Welcome Friends,
If you’re new here, please read on!
What’s this all about?
I’m writing 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.
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.
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 Turkey Town?
I know, it’s a silly name. A newsletter is supposed to have a name that tells people what it is about.
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.
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.
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.
What to expect:
Subscribers get the newsletter via email every other Sunday. Each issue is a short 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.
I was moved by your piece in the NY Times. Thank you for sharing your story. My daughter is also allergic to dairy, so reading your story really hit me hard.
You are an unbelievably beautiful writer. I just read your article in The New York Times. Time stood still. Here to support and cheer you on.
xxxx