At this time six months ago, I was in Ottawa on the eve of the big departure. Six months from tonight I will either be back in Ottawa in anticipation of returning to my government job the next morning or committed to long-term full-timing. I already know that chances are that I’ll be going with plan A… which is to not go back to my government job. But there are too many variables and what ifs in my plan at this time to discuss it any further. I’m such a tease. 🙂

I’m not where I thought I would be tonight in terms of my financial situation. A lot of things went wrong in the past six months, including the market crashing and longer periods of unemployment than anticipated,  so I’ll admit that I am scrambling a bit to come up with the funds to finance the next part of my journey, that is to get me to employment in Dawson City, Yukon. I would be happy to remain at my current position (and my employers would be glad to keep me) for an additional month, but the prohibitive cost of rent here does not make that a good option. I have been trying to find part-time evening and/or weekend work, but that has yet to pan out and time is running short. I know that the money will come, it always does, but it’s hard not to think about how quickly May 1st will be here!

When I look back on the past six months, I marvel that I am not bitter and disillusioned. September was amazing, yes. But October, November, and December were mostly hell. January was a mixed bag of feelings–taking so long to find work, bad weather keeping me cooped up, moving to such a wonderful park, joy at finding a great contract. February was good, even if it reeked of my old life–commute and desk work, but tolerable because it was a means, not an end. March and April will be much of the same I imagine. But I am impossibly happy, more content and at peace than I have ever been. Hard as this life has been at times, it has been joyous, freeing, good, and honest.

If there is one moment that I will cling to as the vivid memories of September 4th, 2008 to March 3rd, 2009 start to fade it is the minute I stepped out of Miranda at Lake Louise. The sharp scent of pine is etched in my memory and serves as a reminder that I can go forth into ‘their’ world, but still do it my way.

I will also never forget Croft’s and my adventure with the batteries that led to discovering what the big honkin’ yellow button is for. The whole misadventure taught me to have more confidence in myself, that my sense of humour is my biggest ally, and that I am not living in a vacuum; there are wonderful people out there willing to help if I just ask.

Thank you to my readers who have followed me thus far. I’d still keep a blog even if no one read it, but it’s nice to know that my experiences strike a note with people outside my bubble.

All that’s left to say is “Dang I should have bought some beer to celebrate and YUKON, HERE WE COME!!!!!”