Monday, March 12, 2012

A Day at the Trailer - Yes, THAT Trailer!

Long time readers will remember the heart break I went through last summer when I sold THE trailer. Although I couldn't afford to maintain my condo, my retirement home in PEI AND the trailer it was still one of the most painful decisions I'd ever had to make. After the breakdown of my former relationship I was able to heal, recover and find meaning in life again at the trailer. When Kazi's highland dancing career came to an end and we didn't know what to do with ourselves after eleven summers spent dancing our way across Canada the trailer gave a structure to our summers that gave an entirely new meaning to the words SUMMER VACATION!

Well, the good news here is that I sold the trailer at a reduced price to friends of ours. The idea was that we'd still be able to use the trailer in the spring and fall when we weren't out east. BUT once the trailer no longer belonged to me I found that I couldn't go near it! It was too painful to think that it wasn't MY refuge any longer.  I couldn't face going there and when we stopped there once last fall because we were in the neighbourhood I couldn't even get out of the car. Instead I sat in the car and cried while Michael took a look around.

Let me just say this: time is a great healer. Or maybe after several months of winter I'm more willing to give visiting the trailer another shot. I decided a few weeks ago that perhaps we could try spending a little time there and see what it was like. Yesterday with the sun shining and a high of 14c I threw caution to the wind and off we went. We also had plans to visit friends in Goderich and see how the recovery from last summer's F4 tornado was going.

We had an amazing day as these photos will show. It didn't feel weird or awkward or painful. I walked around fondly remembering the day I'd planted the lilac tree, checking for buds on all the perennials I'd planted and being astounded by how high the ornamental grasses had grown. Michael raked the leaves while I relaxed, we reminisced, went to Goderich, then purchased some meat to BBQ, returned to the trailer and had a fire and a great meal. On Wednesday it's supposed to be a gorgeous sunny, mild day so we're planning another "Day at the Trailer"! I'm so excited!
 Cleanup time!
The grasses help block out the neighbours not that anyone else was around yesterday!
 Mr. Sun is weathering nicely.
Me and my friend Stella :)
Reading the Sunday Papers in the warm sunshine - what could be better?
 We left behind pieces our ourselves that greeted us happily once again. It was "inspiring"!
 There was that huge piece of driftwood Michael carried up from the beach a couple of years ago!
 Buds are getting ready to burst open!
 Where's Waldo Michael?
 Me and my shadow.....
 Yup, the high heeled sandal is still in the maple tree!
Last year's fragile blossoms have weathered the winter!
At the trailer we always had the sun, the moon and the stars :)
 The numbers that I installed when I first purchased the trailer to replace the old broken wooden ones.
My lilac tree is bloomin' healthy!
 Here comes Myrtle!
 We like to decorate with driftwood "sculptures"!
 Relaxing on the Rumi bench - Michael and I had many a philosophical discussion here!
Gathering the fallen twigs to use as kindling later.
 Goderich - walking out on the pier. No ice or snow this year.
Spring renewal is one of life's greatest pleasures!
The sun is coming north once again!

The geese were having great fun chasing each other :)
The Ancient Mariner!
 The robins are HERE!
The first campfire of the season!
 Chef Michael at the grill!
 Of course we had to stay and see the sunset - it didn't disappoint!
 Lake Huron, Bayfield, ON
 Soul food!
The scene of many a dance partay!
A great ending to a "refilling the soul" kind of day!

22 comments:

  1. I'm glad that the trailer now belongs to your friends and that you can still enjoy it without painful feelings of not owning it anymore.  Since you weren't going to use it all the time, but only once in a while, it makes sense that it's OK for someone else to own it but it's fortunate that you can use it.  After all, even if it holds special memories, a house is still just "a thing" and not as important as the people in your life, right?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would say your soul and being are refilled.  What a beautiful, wonderful way to spend a day

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also remember that trailer and was sad when you sold it.  I'm glad you went back.
    mark

    ReplyDelete
  4. So glad you got to enjoy this once again.  It's incredibly difficult revisiting old haunts isn't it when someone else has taken over?  makes me realize the value and comfort we place on our 'home'.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is such a great picture of the two of you, spring break looks good on you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. What is it about Spring that widens our smiles, renews our souls and makes us feel FLIPPIN' fantastic??
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like a sweet way to spend the day! 

    ReplyDelete
  8. I felt like I was coming out of my winter's cocoon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's everything...EVERYTHING about spring!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's everything...EVERYTHING about spring!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. loving every minute of it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. It really was a "break through" moment for me in so many ways.

    ReplyDelete
  13. the saying "you can never go back" simply isn't true.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It was, simply delightful. Delightful in the simplest of ways.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think if I'd purchased the trailer in "happier times" it wouldn't hold such significance for me, I'm going to take this as a sign that I have healed.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So nice, I am glad you could go back.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds like the best of both worlds...I'm glad you were able to enjoy the trailer again!  It looked like a wonderful time!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Jane,

    Thank you for following maritimepennypinchers.blogspot.com. I have changed my site address to fightingtobefrugal.blogspot.com and would love it if you were still able to follow me. If you wouldn't mind updating the address in your side bar I would greatly appreciate it. 

    Thank you,

    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm so glad that you are healed. That made me smile and so did your wonderful pictures.
    Have a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
  20. So glad you and Michael are enjoying time together during March break. It was nice to see shots of the old trailer, you had many happy times there and more to come this week.
    Enjoy the Spring weather and grab all the vitamin D you can.
    We maybe getting a few snowstorms which is always typical around St.Patty's Day. What would it be without one last storm. :(

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ahh, I could FEEL the relaxing vibes as I read your post. Great pics, as usual. You always seem to perfectly catch the good times you and Michael have together.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your day made me smile.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment - it means a lot to me that you read my post and are leaving a comment - you just made my day!