Another Year May 26th 2015



Sunset on the 25th

Another year has passed; I have journeyed to “Lands End” and set up my swag, walked about and taken photographs. Suddenly the name “Lands End” has new meaning, the cairn I built almost 2 years ago stands, I have placed more rocks on it today, one day it will be a permanent memorial to you.

Simon, the place has blossomed, so many of the trees and shrubs we planted all those years ago are now mature. You fell to sleep in a beautifully wild and tranquil place, it befits the “you”.

I had though the year after you left this world the hardest imaginable, people had warned me year two would be harder, “how?” I wondered.... now I know. The finality dawns then gnaws. Hope remains that the finality is a dream....but frighteningly it is not.

I recall a Zen saying...... “before enlightenment chopping wood, carrying water, after enlightenment chopping wood carrying water” the saying is appropriate for before and during grief also, there is a healing though to be found in the routine of everyday activities, damn hard to do though, when all you want to do is curl up and hibernate.

I was privileged to meet other people on a similar journey, the shared understanding is palpable, words need no exchange. A hug speaks volumes. Much of the last year has been dark and difficult, although the pain of loss can be an exquisite replacement for love no longer able to be enfolded about ones soul mate. There were times though when that “dark final option” seemed the only path to take until one remembers the pain of being the one left behind; then rational thought prevails, not to subject another loved one with a sudden loss.

Slowly though the memories have changed and I feel deep gratitude for the many gifts you shared with me. I think you would be chuckling that I am no longer a city girl, that I have other pastimes outside paid work. I learnt to relax, laugh at myself, many a time when I muck something up I use a famous Simonism “bloody idiot” and laugh.

My computer screen saver plays your photos, I often glance up to find a photo of you waving or smiling, I smile or wave back, I see many of your unique mannerisms and expressions captured and smile even more.

I live in the country now,a smaller town than you would have ever imagined us living in, and I am learning about minerals of all things......

Darling boy, I still talk with you every day, you do never answer though, not that this surprises me.....
Thank you for every memory, our adventures, a lightness of life. Your greatest gift to me is my ability to be in the moment, experience the all, learnt through the experience of “us”. 

Love Evermore

Susan



Morning light under the watchful tree


Requiem 25 - 26 May 2014

Tomorrow morning at 5.30 it will be a year since my darling Simon died. Tonight I will camp at the spot and remember...............

The time has dragged and flown in equal measure.

Every day has been tough, every day I have learnt something new about myself, every day wonderful family and friends have supported me.

Thank you all.

I always wrote poems for Simon, well in those early heady days of a new romance, and occasionally later also, I never wrote rhyming poems, something Simon commented on, he being of the belief that poems should rhyme!

So, darling boy I wrote this one early this morning.



Requiem for Simon

I lie this night upon the ground where you fell to endless sleep
I cry for things that might have been, I can do nothing but weep

The icy barb which speared my chest, chills my core still
I wander aimlessly over land, wondering what would have been your will

I hope your life well lived was long enough and regrets you had were none
That peace and contentment are your robes and some sign will surely come

I wonder every day about the joy we shared and whether joy will come again
With you not there to laugh your hearty laugh and tease in your mischievous way

I try so hard to honour you, by living the best I can
Truth is, it is so bloody hard, it robs my breath and keeps me weak

I talk to you still every day, an endless silent chatter
About all the things dear to us and everything that ever mattered

I listen for your answer everywhere and quiet myself to catch your thought
As time passes more and more ,I know this is all for naught

Silence now where music was, deafening it can be
I practice now a gratitude hoping one day it will set me free

Of this crushing pain that fills the place where you, my love, used to be
So slumber on in sweet repose and occasionally smile down on me.

Evermore

Susan Pearl
25/05/2014
 



Epilogue Tuesday 26th November 2013

Hi All,

I have been attempting to update our blog for some time. I have lots of things I want to say, they are all competing to be written first, so please bear with me as I try to make sense of the past 6 months.

I have often times been perplexed when reading the blogs of others to note the last entry was some months even years earlier, which always prompts me to wonder what happened?

I guess there are “rules” or “conventions” to blogging though I admit I have not researched this topic. Blogs are more like diaries than books. Books usually have a beginning, middle and end, where as diaries are kept for notable periods in ones’ life and may end abruptly........ This is the case with our blog.

We had returned home to catch up with family and friends, purchase backpacks and camping stuff for our Heysen Trail hike. We had even joined the Adelaide Bushwalker club and picked their brains on a new members hike at Kuipto, and pronounced ourselves happy with our choice of gear.

On the weekend of May 15th we undertook our first conditioning walk of 3 days and 2 nights and enjoyed a new freedom of tent camping. We were planning to hike the first leg of the Heysen from Cape Jervois as a day walk on Monday 27th May, after a weekend of work with the conservation group down at Lands End, a project we have been involved with for 10+ years.

