We stood in front of our Market Street home, talking.

My sister and I headed out on a short tour of North Bay, before taking to the highway.  Pretty much, the moment we set out, I began weeping…for all of the memories and all that had happened in North Bay.  Military children don’t have much that is permanent, so to return to a place that was a temporary home, brings some emotions up.

I was twelve years old and fell asleep while watching the sheer curtains in my bedroom, still in the humid heat of April 26.  I had asked God if He would please move the curtains, as a sign,  if He would give me a sister; this, after three brothers!  I stared for so long that I couldn’t possibly keep my eyes open any longer.  In the morning, my Dad woke me with the nudge of my arm…”Kath, we have a sister for you!”  This all happened at 42 Market Street and I can see the bedroom window just beyond the tree featured in the photograph that I snapped yesterday.

42 Market Street

We drove down Airport Road to Widdifield high school and then to the home where my parents lived while I attended my first years of University in Lethbridge.  This is the home that I visited during the summer and at Christmas time, sometimes taking the train across Canada, sometimes flying, but always coming home.  I worked at The Deluxe.  I bought my first guitar.  I stopped in to a small Catholic Church those summers, where the Mass was  spoken in Latin.

Dane

Heading out for the last leg of my journey and through Algonquin Park, my sister and I drove in tandem so that we could share a coffee, some blueberries and a hug before she left me at Huntsville.

Roadside blueberries.

We had a relaxing cup of java and a cornmeal muffin at a South River coffee shop…it was a quaint place with some fantastic landscape art.  I think the artist’s name was Doreen Woods and I just had to pull over to snap a shot on the way out of South River, of one of many chip wagons that I will be seeing this summer.  This is something that Calgary, Alberta needs…a good chip wagon!

Ontario Chip Wagon

I was at home with my parents by 4:30 in the afternoon, having enjoyed a scenic and safe journey…just in time for my Dad’s ribs, salad and rice…and Bottles Five and Six! ;0)  I am most grateful to God for being with Max and I on this remarkable journey and I’m excited for all of the discoveries that the summer continues to keep within her arms, just for us!

Mom took this one of Bottle 5 and Bottle 6 and I think it's perfect! ;0)

Our Beautiful Mom!