Gradually, little by little, the parallel processes of reducing our world and beginning our travels are occuring. Our first destination was our friends' house, 450 metres away, one street over. It was amazing to me how that short physical distance felt so far from our old lives. We had far too much residual baggage, frantically moved to our new digs as the move-out deadline loomed, but the space was different, and the perspective was different. The kids went to splash and serve camp at the beautiful Britannia Yacht Club, and Crystal went on a canoe trip in Laverendrye for Kindra's 40th. I enjoyed that now rare sensation of aloneness: me in a silent house. I biked at will, but also experienced the holy grail of relaxation... book, coffee, silence. Albeit it for one short afternoon, but it was enough to signal the possibilities ahead.
Photo break (please excuse the subsequent formatting issues; luddite defeated by computer):
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Felicity squeezed in a baseball season amidst our comings and goings. In her third game she was the only player on either team to hit in each of her innings
 | | The young man knows how to chill. Massage chair and literature... |
 | MTB with my brother-in-law, Gatineau Park
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| Squirrel vs bottle, Pink Lake
After 3 weeks in our first house-sit, it was time to make way for the rightful owners. One more frantic packing session, accompanied by the familiar heatwave, an overloaded car, and a trip up the valley to Pembroke. House sit number two. Chris and Linde's place, empty while they hang out at their cottage across the river. One week, daily trips to the cottage, swimming, biking, eating, drinking. An altogether more simple pack up and move out, pleasant meanderings in Pembroke's old town charm, and a repeat effort in Arnprior. This is it, the moment of touching the essence of what this year is all about. We've been to the Roy cottage many, many times. Usually a weekend, a couple of days, in and out. Perhaps a box store stop, or a gas station. Never time to see the nice part of town, always a rush. But now... walk down to the river after dinner? Why not. We have nothing on tomorrow. Research a good pub for dinner, enjoy family time, savour the surroundings. Yes. And all this in our own back yard, but seen differently, freed of the responsibilities of home ownership (cue call from tenants) and schedule. |
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Riding with the Corrigan-Roys in Petawawa, the eastern most point of the Ontario leg of our world tour
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Petawawa river
 | I know it's too small but new bike has to wait until next year
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Wat-er a lot of fun to be had at the Roy cottage
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Some fun is type 2, hills help
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Dinner in fine style at the Roy's
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| Dinner in Arnprior, a pint of Stray Dog brewing's Shaggin' Wagon |
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| The delight at turning his bed into a dining table |
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Nothing says holiday like taking your bike on the ferry, Quyon loop: https://www.strava.com/activities/5692831659
 | Exploring Woodlawn: the unmaintained part of Vance's Sideroad
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One thing I've realised is that a blog post is never really finished (however much the reader may want it to be). Always another thing to say, but then again, always another post to say it in.
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