It has been a few months since our last entry and there are a couple reasons for that: The first is that we moved out of our North Vancouver hobbit hole, back into house sitting and looking after people's pets, and we have both experienced surges in our work, not leaving a lot of time for blogging.
The second, is that we committed ourselves to write our Horizon Travels blog for a year, and it has now been over a year since our first entry about leaving Ontario on October 1, 2018, so this entry had the pressure of wrapping it all up!
This is possibly the last entry we will do. It is a catch up about where we are at now, it is a bit of reflection on the journey so far, and it is a thank you for reading—it has been a good way to appreciate our lives and to consolidate our learning, and to connect with people in ways we may not have otherwise.
September
In the middle of September we moved to our first house sit since February, looking after two brother cats in a lovely, (above ground!) apartment in East Vancouver. I have several blurry photos of them wrestling with each other, but none do justice to how hilariously they played together. Once, they each stood on their haunches and bobbled around and had a full-on boxing match for about 30 seconds.
This is a photo of them trying to catch the toy on the line. The one on the floor is about leap for it.
While we were house sitting the cute kitties, Margo's parents returned to Vancouver from their Alaska cruise and spent a week with us before heading back to Ontario.
Margo writes: When reflecting back on the visit from my parents, I have to say that we really packed it in. I was sooo excited to have family visiting that I was crazed with showing them how awesome it is here, the north shore life.
Of course it was raining to give them a real authentic experience of exploring the glorious outdoors in the wetness. That being written, we did manage to have many dry meals : )
This is our first breakfast together on day one; my parents were such troopers. Having just experienced Alaska, they were up for diving deep with us.
We spent time on Sunshine Coast, visiting one of my Dad’s favourite TV show sets, Molly’s Reach cafe, of the Beachcombers (dry meal).
I couldn't resist adding these flourishing floating homes we saw in the Gibson's harbour.
We took a long, thankfully dry, drive to Whistler, stopping at Squamish at Luz Taco Food Truck (sunny meal!!),
We went to a Canuck’s pre-season game...
and then headed to Victoria on the ferry.
More amazing times, with beautiful weather with my mom’s younger brother and sister-in-law, from Courtenay.
A few photos of breakfast at Johnny's, Butchart Gardens, and Sooke Potholes.
Luke and I both realize how much we love visitors, YOU ARE INVITED : )
October
[Luke again] After that week of family fun, we had 8 days between housesits and rented an airbnb in Deep Cove. On day 1, five minutes into my first session on my first day back to work after the week off, a client unexpectedly threw a guitar at my face! 9 stitches and another week off. This time I knew clearly what to do and was grateful to be surrounded by the massive nature of Deep Cove so that I could get back into the woods chanting mantra. It was pretty clear to me almost immediately that this was a not-so-subtle invitation back into the magic that I had tuned to while working with my broken collarbone. This time I knew that this level of spiritual orientation needed to be a more permanent and stable part of my life.
Next stop was our longest house sit yet in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver, just down the road from where I lived when I was 22/23, this time taking care of two whoodles (poodle/wheaton terrier) and a gentlemanly cat named Tod. The owners of this crew were on a 5-week trip around the world!
Whoodles are pure delight. They were the cuddliest animals we have ever met, they hike and play, and come when they are called, are loving and loyal and are hilarious chasers of squirrels, balls and each other.
It was clarifying for us to live in that part of the city, with wonderful shops and restaurants and easy bike rides to most places we needed to be, and yet much further from the big nature that both of us now know is essential to the level of wellbeing we've become accustomed to. We have learned to be incredibly adaptable on these Horizon Travels, though our preference is clearly remote areas, or places where the nature is so massive it dwarfs the people... and the whoodles...
Mid-November
We were blessed with a surprise offering from the gracious homeowners of having a few nights at their place in Whistler after our house sit was complete. This was particularly perfect because we didn’t have any other house-sits lined up.
...a welcome drenching of nature, and a great dinner with my uncle Rich and aunt Peg, who I have had the great fortune of visiting in Whistler since I was 8.
Not being able to find another suitable housesit, and feeling a bit too stretched by working our jobs and the demands of house-sitting (moving regularly, pet care, lining up housesits), we decided after Whistler to look for a place to rent.
We found by far the best place we have seen in all our apartment shopping, ground level(!) in Deep Cove, at the base of Mount Seymour (mountain biking! hiking! ski resort! backcountry access!), and a 5 minute walk from the ocean.
Interestingly, this place wasn’t available until the end of December, so we asked our second favourite place if they’d consider a 1-month rental. They agreed to two weeks in the basement apartment we’d inquired about, and 2 weeks in their bed and breakfast (with no breakfast) in the main house with them!
December
Margo headed back to Ontario a few days after moving into the bed and breakfast. I had a delightful time with the homeowners, the Brazilian couple staying for a month, the laundry and dishes service and learning to cook all my meals in a toaster oven.
Margo writes: My time visiting Ontario was full to the brim. I managed to flow through with ease, that is after the first week. In those first 5 days I was struck by my jet lag, my expectations, my different roles as sister, aunt, daughter and Peterborough friend and visitor. Though after a few tears, acceptance and letting go, I flew on a magic Christmas carpet through the rest of the trip. A balance of being a busy bee, resting, working, offering a Light-filled workshop and loving up all my beautiful family and friends.
Snow was so welcomed in my bones and heart! The Christmas Pop-up bar in TO was a pleasant fun surprise and Christmas tree decorating!
Mid-December
(Luke again) I headed back to Ontario myself, for eleven action-packed days of great connections, brisk air, presents and tons of love.
Our hearts expanding with our nieces and nephews!
Many nourishing family events!
Now we are back settling into our beautiful Deep Cove apartment, where we have signed a 5-month lease. I’ll continue to work my music therapy jobs, Margo will continue to build her wonderful psychotherapy private practice, which has grown exponentially since October, play in the mountains, love each other, call in a baby, and dream up the next phase.
