Rod: "How long did that take?"
Me: "About 27 years."

...no seriously we crossed from Ontario into Manitoba at 11:45 Sat morning, so it takes about 3 1/2 days to get to Manitoba from Burlington.

*        *        *

The last 2 days have been cathartic thanks to the power of music.

Friday Day 3

From the moment I plugged in the i-pod and put it on shuffle the music oracle has worked her magic. Izzy Kamakawiwo'ole's sweet Hawaiian song greeted me on Friday morning, confirming that the road out of Ontario would be winding and rolling. But driving it wasn't as challenging as I expected. The most arduous "road" I've been travelling is the one within.

SINGING IN THE RAIN foretold of the cloudbursts that came and went with such force that the downpour looked white - just like the milk that was used in filming Gene Kelly's production number. Milky white raindrops gave the desired effect on the screen. And, I understand that Kelly was very much under the weather but was able to do the scene in one take. "The show must go on" mirrors KOKUA extra effort is needed this day, so my oracle cards tell me.

After a bite in a restaurant TONIGHT'S GONNA BE A GOOD NIGHT plays through the mall as I make my way to the truck helps me to trust that we will get to Dryden without incident; and we did.

Driving towards Dryden the sky becomes more expansive as the tree topped amethyst rock faces give way to scrubby, stunted trees and more rolling countryside. A dragon cloud breathes fire in the direction from where I've come. A little while later, as we step out from a restaurant across the way from the "super hero" motel a female bagpiper faces west and plays AMAZING GRACE. It is Friday night. In PORT ALBERT on the beach at Lake Huron other pipers are piping down the sun while they walk into the lake. Perhaps Flo and Jack are listening to their piper as I am now.

The sunsets on Lake Huron are spectacular and so it is this night. The sky is streaked with rose and lilac  clouds with a sliver of gold, glowing sky on the horizon. "Red sky at night sailor's delight." Does this apply to the prairies?

Peppered through the day's soundtrack were memory songs: "dancing" with my client Gail to Barry Manilow; singing along to Amanda Martinez in Spanish for my client Evelyn; my sister Candy kissing Peemee Como on the TVscreen; flying with Lucy, Kalani Jane and Karen; love songs that express how I feel about Rod...and so many more.

*        *        *

Rod and I stop to pay tribute to Terry Fox at the memorial erected in his honour outside Thunder Bay where his Marathon of Hope (begun on April 12/80) ended in on Sept 1 of the same year . Every Canadian was profoundly moved by this young man, saddened by the return of his cancer and mourned his passing. He has inspired millions as you will see...



Steve Fonyo, another cancer sufferer and amputee completed his transcontinental run, the Journey for Lives, in 1985.

*        *        *

More music oracle from Day 4 in tomorrow's entry...
Pee kit report - I peed by the side of the car today (Sat) in a gully with great success, thanks pee kit!

Car dancing from Wawa to Dryden

SUITCASE DIARIES
Day 3 - on the road from Wawa to Dryden via the #17.
Yes, we're STILL in Ontario.

Due to complications related to final matters regarding the sale of the house we didn't leave Wawa til 10 a.m. With the house matters finally behind us (2 days later than expected) long held tension drained out of me leaving my muscles like limp spaghetti yet my body and mind full of the ya yas as we set out for the 9 1/2 hour drive.

Being so much father up north and in a different time zone
we made Dryden just as it was getting dark thus avoiding the increased risk of hitting moose on the road
and. more importantly, staying here.

My remedy for the ya yas?

Crank up the tunes. Trip down memory lane. And, car dance like this.



I did take time to enjoy the fabulous vista as we made our way around Lake Superior, through Marathon and to the Terry Fox memorial in Thunder Bay. The scrubby trees and less stimulating scenery that I expected to find didn't appear til we made our way back to the 17 after the by pass around Thunder Bay.

I used the pee kit today; product review to come. That'll keep you glued to the blog I'm sure.

More about the trip itself later; gotta go to bed. Another long day tomorrow.

Rubber necking from Sudbury to the Soo

SUITCASE DIARIES

DAY 2

We drove from Sudbury, through the Soo (Sault Set Marie), and around the most breathtaking vistas of Lake Superior - hence the title of this post.

This is a 17 ft long truck.

A very moody looking view of the lake. Though the day was predominantly sunny
this picture hints at the power of this body of water

This info and what follows is posted on boards overlooking the lake.
Info from www.algomacountry.com

I couldn't write about this leg of my trip without including this tribute to the 29 men who died in the wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald on Nov 10, 1975 - written and performed by Canadian folk legend Gordon Lightfoot.


