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A good thing plus the backstory

Welcome Friends,

The “good thing” that I referred to in the title is – I recently had an essay published in the New York Times Modern Love column. (Link at end of post) It’s about love and grief and my daughter Kiki.

Through that exposure, I’ve had the honor of connecting with people all over the world, and have received many moving and heartfelt messages. I am still working on replying to everyone, so if you’re waiting to hear back, don’t give up!

If you’re new here, please read on.

What’s this all about?

I write this newsletter to connect with others – about grief, and finding solace in nature and creativity. I write about living on the road, traveling full time with my husband, and how our unconventional lifestyle is helping us find a way to live after tragedy.

Who are the people in this story?

There’s me, Tina. And there’s Eric. We met when we were 17 and 21. He was a bad-boy punk rocker and I was a nice artist girl ready for anything. It was love at first sight. He’s no longer bad and I’m no longer innocent but we found adventure together and have made this collaboration work for a long time.

When we were kids, 1980

In 1997 we had our daughter Kierstin and became a family of three, which was the greatest adventure of all. I refer to Kierstin in my writing by her nicknames “Kiki” or “Keek”.

What happened?

On January 8, 2023, Kiki suffered a severe food allergy reaction. She used her Epi-pens and received emergency medical care but fell into a coma. She did not regain consciousness and died on January 13, 2023. She was twenty-five.

Kiki at twenty-five

Then what?

Eric and I entered the world of grief, and discovered that when the worst thing happens, the cruelest part is, it doesn’t kill you. The pain makes you wish you were dead yet you have to go on. And that’s what I’m doing here. Finding a path through the darkness. Learning how to carry grief. Learning how to find joy and hope again.

Why “Letters From Turkey Town”?

I know, it’s a silly name for a newsletter.

This past winter I was driving on a rural road in Northern Florida, and I saw a sign for Turkey Town. There was no visible town. I liked the name. Maybe it’s a town run by turkeys. Driving away, I thought, that could be where I live now. Turkey Town. It could be anyplace, anywhere.

Who wouldn’t want to live here?

Originally I had a title with the word “grief” in it. But it’s not all sad here. My inspiration to write comes not from my daughter’s death, but from the power of her life, her sense of humor and the love that lives on.

And… Life on the Road?

I’m writing this newsletter from the road, as Eric and I travel around the US. We don’t have a house anymore. We sold our family home in New Hampshire and downsized our belongings into a rented storage unit. We now travel full-time, towing a 22-foot trailer. Home is wherever we’re parked, and sometimes it’s an odd feeling, not having a specific location to call home.

At White Sands National Park: this trailer is home now

Over the last thirty years, Eric and I have renovated a bunch of vintage trailers (fourteen!) and logged many miles around the country. We lived full-time on the road for several years when Keek was little. Those were the years that defined who we became as individuals and as a family, and our travels now feel like a return to our roots. The nomadic thing is in our blood.

At Yellowstone, during the years when we lived on the road with little Kiki

What to expect:

Subscribers get the newsletter via email every third Sunday. Each issue contains an essay with photos and a voiceover, so you can listen instead of read if you want. All content is currently free to subscribers. I hope you’ll join me in Turkey Town!

Love, Tina

PS: I would love to hear from you, please feel free to leave a comment and thanks for reading.

Click here to read the Modern Love essay

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