So much has sped by since writing “Arrive Alive” but I wanted to let you know I eventually reached my destination, very much alive. But before I drop you right into the thick of a new adventure, I’ll bring you up to speed. When we last met, I had just emerged, crinkly and new, from … Continue reading My Rearview Mirror
Category: change
Day 24: Pippa’s Ride
Meet Pippa; the sassy Italian Greyhound who is my constant companion and best friend. She is now two and a half years old, and has been with me since she was eight weeks. She has now spent almost half of her life on the road with me. Baby PippaCrate Training: harder for ME than for … Continue reading Day 24: Pippa’s Ride
Day 16: Simple. Not Simple.
Some things are simple pleasures. For instance, the world let me in on a coffee secret and I’ll never be the same. Apparently a New York City favourite from way back, at 7 coppers a cup it’s the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had. Ah, pure simple pleasure. This morning, my friend identified at … Continue reading Day 16: Simple. Not Simple.
Day 14: Honouring the Ebb
Life on the road offers many opportunities to experience being all in one place at the same time. I treasure this state of mind and call this being in the flow. In my experience, it opens a lot of my soul-doors. I’ve been delighting in this state for some time. But every flow has an … Continue reading Day 14: Honouring the Ebb
Day 13: Higher Ground
It’s a bit of a paradox; how sinking into something can transport you to a higher place. I spent the afternoon at the Arboretum, with my macro lens. It seemed fitting, given my recent focus on going deeper. Aren’t the patterns incredible? The balance. The contrast. Light and dark. Lines and Circles. Spirals. Being among … Continue reading Day 13: Higher Ground
A Month in a Minivan 2019: Day One
Welcome to “A Month in a Minivan” - the 2019 edition. I did this last year, and as a writer, it was super satisfying to have a daily practice. Although I thrive in this mostly non-stuctured life, I sometimes crave something measurable to work toward and having a commitment to write each day for a … Continue reading A Month in a Minivan 2019: Day One
All I Need
It’s not quite dawn and I’m sitting in the van around the corner from my sisters’ house in Oshawa, where I slept last night. Pippa is wondering why we have stopped so soon. I’m waiting for a text from either of my sisters, telling me what I’ve forgotten at their house. I always forget something, … Continue reading All I Need
Falling in Step
As soon as I knew I was moving to Cape Breton, I did the obvious and joined a week-long step-dancing program. OK, maybe it wasn’t the most obvious thing to do, but it felt like the most important. So much so, I didn’t even take time to consult my brain or hip, who both had … Continue reading Falling in Step
Day 6: Chasing Cheese
Having discovered unexpected changes at two of my favourite local food spots yesterday (one closed and one having been purchased by a larger company) I wandered out to visit Fifth Town Cheese in Waupoos, where I hadn’t been for a few years. The road there hugs the lake, winding by estates and new vineyards, grand … Continue reading Day 6: Chasing Cheese
Downsizing for Vanlife: Naked & Afraid
Moving into a vehicle typically requires serious “trimming” of our belongings. Although it seems rather straight-forward, it is anything but, and the emotional struggle of the task is pretty much universal. But why is downsizing so hard? And why does it make us feel so.... vulnerable and uncomfortable? Here are 10 reasons it might hurt … Continue reading Downsizing for Vanlife: Naked & Afraid