Gratitude coming home

Thank you God. Thank you Lord. Thank you.

Thank you for providing me work and the wherewithal to plan this expedition and adventure.

Thank you for the dreams and inspiration. Thank you for the motivation. Thank you for the vision.

Thank you for the training and planning and all the solo and group trips I’ve made prior to this.

Thank you for the internet and tourist industry. Thank you for the clinics that made it possible for us to be away.

Thank you for Karen who cared for Madigan and made it possible for us to leave feeling our baby was safe and well loved.

Thank you for air planes and pilots and staff and administration. Thank you for Delta and Air France. 

Our flights and service were all impeccable. 

Thank you for Flight Centre  Coquitlam, Linda Nankov and Shaelagh Chauncey,  with the Coquitlam teams.

Thank you for the Hilton in Edinburgh, the Marriott Residence Inn in Aberdeen, the mercury Hotel,Oxford, the Thistle Picadilly Hotel in London and the Citadines Apart’hotel Saint Germain des Pres Paris

Thank you for the British Northern Rail trains , the train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, and the from Aberdeen to Oxford. Especially thank you for the Eurostar from London to Paris. Thank you for all the taxis.  Thanks you for iPhone with the maps.

Thank you for Pringle Edinburgh. Thank you for all the stores and shop keepers who were so helpful. Thank you for the bag pipe musician and salesman in Edinburtgh.  

Thank you for the art galleries and museum. The Military Museum of Scotland in the Edinburgh Castle, the Holyroodhouse, the Modern Art Gallery and the museum of Edinburgh with tribute to Grey Friars Bobby. Thank you for the hike to Arthur’s Seat. Thank you for the National Art Gallery and the Opera House of Scotland and the National Opera. 

Thank you for the Aberdeen Maritime Museum. Thank you for the Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Thank you for Angus Beef.

Thank you for Old Slains Hay Castle and New Slains Hay Castle.  Especially thank you for Delgatie Hay Castle and Joan and the Hay Society and tea and lunch and the tour of the castle, the ballroom and the view and the highland horses.  Thank you for the moving experiences I had there and at Old Slains. Thank you for the heritage and connection. Thank you for feeling close to my grandfather and father and brother all gone but near. Thank you for my mother.  Thank you for universities and Marischal College and the churches, St. Machar’s.

Thank you for the sheep and the golfers aside the railway and the North Sea and the town of Oxford. Thank you for Magdalene College and Christ Church CAthedral. Thank you for communion again and the the moving sermon.  Cloud of Unknowning. God God God

Thank you for London and the Book of Mormon musical and the National Ballet in the National Opera House. Thank you for Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace and ST. James Park and Picadilly and the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery and the British Museum. 

Thank you for Eurostar.

Thank you for the Seine and Pont Neuf and Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysse, the Arc d’Triump, the Louvre, Mona Lisa, the Muse’ d Orsay, the Van Gogh, Starry Starry Nights and the Renoir and Gauguin and Pissarro and Monet and Manet. Thank you for the Maison Sauvage omelettes. Thank you for the window in our ceiling and the moon at night

Thank you for the fabulous weather. Thank you for the pharmacist in the Latin Quarter who did our Covid tests. Thank you for her understanding and knowing English and being so gracious. 

Thank you for all these people and all the people whose shoulders they stood on .Thank for the hundreds of years of history and thoughtfulness and organization. Thank you for the governments and peace and the corporations and businessmen and business women and the genius and collectors and those who appreciate the finest and all the advances in art and science.

Thank for all the little pieces. Thank you for all the moving parts. Thank you that I was able to save the money and take the time off . Thank you for my companion Laura who too could be off work for a month and come with me through this cultural and historical intense learning elevation of heart and mind and soul.  Thank you for the rest and raising my spirits and consciousness. Thank you for showing me all the wonders of mankind and renewing my appreciation for my brothers and sisters. Thank you for lifting me from the grief of losing family and so many closest of friends.  Thank you for helping me to decide whether to retire or carry on. Thank you for giving me purpose and direction for another year. Thank you for bringing me home safely. Thank you for keeping Laura safe and thankful you for keeping Madigan safe.,

Thank you for the good people on my return, my neighbours, seeing Dave and Mac and Helena and Nicoletta and Peter and the dogs , Bella, Luka. Thanks you for the psychologist and his wife and our friend grandpa and for the dogs. Always thank you for Emory. Thank you again for Karen. Thank you for Mary Lou and Belinda who I communicated with through out keeping my patients safe.  Thank you for my work. 

Thank you that my home was in tact and not violated. Thank you nothing was stolen. Thank you that my car and truck and motorcycle and scooter were all safe and working .Thank you for there being money in the bank and pay cheques to pay the horrendous tax and rape the government takes in Canada for it’s elitist folly and mismanagement and waste and narcissism.  Thank you that I can kowtow and pay the price.  Thank you that my mail and bags and everything got home safe.

Thank you for coffee and the near market and food for the fridge and a stove to cook. Thank you for me and eds’ pizza.  Thank you for a safe place to walk Madigan.

Thank you that my back pain hasnt’ become worse though it persists .Thank you that I was able to walk all over the towns and museums and galleries and that my back only hurts in transition from standing and lying.  I ‘m thankful that I could walk and that I could find relief lying down

Thank you for bringing Laura and me home safely

Thank you for the iPhone and it’s camera and the ipad and my blogs andd the fun of travel writing and photography.  

Thank you for your blessings and your presence and your love. Thank you God!!!!