Wow, leaving in winter conditions after being stopped for almost twelve weeks is a major undertaking! Today, I managed to get my black tank thawed out and emptied. I filled it with potable anti-freeze and made a vow to use the resort facilities until I leave. 🙂 Tomorrow, I’m attacking the sewer and water hoses since it is supposed to be milder than it was today. I’m also hoping to flush my entire water system with chlorine since I’ve begun to notice a musty odour when I turn on the shower. So, for a variety of reasons, I’ve decided that a Thursday morning (January 1st) departure makes the most sense. The park in Surrey is expecting me anytime between tomorrow and Friday, for which I am grateful in that a lot of parks told me that I could not arrive on the 1st.

Another issue I need to deal with is Miranda’s key slot for the ignition as the key is difficult to insert and remove. Those who know think that it’s simply dirty and in need of a good cleaning, that someone probably WD-40ed it at some point and the oil had time to congeal over the past several weeks. I don’t think that this is so urgent an issue as to prevent me from leaving, but it’s something I’ll want to deal with before the spring.

I had the pleasure of hosting Donna this afternoon and realised that it was the first time anyone had come to Miranda for a social call! I have to confess to being a bit of a recluse and extremely protective of my ‘bubble’, but I discovered that having a friend over for tea (my jasmine/Earl Grey blend!) and a good gabfest added an unexpected layer of ‘home’ to the rig.

It’s hard to believe that, weather and road conditions permitting, forty-eight hours from now will find me within minutes of the ocean and a short drive away from family and friends I have not seen in too long. I thought that the Okanagan was my ‘final’ destination on my cross-country trip, but now I realise that I need a glimpse of the Canadian Pacific Ocean to feel that this part of the trip is truly over. Last November I was in Halifax, walking along Atlantic beaches, never guessing that just a little more than a year later, I’d find myself on the opposite coast. I’ve covered a lot of ground in the past eighteen months.

I’d say that I’m ready to go. 😀