Canada travelogue and kitty relocation
Three weekends ago: Katrina and I spent mostly in Portland visiting Mick and Misty and seeing Storm Large perform. We also dropped in on the house in Colton, packed and sorted, moved the cats South to a bedroom in her home in Eugene, and set up the room for them. Katrina (and I when I was there) slept with the cats on the futon sofa the rest of the week.
I spent the middle of the week before last week packing up and sorting through lots of personal items (three days, two nights), and trying to assemble some key things Kathryn left to me to get to relatives and friends. This was very emotionally exhausting and a lot of grief came up. I spent the rest of the week when I was at my new home unpacking a few of my boxes (but only a little) and preparing for travel to Canada.
Friday before last we embarked on our travels. After Katrina got home from work we drove as far North as Everett.
Richmond, BC: Saturday we crossed into Canada and set up at Tom and Joanie's condo by the water in Richmond, BC (next town South of Vancouver, Canada). Pat and her friend Kochurani (who reforests parts of South America) and K's daughter Jessica joined us at Tom's. We went through several large crates of Kathryn's belongings, art, photos, clothes, and jewelry. I had brought specific items for Tom - his Mom's pearls for starters - and Pat - some amber earrings she gave Kathryn - and other various items that were significant. It was very touching (at times wrenching) to all of us. We went out for Fish and Chips afterwards, and Katrina and I fell asleep early on Tom's sleeper sofa.
Sunday we spent the afternoon with Freda (Tom's first wife, sort of adopted daughter to Pearl (Tom's Mom), and sister-in-law to Kathryn). I brought her Pearl's Singer Featherlight sewing machine (which she and Kathryn were originally to share) and went through the boxes with her. She was able to identify an entire baggie of jewelry as items she gave Kathryn back in the 80s, so I left them with her. Warm and positive experience. We returned to Tom's and chatted with Bill and Carol, Tom's cousin... so good to see them. Last time I saw Carol was at Kathryn's funeral. The energy of the time at Tom's felt so very much like visiting Pearl in Victoria, always friends and family coming through, long-term connections, old stories as well as hopes for the future - really made me miss Pearl (who died in Dec 4, 2005).
Ferries and Gabriola: Monday Joanie went to work and we lingered a bit with Tom packing up, and then made the grey, misty ferry (Coastal Renaissance) to Nanaimo's Duke Point. We made a brief stop for wine and beer to go with dinner later, and then took Quinsam, the small ferry to Gabriola. We arrived at The Haven Retreat and checked in, then headed South to the other end of the 8-mile long island to The Nut Loft, a retreat center often used for Eastern/Buddhist/Energy Work events. Leita is the groundskeeper there currently, living in a nice Yurt, doing gardening, keeping the retreat center house in shape, and other relevant duties. It's right on Degnan Bay. She had set organic local chicken dinner (raised by a neighbor), Oysters harvested from the bay, nettles gathered in the woods, organic local greens, and potatoes grown and cooked by the talented Dinah. We we were joined by calm Audrey, Trevor (who was earlier trying to teach students to learn how to be a clown), and quick-wit Jim (I think that was his name?). After this amazing spread and a follow up of local strawberry-rhubarb pie we had found at the market (it was pi Day after all), we returned to The Haven and crashed.
Tuesday we needed to sleep in a bit, and had a late breakfast at Raspberry's Cafe, then drove around in major rain and grey mists to sights at the North end of the Island - Berry Point, Twin Beaches, and that sort of thing. We returned to Raspberry's and had a great visit with Sheila, who was Kathryn's next door neighbor. After that, we followed North Road and found and walked around the stunningly beautiful little cabin Pat built the last few years that she is selling. We stopped at Drumbeg Park for a few minutes to take in the sky, then circled around to Degnan Bay for a dinner of homemade chicken soup and salad with Leita. We had such a good time hanging out with her, then returned back to the other end of the island for a sleep at The Haven.
Nanaimo and Duncan: Wednesday we got off to an early start and caught the 8:40 sailing of Quinsam. We met Lynette in Nanaimo for breakfast, great conversation, and a quick jaunt through an art gallery - all in the space of two hours. Then we motored South on Canada 1 to a stop for gas and lunch at Duncan. The town is a virtual forest of Cowichan Nation totems including one I particularly liked - 'Wild Woman of the Forest'. The coffee, eats, and coop organic grocery flavor of Corfield Farm Store and Coffee Bar was amazing (and they have a used/new bookstore too).
