Kids are splashing around in the pool, a light breeze is blowing, and the warm sun is shining. I can finally relax. It’s been nearly four weeks of chaos as we prepared to be out of our home for mid-December, moved to my parents’ house over the holidays, packed and re-packed and re-packed some more, did ALL the holiday / social events the season comes with, and completed last-minute tasks for travelling abroad for a year.

Of note: the massive bottle of pills I am now carrying everywhere with me as a result of filling eight months’ worth of my prescription. The too-large amount of clothes I brought with me even though it seemed like nothing at all when I packed back in Victoria. The first aid kit which takes up a quarter of my 85-L pack. The new credit cards we applied for and which arrived on December 30th, just in time for the stat holidays and our departure (phew!). The decision-exhaustion that came with examining each item in our lives and deciding whether it should live in our home, my parents’ basement, our bags, or somewhere else for the year. And I could go on…

We’re now happily and quite lazily ensconced in a condo in Palm Desert with Sean’s parents. It’s taken a few days to shift from the busy-ness of December to this. It’s also taking time to shift our mindset to finally, finally being on this trip after seven years of dreaming. This feels a bit like an in-between time – not quite “abroad” yet but definitely started the time that “we’re no longer home.”

We visited Sunnylands a few days ago which was a private winter residence and is now an estate open to the public. As someone who is obsessed with mid-century modern architecture and furniture, it was a total delight. I was breathless for most of the tour, which included an amazing kinetic sculpture next to a sparkling pool, stunning Hollywood Regency decor (the wallpaper!), and five sumptuous guest suites each done in monotones of peach, blue, green, yellow and pink. LOVE. 

This week was Grace’s 10th birthday. It’s hard to fathom that Sean and I have been parents for a decade. G has requested a visit to The Living Desert, a swim, and a rainbow cake, so fun will be had by all! 

More soon,

Caley