leaving the lake

I'm slacking aren't I - I can't believe I haven't posted since May! I've been meaning to but I have the kind of attitude where I want to catch up on everythinggg so I can't be bothered, but it's a bit of a downwards spiral considering that the longer I leave it, the more and I have to catch up on and thus the less I do! I'm currently sat in a hostel in downtown Ottawa - it is a long story of how I got from the Lake to here!

So I left Lake Louise just over two weeks ago, but it feels like I've been away forever. I can't fully explain the sadness I felt when I left that place! I met so many wonderful people, lived in what I am sure is one of the most beautiful places in the world, had life-changing experiences that produced potentially hours of stories. On June 22nd stepped onto the Greyhound a completely different person to the terrified one who stepped off back in December. Lake Louise is always going to have such a special place in my heart - I suspect I may find myself revisiting it far off in the future, when the 40-year-old me in the middle of a breakdown craves nostalgia of the place that made her realise she was free. 

ARGH! Talking about it makes me sad. I miss it so much! I miss everything! The mountains, the trees, my walk to work over two rivers, the small town atmosphere... I miss knowing everyone! Today I went to the post office to send some money to my Dad and the lady was so unfriendly - back in the Lake, there's a lady called Jean who works at the depot, AND SHE'S THE BEST LADY EVER. She told me and Mick we were two of her favourites haha, and that we weren't allowed to leave... Word up Jean, I love you and miss you!

I even miss working at Laggans! AND MY REGULARS. (Just posted all the pictures - man, I miss everyone...) The old bloke in the photo with me is probably my favourite person, ever. He's called Jim, is a garbage man for Parks Canada and absolutely loves it. He has the exact kind of eccentricity that I want to have when I'm older, he's lived such a crazy life and is always telling me stories! He lived in the Himalayas doing research for like twenty years so the air made him kind of loopy, but that's the best thing about him! I have an inkling that I was his favourite too - when he'd come in the bakery he'd always say something daft like 'it's the light of Manchester!!' - did I mention, he loves Manchester! We had the best chats, Gene (the boss) would always tell him off for distracting me haha XD I miss the bloke... He took down my contact details because he has a friend who's daughter is going to UCL next year! She's from Nepal and so is obviously really nervous about everything, I'm excited to meet her! 

Oh and the moustaches... yea, that was partially his idea. We were brainstorming what ridiculous things I could do to commemorate my last day, and he came up with "I think it would be a really great idea for you to have a beard". I couldn't get a beard, but I remember a few months ago before Mick left for Vancouver I was raiding through his stuff and laughed upon finding stick on tasches... Never then did I realise that they would come in handy! So on my last day I decided to abuse my supervisor position and force everyone on my shift to wear tasches. Jim also died laughing when he came in XD It was a good morning, but sad... all the regulars came in because I'd drilled into them "Tuesday morning is my last shift!!" so there were a lot of goodbyes. I cried when I said goodbye to Jim! I miss that man! People were so taken aback by the tasches, so amusing! At one point I turned round to face a customer and he actually flinched. I'm happy not to be working anymore but I loved working at a place where everyone you work with is like family and so many customers are friends. 

Seeing as I haven't posted for so long, I never talked about my new housemates! I lived with Marie Michelle and Carolane til the end, but about three weeks before I left two guys moved in, Colin and Jacob, both musicians and both from Ontario. We clicked instantly, I loved the short time I had with them, I only wish it had been longer! It was fun to live with guys after having spent six months with only girls. If only I had the time and the effort to document all the moments we had! I know in two years when it's a memory I'll regret it, but currently it's so vivid in my head that I still laugh thinking about it and it feels like I'll never forget, even though I will. Stupid me! 

The weather during May and June was beautiful and we'd taken to spending a lot of our evenings sat outside in the middle of Saddleback. On my last night we had a party outside, which is where the big group photo is from! I miss our little set up, consisting of mismatching chairs, a car seat that we had to rescue for the garbage as it had to be removed from C4's deck because the boss saw it as being, direct quote, "too ghetto", a bench, a rope-wheel-turned-table, and crates. Perfect. 

Oh and the cake! It was such a surprise, I was so chuffed. Read what it says - sounds wierd ay? It's actually really funny, and in a way, appropriate. There was a lot of Quebecois (French people from Quebec) working at Laggans when I left, and in French, when you tell someone you miss them, if you directly translate it into English it's 'you will miss me' - hence the mistake! I love the Quebecois girls, miss them so much!

It's really hot and sticky and I'm hungry, so I think I'm going to save stories of the bus ride and adventures in Ottawa 'til the next post... To sum this one up, I just miss everything! I was sad for it to end but at least it's the beginning of something new. I'm excited!