There was a day last week when I did something very unusual.  Because I had spent the day in the cottage, working remotely for my clients, I decided to go to the beach for the evening.  I heated up my dinner of left overs and packed it, my book and a glass of red wine into the basket of my bicycle.  I spent hours that evening, savouring my dinner of Fruite De Mare linquine, sipping my wine and reading my book. 

When I have made an investment of an evening to watch the sun set, it is rare that you can pull me off the beach before it touches the horizon.  But on this particular evening, something else was drawing me home.

When I got to the edge of the beach path, a sensation came over me that suggested to me that my brother was leaving this world.  I continued on my way and then got caught up with other details.  I spoke to Daughter #1 on the phone and while doing so there was a beeping on my line.  I thought that it was my husband as we too have nightly telephone chats when I am alone at the cottage.  I called him next and while I was speaking to him, a neighbour came to the door and told me that I was to contact the city as soon as possible.  When I made the call, the news was devastating.  My brother had just passed away.  The range of emotions that I went through was vast but not one of them was shock as I had already been aware of the news, which had been delivered to me at the end of the beach path.

I realize now that I cannot write about my happy fascination with food when I am unhappy.  Now the good news is that I have not missed posting 2-3 times per week in the last year and a half, and so that is an indication that I am a pretty content person.

But it is now the end of the week of my bother’s memorial, a day that in itself was a gathering of food and laughter and memories.  I have a back log of restaurant reviews, guest blogger post and dinner events to share with you and I am able to write again.  I believe that Tom is in heaven, enjoying a banquet table laden with the imagination’s most delicious food.

Share on Facebook