What year did you come to Bowen?
1997
How did you come to be here?
We came over with friends who were contemplating a move (Jennifer and Michael Henderson) just to look around. I fell in love at first sight — Bowen reminded me of my roots in the south of England where I was born — the rural roads and smallness of the community.
Are you in the same house you originally lived in?
No, we started out renting on Privateer Way in Bluewater, next to the Boddys, who were great neighbours! We then bought a house on David Road and when my ex and I split, my kids and I lived on Cowan Road, then on Jason Road (opposite to where I live now).
Where on Bowen do you live?
In an old log home on Jason.
What’s your favourite place on Bowen?
The Killarney Lake/Cedar trail loop and the meadow, which has changed so dramatically because of the beavers, in the 24 years I’ve been here.
What’s something Bowen Islanders have in common?
Resilience and the ability to adapt. We need to live our lives based, to a certain extent, around a ferry schedule...which is constantly changing! I purchased the book store when I first moved here, and renamed it Black Dog Books. I found that the common thread in getting to know islanders through this business was a great sense and appreciation of closeness and community. People enjoyed welcoming us to the island and telling us about local lore.
What’s your favourite Bowen fact or story?
I didn’t even know that black labs and crows were a thing on Bowen until I renamed the book store and got to know the stories about them through the comic stories in “The High Tide”, a quirky print publication put together in a rather tongue in cheek manner by some long-time islanders!
What do you do for fun these days?
My three-year-old grandson is the light of my life and next to him, my work at Island Pacific School is a great source of enjoyment. It’s a great little school, doing amazing things.
When you’re going around Killarney Lake, do you go right or left?
Depends on where I start out...if I’m at the picnic tables, then left, but if I come at it from Killarney Lake trail, then right!
