Tomorrow takes my family on our first vacation in many years. We had a few days in Jasper before the Monster was born, but otherwise we haven't been on a proper vacation in 5 years (since our honeymoon)!

We've had the fabulous benefit of travel for work. Whenever I got to go somewhere interesting and my hubby had some time we went together. Usually we got the chance to spend a few extra days exploring another city or visiting friends. This method of travel has taken us to New York, Chicago, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, San Diego, and even the booming metropolis of Saskatoon. September and October were always busy times. Conferences, speaking engagements, and meetings took me all over. It was a great opportunity to travel a bit on (mostly) someone else's dime.

Alas, with the Monster now that travel has lost its appeal. The hubby can't necessarily leave and I don't want to be away for long. And now our trips are taking us to small towns in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Great people but usually bad or even horrible food and not much to do.

But tomorrow takes us away. We're leaving on a jet plane... do know when we'll be back again. We are spending Thanksgiving - my all-time favourite holiday - in Ottawa with some of the hubby's family. Then we go to Nova Scotia for nearly two weeks. It is a second home for us, where we would live if we could both find jobs there. I am salivating at the thought of wandering the South End and Point Pleasant Park, at exploring the nooks of the Halifax Farmer's Market, and at spending a week at an oceanfront cottage. Reading, good wine, lots of chatting with friends and family, having my daughter see the ocean for the first time, collecting sea glass on the beach, leaf peeping, and maybe a little writing. As long as we survive the long flight this will be heaven for the next two and a half weeks.