Day 5. September 30, 2016

Today was a very special day.  After all of these years, I was finally able to visit my Great-Grandfather Timothy Kelly.  We started the day by driving up to the Ste. Marie Cemetery.  As I imagined, it is very old.  It is not a formal military cemetery, and there are some very, very old tombs and headstones for the people of Le Havre from way before the 1900s.  There are a couple sections in this enormous cemetery dedicated to the soldiers of WWI (Including a small section for German soldiers).  I think that because of the military hospitals based in Le Havre during the Great War, it explains all of the different nationalities that we saw today.  In the small area where Timothy was - there were roughly 300 graves.  Though this may sound like a lot, it is a tiny military section compared to what we have seen this week.  Amongst these 300 headstones were British soldiers from Canada, Newfoundland, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, South Africa, India, Cameroon, Australia and New Zealand.

I have to admit that it was a little emotional when I first found Great Grandpa Tim.  I cannot explain why - but it was.  'Nuff said.

After the formal introductions were done :) I got down to business.  As much as I have worked towards this trip for the last several years - it was never about me.  As mentioned, I had an appointment to keep and a job to do.  This summer, I went on a bit of a tour whenever I had days off.  Firstly, the house that my Grandpa grew up in was the same house where Tim said his last goodbyes to Mary and his six kids in 1916.  This very small house is still standing (though not for long), and I visited it this summer with Dad and two of my nephews.  I collected a handful of dirt from the flowerbed to take a little "home" to Tim when I got here.  I also hit the road and visited the graves of my Great Grandma Mary, and all six of their kids (including Grandpa).  Grass was collected from around each of these seven headstones.  A hundred years on, as best as I am able, it was my goal to bring a little home and family to Tim.  Sara and I knew that it must have been very lonely for him a hundred years ago today - so we tried to correct this as well.  Other than a break for lunch and a run this afternoon, we spent the entire day with Tim.  It was actually a "very lovely day for a sitting" as I was once told in Scotland.  The day went by way too fast.

In one of the pictures below, you'll see that we had spread poppies around in front of Tim's headstone.  After walking around and reading some of the Canadian headstones, it was obvious that Tim didn't need all of those.  Most were redistributed.  Eventually we left three poppies for myself, Dad, and Grandpa.  The yellow roses we bought at lunch (marigold coloured roses).

A couple of Canadian headstones really stood out to us today.  Both undoubtedly have interesting stories, and both were very sad.  The later, really got Sara's attention.  Returning after lunch, I had bought a bouquet with seven roses.  Sara asked if she could have one.  She then took it and spent an hour with a new friend.  Sara a good kid - I'm super proud of her.

As I had mentioned, Sara and I went for a run today.  I've been running a lot this summer with a goal to run 5k in France.  Today was the day, so Sara and I crushed it on a nice boardwalk along the ocean.  The 10 days off with my stupid leg didn't help my time - but we finished.  Thanks for the fast Vegas T-shirt Meg!  And the leg tonight feels great!

Things that we learned today.

1.  Sara is a great kid with a good heart.

2.  I had spent the better part of our rainy summer dodging earthworms on the track at Lindsay Thurber and the various trails in Red Deer.  This "fast-foot" practice had a purpose today.  Great boardwalk for running, but the French need to learn about picking up after their dogs.

3.  French poodles in France ARE really snooty.  I hate french poodles.

4.  If you are bald, old, overweight, sweaty, dressed like a runner and carrying a bouquet of flowers - the French kindly get out of the way, but rudely stare and point.

5.  When the sign says that a cemetery closes at 5:30pm; what it really means is that it closes at 5:25pm.  Snuck out in time - but we were close to the ghost experience of a lifetime for one night.

6.  Traffic lights here are green then red.  No amber.  Imagine us in Andre heading back to the cemetery this afternoon with Sara holding the bouquet.  Green light, all good.  RED LIGHT.  After she pulled her head out of our the flowers, we watched the pedestrians having a nice mid-afternoon chuckle.  I'm glad that we could spread a little sunshine.

Thats all for today.  Safe travels to everyone headed down to Lethbridge today.