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.
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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
