Falling Down the Thames Blog 15, 24^th June 2014

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

Guest blog by Dr Lisa Chilton

This April, Glen and I celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary. Twenty-five magnificent years of adventure and love; that’s an accomplishment we’re both proud of. It got me thinking… how does one keep a marriage alive and well for a quarter of a century? In particular, when married to a field biologist and professional traveler?

I’ve been keeping the home fires burning while Glen chased adventure ever since we first fell in love. We were graduate students. Glen was spending each summer in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains in Canada studying White-crowned Sparrow song dialects for his PhD, and I was diligently working back at the University of Calgary on my Masters degree. Each summer saw us apart, and indeed, the year we were married, Glen headed out into the field very shortly after we returned from our honeymoon.

 

Glen is like Indiana Jones; rugged, adventurous and more than capable of heading out into the wilds and taking what mother nature has to throw at him. I, on the other hand, am a lab biologist. I prefer to conduct my research in the safe haven of the lab, where grizzly bears and freak summer snow storms won’t affect me. Don’t get me wrong – I grew up in the country and love being outside. I just prefer being able to come indoors when the going gets rough.

 

I have been lucky enough to accompany Glen, in the past when he was studying birds in the mountains and more recently, on many of the travels for his books. I love our ‘goal directed’ travel! Where-ever we go, I know we will spend hours out walking, feeling the beating heart of the city around us. I also love the way Glen can spirit me away from the tourist haunts and behind the scenes in the museums and universities we visit. As he has pointed out, put “Dr” in front of your name, and doors will open.

But I also love that Glen can travel with other companions. I feel it would be boring for him (and for the readers of his books) if he always took me along. Other companions bring other perspectives and strengths I don’t have, and I’m ok with that. Krista, for example, is very athletic and an accomplished outdoor enthusiast. She loves camping, biking and canoeing, and can be relied on to throw herself into adverse conditions without complaint. She is up to the challenge of paddling with Glen from the head-water of the Thames all the way out into the ocean next year, where the suggestion merely makes me think of sore muscles and blisters.

When Glen paddles the length of the Thames next year, I will send him off with many hugs and kisses, and best wishes for he and Krista to have a marvelous adventure. Glen knows that I will keep the home fires burning bright to welcome him home.

- Lisa

 

Photo credits: White-crowned Sparrow – ibc.lyneds.com; grizzly bears – media.salon.com; “Keeping the Home Fires Burning” original art by Natasha Cinnamon – natasha.cinnamon.deviantart.com