It's the end of the yurt as we know it (and i feel...)

i'm not ready to write this post.  Mostly because it will probably be my last one from This Canadian Yurt.  But also because i'm writing this sitting in a bikini in Scotland (i know!!!). 

Antoine, Manu & Scott

The last weekend was incredible.  My friend, Jennifer, in Montréal sent us a party.  It arrived in the form of her musician brother, Scott & his friend, Manu.  Our yurt neighbours were having friends over that night, so we floated the idea of a pot luck dinner & amalgamated forces.  Manu made sweet potato gnocci.  When guest numbers had dwindled a bit, Scott pulled out his guitar & belted out some of his tunes.  He has been touring around in Canada & Europe for quite a while.  He played & sang until the sky became lighter.  i danced barefoot on the grass & gave thanks for the months of having a home & for the blessed, wild nature that is Gaspé.  We all danced together in a circle for the last song, then another last song, then...it was time to sleep.

Packing is a messy business

We made a great brunch & ate all together outside the yurt.  i wanted to record some of Scott's songs (link at end of this post).  i felt okay about leaving, grateful for all the distractions of people & packing.  it took until around 9.30pm before i became upset about leaving the yurt & Antoine.  But there wasn't really time for it, as we were having a pizza party at the house.  It turned into a midnight pizza party because Scott really knew how to cook proper pizza dough & it needed to rest for a while.  Absolutely divine pizza.  We bedded down on our last night together in the yurt at about 2am, with the alarm set for 4.30am, so i could make my 6am bus.

Walking out of the yurt was incredibly painful.  i was truly sobbing.  i remembered my friend, Aya's words "Earth Pilgrim".  For so long i have been lucky enough to have been travelling all over this beautiful planet & the yurt had given me a home of my own for a while, but it was time to wander on.  Again.  i could feel the support of my friends as i left.  ~*~ thank you ~*~

2hrs of sleep + moments before we say 'adieu'

Surprisingly it was easier to say goodbye to Antoine!  i knew it wasn't going to be too long a break & things feel so great between us.  {He actually booked his flights to Scotland yesterday for September!}  And so, only slightly teary, i got on the 16 hour bus to Montréal.

Through the whole transition, i felt like i moved from one angel wing to another.  i arrived at my friends Mackenzie & Jean's home in Montréal.  They were so welcoming & hospitable (even with their 4 month 'nugget' in the belly!) ~ they really set the vibe for the whole transition back to Scotland.  

Montréal street art

The following day i hung out with my dear friend, Jennifer, who's an incredible artist, healer, priestess, wonder~woman living in Montréal with her awesome dog, Kali.  After chatting in her studio, enjoying noodles in China town with Seb & Jessica, we went on a graffiti/street art, mural tour organised by one of the galleries.  Huge, psychedelic, inspiring pieces of art aside of buildings.  Especially incredible to see all the city people after so many months surrounded by trees alone(ish) in a yurt!

Flights to the UK are incredible quick from the east coast ~ just 6.5hrs and i was in London!  So! Many! People!  Total shock.  It was great to arrive at another dear friend, Katie's & meet her 12 week old, Kieran.  Together with Simon, they're such an amazing team, more inspiration!  

my wee brother (& big ben)!

The following day with Peter (my brother) was of course wonderful, he took the day of work & we went to the Tate art gallery.  i was a bit knackered & fell asleep on the grass outside.  In the evening i cooked him a nice veggie Thai curry.  

Sonya Sophia & i burlesquing it up!

London's finale was Sonya Sophia (my EFTteacher & friend) & Simon.  To celebrated her birthday she treated us to a fantastic new Cabernet show 'Limbo'.  We dressed up in burlesque & watched in awe as the small cast swallowed both fire & swords, performed disappearing magic acts, areal chain, sexy tap dancing men, great music, comedy pieces.  My favourite was 3 dancers who stood atop poles (strapped in at the top) & proceeded to rock backwards, then forwards, as the poles bent with them.  They could go so far back that they could touch the audience & dance over our heads.  i'd never even conceived of such performance & it blew my tiny mind.  Awesome!  

Edinburgh royal mile

Up in Scotland i was reunited with Sandy (other brother).  We'd not seen each other for almost 3 years.  The first thing he did was carry my 27.5kg bag across Edinburgh to his flat, where his flatmate had prepared a veggie haggis for us!  YUM.  A nice chat with another friend, David, the following day in the sunny meadows.  In Sandy's flat later that afternoon, i could hear the jubilant cheers as Andy Murray scored sets & finally won Wimbledon tennis.  It's the first time a Scot has ever won.  And perhaps it's to celebrate his victory, but it's been sunny for the last 2 weeks!  i've worn a bikini more this week in Scotland, than all other times combined.

"You two certainly brighten up Perth!" said Grandma

Of course it's wonderful to see Mum, Dad & the rest of the family.  We had a great BBQ as a belated birthday meal for Sandy & Grandma & Emma came round to celebrate.

i have found myself the perfect summer job at a small Scottish, family run cafe in town & have moved into the summerhouse/posh shed at the bottom of my parent's garden (where i happily lived before for around 5 months).  it's almost like a yurt.  it's more like a yurt than a house.  i'm calling it my sort of Scottish yurt.  except it's sort of a yurt, not sort of Scottish, so i'm not sure if i'm allowed that name.

Scottish~Sort~of~Yurt

Inside my new pad

Inside my new pad

Here is a beautiful memory of our last weekend in the yurt:
http://vimeo.com/69519282  
Cougars in America sing-a-song from love thru a lens on Vimeo.
The blonde couple in the video are the 2 who are currently living in the yurt over the summer.

(& there's another vid we made of Scott singing here: http://vimeo.com/70442365)


Silver Shadow, a creation of Cougars In America / Scott Hamilton from love thru a lens on Vimeo.

Also, i've been in touch with the couple currently living in the yurt & Dodo Rouge is still there.  My brother gave me a Dodo Rouge of my own.

Dodo Rouge came with me (thanks Pete!)

Things are going really well, i'm happy.  i hope one day to live in a yurt of my own.  Then i shall start another blog about it, especially if i convince Antoine to build one.  i've loved writing this & am so grateful to all whom read it & especially to those who took a moment to let me know how much they loved it.  Thank you.  If you have any ideas about other things you'd like me to blog about, i'm all ears.

somewhere over the rainbow

Thank you This Canadian Yurt.  Thank you, Antoine, for being the best yurt~partner imaginable.  Thank you family & friends for welcoming me into your lives as i continue on this Earth pilgrimage.