Around this time we learned from Devlyn, our catsitter, that the cats had figured out how to open the door to Soleil and Biji's room, so all cats were intermingling. We assured Devlyn (cat sitter) that this was all probably going to be OK.
The next stop after Malahat Drive and Goldstream was The Empress, Victoria's classy, Colonial-era decorated Canadian Pacific Railroad Hotel. We were tired after our travels and opted for a nap in the comfy King bed, even though the room smelled a little bit like cat litter (I am guessing it is just the age of the hotel and that we were in the top floor where there may be more moisture behind the attractive wainscotting and wallpaper). We made a quick outing to pick up a bottle of wine, and retreated to our cocoon for a sumptuous in-room dinner. Expensive, but not as expensive as you might think - buying wine away and splitting four items turned out to be a good plan.
Victoria: Thursday, St. Patrick's Day, was lovely and sunny. We had eggs benedict (well, I did) at the Gatsby Mansion, and proceeded to the Royal Oak Burial Park to pay our respects to William and Pearl Hopper, the deceased parents of Tom, Ken, and Kathryn. I set Bill's service beret next to his grave, set cut pink/white roses below their shared marker. I chatted with Pearl quite a bit - she was a great friend of mine - and spilled a lot of tears of grief and love for her and Kathryn. I felt like Bill and Pearl were happy I had come to visit, and imagined that Bill would have jibed that it was about time I finally did something nice for him by coming to visit. It is a very calming, beautiful place, and my knees got only a little dirty kneeling to tend the headstone.
We proceeded directly to Ken's condo, and had a good conversation with him, saw his lego creations, art he had made, and talked about Kathryn. He wasn't all that interested in Kathryn's stuff, very pragmatic about it and interested in today and tomorrow, not yesterday in stuff - just cognitive memories. We left rather famished and stopped to split a cup of Soya Chicken Dumpling Noodle in Soup, a tradition that Kathryn had at Wah Lai Yuen Restaurant on Fisgard Street near Fan Tan Alley (she actually preferred the BBQ Duck Dumpling Noodle in Soup). This really hit the spot, and we wandered around Capital Iron, returned to the room, changed clothes and mellowed out for a bit, then went to Spinnaker's for a gastronomical and beerophile's treat (with special menu items for the holiday). We returned and crashed.
Friday we got ourselves packed and down just in time to line up for about 75 minutes and board the MV Coho. We were early enough to get most of what we needed to eat there, then proceeded via Port Angeles, Bremerton, and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge up and around to Saqra's in Kent. Jeff had arranged to start his weekend early and we had great pizza, some good beer, and really deep conversation at The Rock.
Saturday we lingered over some great breakfast Jeff cooked up, went through Kathryn's boxes, shared some tears and hugs, and left South down I-5. I really do not get anywhere near the time with Saqra and Jeff as I would like, they are such wonderful friends.
Back in Eugene: we managed to get South in time for Katrina to make a gathering with some friends at seven while I unpacked. I picked up a pie at Cozmic Pizza (good stuff and organic!). We decided to open the cat door so that all the cats (even Biji and Soleil) could circulate outside again, but none of the cats seemed to notice it until morning.
Overall, I feel like by sharing Kathryn's things, and people taking what they like, that I have the freedom to fully decide what happens to whatever people didn't grab. That is actually a relief for me. Also, going through the items over and over helped me to work through and resolve some of the grief that is triggered by seeing these things. It does get easier with practice.
Sunday was getting back into the pattern, catching up on bills and correspondence some, planning food and doing grocery shopping, doing laundry, and making deviled eggs for a Spring celebration activity, after which we were quite wiped out. Biji was not to be seen after he figured out that cat door was open.
Monday (today) Katrina went back to work, now suffering from a bad head cold, while I started to get prepared for starting classes next week by attempting to register. Biji did show up in early evening, looking happy and well... so I think that the cat move, started two weeks ago, is thus far a success. I made a big lamb stew while Katrina tried to steam out her cold in the bath, and we really enjoyed that... and I wrote this up.
