Just getting back from the reunion, I had to put on some Ani Difranco (spunky and lovely music) to fend off the post-trip blues. Like Dad put it, we turn back into pumpkins when we land in the maritimes. Back to the land of gumboots, slushy snow, Tim Hortons coffee and … our lives before this weekend. It’s easy to feel like you’re returning to the past after a trip (especially a quick one), so I have to put on music that isn’t dreary but celebrates the happiness of life, and unpack with the fervour of someone who is moving quickly forward.
Sometimes events come along which change who you are, in the core of you. Most of the time you don’t see these things coming, you block them in the dayplanner and wait for them to come and think about them a little. But the actuality of the event happening isn’t clear (obviously, because it hasn’t happened yet) and then once it is, it feels like you’ve passed into another place. You feel like there should have been some warning as to the delights ahead.
I’ll stop talking in generalities here. The Wooster weekend was absolutely wonderful. In brief, I was reunited with members of my large family with whom it had been too long, and formed connections with truly delightful people who are also (luckily and happily) my family members. What a joy it is to discover your family. It’s something that I think will change me in ways I’m only imagining right now.
The reason we were all congregating in Wooster, Ohio, was that Aunt Alice was turning 90. About 60 people came for a wonderful weekend of honoring Alice's long life, Alice who was married to my grandfather's brother Donald Noble, and whose life has touched many others'. Mat, Dad and I flew out and proceeded to squeeze every ounce of great experience from the short time we had, which has resulted in my being incredibly tired right now. Hence, I shall adjourn (or as Mat said, re-adjourn) for bed, and write more stories at a later date. All I'll say right now is that I'm very grateful to David, his wife Gayle, sister Nancy Holland and to Katherine Langford for their hard work coordinating and putting together the event in which I was able to take part.
And now, to bed, to sleep, for hours! Adieu.
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