Once in a while I pass someone on the street who has beautiful brown curly hair and is small in stature but looks strong. I can't help but stare and do a double take. In the split scond before my logic takes over, I am elated! Like Doreen, I sometimes imagine Kell's just away on another of her trips. Seeing the world. Somewhere like Hawaii, Australia, or Fiji!
Sometimes I am reminded of Kelly-Anne in different ways. One of my friends, in particular, frequently reminds me of Kell in expression or gesture. She looks nothing like Kelly-Anne physically, but sometimes my friend will exclaim something with enthusiasm and I can't help but laugh and smile because I could imagine those words coming right out of Kell's mouth. It is just a small thing, but it brings me joy and reminds me of the enormous degree of energy, vigor, enthusiasm, and good cheer Kell posessed.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Some light reading...
Over the weekend I was feeling pretty crummy so I decided to pick up a fiction book for a little light, fun reading. I probably should have thought more carefully before I got into this one, though, because it was neither light nor uplifting. While My Sister Sleeps, by Barbara Delinsky, is a great book. But I wasn't prepared for the emotions that engulfed me as I read it. An elite athlete suffers a fluke heart attack and is placed on life support as doctors determine she is brain dead. In the end, the family must decide to remove her life support and let go of their beautiful daughter who was gone far too soon. Heavy stuff, particularly when it is a little too similar to real life situations you are all too familiar with.
Anyhow, even though it upset me, I did like the book in the end. And her other books are equally good.
Anyhow, even though it upset me, I did like the book in the end. And her other books are equally good.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
trips and travel
Doreen has started a series of posts over at her blog to honor Kelly-Anne's memory in the lead up to the tragic sixth anniversary of her death. If you aren't already reading her blog, make sure you head on over and check it out...
Hard to believe we've already arrived at six long years since Kell died. Six years ago I had just moved to Washington. Kell and I had big plans for her to come visit ASAP. She had been planning to come to Ohio when I was studying there, but the trip was just so long that we never could figure out how to make it happen. As Kell put it in one funny e-mail to me:
Raye...I was looking for the tickets for Ohio, am I am having second thoughts. It is very time consuming and the trips have 23 stops each leaving from Montreal. Going from Windsor to Athens takes 20hours...according to a map the two cities are not that far apart....they must drive around in circles, or go north to go south.
So, for obvious reasons, the Ohio trip never happened. But we knew Washington to Montreal was a much, much easier trip. We would have had a good time together exploring this city. I could just imagine the two of us getting into all manner of mischief as we went adventuring. Too bad Kelly-Anne never got to make the trip.
Hard to believe we've already arrived at six long years since Kell died. Six years ago I had just moved to Washington. Kell and I had big plans for her to come visit ASAP. She had been planning to come to Ohio when I was studying there, but the trip was just so long that we never could figure out how to make it happen. As Kell put it in one funny e-mail to me:
Raye...I was looking for the tickets for Ohio, am I am having second thoughts. It is very time consuming and the trips have 23 stops each leaving from Montreal. Going from Windsor to Athens takes 20hours...according to a map the two cities are not that far apart....they must drive around in circles, or go north to go south.
So, for obvious reasons, the Ohio trip never happened. But we knew Washington to Montreal was a much, much easier trip. We would have had a good time together exploring this city. I could just imagine the two of us getting into all manner of mischief as we went adventuring. Too bad Kelly-Anne never got to make the trip.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Seven Quick Takes: The Kelly-Anne Drummond Edition
Concordia won the Kelly-Anne Drummmond Cup this year. Although my loyalty to McGill runs deep, I can't help but be pleased. That is how it should be.
**********
Hard to believe that nearly six years of my life have passed without Kelly-Anne to share them. Sometimes I feel like I am still in a nightmare. Once in a while, I catch myself thinking I need to tell Kell something right away. Then I remember.
**********
My curly hair is getting decidely less curly every year. Why can't I have curls like Kell did? She had the most amazing ringlets. My curls? They are now close to waves and no product I find seems to make a difference at all.
**********
The man who murdered Kelly-Anne only has about seven more years to serve in jail before he's elligible for parole. I can't think about this without having my blood boil. Seriously? Second degree murder of a vibrant 24 year old woman in the prime of her life and he only gets 13 years? What is wrong with that picture? And, more importantly, why aren't Canadians more outraged by their justice system.
