Dear sis,

This is Tory – Marlene’s daughter.  As you know I have been friends with her mom Marlene since I was 21 years old.  Her mom and I  met working the summer of 89′ at Jasper Park Lodge.   Such a transformative time for me.

 

Last week Tory reached out letting me know she was working in BC for twoish or so weeks.   She has such a cool job – she travels to many countries – working with competitive horses and is the assistant to a 21 year old lady, who owns many horses.  Tory cares for her horses.  It is so crazy to think that she it turning 26 in a few days.  My friends kids are growing up.

Her mom, Marlene, is one of my very best friends.   I remember the day, I was 25 years old, I called her and said, “My mom just died, I am flying home tomorrow.”  She lived 9ish hours away from my family home and she said, “When you arrive tonight, I will be on your door step.” And she was.

The summer she and I met, with 4 other ladies, we travelled to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.  We backpacked for 2 months – hitched hiked up the Gold Coast – well it was myself and Rhonda who did most of the hitchhiking – I was trying to be careful with every penny as I was getting low on money and credit cards did not exist for us back then.   I could write a whole other blog about how when I landed in Fiji, alone, no money to pay for accommodations how I had to figure it all out haha the experiences that shape us for who we are today.

During our travels in Australia,  I left my passport at a hostel in Cape Tribulation.  I realized this as we arrived into Byron Bay, a town miles away that we returned to because we all fell in love with this special place.  We were all due to fly out the next morning to Fiji and I had no passport.  Marlene said, “I will stay with you Kath and wait with you.” In the end she had to leave but but I will always remember how good it felt when she offered to stay and support me.

So last week when Tory reached out asking if she could come over for a visit, I was so excited that I could make it happen.   She only gets one day off a week.   Her plan was to take the ferry across on the Sunday night (it was a long weekend) and we could have all day Monday together.  And so we did.

Well, I have to admit….the apple does not fall far from the tree !!!   Late Sunday afternoon I get a message from Tory, “Ok working longer than planned, I am now going to try to try to book the last float plane.” and then, “OK I am on the 5:40 pm plane, actually wait,  I have now changed airlines and I am on the 6pm.  Oh and my phone might die but see you soon.” And then when she arrived (it is only a 15 min flight) she said, “And I am not really sure where I parked on the other end, I think it was hourly (downtown Vancouver ugh) anyhow I didn’t have time to deal with it.  I was so rushed I just had to get on that plane !!”  I said, “So you just left your car there ?  Overnight ?  No ticket aka payment?” “Yes,” she said, “I will try to figure it out over “phone payment”.  Well I am not too sure how the phone payment thing worked out but in the end she got 2 x $70 tickets – eye roll omg sooooo her mother – FLIES BY THE SEAT OF HER PANTS !! haha However end result…ALL WORTH IT xo

So yes I am just feeling super grateful for a wonderful visit.  How special that my good friends daughter reached out to spend time with me.  Special moments.  Loved the deep friend pickles and beer, SUP and the late night conversation.   It was an awesome 24 hours with a pretty special kid.

Love you sis,

Kathy xo

ps. One more story about Marlene that I will always remember – I think we have all, at one point in our lives, danced in front of a mirror – and watched yourself dance.  Once evening, when we were in Australia, at a bar, I walked into the ladies room on Marlene.  She was by herself and dancing up a storm in front of the mirror, arms waving in the air – she had a tank top on – she was checking out her arms to see how they looked in the mirror because that is how they would look on the dance floor lololololol I love that story – as I walked in we both stopped and stared at each other.  Not sure how the hell to react.  Silent.  And then she and I burst into laughter and I said to her, “I promise I will never tell anyone what I just walked in on.”  BUT we were 21.  At this stage in life you need to be able to laugh at yourself.  So I know she would be more than OK with me telling this story 🙂

pps.  Tonight I was on the phone with your daughter Sam – she and I are hoping to connect in Montreal this November.  Tara is getting married.  And your son Carter is arriving to my house Saturday night yay to stay with me for 4 or 5 nights.   Ohhhh and our brother Brian was just here on the Island attending a police conference – he stayed for a few extra days we had a great visit. I hope you were with us – I took out the little urn, placed it on the table and said to Brian, “OK keep talking, sis is now here.”  Miss you xo

 

SOME MORE MAY LONG WEEKEND PICS…..explored a new part of Island, went for a beautiful dinner and SUP x two days.

A few travels pics from 1989….

AN

And Mar and I today….