After this exhilarating day, I took a bath in our immaculately clean, Rod Waterman approved, room (this is high praise for their recent renovations) at the PARKWAY MOTEL in Wawa.

Me: "Hey Rod."
Rod: "Ya."
Me: "You should see this bathtub it's perfect."
Rod: "It's a real little one, right."
Me: "Ya."
Rod: "We'll have to get you one."
Me: "Great."
Rod: "In some places they call it a sink."

Yes, the road crazies have set in.

Yesterday we drove from Burlington to Sudbury via Trafalgar Rd, the 401 (over Toronto), the 400 (up through Barrie)  and 69 (through Parry Sound). Through the course of the day the incredible crush of cars on the faded grey asphalt jungle (over 6 lanes), aka the 401 westbound out of Toronto that reduces traffic to a virtual parking lot at 4:30 in the afternoon, gave way to the lush green forests, blue lakes and multicoloured rock outcroppings that make up the Canadian shield. As the geography of the shield took over I noticed that there are few billboards (in contrast to my childhood memories), no litter (hallelujah!) and where there was once graffiti, this need to say "I was here", has been replaced by the creation of hundreds of inuksuk sentries looking down upon us as we pass; it felt sacred.

This morning at 8:30 a.m., I set out on the #17 aka Trans Canada Highway, with my i-pod on shuffle and, as fate would have it, a selection of fine Canadian artists followed one after the other (some well known others creating labours of love in obscurity): Melissa McClelland, Wayne Krawchuk, Colin James, Luke Doucet, Michael Bublé, Joni Mitchell, Jack/Norm Clarke (my friend, Flo's hubby who serenaded Pam, Flo and I with song, folk and classical guitar selections as we gazed into fire pit flames), Harry Manx (Salt Spring Island resident and therefore honorary Canadian, if not Canadian born). What an amazing pool of talent we have. As I sing along I think Mom would have agreed with Henry Winkler's character in HERE COMES THE BOOM that "without music life would be a mistake".

In contrast to the rain, fog and poor visibility of the night before, today showered us with sun and benevolent weather.

Tomorrow, I'm told the drive will be long, very winding and not near as pretty. We may have to stop earlier than planned and as Rod's sourcing out alternatives to our planned stop he's threatening me with a motel with a super hero theme. God help me. I think I'll sleep in my car. Let's hope we can make the 10 hour trip as originally planned.

Safe Passage

Suitcase Diaries Road Trip: Moving to Vancouver Island
Day 1

This image is magical and is exactly how I feel as I drive.

I'm writing from THE RICHARD LAKE MOTEL in Sudbury where Ryan Reynolds once stayed. I know this because there's a signed pic of him predominantly displayed at the reception desk. We pulled in at about 10:30; finally left Burlington around 3:30 after a tearful good bye to Flippy and Maya who will be staying at the CAT'S CASTLE until the 12th. Little Maya was a real trouper, walking around their room checking out the other residents while Flippy was having a melt down hovering in a corner in their kennel. Ron brought her a privacy tent where she could hide til she felt safe

I have been having flash backs during our drive today through southern Ontario; a place that I know well from past experiences.

I waved goodbye to the urban sprawl that is happening above the #5; something Burlington residents were promised would never happen due to the importance of our farmlands but the powers that be have not stood by their word. Rod and I marvelled that neighbours can now watch people enjoying the roller coasters at CANADA'S WONDERLAND. I don't know when this happened as it used to be in the middle of nowhere. We wondered how long it will be until residents of the neighbourhood complain about the noise.

King City, the location for my lomi trainings with Harriette and Birgit, reminded me of my lomi ohana (family). Lomi really was responsible for setting the wheels in motion for this whole adventure. As I worked with the power of intention my intentions became clearer as to who I wanted to be and one thing lead to another and here I am taking a journey I really wasn't thinking of in 2005. Thanks go out to Lynne, my flying instructor for saying to me, about lomi "You, of all people, really have to do this!"

Mount St Louis is where Nor drove to through horrendous snowstorms so that we could go downhill skiing. Across the road the cross country course where Ellen, Arnie, Rod and I enjoyed a spring skiing on corn snow wearing only sweaters and jeans being careful not to end up in the pool of water which had formed at the end of the trail cus your skis would come to a grinding halt and you'd be catapulted into the puddle in the blink of an eye.

As we pass the sign for Lake Rousseau I realize that my niece had lived up here for a few years; lucky girl! Rod and I rented a cottage on nearby Lake Muskoka in '94.  That was when I discovered my love of kayaking and the "Thacker" wave was born. My brother Rob and Dad came up with a virtual flotilla in tow including a yellow kayak. Since he had to drive at a snail's pace to accommodate the load, Dad waved on the cars behind them to encourage them to pass. However, to the mortification of my brother, Dad's arthritic fingers made it look like he was giving them "the finger" so drivers gave them "the look"as they passed.