THEN DISASTER STRUCK AND MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER, AT 0530 ON SUNDAY 26TH MAY TO BE PRECISE.

My darling Simon decided to sleep in the car after an uncomfortable night with indigestion, so at 5am he trundled out of the swag with his final words to me “won’t you be cold Honey?” “No I will be fine” I said.

Well I am not fine and I am cold. Cold to my core!

My darling didn’t make it to the car, I heard unsettling noises and found him on the ground, and witnessed his last breath. I couldn’t save him, I tried and tried.

The ambulance and doctor couldn’t save him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Six months have now passed, to the day of this post, and I am still not fine, probably won’t ever be again, and the chill still permeates.

How does one pay tribute to the life of ones’ soul mate?

And in this digital age how does one protect their virtual presence?

How can I express the wonder and joy of the years together, especially the last 3 years when we became wanderers?

I am forever grateful that we decided to blog our adventure, as I have not only my darling’s witty words (and at times expansive ramblings) but many photos and video as well, such treasured memories.

When we set out I had several goals one being to encounter “the meek” and to perhaps write a book about them. After 3 years of travel I discovered to my amazement that we had become the meek in the sense of “showing mildness or quietness of nature”.

We lived simply, helped others, took pleasure in nature and would express gratitude to each other most every day about our decision to take to the road and share simple joys. It became a way of life, the best experience I could ever have hoped for.

Simon, thank you.

Rest in Peace.

Evermore love...............

Susan


Mobile test blog Susan's phone Monday 13th May 2013

Well I thought I would give typing a blog a whirl on the small screen, with an even smaller keyboard. I reckon we have found the answer to my verbosity. I do like the predictive.text though. Hmmm might need to investigate other options as sitting hunched in a tent, in the cold, by torchlight to type the blog will definitely make Simon crabby, can't imagine how he will be if it is raining as well. Makes our camper trailer look like the Taj!

Mobile test blog Sunday 12th May 2013

Mobile blogging possible?
This is a trial post to examine mobile blogging using Android on my phone.
Simon
Selfie
Susan on trial hike

Preparation for round 4 Adelaide Wednesday 20th March 2013

Hello All,

We are preparing for our next adventure, trouble is we don't know what it is, where we are going or how long it will last. Sounds organised huh? We have several options:

  • walk the Heysen Trail for 3 months - big outlay for gear and food, and loads of planning
  • walk part of the Heysen Trail - same outlay as above, less planning and food
  • Go to Western Australia and Northern Territory - modify our usual rig - take less stuff
  • Go to Alice Springs - take our usual rig - take a few bits and pieces
  • Get jobs in Adelaide
 All except the last appeal to me.

Simon is making a list of jobs to do involving car and camper. My list includes a repaint of the walls in the house and retrieving stuff from the storage container and packing into the spare room..

In the next few days I will be spending quality grandmother time with the little girls and helping with preparations for my dads 80th birthday celebrations. We also have a long list of friends to catch up with.

Today we made reasonable progress with unpacking, stowage, washing, shopping and scheduling appointments.

Welcome home treats, plus orange cake  already mostly eaten. Paintings by grandaughters!
Proud Grandma
 More later

Susan

Day 285 Adelaide Tuesday 19th March 2013

Hello All,

We awoke early, well before sunrise. Sunrise today was planned for 7:36 Melbourne time, the sun peeped over the horizon at 7:32 by my watch. Just think that was the time we started work in Woodford Queensland just a a short 6 months ago! I was up first as I had seen the colouring in the distance and wanted to catch the colour of the first rays on the rock face. It was a tranquil half hour that I watched the colouring of the sky then finally the sun rise. Simon had joined me by this time and was happily photographing the landscape also.

Today he departed from his usual porridge and had a cooked breakfast like me. We munched on our eggs and toast sitting on a log and finished off with some toast and Bellingen marmalade and a cup of tea. We have almost used up all our wonderful foodstuffs, made and collected from our various wonderful Helpx hosts. Thank you one and all.

Packing was quick, Laurel and Hardy were nowhere to be seen. We decided to continue on the back road to Francis in SA, I had never heard of the place before, then onto the highway via Bordertown and home. A mere 430 kilometers, but that is a big drive day for us.

Before we had set out my lovely girls had both sent messages of expectation and safe travels. Thankfully we had our new talking book to quieten my own expectant and excited mind. We hit the drive way at Baume about 4:30 to a waving Stephanie and two gorgeous granddaughters. We all had kisses and cuddles. The girls were a bit subdued but only for 1/2 and hour or so then they were back to there exuberant boisterous selves.

Steph, Mat and the girls have pizza with us. Mad arrived home after her late work day and it was cuddles all round once more.

Wow I feel exhausted, but emotions do that.

Before Sunrise
A new day dawns.... last dawn on the road 3rd trip
The organ pipes in the morning light
Eastern Wall bathed in sunshine
Height of the sun just 10 minutes after the first peep

Night Folks

Susan