Awhile While
It's a long drive in the dark from Halifax, to my home in the western Annapolis Valley. Something of a hypnotizing exercise at times, with two hours of sporadic traffic, and very few streetlights to break up the black. I exited the highway for a brief break under an overpass, watching awhile while rain rattled down beyond my concrete shelter. Tonight, I was at a lovely venue for the release of "This River Was Once a Road", my latest book through Nimbus Publishing. Of all the places to host it, Cruikshank's Funeral Home is an atypical choice, but I'm all about life and death keeping closer company. So many of my tales revolve around what's been and gone, conquering a fear we feel for being forgotten. Perhaps I'm writing my own obituary, daily, and it makes every bit of living more vibrant. These restless journeys through deep shadows offer decompression from evenings more social than my typical existence. Turnout averages between ten and fifty people — and I'm not much concerned where the number falls. I learned easy satisfaction on my long climb up from total obscurity. An endless gratitude that anyone cares at all. If you want a signed copy of my latest book, you can order online or check my tour dates at www.abandonedroadsNS.com — hold fast.
April 15, 2025
St. Croix, Nova Scotia
Year 18, Day 6365 of my daily journal.