Well, we knew it from the moment we thought of the idea. We knew there would be a lot of hard farewells to come. We just didn’t quite expect them to start so soon. It’s still a full month before we slip the lines and begin our trip. But the goodbyes have started already.

It’s summer. In Canada. A short and precious season. People have places to go. Their trips were planned months ago, and when else, of course, would they be going. One thing we didn’t anticipate about an Aug 1 departure is how many farewell hugs we’d be getting and giving in June.

If you know me, you know that I like my people around me. I like them very, very close by. Ideally, everyone I love would live on the same block. We’d have a shared kitchen and one big patio. I don’t need any “alone time”. For me, every minute I spend by myself feels somewhat wasted. I want to sit with you and watch your grass grow. I want you to pass me a dish towel. I want you to show up, find I’m busy doing some chore and stay a while anyways. They all count, every blessed minute.

We knew from the moment we thought of the idea, that leaving our kids, our family and friends would be the hardest part. We saw that this would be the window of time when our kids would be busiest, our parents healthiest, our fortunes favourable enough, and we knew it was now or never.

“Never” actually placed a close second to “now”. It’s not like we need to do this. We are not people who feed off travel or adventure. My retirement dream is not to sail the world. My retirement dream is to prepare some nice weekday meals for my kids, and, if so blessed, for their kids as well. So, in spite of the miles, the weather, the tides and the endless logistics, by far, the real journey for me will be the absence.

I look forward to missing all of you. And I look forward to the next time I get to give you a big hug!