I will spend the next couple of days doing final packing and preparations and enjoying time with my parents in BC -- it was great to be home for Christmas. Looking at the year ahead, I feel mostly excited and a little nervous!
It seems I've been preparing for this move forever. In fact, I had about 5 weeks to wrap up everything in Ottawa before Christmas, buy what I needed for the North, give or throw away what I didn't need, find good tenants for my condo, and say my goodbyes. My life has been neatly packed up in boxes, which is a surreal but satisfying feeling.
Everything I need for the North is on its way in a big truck...in fact, several big trucks for various stages along the journey. (By the way, if you need good movers, contact Bandstra Moving -- they are affiliated with United and are fantastic, and didn't overcharge).
Everything I don't need is in a storage unit in Ottawa - how did I acquire so much STUFF? I do have a lot of childhood memorabilia, some antiques, old photos, and souvenirs from my travels around the world. But I'm sure I could do with a lot less... One of the things I will try to do in the North is to buy less (which should be an easy resolution to keep with no stores around!) and not acquire stuff I don't really need. There's nothing like having to pack and move to make you appreciate a simple life!