Simply Beautiful

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL

Yesterday after work, myself and two (younger) colleagues/room mates drove into Yoho National Park to investigate a waterfall.  The photograph above was taken at Wapta Falls.  Yes, the photograph was taken by yours truly.  The photograph was not edited or photo-shopped.  That is Mother Nature in her finest form.

Isn't it splendid?

In case you haven't already guessed, I love the mountains!  And to have such beauty mere minutes away from where I am based for the summer is a dream come true.  Perhaps on my next day off I will have to seek out my favourite sign, photograph it and then write to y'all about it.  It is a sign whose message has stuck with me for over 30 years. 

Happy Wednesday, Everyone.

Yesterday Was My Birthday

Friday, May 18, 2018

Yesterday was my birthday.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It is no big deal to say that I am 53 years old.  After celebrating with a group of new-found friends from work yesterday, all of whom are at least 15 years younger than me, I am not shy about proclaiming my age.  I am quite proud of my age.

I am 53, and I feel fine.

It has been clearly proven over the past few days, as I settle into my new routine at my new workplace, that I have made the right decision.  Every single detail of this new life of mine feels so right.  Transporting myself to a different, yet highly familiar, region in order to take on a new, yet highly familiar, position was definitely the right thing for me to do.  I feel invigorated, refreshed, enthusiastic, optimistic and am solidly in a ‘nothing can go wrong’ frame of mind.    

Isn’t it interesting how, once you remove yourself from a burdensome situation, you realize just how oppressive that situation truly was?  With no offence whatsoever intended for my invaluable Squamish tribe, I now appreciate how much that town was getting me down.  Moving on to a different location (one of my choosing), to take on a new responsibility, was just what I needed.  I have cut the metaphorical umbilical cord to that coastal mountain town.  I now look appreciatively upon the interior mountain town which lies at the confluence of the Kicking Horse and Columbia rivers.  

My new work situation could not be more ideal.  I am in heaven being amongst rafting gear once again!  It has been years since I’ve hauled a rowing frame and hefted a rolled-up raft.  A part of my soul, wrapped up for years with such gear, is now free to soar again.  I love it.  And within 48 hours, I will be back on the river, paddle in hand, ploughing through rapids and getting side-swiped by waves.  Yee haw.  Bring it on!  Some of my younger colleagues have never rafted before.  It is rather fun being the older and more experienced person in the group.

Rather than reporting to a cubicle, and having to sit at a desk for 8 hours per day, my job requirements this week involved transforming a winterized and sleepy compound into a lean, mean, highly organized and ‘ready for fun’ river base.  I have been scrubbing, unpacking, cleaning, stacking, relocating and organizing, none of which required me to sit down!  My feet have been stood upon continuously every working day so far.  It is absolutely divine.  I am not meant to sit at a desk doing nothing else but stare at a screen.  I am meant to move around, contribute and be part of a thriving establishment that prides itself on offering high quality fun.

I have followed my heart.  Such a decision has not disappointed me.  It has reinforced that my decision to shake up my life was the correct decision to make.

I hope you follow your heart, too.  Make your life the best it can be.

I think I’ll walk out my front door and breathe in some fresh morning mountain air.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Happy Mother's Day, To Me!

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Happy Mother's Day, To Me!

I am here.  The official check in took place yesterday afternoon at 4pm.  I met my employers at Wild Water Adventures and got a tour of the river base.  It may be quiet right now, but it will turn into a hive of activity soon enough with enthusiastic rafters, top notch guides and a riverbase crew that will help keep everything ticking over nicely.  I have every confidence that we will all have an absolute blast together this summer.

Apparently my official title is 'Reservations Manager', with the unofficial title of Adventure Mom.  I'll take both, thank you very much.

I can now say without hesitation that I am back in the rafting industry.  The preliminaries are complete (job offered and accepted), and now I am here to actually get to work.  Today is my first work day in goodness knows how long (16 months?).  I've packed a lunch and 3 litres of water 'cuz I haven't a clue how long we will be at the base putting everything together.

Two momentous returns have been made in my life recently.  A return to the rafting industry, and a return to The Rockies.  I have to say that everything feels amazingly right.  Walking through the riverbase yesterday, seeing the gear, was so familiar.  I know this business.  I lived and breathed it and raised my children in it (both before and after their childhood on the ocean).  And the Rockies, just the same as they did back in 1987, welcomed me and made me feel loved.

