After months of planning, weeks of second-guessing, and days of eager anticipation, it’s finally time to go! I head to Philly tomorrow morning for my college reunion, our house-sitters show up on Saturday, and Maureen flies out Sunday morning to meet me in New York. Then, on Monday, it’s off to Europe for 2 months. When did everything start happening so quickly?

We’re excited about this adventure, but leaving home for such a long stretch is emotionally complicated. There’s so much I’ll miss about life here on the Northern California coast, but nothing quite as much as our beloved dog, Zora. Ever since I left work in March, she’s been my nearly constant companion for morning runs, afternoon walks to the ranch, excursions in Half Moon Bay or Pacifica, and just about everything else. Knowing how excited she gets about our daily two-mile jogs is the biggest motivation to get me up and out each morning. And tomorrow I have to say goodbye to her for two months. I’ll miss you, Z-monster!

We’ll also miss our horses, Pumpkin and Grigio. They’ll be well taken care of by our friends at Moss Beach Ranch, but it’s still hard to imagine two months without making buckets, shoveling manure, or riding the coastal trails. (OK, maybe I won’t miss the manure part…) Last weekend, we decided to see if there was any way they could be in the same pasture while we’re gone. As you can see, it was an interesting, but ultimately unsuccessful experiment:

So, yeah….. Needless to say, they’ll be staying in separate quarters until further notice. And while their living arrangements remain unchanged, ours are in for a big adjustment as we kick off two months as temporary, but enthusiastic, Europeans.

Ciao for now!