Being free to live life as we want too is finally feeling real!
We have spent the last two months reconnecting with family and friends…. the last few weeks with our Canadian ones and the weeks prior with our English ones.
Previous visits to see the family consisted of a huge expense to fly out to the UK, spend 2 frantic weeks scurrying around to see as many people as possible, before flying home to deal with the house, the bills and work. We were always left with the distinct feeling that we needed a holiday!
Trips to see our Canadian family, although more regular were usually very brief! We would arrive tired and fraught from a long drive, having to cross high mountain passes also meant that many times we had to deal with snow and black ice………. Fishtailing back & forth before sliding sideways down the highway is not conducive to a pleasant trip!!!!! Having to do this trip 2 times in one weekend in order to get back to work was not fun!
Since we simplified our lives and became vagabonds, our stresses are gone! We do not have to be at work! No work to do around the house……. Someone else can rake all those leaves Yay!
If you have been following our adventures you already know that we have rented our home and the income from that is enabling us to be these world travelling vagabonds. More importantly it has given us the time to reconnect with family and friends.
In England, we got to spend a lot of time with our good friend Peter, Pauline and her family (saved her kitchen from a freezer meltdown by being there). We also got to see my old friends Vanessa & Steph! We also were treated royally by aunts, uncles, parents and siblings.
It was also a great opportunity to spend lots of time with some of my sisters and brothers and a chance to get to know them as people, as adults, to find out what goes on in their worlds. Instead of the fuzzy memories you have from childhood, which surprisingly you may not agree upon!
Most importantly we were able to spend lots of time with my Dad. Many of you may know what it is like to see an elderly parent after spending time away, only to be shocked at the changes you see. The reality is that what is a gradual change to them comes as a shock to you……. This was a big wake up call to me and it will not be years before we are back again.
The biggest shock to us was the reminder that time is ticking away, one day our loved ones will be gone and all we will have left is memories of time spent together! My Mum died very suddenly a few years ago, so suddenly that no one had time for goodbyes! After listening to this long distance disembodied voice telling me that I would see my Mother no more, my values shifted…….. why had it been so long since we visited???? More importantly was it worth it……. the answer of course was no.
Take the time, build memories together, go walk on a beach with your brother or take your nephew to the wildlife park, cook dinner with your Mom ……….. For without our connections, our friends, our families, life is incomplete and lacking.
After all what would a pair of vagabonds do without the moral support of that family? Our families and friends have welcomed us into their homes and hearts with open arms and wherever we are they know that they too are very, very welcome.
I am glad we had some time to connect and I look forward to reading your blogs from way down south.
It was great to see you as well. Thank you for letting us look after Tigger and his house!