Photos will be coming on flickr and facebook before too much longer. I think it is time to sleep.
I spent the middle of the week before last week packing up and sorting through lots of personal items (three days, two nights), and trying to assemble some key things Kathryn left to me to get to relatives and friends. This was very emotionally exhausting and a lot of grief came up. I spent the rest of the week when I was at my new home unpacking a few of my boxes (but only a little) and preparing for travel to Canada.
Friday before last we embarked on our travels. After Katrina got home from work we drove as far North as Everett.
Richmond, BC: Saturday we crossed into Canada and set up at Tom and Joanie's condo by the water in Richmond, BC (next town South of Vancouver, Canada). Pat and her friend Kochurani (who reforests parts of South America) and K's daughter Jessica joined us at Tom's. We went through several large crates of Kathryn's belongings, art, photos, clothes, and jewelry. I had brought specific items for Tom - his Mom's pearls for starters - and Pat - some amber earrings she gave Kathryn - and other various items that were significant. It was very touching (at times wrenching) to all of us. We went out for Fish and Chips afterwards, and Katrina and I fell asleep early on Tom's sleeper sofa.
Sunday we spent the afternoon with Freda (Tom's first wife, sort of adopted daughter to Pearl (Tom's Mom), and sister-in-law to Kathryn). I brought her Pearl's Singer Featherlight sewing machine (which she and Kathryn were originally to share) and went through the boxes with her. She was able to identify an entire baggie of jewelry as items she gave Kathryn back in the 80s, so I left them with her. Warm and positive experience. We returned to Tom's and chatted with Bill and Carol, Tom's cousin... so good to see them. Last time I saw Carol was at Kathryn's funeral. The energy of the time at Tom's felt so very much like visiting Pearl in Victoria, always friends and family coming through, long-term connections, old stories as well as hopes for the future - really made me miss Pearl (who died in Dec 4, 2005).
Ferries and Gabriola: Monday Joanie went to work and we lingered a bit with Tom packing up, and then made the grey, misty ferry (Coastal Renaissance) to Nanaimo's Duke Point. We made a brief stop for wine and beer to go with dinner later, and then took Quinsam, the small ferry to Gabriola. We arrived at The Haven Retreat and checked in, then headed South to the other end of the 8-mile long island to The Nut Loft, a retreat center often used for Eastern/Buddhist/Energy Work events. Leita is the groundskeeper there currently, living in a nice Yurt, doing gardening, keeping the retreat center house in shape, and other relevant duties. It's right on Degnan Bay. She had set organic local chicken dinner (raised by a neighbor), Oysters harvested from the bay, nettles gathered in the woods, organic local greens, and potatoes grown and cooked by the talented Dinah. We we were joined by calm Audrey, Trevor (who was earlier trying to teach students to learn how to be a clown), and quick-wit Jim (I think that was his name?). After this amazing spread and a follow up of local strawberry-rhubarb pie we had found at the market (it was pi Day after all), we returned to The Haven and crashed.
Tuesday we needed to sleep in a bit, and had a late breakfast at Raspberry's Cafe, then drove around in major rain and grey mists to sights at the North end of the Island - Berry Point, Twin Beaches, and that sort of thing. We returned to Raspberry's and had a great visit with Sheila, who was Kathryn's next door neighbor. After that, we followed North Road and found and walked around the stunningly beautiful little cabin Pat built the last few years that she is selling. We stopped at Drumbeg Park for a few minutes to take in the sky, then circled around to Degnan Bay for a dinner of homemade chicken soup and salad with Leita. We had such a good time hanging out with her, then returned back to the other end of the island for a sleep at The Haven.
Nanaimo and Duncan: Wednesday we got off to an early start and caught the 8:40 sailing of Quinsam. We met Lynette in Nanaimo for breakfast, great conversation, and a quick jaunt through an art gallery - all in the space of two hours. Then we motored South on Canada 1 to a stop for gas and lunch at Duncan. The town is a virtual forest of Cowichan Nation totems including one I particularly liked - 'Wild Woman of the Forest'. The coffee, eats, and coop organic grocery flavor of Corfield Farm Store and Coffee Bar was amazing (and they have a used/new bookstore too).