To top it all off and put the icing on the cake, Golden and the Columbia Valley knocked my socks off!  Yesterday, as I drove through town to do some exploring and grocery shopping, I marvelled at how this small mountain town made me instantly feel comfortable.  I think I will really get to like this place.  The Columbia Valley is massively wide and surrounded by mountain ranges that carry off far into the distance.  I adore the setting.  It is a mountain town, but it is not closed in by the mountains.  There is such a feeling of wide open space. 

Spring is just popping out here (compared to the coast which popped a month ago) and the smell of cottonwood floats in the air.  I love that I can enjoy two springs this year!

Everything feels right.  This mother is very happy and content.

Now to put on my grubby clothes and help get a riverbase unpacked!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.

Aren't we wonderful?!

On The Road

Friday May 4, 2018

I am officially on the road!

The town I lived in for the past nine years, and for a total of 17 years, is now firmly located in my rearview mirror (the town, that is, not the people in that town!).  I broke free, and it feels marvellous.

A few kilometres beyond the townsite, I stopped at a roadside lookout which commanded a spectacular view of the town, valley, river and surrounding mountains.  I collected my phone, travel mug full of tea, and a new journal given to me from a girlfriend, perched myself on a concrete block and looked out, one last time, upon a town that was home for so long.  Needless to say, many tears were shed.

I was actually surprised at the emotion that bubbled up, or rather the depth of emotion that bubbled up.  That I would cry was not unexpected.  I felt the tears building over the past week.  The surprise was in the sobs rising from deep down inside my core.  While my new world took shape these past four years, and a strong foundation was built for my children and myself, I remained geographically stationary.  This step of changing my geographical location is truly the final step in my recovery and reclamation of myself.  I am moving on to somewhere new out of choice, out of emotional necessity, and out of pure desire.  This is what I want for myself.  This is what I need for myself.  Again, it is all about breaking free.  So of course, there were tears.

The end of my marriage came about in three stages:  First, on the day that I physically left my husband (July 18, 2014); second, on the day the divorce was finalized (February 22, 2016); and third, on the day I drove out of Squamish toward my new life (May 2, 2018).  Sitting on that concrete block two days ago, sobbing out loud to those oh so familiar mountains, I said my final good-bye to the man I married back in 1994.  My life has now completely moved away from anything that we shared. No longer will I live in the town where we were newlyweds, raised a family and built a business.   I am venturing out into new territory that only I am exploring.   My companions this time, rather than a husband and children, include a cute, cuddly polar bear (see photo above) and several other small yet highly significant stuffed animals.  With these, I will travel new roads and old roads, see new sights and old sights, and put the final pieces in place for my life.

I am 52 years old, and I feel mighty fine.

One More Sleep

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

ONE MORE SLEEP

Tonight is my last sleep in my own bed, in my own apartment.  At least my last sleep here for a few months.

Tomorrow morning, I load up my loveable Jeep and start driving eastward toward the Canadian Rockies.

The day of departure has finally arrived.

This 52-year old woman (eghads, soon to be 53!) is hitting the open road.

I knew this day would come when the job offer was accepted way back in January.  I have been chomping at the bit for four months to get this show on the road.  My patience, admittedly, has run out.

Tomorrow I will watch as the town in which I have lived for the past nine years disappears in my rearview mirror.  In a blink of an eye, Squamish will fade into the background.  It is time for me to relocate.  I need to dig my heels into new soil, walk new trails, look at new mountains.

I have lived a total of 16 years in this town.  I need someplace new to call home.  The beauty that so many people ooh and aah over here in the Sea To Sky Corridor is mostly lost on me now.  What I need now is simply 'new'. 

Several girlfriends have described my upcoming summer adventure as a retreat of sorts.  Besides upholding the responsibilities of a fulltime job, I will have only time to concentrate on me.  All other typical responsibilities of my life will fade, like the town, in the rearview mirror.  Of course, my children will text and call with questions and updates, but the daily grind of being Mum will not be present. 

I am so looking forward to taking care of just me.  Of having the space to commune only with myself.

I need this adventure, this summer.

It is to be the summer of the 3 R's:  Rivers, Rockies and Writing (ignore the silent 'w', please).

But, for now, right at this moment, it is time to sleep.  I must wake up feeling refreshed, ready and raring to go!

Look out Rockies, I'll be that much closer to you this time tomorrow.

Happy May 1st, everyone.