Last warm day of autumn

One long week since that awful Saturday night

SO many people have sent condolences, said prayers, offered comfort – and food, lots of food. When bad things happen, people rally around and do whatever they can to help – and it makes me both grateful and humbled to realize how many people care.

As I set out for a drive in search of a little peace of mind, I watched a spectacular sunrise over the hills of Picadilly. I thanked David for it.

Canoes, Paddleboards, Kayaks and Costumes

I drove to Hampton because that’s where David grew up. There was an event called “Witches on the Water” taking place. The town was one giant traffic jam as hundreds of people stopped to watch and there must have been around one hundred witches on the water in various crafts. Even when I left, more were arriving lugging the canoes, paddle boards and kayaks to the shore of the Kennebecasis River. The event was in support of the local food bank and bags of food were delivered.

Great fun was had by those on the water and those watching from the shore.

As I left, more people were arriving so I headed down the Lower Norton Shore Road where we had lived during David’s high school years. It has changed a lot since then – more houses, more traffic, fewer trees. But, as I wound down the lane, fond memories of our neighbours (Jim, Anne and Duncan Morton, Myrna and Dave White, Betty and Fred) and the good times we all had together popped into my mind.

They say this is the last warm, sunny day of the month so I’m glad I went when I did. Most of the leaves have fallen now, stripping the trees bare – but those that tenaciously cling to the branches were brilliant in the sunlight today.

Just past the house where we lived high on the hill overlooking the river is a spot called “Red Rock”. It’s a favourite among climbers and I remember watching with trepidation as David and some of his cohorts scrambled up and down like mountain goats. When I got there today, this young man was climbing too but, unlike those crazy young guys decades ago, he sported ropes and safety gear!

The Kennebecasis River was still calm as the breeze had only just begun to stir and pull more leaves from their perches to the ground.

I stood and listened to the water flowing, imagined David beside me, smiling in the sunlight as he did when he was young.

Heading home

It was time to head home and on the way I stopped to admire the Inukshuk that someone had built in the highway median. It’s been there for a while now and I hope the vandals will leave it alone as it welcomes people to our town or waves farewell when they leave.

My final stop was to check on “my tree” in Penobsquis. A large eagle perched there for a while and the soared over the horizon. Perhaps it was David saying goodbye. Perhaps it was my imagination.

It was a good morning and now it’s time to be quiet and think about my family as they gather to say goodbye to my sister, Dawn. We went to the family visitation last night but my heart is too freshly wounded to allow me to sit through the service itself. My family understands that my heart is with them, even if I’m not there in body.