Around this time we learned from Devlyn, our catsitter, that the cats had figured out how to open the door to Soleil and Biji's room, so all cats were intermingling. We assured Devlyn (cat sitter) that this was all probably going to be OK.
The next stop after Malahat Drive and Goldstream was The Empress, Victoria's classy, Colonial-era decorated Canadian Pacific Railroad Hotel. We were tired after our travels and opted for a nap in the comfy King bed, even though the room smelled a little bit like cat litter (I am guessing it is just the age of the hotel and that we were in the top floor where there may be more moisture behind the attractive wainscotting and wallpaper). We made a quick outing to pick up a bottle of wine, and retreated to our cocoon for a sumptuous in-room dinner. Expensive, but not as expensive as you might think - buying wine away and splitting four items turned out to be a good plan.
Victoria: Thursday, St. Patrick's Day, was lovely and sunny. We had eggs benedict (well, I did) at the Gatsby Mansion, and proceeded to the Royal Oak Burial Park to pay our respects to William and Pearl Hopper, the deceased parents of Tom, Ken, and Kathryn. I set Bill's service beret next to his grave, set cut pink/white roses below their shared marker. I chatted with Pearl quite a bit - she was a great friend of mine - and spilled a lot of tears of grief and love for her and Kathryn. I felt like Bill and Pearl were happy I had come to visit, and imagined that Bill would have jibed that it was about time I finally did something nice for him by coming to visit. It is a very calming, beautiful place, and my knees got only a little dirty kneeling to tend the headstone.
We proceeded directly to Ken's condo, and had a good conversation with him, saw his lego creations, art he had made, and talked about Kathryn. He wasn't all that interested in Kathryn's stuff, very pragmatic about it and interested in today and tomorrow, not yesterday in stuff - just cognitive memories. We left rather famished and stopped to split a cup of Soya Chicken Dumpling Noodle in Soup, a tradition that Kathryn had at Wah Lai Yuen Restaurant on Fisgard Street near Fan Tan Alley (she actually preferred the BBQ Duck Dumpling Noodle in Soup). This really hit the spot, and we wandered around Capital Iron, returned to the room, changed clothes and mellowed out for a bit, then went to Spinnaker's for a gastronomical and beerophile's treat (with special menu items for the holiday). We returned and crashed.
Friday we got ourselves packed and down just in time to line up for about 75 minutes and board the MV Coho. We were early enough to get most of what we needed to eat there, then proceeded via Port Angeles, Bremerton, and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge up and around to Saqra's in Kent. Jeff had arranged to start his weekend early and we had great pizza, some good beer, and really deep conversation at The Rock.
Saturday we lingered over some great breakfast Jeff cooked up, went through Kathryn's boxes, shared some tears and hugs, and left South down I-5. I really do not get anywhere near the time with Saqra and Jeff as I would like, they are such wonderful friends.
Back in Eugene: we managed to get South in time for Katrina to make a gathering with some friends at seven while I unpacked. I picked up a pie at Cozmic Pizza (good stuff and organic!). We decided to open the cat door so that all the cats (even Biji and Soleil) could circulate outside again, but none of the cats seemed to notice it until morning.
Overall, I feel like by sharing Kathryn's things, and people taking what they like, that I have the freedom to fully decide what happens to whatever people didn't grab. That is actually a relief for me. Also, going through the items over and over helped me to work through and resolve some of the grief that is triggered by seeing these things. It does get easier with practice.
Sunday was getting back into the pattern, catching up on bills and correspondence some, planning food and doing grocery shopping, doing laundry, and making deviled eggs for a Spring celebration activity, after which we were quite wiped out. Biji was not to be seen after he figured out that cat door was open.
Monday (today) Katrina went back to work, now suffering from a bad head cold, while I started to get prepared for starting classes next week by attempting to register. Biji did show up in early evening, looking happy and well... so I think that the cat move, started two weeks ago, is thus far a success. I made a big lamb stew while Katrina tried to steam out her cold in the bath, and we really enjoyed that... and I wrote this up.
Photos will be coming on flickr and facebook before too much longer. I think it is time to sleep.