I woke to a few rain drops dotting the Walmart parking lot, enough to raise the humidity. Chloe wanted to go outside. I made myself a cup of tea and shared a rusk with her. She lay down by my side while I blogged, waiting for me to let her out. I can’t help but think what our adventure is like for her.
The trailer is her known world. She looks out the window like an astronomer, gazing into the unknown universe, seeking new discoveries. It’s a big event when she first tentatively descends the steps like Neil Armstrong – one small step by Chloe, one giant leap for canines.
She is greeted by an ever changing universe of new sights and smells. The steps must be like a portal to a new world – every day. Her safe place, is with her pack, the two of us, back in the trailer, with her blankie, chew toy, and ball.
She is my daily reminder to – live in the moment, love unconditionally, play with enthusiasm, be myself, forgive and forget.
The rain increased, steadily falling while we went about our morning routine. We treated ourselves, and stopped at Tim Hortons for a quick breakfast before heading south to Hamilton.
Once we were on the road, as usual, our day consisted of ever changing landscapes. This day started out with undulating rocky terrain, worn smooth by glaciers over millennia. Sparsely populated with low shrubs, and dotted with a few small lakes.
The level highway, cut through the rolling landscape, like a hot knife through butter. Each cut revealed a kaleidoscope of colours and patterns, laid down by volcanic lava flows. The colours and patterns changing noticeably kilometre by kilometre.
Halfway to our destination, the rocky terrain was slowly replaced with flatter land, maple and oak trees. We were getting closer to a metropolis – with more vehicle traffic and people hurrying about their business. The single lane road grew into a six lane highway to accommodate the volume if traffic. Tire marks and scraped paint on the barriers like abstract art, and broken headlight glass sparkling like diamonds along the road side.
We stopped at Port Severn to stretch our legs during a short walk around a waterside park. Sailing and motor yachts, moored silently, waiting for their weekend warriors arrival. The boating season is short, followed by long and cruel winters.
We continued south, then left the busy highway, and headed to our destination in Carlisle. My excitement increased with each kilometre travelled. I was going to visit Lynne (my long lost cousin) and her husband Andy. I was also going to meet her children and grand children for the first time.
We had a heartwarming family gathering, catching up on the last five decades of our lives since family circumstances and residential schools pulled us in different directions. Lynne and Andy are blessed with lovely children and grand children.
The next morning, we headed out for a hearty breakfast at a local diner, followed by some sight seeing around Carlisle. The homes are magnificent, the gardens exploding with colour in contrast to the emerald green manicured lawns. We returned home. With Lynne’s input, we reviewed maps of the Maritime Provinces, and planned the next stages of our adventure.
We ate supper on the patio of the Royal Coachman. The Royal Coachman is old time British pub in a 1868 victorian building, located in the historic downtown district of Waterdown.
After supper, we took a scenic route back home. The last five minutes of our drive, we all gazed into a magnificent sunset, the clouds outlined in golden hues, the last rays of sunshine warming our hearts. An omen foretelling our warm love for family.