The sign for WHITE SQUALL kayaking outfitters and school takes me back to the self-rescue training weekend with my late friend Mary. Being small, nimble and fit, it was easy peasy for me to get in and bail the craft out numerous times, not so for my much larger friend. She gained my total respect as she displayed patience, perseverance and ingenuity as she made attempt after attempt and finally, nearly totally worn out, completed one rescue.

Parry Sound carries memories of Bryan's cottage where I spent almost the whole weekend in the buff laying on a rock like a lizard when I wasn't swimming or feeding the chipmunks. Near there is a cut off for Marisa's cottage. A few years ago she hosted a wine and cheese tasting evening and sleep over for  "Council of the Sleepover" members. This was my first long drive one that I was too chicken to do the year before. And now I've embarked on the quintessential Canadian road movie experience - driving across the country to a life that fits better.

I was going to say a better life, but that isn't so. The past 27 years has been an amazing ride and I have truly been blessed with wonderful friends and clients. The past few months have been filled with emotional endings and good byes but how lucky am I to have to endure this.

The Council of the Sleepover promised me that if I returned to Ontario there would be lots of get togethers and they didn't disappoint! Thank you, thank you, thank you

The chocolates Susan and Neil dropped into the mailbox for Rod and I to savour during the journey never made it out of the house. In true comfort food fashion they comforted us during our time of need, the hectic few days of packing up our stuff.

I eat a bagel from Tim's paid for by the GC from Regina and Sandy as I drive to tunes selected for me by 2 friends Russ and Dan: one compilation CD is all about dreams whereas the other is a bit of a blast from the past - Moody Blues and the Cowboy Junkies. The walkie talkie endorsed by Andrea sits beside me and allows "little buddy" to communicate with "my guy" who leads the way in the U-haul (I'd have taken a pic of the insides of it but, being one who claims not to have a lot of stuff, I find it too embarrassing as it's packed to the gills).

On my dash is the eagle feather that I found on the island last year; the one that called me back "home". Alongside this is the beautiful safe passage basket that Sue crafted for me just for this special journey and in it is a scroll containing this poem. I'm not sure whether Sue is its author or not - she may have told me when she presented me with it but I was internally too emotional to take it all in.

I carry with me other gifts: the spectacular journal (it will be christened during dream teacher training II at Mosswood in Sept) from Di my always meant to be sister-in-law; the golden shawl from my 97 year old inspiring amiga Liliane; most special heart stones from Kalani and Flo; knitting needles from my knitting buddies Pam and Glyn; feather earrings (that I'm wearing now, that came with a fantastic necklace) from Marisa; the picture from Aust and Linda of downtown Oakville in the winter (as we won't have many of those on the island) Oakville as I remember it from when I worked across the road at Oakville Shiatsu and Massage Therapy Centre; the tree of life glass work from our "Dan's party" friends; and Rod and I will enjoy many a meal funded by Roseanne and Pete, Dave and others; the feminine pee kit from my longest time friend Janet (I promised her a product review so check in frequently to read that...)

And there are those gifts that touch my heart, fare well get togethers with: Sue and Katie; Austin and Linda; Susan and Neil; Eva; Rob, Sue, Candy and Rick; a visit from Montrealers Kathy and Jim complete with Montreal bagels from that cool 24 hr bakery and Jim's helping hands to ease Rod's load on those final workdays; Pam and my visit to Flo's where we witnessed that amazing rainbow around the sun; being drummed out for a safe journey at the last full moon fire ceremony by Janet (and the sacred spit, called by another name :-)) and the 19 other participants; Glynnie's "don't go" spontaneous burst in the middle of dinner which made us all jump and then burst out laughing at last weekend's "Council of the Sleepover" sleepover; Austin's company and help on Tuesday as we prepared to load the truck which lightened our load; the kind people at the kitty castle. Candy's last minute errands. Pam's help with the kitties, and our next door neighbour who took a ton of stuff this aft saving me from taking it to the reuse centre. The telephone chats with my sister Jude and the e-mails from so many; the list goes on and I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

People dropped by to say bon voyage (some more than once) and client's came for that one last session.

How can I leave them I ask. And, that's how it should feel. Thank you all for your kind wishes, your calls, hugs and words of encouragement and support. You are in my heart always!

And, last of all, goodbye 5305. When I came back to Ontario I never imagined I'd ever own a place of my own, have my own garden, let alone renovate it (that amazing bathroom too) with my guy. What a gift you have been!

Maya's "fuzzy" was the last thing I found when I took a final tour.