**********
I love the fall season--especially here where the weather is so humid all of the time. But as the nights turn colder and the days get shorter, I begin to think about Kelly-Anne constantly and relive all of the lasts. Last time I saw her. Last time I spoke to her. Last time she went on a trip. Her last postcard from Italy. Last, last, last. It is all so sad.
**********
When Kell, Kim, and I were little girls, we each had a striped tee shirt (mine and Kell's were red and Kimmy's was blue, I think?) that featured a WWII era poster with a pin up girl wishing she could join the navy. Does anyone else remember those shirts? They looked like this. Anyway, I recently saw magnets like this for sale at the Marine Corps Museum and so, of course, I had to purchase one for me and one for Kimmy for her upcoming birthday. It made me smile. Hopefully it will make her smile too.
**********
Not sure where I'll go from here with this blog. I haven't been posting as regularly, but I will still continue to update from time to time as the mood strikes. I know many of Kell's other family and friends check in here on a regular basis, so please feel free to send me e-mails of your memories and I'll happily post them.
Quick Takes are hosted every Friday over at the Conversion Diary. This is a grat idea and I've always wanted to participate. Head over and read some others if you are interested...
**********
Hard to believe that nearly six years of my life have passed without Kelly-Anne to share them. Sometimes I feel like I am still in a nightmare. Once in a while, I catch myself thinking I need to tell Kell something right away. Then I remember.
**********
My curly hair is getting decidely less curly every year. Why can't I have curls like Kell did? She had the most amazing ringlets. My curls? They are now close to waves and no product I find seems to make a difference at all.
**********
The man who murdered Kelly-Anne only has about seven more years to serve in jail before he's elligible for parole. I can't think about this without having my blood boil. Seriously? Second degree murder of a vibrant 24 year old woman in the prime of her life and he only gets 13 years? What is wrong with that picture? And, more importantly, why aren't Canadians more outraged by their justice system.
**********
I love the fall season--especially here where the weather is so humid all of the time. But as the nights turn colder and the days get shorter, I begin to think about Kelly-Anne constantly and relive all of the lasts. Last time I saw her. Last time I spoke to her. Last time she went on a trip. Her last postcard from Italy. Last, last, last. It is all so sad.
**********
When Kell, Kim, and I were little girls, we each had a striped tee shirt (mine and Kell's were red and Kimmy's was blue, I think?) that featured a WWII era poster with a pin up girl wishing she could join the navy. Does anyone else remember those shirts? They looked like this. Anyway, I recently saw magnets like this for sale at the Marine Corps Museum and so, of course, I had to purchase one for me and one for Kimmy for her upcoming birthday. It made me smile. Hopefully it will make her smile too.
**********
Not sure where I'll go from here with this blog. I haven't been posting as regularly, but I will still continue to update from time to time as the mood strikes. I know many of Kell's other family and friends check in here on a regular basis, so please feel free to send me e-mails of your memories and I'll happily post them.
Quick Takes are hosted every Friday over at the Conversion Diary. This is a grat idea and I've always wanted to participate. Head over and read some others if you are interested...
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
The Kelly-Anne Cup
Each year, Concordia and McGill face off in an annual women's rugby game in memory of Kelly-Anne. This year's game will be played TONIGHT, September 8, 2010, at 8:30 pm on the Loyola field across from Concordia in N.D.G. The Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup is presented to the winning team and funds raised are donated to Women Aware.
Edited: Concordia won this year's match and there's a fabulous game recap from their newspaper available here. My favorite quote comes from the team captain:
Jackie Tittley had an important mission on Wednesday night at Concordia stadium. The women's rugby captain was responsible for keeping the Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup safely in her grip, and out of McGill's hands. "I have to keep it safe, it's an important piece," she joked as she cradled the glass trophy. "It's under very high security."
Edited: Concordia won this year's match and there's a fabulous game recap from their newspaper available here. My favorite quote comes from the team captain:
Jackie Tittley had an important mission on Wednesday night at Concordia stadium. The women's rugby captain was responsible for keeping the Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup safely in her grip, and out of McGill's hands. "I have to keep it safe, it's an important piece," she joked as she cradled the glass trophy. "It's under very high security."
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