In typical Hayley style, I’m sitting amongst a half packed lounge room pretending to pack. I’ve moved all objects from my room at M-J and Plum’s house into the front room and weighed things a bunch of times. I have bags under my eyes from a combination of late nights, emotional fatigue and maybe being a tad hungover. I know that I’ll be totally packed before tonight is over, then spend tomorrow pacing. It’s really the only time I get stressed over little things. The good news to all this is that I had a lot of distractions leading up to this very point. Let me elaborate…
In my last week of the Canadian leg of my #recklessabandontour I had quite a few things going on (unusual for me, I know). I got to spend some time with my favourite BC couple the week prior (future flashback post Koda Pup, you will not go unwritten about!) and suddenly I have two weekends left! Bah! I got to spend some time with my little Can-Aussie Finley – whom I cuddled with from approx 4 days old and is now performing Karoke with me in her lounge room. Terri and I got some running in along the Bow River with Steph – running through Bowness Park where 6 years ago we kicked off an all day float and I had an incident with a boulder. It’s funny how now I find myself in places around Calgary and have a nostalgic moment, situations like “wasn’t that restaurant a dodgy pub that I went to during Stampede one year?” Ha ha ha… Life continues on (does that mean I’m getting old?? Nah, just have a good memory and like to do things). Now Terri and I can add doing her first assisted headstand at Edworthy Park to the list of things to be nostalgic about and I’ve successfully educated Finley on ‘Dance Floor Anthems’ (ie – Whitney and Journey). I tell you, this is time spent right. Lounge room dance floors and headstands!
It’s been such great weather for playing outside, aside from the smoke haze and breathing warning from West Coast fires. M-J and I got out for a bike ride to the East Village to check out the new hip place to be in Calgary, then down through Mission and 17th av. I seriously love riding through this city. I haven’t owned a bike for the longest time, watch out Brisbane! Hayley is returning with wheels and motivation. One river city to another. The rest of the week days were filled with coffee dates and catch ups with girlfriends, wandering through the haze, and spending time in people’s lounge rooms where I inevitably leave traces of blonde hair behind. I got to meet “Bean”, baby of a close friend of mine, who is going to be an Auburn Italian stunner when he’s older. I got to spend time in the Lego store in Chinook, watching adult faces light up at the idea of constructing things; this was followed by meandering through Calgary to seek out the best Vietnamese food (which was rapidly consumed, then followed by laying prone with distended bellies groaning about how full we were and how delicious the food was).
There was one more Meredith and Hayley date – despite Adam’s warnings against doing things (thanks for the effort Adam!) Mer and I gardened, baked a lot of cookies and some of the best Banana bread I’ve eaten to date. Timing being what it is, Meredith dropped me home and I had enough time to get my things together before M-J, Kerrie and I headed to Canmore for the weekend. Dave’s place was once again invaded by myself and co (seriously, I never want to leave there – heaven in the mountains). We wandered the streets of Canmore, ate at Tavern (don’t do it, drink yes, eat no – blandest, most over priced food I’ve ever eaten), sat in the hot tub and passed out. The next day was a drive to Lake Louise to turn around again as the bears shut down the trail head of the hike we were going to do.
Lucky for us we had tunes and a lot of cookies for the trip! Once we got up the Grassy Lakes hike, we took in the scenery, noted the fire haze that continued to sit over the mountains and wandered back to our apartment. Terri joined us for dinner at Tapas (DO IT!!! Best food!!! Great service, good price and GREAT sangria!) and dancing at The Drake until 1:30am. Kerrie accidentally made herself known to the local police cruiser while we were plotting on crashing a wedding near by (generally being loud, giggling girls waiting for our cab, all very innocent). We returned home once more and then it was Sunday….Sunday = last weekend day in Calgary.
Had a bit of a farewell do at Craft and managed to keep myself together until I got home. Then I lost it sitting on the couch. I realised it had been 4.5 months since my Brisbane farewell and that I’ve done quite a few things in that time. I’ve seen new places, learnt new things and met wonderful people. Whenever I pause in my day to day life, it’s usually to reflect on exactly how fortunate I am to be surrounded by great people. The good news is that once you’re in my circle of peeps it’s difficult to get out, no matter how far away you live!
It’s a wonderful feeling to know that the sadness you feel inside is due to leaving people whom you truly love and care for. It’s also a wonderful feeling to know that I am on route to see the faces of other people whom I truly love and care for. #Recklessabandontour knows no end nor limitations; it is not bound by boarders or continent.
How great is life?
Happy Wandering!
Hx