5YAT: 24 Hours Ashore

20 December, 2004 – Snowy & Blowy & Grey

[This post is part of the 5 Years Ago Today Series]

Ack!  Dark! Though it is 0530.

Happy I found the head light. Breakfast for me and the animals, packing and then strapped on the sled and started trudging (0715).

Early, Early Morning Crossing

[view of the island from the glen-shore as the sun started peeking up]

Crossing was good! The snow on the ice was very slightly crusty and very slightly damp but it was an easy crossing. Then to the store & to town.

As I drove through Rothesay more snow and wind started to fall and blow. By the time I arrived at Di’s visibility was way down.

Family

By the time Jackie & Charlene arrive in the morning people had started piling into Di’s. Mark C and Colin, then the health care nurse. Dani & Jennifer, and then Glen. All in time for the amazing pea soup Di made. All before 1330. So many people! Luckily, so much soup!

Di convinced me to stay the night since it was going to be very cold all day and night, which meant the ice would stay solid and safe for the morning. And since the wind & snow were going to continue to blow and snow, it would be dangerous to cross.  So I ran a bunch of errands around Saint John with Charlene and then spent the evening with dad.

It was overwhelming to be around so many people after being alone for almost 2 weeks. The stores were crazy. And I found myself standing tharn in the grocery aisle by the vast array of choices and number of holiday shoppers swarming the place.

We forget, when immersed in people and choices all the time, that we build a lot of barriers to find peace in the chaos.

Alexa Clark

Alexa is a digital marketer and author with over 20 years in digital & interactive communications in the food and tech industries. Alexa's CheapEats Restaurant Guides, for both Toronto & Ottawa, were Canadian best sellers. She is a recognized authority on social media and has been named one of Canada's 20 Leading Women in Social Media.

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