And so the journey begins...

Destination: Vermont.

I left Vancouver on July 16, 2014; four years of life -- and my wife -- in my rearview mirror. My copilot: Whidbey the Cat.

3150 miles and 51 hours of driving separated me from the destination.

It was a bittersweet good-bye. Erin and I are excited about our new Vermont life. Unfortunately, the logistics of being an international couple mean that Erin has to stay in Canada until such time as her US visa is granted. Yes, this is the case even for legitimately married couples. It will take many months. Our fingers are crossed that something happens before Christmas.

That said, it's the right move for us. For better or worse, no matter the steps we took to make it work for us, and despite our wonderful friends there, Vancouver was never "home". Vermont represents the future.

So here goes.  But not after a stop halfway, in Minnesota, to pick up a U-Haul and fill it with statues (purchased eleven years ago when I was still in Asia), two motorcycles, and all of the other stuff that's been stored at my parents' place for the past umpteen years.

Stuff like this was interesting to find in the depths of the basement, but I'm sorry to say that not everything will have a place in our new house:

Lots of driving. Lots of miles. Little sleep -- and that in odd places (no hotels). Of course, no trip is complete without a bit of drama; the incident pictured below occurred in middle-of-nowhere-New York state.

And then: Vermont; I arrived at dusk.

The next morning I was up early to sign the papers on our new home. Three days later, I started my new job.

And so the page turns on a new chapter. This blog is dedicated to our life in Vermont.