IS IT FRIDAY YET? Ha! I’m not complaining, but, oh, it’s been a week! One great, busy, wonderful week filled with hugs, laughter, tears and new friends. And, oh, yes, OLD FRIENDS. The best kind.
 
Like the friends we dined with on Wednesday before the Indigo event in rainy Kitchener. At a restaurant near the bookstore, we were joined by Rogers chief meteorologist Jill Taylor (left), my pal Lisa Brandt and, on the far right, afternoon host on CHYM in Kitchener, Adele Newton.
 

 
We laughed so hard that a table of ladies behind us decided to move. We were sorry-not-sorry and glad to have had a little time together to catch up.
 
How lucky I was to have someone as talented and sincere as Adele interview me onstage at Indigo!
 

 

 
She asked probing and heartfelt questions and I felt humbled by the comments and questions from people in the audience who, themselves, are travelling the path of grief. It was a wondrous evening filled with honesty and great compassion and caring.
 
Perhaps the greatest moments came in the office in the back of the store when Kim, the manager of this particular store (to my right in the picture below), told me her story of loss and what Mourning Has Broken meant to her. It warmed my heart and gave Lisa and me so much to think about as we made our way home via the near-empty rainy highways (thank you, Raptors) back to Markham, where we’d made our home base for the week.
 

 
There aren’t enough words to praise the people who helped make this week’s events such successes: from Michelle Butterly on Monday to Mike Cooper, David Blackwell, Julia Suppa and Beverly Thomson (pictured below) at the Markham Stouffville Hospital events on Tuesday…
 

 
…from Adele Newton Wednesday in Kitchener and the team from Matthews House Hospice and Kevin Frankish (pictured below) who helped make yesterday’s event at Tangle Creek such a hit with his “Donahue”-style dashing with the cordless mic. His questions were dynamic, heartfelt and perfect and it was an absolute honour to meet the 200 people who came to hear what we had to say during lunch in the beautiful verdant setting of a sunny golf course yesterday.
 

 
As I finish writing this, I’m folded into a seat on a small prop plane getting ready to take me to Ottawa. If not for this ticket, I’d be wearing these and walking – no, running – to be with Colin.
 

 
Grama Banana’s on her way. It’s been a fantastic week and I am grateful – so grateful – to everyone who made this all possible. Most of all, to Allan Bell, who coordinated Markham and Matthews House, my accommodations and even getting me to the airport! And to Lisa Brandt, Thelma to my Louise this week, who drove, supported, encouraged and laughed with me day after day. How lucky I am to have a sister like her!
 
Have a beautiful weekend and enjoy the sunshine. I’ll be back with a different kind of glow on Monday. And thank you. This whole experience is like a house burning down, but out of its ashes rises a tree that is bearing just the sweetest fruit.
 
Here’s to joy.
 
Oh, and by the way, if you’re planning to take advantage of this super weather with a garage sale, check out what I put together for Walmart this week. Have a great weekend!